Loaded Roof Rack on Pop Top - Page 3

Kayaker · 02-27-2012, 02:24 PM

If I empty the rack of boats and the box of gear I can raise the top with the (Harbor Freight) ratcheting load bar I bought and prop up the top with the custom sized wooden dowels I got from Home Depot. Issue is getting the top to lower: A) without hurting my back and B) in an even manner (as the box is all the way to one side and make that side much heavier).

Loving the van so far, but haven't even slept in top yet. Such a pain to unload all my gear that I always bring with me!!!

Roonie · 02-27-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdwindansea

webbmac - I believe those tube supports are standard now on the manual PH. At least they were on our 2007 build.

They were standard on mine and it is a late 06 build.

I also have the manual PH and I have been seriously considering having SMB west put the motor in to convert it to electric. Having talked to them it is a process. They take off the entire top. Cut the hole a little bigger. Install different supports and the motor etc. Then wire it in. Usually takes a week. Hence the high price tag for the electric conversion.

I really do not enjoy emptying out the top every night for camping and then loading it back up again. Storage is always a premium. I have not carried our kayaks up there yet but will in the future. I usually end up putting a lot of overflow stuff (family of 4) in the rocket box on top. It is a pain for sure.

The top is hard to adjust since sometimes I have stuff up there sometimes I don't. Currently it is ok to open. Add a solar panel and I will seriously wonder about it. And yes I have already adjusted the springs myself and still can adjust it more if needed.

Kayaker · 02-27-2012, 03:12 PM

SMB West maxed out my springs already, and I have two solar panels up there already. Other issue is that the solar panels are under the boats, wich dosent' work so well to get sun on them! Thinking about figureing out some way of relocating them forward of the boats. Any experience doing this?

**daveb** · 04-25-2012, 02:35 PM

maybe a portable flexable panel...I have a 65W I carry but rarely use it. Stow it under my bed. Another thought would be to make a slide out panel rack that will clear the boats when parked.

playVT · 04-26-2012, 05:32 AM

I've owned both the manual and electric tops and I would suggest that you be careful when lifting the roof when it's got much up there for weight. On my manual top we bent the lifting arms badly when lowering the top on an uneven slope. We only had a rack, a single solar panel and two bikes on the roof at the time, but that was more than enough the bend the lifting arms badly. We spent the rest of the trip with a top that wouldn't lift or close properly!

The electric lift can definitely raise more weight and seems to be much more stable. Currently I have two solar panels, a Yakima setup with kayak saddles, satellite dish and a roof vent. It lifts that weight fine but won't do the boats in addition. We pull the boats off at night and I think I would remove them even if the PH lift could manage the weight given my history. Enjoy your rig.

Will

4x4kayaker · 06-01-2012, 11:36 PM

I regularly have 3 large sea kayaks or 2 plus a loaded Yakima rocket box full,of paddling gear. Easily 350lbs. Two of us can lift it up with all the gear on the top. I then place 2 2x4s in the middle of each side and never have had a problem with it in 1.5 years. In the winter I have snowboards and skis and leave them up there too.

oclv · 10-11-2012, 09:07 AM

We decided to bite the bullet and replace our top, and add the electric option. In talking to Peter, the electric option will lift way more than what Thule recommends for the rack assembly (I think he said that the rack recommended max is 150# and the electric option will lift 300# of stuff, not counting the actual top , don't quote me as I am going from memory). This all started with cracks in our gel coat and it leaked a little last winter. Initially, we were only going to have Sportsmobile fix the top with their Raptor Liner but upon inspection, their Raptor person wouldn't do our top because of the severity of the cracks. After much consideration we decided to do a complete new top. Once the decision was made to do the new top, it was cost effective to add the electric option as they were already replacing the top with a new one. So by the end of November, no more unloading the cargo box every night just to raise the top. Since this is being done at a considerable cost, I hope we will end up with a long lasting top with no cracking or leaking.

**BroncoHauler** · 10-11-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oclv

We decided to bite the bullet and replace our top, and add the electric option. In talking to Peter, the electric option will lift way more than what Thule recommends for the rack assembly (I think he said that the rack recommended max is 150# and the electric option will lift 300# of stuff, not counting the actual top , don't quote me as I am going from memory). This all started with cracks in our gel coat and it leaked a little last winter. Initially, we were only going to have Sportsmobile fix the top with their Raptor Liner but upon inspection, their Raptor person wouldn't do our top because of the severity of the cracks. After much consideration we decided to do a complete new top. Once the decision was made to do the new top, it was cost effective to add the electric option as they were already replacing the top with a new one. So by the end of November, no more unloading the cargo box every night just to raise the top. Since this is being done at a considerable cost, I hope we will end up with a long lasting top with no cracking or leaking.

Since you're going with a new top, will you have SMB raptor line it to begin with?

Herb

my3kids · 10-11-2012, 01:55 PM

So .. what happens to the original top once the shiny new electric one installed? Just curious ..

Ray
06 E350 RB
06 E350 Quigley V10

oclv · 10-11-2012, 02:19 PM

Yes, we are having the color matching Raptor coating installed on the new top. Regarding the existing top, I am not sure what the plan is for it. We decided to have a complete new top, with new canvas, hardware, lights, windows, etc even though there was a savings to re-use the canvas, hardware etc. I have sent an email to Peter to see what happens to the used top. If it is going to the landfill there might be a possibility of "re-cycling" it. I have already had a pm from a person interested in it. Sportsmobile might want to keep it out of circulation to avoid any future issues or mis understandings. I'll know more when I hear back from Peter.