Pop up roof worry

[Amethyst]

Hi, I have just bought myself my first camper - a 1977 VW Microbus 4 berth, with a pop up roof. I am just about to take the kids away this weekend in it, but I am worried about the safety of the pop up roof, it is so heavy, I have to get my son to help me lift it. I am worried that while the 2 kids sleep in the roof bunks, that the roof might collapse on them, it is so heavy that they would not survive and I wouldn't be able to lift it off them. Are my worries unjustified? Is there anything/equipment I can get to ensure the safety. I think it is either a Danbury or a Viking roof, and when I asked the VW garage to check it over when I bought it, they said the conversion had been done professionally. Please advise me asap.

[frandanski]

When the roof is up you could always support it with a couple of pieces of wood cut to the right length.this would stop it from being able to close, a bit of exrta saftey if you are worried.When i first got my van the gas struts that keep the roof up were worn out and i had to do this just to keep roof up to get struts off and replace them.

[bedstead]

doesn't matter what 'we' think... 100 people could reply (fat chance) saying it'll be ok but if you're worried about it then it'll spoil your trip ?

i'm just trying to imagine the roof... does it push straight up, with a sort of concertina 'tent' around it ? or is it side hinging ? if it's the one where the two roof bunks cantilever out from the sides, i'd be more worried about my son rolling out :rolleyes:

depending on how 'handy' you are there are a plethora of hatchback tailgate gas struts awaiting you in the scrapyards of this septic isle... i've heard volvo 343s mentioned, and after all, they've got to be useful for something... should help you with your erection problems * plus you can wire them up so that a little light / buzzer comes on if you start the engine and try to drive off while it's still 'up'... believe it or not it does happen...

or, like frandanski says, a couple of stout pieces of timber would do the job, albeit in a slightly agricultural fashion... i'm thinking more along the lines of the struts on those 'always slightly too narrow for the wallpaper' wallpapering tables... lock the roof in place... you can't put a price on your kid's safety, or your peace of mind...

mike

* there genuinely IS no better way to word this, although typing it made me feel like sid james...

[Bus Doctor]

If your roof has been checked by a vw garage, then I think you can rest ashured that it is safe. I have never heard of one collapsing yet! but thats not to say there will be a first time.

Any of the above solutions should give you peace of mind, after all we go away in our buses to relax, not to have worries about our kids being squashed. ;) :D :eek:

[Clem]

Just thinking laterally...

For the first few trips why dont you let the kids have the main bed, and you sleep up there?