The pop top on my campervan seems to have got harder to put up and down since my last trip or I am getting weaker
I did give it a spray on the arms/rollers/springs before my last trip but haven't done it since.
I am wondering if it is because during the last trip I took off after a roadside stop scare with the roof still up, but only drove slowly and as soon as I could pulled up and put it down, could this have caused it?
Any thoughts?
Esmeralda said
11:50 PM Nov 30, 2011
Hey Vic - I know it is a stupid question but did you clean the tracks??
I only mention this because I have difficulty getting my pop top roof up and my father got up on his ladder and told me the tracks need cleaning 'cos they're full of rubbish. I thought it was because I have a crook shoulder - which reminds me I need to go and do my physio exercises
Helen
gold dandelion said
11:54 PM Nov 30, 2011
i would say it needs another lubrication, if you can access the working parts easy, use white grease or silicone spray
yogi said
11:54 PM Nov 30, 2011
measure each corner see if its square if its not , square it up
Happywanderer said
12:01 AM Dec 1, 2011
Sounds like it needs lubrication Vic. Check all the wheel are still in one piece.
Vic said
03:11 AM Dec 1, 2011
Thanks for the replies everyone, I had used silicone on it previously and have checked/cleaned the tracks, will give it another spray and see if that makes a difference.
Yogi, when you say measure the corners, what exactly do you mean?
Thanks
Vic
lyn-n-ken said
06:09 AM Dec 1, 2011
hi guys, heard of that silicone stuff , can you give me the name so i can get some got couple of things i could use it on and does it smell . lyn
Father Ted said
06:29 AM Dec 1, 2011
Hey Vic,I had the same problem once,easily fixed though.................just remember to let the hold down clips off before trying to push the locked down roof up.
Dougwe said
07:44 AM Dec 1, 2011
Hi Vic, to square up if you can, measure from corner to coner diagonally ie. top right to bottom left and top left to bottom right, if that makes sense. That's how I would check anyway. Might need someone to hold on e end of tape though or hold down with a bit of tape.
Dougwe said
07:45 AM Dec 1, 2011
Forgot to mention, measurement should be the same each way it it is square.
Joe said
11:05 AM Dec 1, 2011
Dougwe wrote:
Hi Vic, to square up if you can, measure from corner to coner diagonally ie. top right to bottom left and top left to bottom right, if that makes sense. That's how I would check anyway. Might need someone to hold on e end of tape though or hold down with a bit of tape.
Agreed on this - what you are looking for is any distortion that would mean the roof doesn't go straight up or down. If you drove at any speed with the roof up (and it doesn't have to be high speed) then it is possible that the roof and pop top walls may have acted as a sail and bent, even slightly, the arms holding the roof up. If they are bent then the effort required to push them up or down may well be excessive.
yeoeleven said
11:54 AM Dec 1, 2011
Hi Vic,I know how you feel and I have lubricated mine a couple of times since being on the road.
The biggest problem that I currently have is that I have to go round the drivers side to re seat the top before it can be clamped from inside, a residue from the blow up of the top whilst crossing the bridge at Port Augusta.
John
Vic said
01:09 PM Dec 1, 2011
lyn-n-ken wrote:
hi guys, heard of that silicone stuff , can you give me the name so i can get some got couple of things i could use it on and does it smell . lyn
Most hardware and vehicle stores would have it Lyn, there are various people make it but Selley's is one brand, just ask for silicone spray, good for squeaky door hinges at home and also home sliding doors and windows.
Vic said
01:13 PM Dec 1, 2011
Thanks for the feedback everyone, will give that a go, it may have been caused by the driving a short distance with it up as said by Joe and John, and out of whack will have to check.
Cruising Granny said
01:45 PM Dec 1, 2011
What sort of scare would prompt you to drive off with the top still up?
Gerty Dancer said
02:20 PM Dec 1, 2011
He wrote a fascinating story about it in the "What is it about free-camping" thread started by Cupie a week or 2 ago Granny. Brave man Vic, I wouldnt have stayed as long as he did!
Beth54 said
02:32 PM Dec 1, 2011
You can also get the silicone spray from the 's.h.i.t for shillings shops'. I've used it on mine with success too.
Vic said
04:02 PM Dec 1, 2011
Gerty Dancer wrote:
He wrote a fascinating story about it in the "What is it about free-camping" thread started by Cupie a week or 2 ago Granny. Brave man Vic, I wouldnt have stayed as long as he did!
This is an extract CG, I reported it online to Crimestoppers and when submitted they gave a reference number, but I didn't write it down and have not heard anything from them or the local police etc;
"Then the scary one, after Yeo and I went our own ways and I was returning from Denmark, I stopped at an overnight rest stop on the Albany Highway north of Kojanup, picnic tables, shade and rubbish bins only nearest the roadway, no other facilities.There was a huge bush area with tracks at the rear of the main area with cleared camping spots off the bush tracks at various points.As I was the only one there, I thought it was best not to be seen from the road, so drove a good way in where I was not visible from the highway and parked the campervan for a quick getaway with a couple of escape routes through parts of the bush if needed in an emergency in a nice quiet spot.Then I went for a walk further along the track.In one camping spot there was discarded clothing including underwear which I thought was a bit strange.Further along the track was a disused gravel pit and just near it was a bumper bar for a car (plastic type) which appeared to be in excellent condition and and not damaged.Just near that were two long mounds of gravel in the shape of graves I have seen in country cemeteries, one adult size and one alongside it small adult or child size.
By now it was getting dark and I was feeling a bit uneasy, remembering the movie Wolf Creek with John Jarrad in it.Back to the campervan and went to bed, however around midnight I was woken by a loud metallic bang at the rear of the campervan, there was no metal or rubbish bins near where I was camped.Lay there listening for a bit, couldnt hear any further noises but wasntgoing outside to investigate, so crawled through the middle of my two front seats , started the vehicle and drove out of the camping area, my pop top roof still up.When I drove onto the highway I found a suitable spot to pull over and secured the roof of the van then continued at slow speed (night/roos etc) to Williams, where I stopped in a lay by opposite the road house where I slept the rest of the night until dawn and the road house opened.In retrospect, I wonder if the clang I heard may have been an animal under my van colliding with the exhaust pipe, but I certainly wasnt hanging around to find out.Later I reported the two mounds I saw to Crimestoppers in case they wanted to check them out. "
Beth54 said
05:21 PM Dec 1, 2011
Don't expect a phone call too quickly Vic. I reported an un-restrained child in May, and they didn't ring me until July.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Thursday 1st of December 2011 05:22:09 PM
Vic said
05:38 PM Dec 1, 2011
Ok, won't be hanging by my fingernails then.....the main thing is I have reported it, now the ball is in their court, not too concerned if I don't hear from them. Unrestrained child.......his name wasn't Jonathon was it
Beth54 said
06:07 PM Dec 1, 2011
Vic wrote:
Ok, won't be hanging by my fingernails then.....the main thing is I have reported it, now the ball is in their court, not too concerned if I don't hear from them. Unrestrained child.......his name wasn't Jonathon was it
dogbox said
07:42 PM Dec 1, 2011
Cruising Granny wrote:
What sort of scare would prompt you to drive off with the top still up?
things always sound scarier when your alone an it is dark
-- Edited by dogbox on Thursday 1st of December 2011 07:46:39 PM
Happywanderer said
07:43 PM Dec 1, 2011
It HAS been explained up above.
shazartist said
09:24 PM Dec 1, 2011
OMGoodness Vic.......fancy finding something like that, if I was driving that Van I wouldn't have to worry about a pop top not working, so you did very well! Mind you Doug and I were in a park at dusk once and had really weird people in black gowns flitting in and out...was so spooky till we found out it was a local shoot for a movie. good luck with your top pop...
xxxx
Vic said
11:50 PM Dec 1, 2011
I wanted to drive out of there without "them" realising I was leaving, so jumping into the driver seat, starting and driving out was my priority, reasoned the pop top could wait until it was safe to put it down.....
Had another scary thing similar happen once, but real people this time, luckily they took off.
lyn-n-ken said
06:21 AM Dec 2, 2011
thankyou vic
Vic said
10:55 AM Dec 2, 2011
No worries Lyn & Ken,
I also used it to give the towball on my then van a squirt before I left home too.
A fridge mechanic recently told me to squirt a light spray on the door seals on the hinge side of my fridge and then give it a wipe over, apparently it stops the seal from sticking and distorting/twisting etc when you close the fridge door, mine was catching when I closed it.
Vic said
03:15 PM Dec 2, 2011
Just an update, put my pop top up, gave it a gentle push forward from outside (just in case it had been forced backwards a bit with the wind etc).
Cleaned running tracks top and bottom to two side and one rear lifting springs, and sprayed silicone on the tracks (top and bottom tracks), springs, wheels, cross arms etc.
Now working ok and easy to lift close.
Thank you for all your help and advice, it was most appreciated.
Dougwe said
07:25 PM Dec 2, 2011
Job well done done then Vic. I like your new Avatar.
The pop top on my campervan seems to have got harder to put up and down since my last trip or I am getting weaker
I did give it a spray on the arms/rollers/springs before my last trip but haven't done it since.
I am wondering if it is because during the last trip I took off after a roadside stop scare with the roof still up, but only drove slowly and as soon as I could pulled up and put it down, could this have caused it?
Any thoughts?
Hey Vic - I know it is a stupid question but did you clean the tracks??
I only mention this because I have difficulty getting my pop top roof up and my father got up on his ladder and told me the tracks need cleaning 'cos they're full of rubbish. I thought it was because I have a crook shoulder - which reminds me I need to go and do my physio exercises
Helen
Thanks for the replies everyone, I had used silicone on it previously and have checked/cleaned the tracks, will give it another spray and see if that makes a difference.
Yogi, when you say measure the corners, what exactly do you mean?
Thanks
Vic
heard of that silicone stuff , can you give me the name so i can get some got couple of things i could use it on and does it smell .
lyn
Hey Vic,I had the same problem once,easily fixed though.................just remember to let the hold down clips off before trying to push the locked down roof up.
Hi Vic, to square up if you can, measure from corner to coner diagonally ie. top right to bottom left and top left to bottom right, if that makes sense. That's how I would check anyway. Might need someone to hold on e end of tape though or hold down with a bit of tape.
Agreed on this - what you are looking for is any distortion that would mean the roof doesn't go straight up or down. If you drove at any speed with the roof up (and it doesn't have to be high speed) then it is possible that the roof and pop top walls may have acted as a sail and bent, even slightly, the arms holding the roof up. If they are bent then the effort required to push them up or down may well be excessive.
Hi Vic,I know how you feel and I have lubricated mine a couple of times since being on the road.
The biggest problem that I currently have is that I have to go round the drivers side to re seat the top before it can be clamped from inside, a residue from the blow up of the top whilst crossing the bridge at Port Augusta.
John
Most hardware and vehicle stores would have it Lyn, there are various people make it but Selley's is one brand, just ask for silicone spray, good for squeaky door hinges at home and also home sliding doors and windows.
Thanks for the feedback everyone, will give that a go, it may have been caused by the driving a short distance with it up as said by Joe and John, and out of whack will have to check.
You can also get the silicone spray from the 's.h.i.t for shillings shops'. I've used it on mine with success too.
This is an extract CG, I reported it online to Crimestoppers and when submitted they gave a reference number, but I didn't write it down and have not heard anything from them or the local police etc;
"Then the scary one, after Yeo and I went our own ways and I was returning from Denmark, I stopped at an overnight rest stop on the Albany Highway north of Kojanup, picnic tables, shade and rubbish bins only nearest the roadway, no other facilities.There was a huge bush area with tracks at the rear of the main area with cleared camping spots off the bush tracks at various points.As I was the only one there, I thought it was best not to be seen from the road, so drove a good way in where I was not visible from the highway and parked the campervan for a quick getaway with a couple of escape routes through parts of the bush if needed in an emergency in a nice quiet spot.Then I went for a walk further along the track.In one camping spot there was discarded clothing including underwear which I thought was a bit strange.Further along the track was a disused gravel pit and just near it was a bumper bar for a car (plastic type) which appeared to be in excellent condition and and not damaged.Just near that were two long mounds of gravel in the shape of graves I have seen in country cemeteries, one adult size and one alongside it small adult or child size.
By now it was getting dark and I was feeling a bit uneasy, remembering the movie Wolf Creek with John Jarrad in it.Back to the campervan and went to bed, however around midnight I was woken by a loud metallic bang at the rear of the campervan, there was no metal or rubbish bins near where I was camped.Lay there listening for a bit, couldnt hear any further noises but wasntgoing outside to investigate, so crawled through the middle of my two front seats , started the vehicle and drove out of the camping area, my pop top roof still up.When I drove onto the highway I found a suitable spot to pull over and secured the roof of the van then continued at slow speed (night/roos etc) to Williams, where I stopped in a lay by opposite the road house where I slept the rest of the night until dawn and the road house opened.In retrospect, I wonder if the clang I heard may have been an animal under my van colliding with the exhaust pipe, but I certainly wasnt hanging around to find out.Later I reported the two mounds I saw to Crimestoppers in case they wanted to check them out. "
Don't expect a phone call too quickly Vic. I reported an un-restrained child in May, and they didn't ring me until July.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Thursday 1st of December 2011 05:22:09 PM
Ok, won't be hanging by my fingernails then.....the main thing is I have reported it, now the ball is in their court, not too concerned if I don't hear from them. Unrestrained child.......his name wasn't Jonathon was it
things always sound scarier when your alone an it is dark
-- Edited by dogbox on Thursday 1st of December 2011 07:46:39 PM
good luck with your top pop...
xxxx
I wanted to drive out of there without "them" realising I was leaving, so jumping into the driver seat, starting and driving out was my priority, reasoned the pop top could wait until it was safe to put it down.....
Had another scary thing similar happen once, but real people this time, luckily they took off.
thankyou vic
No worries Lyn & Ken,
I also used it to give the towball on my then van a squirt before I left home too.
A fridge mechanic recently told me to squirt a light spray on the door seals on the hinge side of my fridge and then give it a wipe over, apparently it stops the seal from sticking and distorting/twisting etc when you close the fridge door, mine was catching when I closed it.
Just an update, put my pop top up, gave it a gentle push forward from outside (just in case it had been forced backwards a bit with the wind etc).
Cleaned running tracks top and bottom to two side and one rear lifting springs, and sprayed silicone on the tracks (top and bottom tracks), springs, wheels, cross arms etc.
Now working ok and easy to lift close.
Thank you for all your help and advice, it was most appreciated.