Pop Top Fitment

[B350]

To everybody with a Sportsmobile or CCV (Colorado Camper Van) pop top, how is the finish of the top's bottom sealing edge and fitment in the rain gutter? Does the rubber seal sit flush in the rain gutter around the van's roof line? And does anybody have issues with water and gunk sitting in the rain gutter?

Please share which top you have and your opinion on the fit and finish in regards to how it sits on the roof.
Thanks

[schluchtenflitzer]

I have a SMB Top on a 2001 E350 4x4. I am not so happy with the fitment. My problem is that always there is a gap (1") between raingutter and seal of the top in the rear edges. Most on the right edge. I have no problem with water coming in but a lot of dust if i drive gravel roads.
Problem seems not the form of the top because i am able to pull down the top by hand into the gutter from outside. But the rear latch is not able to hold it there. Seems to be a construction problem?

[boywonder]

SMB manual RB top......Got the top used, assuming it's from the early 2000's.

When you pull the top down....it could land on the roof anywhere left to right..within a few inches...with one side of the roof overhanging the rain gutter, etc. Happens frequently when not parked on level ground right to left.

Front to back alignment is taken care of by one of the crossbars being captured in a wood block bolted to the roof (the other block allows the crossbar to slide....otherwise the roof wouldn't move)

Sometimes it takes a little "body english" to land the top between the gutters but it's not that hard really. Every so often, I will need to re-lift it a few inches and try for a second centered landing.

[1der]

We have a CCV Medium Top on an EB Ford.

The sealing edge sits in or mostly on the edge of the gutter on the sides and pretty much the same on the rear. The front sits on the roof a couple of inches behind the windshield gasket. I have run Excel Clear Bra tape around all edges where the bulb seal would normally contact paint. Not much gunk or water sitting in the gutter, certainly not like it was before a pop top went on.

[freespirit1022]

Got the same problem. The left side pulls down before the right causing it to hang off the right side. Pushing it back up is almost impossible!!! Body English. I don't think so,I hurt myself that way! Don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by freespirit1022

Don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

Does it take similar effort to raise your roof as it does to lower it?

If not, consider adjusting your PH springs.

[freespirit1022]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Does it take similar effort to raise your roof as it does to lower it?

If not, consider adjusting your PH springs.

It takes even more effort. Hurt my back trying to raise it.

[MountainBikeRoamer]

'95 RB Ford (Built in Fresno):

Pretty crappy penthouse-to-van-roof connection on mine.
It seats well enough in the front, but the rear has never wanted to sit down properly. Always one side (or the other) seems to "float" a bit above the van's steel roof. I can push it down by hand, but it just doesn't seem to want to stay there.

(*** Friends that have convoyed with us on trips have reported that they can see the penthouse roof do a small (but noticeable) amount of moving around up/down when driving in high winds on the freeway. Kind of "waggling," it sounds like.)

I'm assuming that a significant part of the problem stems from the fact that there's only *one* latch-hook on the rear of the penthouse roof, and it's in the middle. (As opposed to the front of penthouse roof having *two* hooks, one on each forward left/right corner.)

Since most interior builds/layouts have cabinetry that stacks right up against the rear corner (on at least one side anyway), Sportsmobile kind of has their hands tied it appears. (No easy way to put two left/right hooks in the rear of the penthouse to hold it down.)

Seems to me, however:
Anyone that has the "rear dinette" layout (or just a full-width open area in the rear area of their interior) could probably easily retrofit a proper left and right tie-down hook in the rear to truly secure the penthouse squarely and stoutly.