Dormobile roof locking mechanism question!

[Dickie524]

Hi folks - dumb question.

How does one get one's dormobile roof to stay up?

I have extended the slidey lift poles as far as they will go, and fully expected a spring pin to leap out of the pole into the holes in the outer sleeve pole at any momnt. But it ain't there?

Am I missing somethimg? Have these previously been reassembled the wrong way round or somehting?

At the moment I am using a jubilee clip every thime I raise it, but it's hard to do it one-hended while trying to hold the roof up with the other!

Thaks all, Rich

 

[davechorlton]

As you say, they should just pop into place. Having said that, mine need an almight shove one at at time beyond where you would expect. I guess over time the canvas has tightened/dried. I suppose they could be back together wrong? - Only one way to find out!

Dave

 

[gas1man]

On mine you have to make sure that the adjustable pole is at the highest setting(when in the up position) , otherwise the clips don't go in to the holes. Had to lubricate everything first , it becomes stiff very easily.
Good luck.

J & P

 

[Fortunate Son]

Mine wouldn't go up all the way when I first got it. A great tip I was given was to wait for a hot day (OK could be a long wait!) and ease it up very gradually using lengths of timber to prop it gradually as you go. With mine this was just enough to stretch the candy stripe "canvas" and the pivoting clip things "pinged" into place nicely. I then left it up overnight so that as it cooled it couldn't shrink back again.

 

[Dickie524]

Oh - OK - so there definitely are some spring slips in the poles then? I thought I might have been missing something like some locking mechanism altogether! Thanks, will give it another go. Some sort of shoring up idea like timber sounds the way to go. Thanks team!

 

[montypsx]

No there aren't any springy things inside they go on the outside. It's like a rocking lever you push the roof up until the holes line up then the lever pops into the holes and holds it in place. Have you tried googling a pic

 

[our bus 68]

Mine wouldn't go up all the way when I first got it. A great tip I was given was to wait for a hot day (OK could be a long wait!) and ease it up very gradually using lengths of timber to prop it gradually as you go. With mine this was just enough to stretch the candy stripe "canvas" and the pivoting clip things "pinged" into place nicely. I then left it up overnight so that as it cooled it couldn't shrink back again.

That's a great tip. I struggle to lift mine to lock on cool days. Will give that a go tomorrow.

One of mine is missing its pop out clips on the support bar. Are they available anywhere?

Rob

 

[gas1man]

http://www.dormobile.co.uk/pdfs/VWpartsUKEU.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Try these people. May be able to help.

J & P

 

[Dickie524]

No there aren't any springy things inside they go on the outside. It's like a rocking lever you push the roof up until the holes line up then the lever pops into the holes and holds it in place. Have you tried googling a pic

I have tried googling and unusually I don't seem to be abel to find a detail of the right area. Certainly I don't have any external springly things so |I'm obviusly missing womething - I had expected them to be internal like a frame tent or gazevbo pole. Trouble is I can't even fid a hole in the inner pole for anything to slide into and have got it up to full stretch ? Most mysterious.

The additional difficulty I have is that the van is parked under a car port - have to move two other cars out of the way to get the van out to try lifting the roof! Which, when you get home at 7:30, have to do double bath and bed routine, and Mrs next door starts to moan about noise at 9:30, doesn't leave much opportunity :evil:

 

[Blackdog]

Hope these pictures might clarify the mechanism for you (if they upload!) There is a hole in the inner tube that the pivot arm thingy fits into. If you need more pics I'll email them if you PM your address.

 

[montypsx]

That's them blackdog that's fitted to mine. When everybody is gone on about buttons I thought I was the odd un as usual :lol:

 

[Dickie524]

Nope, I certainly haven't got those, and thanks very much for taking the trouble to stick them up, as I really wasn't sure what I was missing!

Will get seaching!

Love this forum. Thanks guys!

R

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

There is a different locking mechanism.....

A nipple pops out to lock when fully extended with a satisfying click !

So even if you are missing the nipple you should see the inner and outer hole line up when fully extended

 

[Dickie524]

Ah - now that's more like I was expecting to see

Either way it doesn't look like I'm horsing the roof open far enought to align the holes.

More shredded wheat required...

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

This should help locate the inner hole - and I've finally discovered what that odd 18/20 screw clamp this if for

 

[Dickie524]

Bloody genius mate, and thanks again. What a very helpful chap indeed...!

 

[our bus 68]

I'm wondering if these pop out buttons are another 68 only item. Mine has got them too. :?

 

[Dickie524]

Well guys, thanks for helping me sort this. Turns out I do have pop-out buttons as slow lane matt does and thanks to all for contributing. Managed to get the roof fully up for the first time today. I'm not saying it's tight but when the wind blows I get at least a C-sharp!!

Can clean it now properly too...

 

[Trikky2]

Where the top of the strut attaches to the bracket on the roof there's normally three slots so you can adjust how tight the roof is when extended.

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

I read a useful suggestion I might be taking up - drilling a second hole 3 inches lower down - so you can lock the roof at 90% extended to avoid stressing the fabric on cold days.....