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Lunabus
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Los Angeles
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 Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 10:32 pm Post subject: Do you use your head? |
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When standing inside my weekender and I am ready to close the pop top..
I gently lower it onto my head at which point I pull in all the fabric and roll & Tuck.
Seems to work well except head is not very happy...
Anyone have tips for closing pop tops.
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1986 wolfsburg weekender w/pop top...
1981 FXWG Harley Davidson Shovelhead... |
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motelvw
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 465
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:19 am Post subject: |
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| I use my head too to prop it open a little. My wife loves it when my knit cap sticks to the skylight velcro and stays there when I get out of the van. |
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j8
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003
Posts: 575
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:25 am Post subject: try... pressure |
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| It is faster to bring the poptop down and roll it carefully while letting it rest on your head, but I'll often close up the van - including windows - and drop the crossbar. The air pressure brings the top down verrrrrry slowly, and I can do a very tight roll to the poptop canvas as it slowly comes down. |
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kevinbassplayer
Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2006
Posts: 1041
Location: Nor-Cal
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:25 am Post subject: |
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| I never realized that I do this also, I always rest the top on my head while I'm rolling up the tent |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 10831
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:01 am Post subject: Re: try... pressure |
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| j8 wrote: |
| I'll often close up the van - including windows - and drop the crossbar. The air pressure brings the top down verrrrrry slowly, and I can do a very tight roll to the poptop canvas as it slowly comes down. |
Doesn't the inside airpressure balloon all 3 tufts of the canvas out?
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'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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j8
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003
Posts: 575
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:13 am Post subject: |
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Sodo wrote:
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| Doesn't the inside airpressure balloon all 3 tufts of the canvas out? |
Yeah, it does, but once the top hits about a third of the way down, my monkey arms can reach and roll the sides as it sinks, sometimes even pulling it down the last few inches.
No matter how I bring it down, I always save the front for last to be sure I roll it tightly and evenly, because I don't want to pinch the canvas & screen up front. |
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Lunabus
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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My head does not love the weight of my pop top on it and I used my skylight once by mistake, now I need to replace it.
Perhaps, this is an opportunity to create some kind of device that mounts in place temporarily to hold up the top at just the right hight so we can roll up tightly the canvas without any head strain and then voila, pull out the brace for the final closure!
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1986 wolfsburg weekender w/pop top...
1981 FXWG Harley Davidson Shovelhead... |
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0to60in6min
Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006
Posts: 3461
Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
this is what I do...
As soon as the pop top is lowered enough, presto I insert a piece of 6" 2x4 wood at the locking mechanism.. From inside I pull all the canvas material, all around, then I get out of the van have a look all around to see if there is any canvas that need to be tucked in, get inside the westy, remove the piece of wood and lock the pop top...
I don't use my head because Iam not tall enough to use it..  |
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SoquelDude
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2021
Posts: 380
Location: Soquel, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| 0to60in6min wrote: |
Hi,
this is what I do...
As soon as the pop top is lowered enough, presto I insert a piece of 6" 2x4 wood at the locking mechanism.. From inside I pull all the canvas material, all around, then I get out of the van have a look all around to see if there is any canvas that need to be tucked in, get inside the westy, remove the piece of wood and lock the pop top...
I don't use my head because Iam not tall enough to use it.. |
That's absolutely brilliant!
But I have a different question. It must be me, but even though I anal-retentively roll the tent canvas as tight as I can, it always ends up after a few days as hanging flaps in the front corners of the opening. Do folks have a solution for this?
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'90 Vanagon Westy GL, AT, EJ22E conversion (1993 2.2L Legacy Engine) |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 10305
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Lunabus wrote: |
| Perhaps, this is an opportunity to create some kind of device that mounts in place temporarily to hold up the top at just the right hight... |
Already invented, Pop top struts.
As for rolling it up and tucking it away a lot depends on what materials been used for the tent. The original was thin enough I could do this but now I have a heavier hemp-like canvas material that can't be as rolled as compactly. |
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SoquelDude
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2021
Posts: 380
Location: Soquel, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| As for rolling it up and tucking it away a lot depends on what materials been used for the tent. The original was thin enough I could do this but now I have a heavier hemp-like canvas material that can't be as rolled as compactly. |
I have the original tent in my 1990 Westy and the canvas is pretty thick. I can roll the sides in just fine, but the front part always ends up flapping down like a well-seasoned beer gut (I should know).
So, what do you do? Just live with it or pull the flaps in every few weeks?
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'90 Vanagon Westy GL, AT, EJ22E conversion (1993 2.2L Legacy Engine) |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 8748
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Do you use your head? |
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No.
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If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?” |
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SoquelDude
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2021
Posts: 380
Location: Soquel, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Do you use your head? |
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No to which part?
| Quote: |
| So, what do you do? Just live with it or pull the flaps in every few weeks? |
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'90 Vanagon Westy GL, AT, EJ22E conversion (1993 2.2L Legacy Engine) |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 8748
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: Do you use your head? |
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Topic title. 
We just roll in the sides and then the front, rolling away from us in both cases — with the roll as low as we can get it.
We have the 90 lb. Jack Bombay struts, the perfect lift with nothing on the roof — so head is not needed.
If what you described is the front corners hanging down, either it’s not rolled tightly enough there — meaning the roll includes the corners held tighter when rolling the front — or there’s air creeping under the front corners by a bad front seal, or the roof’s not low enough when clasped.
One clue there is the roof rubber base trim on roof is higher than the luggage rack base trim. Sometimes that also happens if there’s too much stuff upstairs to fully compress to flush, like bedding or whatever.
Our upstairs bed’s fully made up with two down bags, sheets, and blankets, even two ultralight backpack pads, but the pillows do not fit.
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If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?” |
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 10305
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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| SoquelDude wrote: |
| ...So, what do you do? Just live with it or pull the flaps in every few weeks? |
I just let it hang out. I love the tent with its thick canvas so all I do is assure that nothing is pinched and leave it be.
The trick, as they say, is 'not minding'. |
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SoquelDude
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2021
Posts: 380
Location: Soquel, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Ahwahnee wrote: |
| SoquelDude wrote: |
| ...So, what do you do? Just live with it or pull the flaps in every few weeks? |
I just let it hang out. I love the tent with its thick canvas so all I do is assure that nothing is pinched and leave it be.
The trick, as they say, is 'not minding'. |
Works for me, but then again, I don't pick my socks or underwear off the floor either (TMI alert!)
Thanks!
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 8600
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2025 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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When I need to, I use an 18" (or so) PVC pipe with a rubber cap at each end. All other times, I simply use one hand to hold the roof up, while the other gathers in the tent.
| SoquelDude wrote: |
| But I have a different question. It must be me, but even though I anal-retentively roll the tent canvas as tight as I can, it always ends up after a few days as hanging flaps in the front corners of the opening. Do folks have a solution for this? |
I have an acrylic tent. I simply tuck the front corners in and that's how they stay unless driving in horrendous wind with the front windows down.
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1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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SoquelDude
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2021
Posts: 380
Location: Soquel, CA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2025 1:28 am Post subject: |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
When I need to, I use an 18" (or so) PVC pipe with a rubber cap at each end. All other times, I simply use one hand to hold the roof up, while the other gathers in the tent.
| SoquelDude wrote: |
| But I have a different question. It must be me, but even though I anal-retentively roll the tent canvas as tight as I can, it always ends up after a few days as hanging flaps in the front corners of the opening. Do folks have a solution for this? |
I have an acrylic tent. I simply tuck the front corners in and that's how they stay unless driving in horrendous wind with the front windows down.
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Thanks. I'll try to really push the corners in tighter. But I bet the acrylic tent is much easier to roll in than the old canvas tent that I have.
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'90 Vanagon Westy GL, AT, EJ22E conversion (1993 2.2L Legacy Engine) |
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vanis13
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010
Posts: 4588
Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2025 7:18 am Post subject: |
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| kamzcab86 wrote: |
When I need to, I use an 18" (or so) PVC pipe with a rubber cap at each end. All other times, I simply use one hand to hold the roof up, while the other gathers in the tent.
| SoquelDude wrote: |
| But I have a different question. It must be me, but even though I anal-retentively roll the tent canvas as tight as I can, it always ends up after a few days as hanging flaps in the front corners of the opening. Do folks have a solution for this? |
I have an acrylic tent. I simply tuck the front corners in and that's how they stay unless driving in horrendous wind with the front windows down.
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On the two bars - right side of corner above the vent - black - is that a Velcro strap? What's it's purpose?
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 5919
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2025 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Do you use your head? |
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i use my head. being tall, bald, and a frequent baseball cap wearer, i've had the top 'button' driven into my cranium many times so now i perform a 'button-ectomy' on each cap using a side cutter to pop the button off.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
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