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Old 06-14-2015, 04:24 PM   #1
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Penthouse roof supports

I almost got crushed by a collapsing roof after a dump of hail/sleet on my roof. Luckily I foresaw the problem and stuck an extending load retainer/jack like thing up there, but the roof was tilting a bit and that's not too sturdy.

Any ideas on what to use? Just 2x's in the corners? I'd love an idea that would be easier to stow, and sat stowed right in the corners so I'd remember to use them more often. That collapse on you while in bed could be really awful. Although I've avoided it, I always thought the lack of a lock mechanism for the top when up is a serious and negligent design flaw, but I guess it hasn't hurt anyone.

Rob

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Old 06-14-2015, 04:53 PM   #2
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

I bought some wooden closet dowel (the kind you hang clothes hangers on), and 8 rubber cane tips.

Measured the height of each corner of the penthouse to the top of the van roof just inside the canvas.

I cut the wood wood to the length and then put the cane tips on both ends. On my SMB, the front corners are taller than the rears, so I magic markered "F" and "R" on them. They store easily under a bench.

Other people have used things that look like card table legs, with the brackets bolted to the PH top.

You might want to consider tightening the tension of the PH mechanism by shortening the chains by a link or two.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/vie...hp?f=13&t=1223
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Old 06-14-2015, 04:55 PM   #3
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

There's some info and pics about the rods and clips in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1496&hilit=penthouse+clip


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Old 06-14-2015, 05:25 PM   #4
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

I've always used 2x4s. I think two in opposite corners are sufficient and they stow on the top of the bed with the top down along with some light sheets and blankets. They are cheap and disposable and can go in the fire or be used for leveling if ever needed.

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Old 06-14-2015, 05:54 PM   #5
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

Didn't your top come from SMB with the hinged and clip retained black corner roof supports?
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Old 06-14-2015, 05:55 PM   #6
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

I bought one inch aluminum tubing and those rubber Cane ends. They stow on the straps that hold the privacy curtains or just along the PH rails. If you're worried about the rubber making marks you can use/stick furniture movers on the roof
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Old 06-15-2015, 09:22 AM   #7
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

Thanks guys. The mount-on-roof ones look cool, but I may go with the leveling/firewood/support option instead since I've got it around anyway. Did you use something on the top of the 2x4 to spread the load, or just jam it in there? Seems like that would be enough.
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Old 06-15-2015, 06:11 PM   #8
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

As Jeffrey said, SMB provides clever little hinged supports on all 4 corners that you can drop down to support the top when it's up. Before you drop the top, you just swing them up and they clip in place under the roof.

When I picked my SMB up in 2005, they had forgotten to install them, but put them in before I drove out of the lot.

You might be able to get them from SMB.
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Old 06-15-2015, 11:59 PM   #9
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

Quote:
Originally Posted by flyfisher
As Jeffrey said, SMB provides clever little hinged supports on all 4 corners that you can drop down to support the top when it's up. Before you drop the top, you just swing them up and they clip in place under the roof.

When I picked my SMB up in 2005, they had forgotten to install them, but put them in before I drove out of the lot.

You might be able to get them from SMB.
Do you can show a picture of these here please?
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Old 06-16-2015, 05:22 AM   #10
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Re: Penthouse roof supports

These are what I had on my old SMB top too, I copied these photos from the link above. While they worked pretty well and certainly added to piece of mind when sleeping under the pop top, be aware that they are just screwed into the thin board ceiling liner, our screws ripped out several times and I had to either move the mounting bracket over and put new holes or I put in anchors where I could. I saw where someone had reinforced the corners with a heavier piece of wood for a better mounting plate.

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