I forgot to latch the roof down.

[tosu]

When we first got the 84 westfalia, I worried about latching the lid, I even forgot that it was up, and started out of the driveway a couple of days after we bought it home.
We were in Mexico in Nov 07, and stopped for tea, when I put the top down, something interfered with my regular routine, so after tucking in the canvas, I drove off with the top down but not latched. We were on a good highway doing our usual 55-60 and a truck passed us, there was a loud bang, but no sign of anything wrong. another truck coming toward us set of another bang, this was repeated possibly 6 or 7 times, & we are looking all over & cant see anything wrong. I reached behind me and pushed up a bit on the lid & oooohhhhh sh*t the roof was loose. Hit the brakes. The canvas was out a bit, no damage. I would have expected the roof to leave, or at best become an air brake with the canvas pulling it down as it caught air. But we dodged a great big bullet. I post this for all those who wonder but are afraid to try it out. BTW I wouldnt test this on your own.
Tony
_________________
84 westfalia
sometimes towed behind our
67 MCI bus conversion.

[MattVW]

my guess would be that when the trucks passed by they created a high pressure zone which pushed the top up and after they passed it slammed back down because of the low pressure in the van sucked it down. Since the top wasn't latched down there was enough of a gap that air would move in and out quickly.

that's my $0.02.

-Matt
_________________
-Matt

[zpoole]

glad to know that the roof doesnt elevate off. I've been pretty good about latching it down every time, however I've been driving with my wife and realize that it has come unlatched. the first time it happened i figured i had forgotten to latch it but it has happened a few other times, luckily just driving around town at low speeds. has this happened to anyone else? anyone know why?

Thanks

[big swifty]

This happened to me , driving home from NYC We were on the middle of the Tappan Zee bridge. No breakdown Lane! Mine opened all the way. My wife grabbed the bar, my daughters grabbed my wife around the waist and I slowed down. Made it off the bridge, pulled over and luckily, the only thing damaged was my ego. Don't know how it loosened.
_________________
Evan
1987 Vanagon Syncro // Westfalia pop-top graft // Factory new ALH. 11mm IP. AFN 110 RC 2,3,4 // S7 turbo// Titan P502's
2013 Golf 4d TDI. Deleted. Tunezilla Stage2.
1991 Jetta coupe TD. Giles Superpump. SOLD

[aswah]

Me and the wifey were camping on the coast in NorCal and perhaps smoked a little too much of the local greenery... drove away from the campsite and I noticed some drag... looked back and the top was open. We always have a ritual of getting the camper squared away for the road... not that time. We felt so stoopid
_________________
WIT WA DA DA (Peace and Unity)

Aswah, Lisa, Beaumont and Loose Lucy Too!

1989 Westy
2013 Jetta Sportswagon TDI

[spitsnrovers]

Oh Yeah, I've done it too several times. Stopped for a lunch or coffee with the top up, packed everything away carefully and forgot to pull the top down. Didn't get far before realizing it though.

Since then I've had the plan to mount a bright warning light or LED somewhere on the dasn and a microswitch on the roof somewhere that gets activated when the top is securely latched - turning out the light.


Anyone done it yet?
.

[AlanD]

Yes, I put in a microswitch to activate a red LED on the dash if the top is up and the ignition is on.

I pulled the cover off the instrument cluster and found a wire that was hot only when the ignition was on. Don't remember which one it was, but I can look later. That went to the appropriate lead on a Radio Shack red LED (don't remember the part number, but can find that later too). Then ran a wire from the other lead on the LED under the floor mat, behind the driver seat, up the molding on the aft side of the driver door opening to where I mounted the microswitch and connected it to the common terminal on the microswitch. The microswitch, from Radio Shack, has both normally-open and normally-closed contacts. I used the normally-closed (NC) contact and connected it to ground using a nearby screw that holds part of the tent-support hardware. (NC means that if the microswitch is in its free state, the switch will conduct electricity.) I will make a photo later showing how I mounted it.

So, if the top is up and the ignition is on, current flows from the hot wire in the dash, through the LED, and through the microswitch to ground, thereby completing the circuit and lighting the LED.

I'll see if I can post photos in the next couple of days. It's too late tonight.
_________________
Alan

1989 GoWesty Camper-2.3 L engine-9% higher ratio AT
1999 Subaru Forester
1989 Toyota 4WD Truck

[nomadik]

I drove with my roof up complete on 99 highway, in crazy fast traffic, up and down mountains, a week after I got my 1st westy, Everyone was staring, I thought, what are all these suv's staring like they never seen a vw van before, my gf was having trouble staying warm, and I thought something was loud about the motor and also that the steering strange.. I just thought about this cross winds stuff.

We drove about 90 110 kms hr for about an hour and half until I was about to turn into a parkade and the guy at the ticket booth starting pointing to his turban I though.... he ment my roof.


CRAZY and Dumb.

There was no damage at all to the van, Lucky the wind didnt roll me over or something.

This is no joke.

[msinabottle]

1. Rig rear bed to bench, secure all loose interior gear. Check upper berth for improperly stowed items from lower section. Make sure tent window(s) secured.

2. Secure all cabinet and interior doors. Secure tables against rattling and shifting.

3. Close all exterior windows, check to make sure that they are securely latched. Close and secure sink, stove, and refrigerator.

4. Lower tent without latching. Exit van.

5. Remove and secure all external gear, such as the gray water tank and hose. Check rear hatch and secure. Make sure tent canvas tucked under top.

6. Turn off Propane system unless running fridge. Check and remove external connections. Enter van.

7. LATCH TENT, CHECK LATCH.

8. Lock all exterior doors. Check mirrors and clearances. Start Van. Hit road.
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."

[tikibus]

Wether like it or not to admit it,

We've all done the same thing. Heck, I've done the same thing too.
Just having too much fun or being rushed.

Here's to the top not gettin' ripped off.


_________________
Happy Trails!
Mark
______________
Founding member of the Empire State VW Camping Club.
http://www.empirevwcamping.org/
1984 Westy - Tiki
1997 Honda Civic -The Green Hornet
1971 Volvo P-1800E- needs TLC

[OxygenDestroyer]

Crazy - I've never even thought about this. I think I latch the thing every time I put it down.. it has such a strong positive "click" when you latch it I can't imagine it coming undone. Knock on Wood!

[Williamtaylor33]

Right after i first got a westy. Everyone wanted to check it out. The fridge,stove, bed, etc. So of course they had to see the top popped up. After i left a friends house after showing him all the gadgets of the van i had forgot to check and make sure the top was latched. Well...It wasnt. I could hear air coming in so i looked backed and the top was hovering about an inch above where it should have been.
Needless to say i pulled that beast over to the side of the road pretty quick.
_________________
89 Bostig powered syncro westy

[tosu]

Hey folks,
Looks like no one has lost the lid on one of these, mine has never unlatched, touch wood) when it was doing the bang thing in Mexico, we had tucked in the canvas but not pulled the latch down.
Tony
_________________
84 westfalia
sometimes towed behind our
67 MCI bus conversion.

[AlanD]

I have the photos of the poptop warning light installaton. For sake of completeness, I will repeat part of what I wrote earlier.

Yes, I put in a microswitch to activate a red LED on the dash if the top is up and the ignition is on.

I pulled the cover off the instrument cluster and found a wire that was hot only when the ignition was on. Don't remember which one it was, but I can look later. That went to the appropriate lead on a Radio Shack red LED (don't remember the part number, but can find that later too). Then ran a wire from the other lead on the LED under the floor mat, behind the driver seat, up the molding on the aft side of the driver door opening to where I mounted the microswitch and connected it to the common terminal on the microswitch. The microswitch, from Radio Shack, has both normally-open and normally-closed contacts. I used the normally-closed (NC) contact and connected it to ground using a nearby screw that holds part of the tent-support hardware. (NC means that if the microswitch is in its free state, the switch will conduct electricity.) I will make a photo later showing how I mounted it.

So, if the top is up and the ignition is on, current flows from the hot wire in the dash, through the LED, and through the microswitch to ground, thereby completing the circuit and lighting the LED.

So, here are the photos:

_________________
Alan

1989 GoWesty Camper-2.3 L engine-9% higher ratio AT
1999 Subaru Forester
1989 Toyota 4WD Truck

[tencentlife]

That's a great idea. You could even go further and make the microswitch close a relay in the ignition circuit. That would keep the motor from being started if the top wasn't latched. That's for the folks who seem to miss warning lights until it's too late (like me, for instance).
_________________
Shop for unique and useful Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
also available at VanCafe.com!

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is death to doctrine.

[AlanD]

Reply to tencentlife: Or maybe a little shock to the rear would work too!

There have been a couple of times I did drive on purpose with the top up. Once was in a heavy rain to move to a different location in a campground. Another to just reposition in a campsite.
_________________
Alan

1989 GoWesty Camper-2.3 L engine-9% higher ratio AT
1999 Subaru Forester
1989 Toyota 4WD Truck

[klucz]

I don't know... how long do you think it would take the average Westy driver to realize the top isn't latched down before they start tearing into the motor trying to figure out why it won't start. Like with Mk2 seatbelts. Everyone whos ever had a Mk2 has sat in a parking lot somewhere with that dumbfounded look on their face a few times.

[tosu]

Wouldnt matter, I have towing insurance (G)
_________________
84 westfalia
sometimes towed behind our
67 MCI bus conversion.

[klucz]

No, not a bad idea. Just saying, I would be the one troubleshooting all day without a clue. But the Mk2 thing cracks me up, I had one as a DD for the last year and the amazing deductive powers of the human mind never cease to amaze me, at least mine. I knew a guy who got so fed up he disconnected the wire in the door, it was his daughters car and he never remembered about it.

[tencentlife]

Well I imagine the same people would drive away with the top up and wonder what that red light on the dash is for. It just takes all kinds, doesn't it?
_________________
Shop for unique and useful Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/
also available at VanCafe.com!

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is death to doctrine.