Penthouse Issue

Schade · 06-25-2020, 04:02 PM

I have a 2018 Ford Transit RB50 with an electric penthouse. I'd like to know how to lower the penthouse manually if it fails to lower electrically.

piequeen · 07-14-2020, 11:36 AM

Good question. If I ever upgrade, I'd want to know. I have a manual, which can be hard on the neck and back.

Schade · 07-14-2020, 12:17 PM

I've been trying to get an answer to this question for months. I thought this would be a common question for anyone with this top. I don't know what I'd do if I get stuck on the road without being able to lower it. Obviously, the van can't be driven or towed in this condition. I've asked Sportsmobile Indiana where I purchased the van several times on how to do this and, incredibly, they were unhelpful, contradicting themselves each time I asked. It shouldn't be that difficult; I hope it isn't.

boywonder · 07-14-2020, 01:45 PM

The electric roofs are raised and lowered by Linak Acuatators......

I would suggest that you do web search for linak customer service/Tech support....and ask them if there if you can manually crank the actuators down in the case of a power issue....I think the answer will be "no" but I may be wrong.

The length stroke and force are custom made for SMB...but they are from a std actuator series from Linak...so not that custom.

Do a search for Linak here and you may find more info that I have figured out on these in the past....although my roof is manual.....I was determining the design effort required to electrify my roof....

ctb · 07-14-2020, 04:36 PM

Schade, top wasn't going up or down well (skip and drop some inches etc...) so we dropped by Indiana (SMB North) and were being shown where and how to lubricate actuators, arms and the like from our builder Chad (the MAN!) and said you could disconnect actuators and lower BUT the springs, top weight etc will be A LOT to handle if not ready for...now he went through it pretty fast AND I think my wife and I could get it done in a pinch...BUT, call NorthSMB Nancy if you have any more or for a little more detail....

in the back of van, by the electric motors that drive the actuators, undo the fabric screws and lay back to see actuators...if out, the shaft should be fully extended...you'll see a pin that holds actuator to where it pushes on spring roller thing (each side)...take each out and the arms should be dissconeccted form PH...now I am NO BOYWONDER (meaning he is about as smart/experienced/TRUSTED as they come on here) ..again, it might come down quickly OR you might need to pull a little to get started THEN it will be the weight that wants to close springs etc...but to the best my knowledge/memory...GOOD LUCK

Scalf77 · 07-14-2020, 07:33 PM

You will need to relieve pressure on it.

I think the chance of the actuators breaking is very small.

-greg

boywonder · 07-14-2020, 09:47 PM

Greg: How do those pull pins get the roof down? ....... when the roof is up the actuators are extended...

Are there pins on both ends of the actuator? and you pull the pins and remove the actuators? Confused.....

Schade · 07-14-2020, 09:59 PM

Thanks for the above info. My SMB van has two aft ceiling access covers (left and right) that cover the actuators. I removed both covers and disconnected the push-pull pins that connect the actuators to the penthouse mechanism and moved them free from the mechanism. The top then came down freely, quickly, and heavily, but stopped about 8 inches short of the van roof, and would not come down any farther no matter how hard I tried to pull it down. It seems to have hit a stop of some kind. Is there something else that needs to be removed to allow the top to come all the way down?

Scalf77 · 07-14-2020, 10:02 PM

My assumption is that you would need to remove actuator, I just happened to have a picture of the rear pin. I have never tried to remove, nor given the whole topic a lot of thought.

-greg

Schade · 07-14-2020, 10:28 PM

Thanks to all of you in this thread. For now, I can only hope and pray that this situation is extremely rare.