Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-12-2018, 09:59 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
ghetto fireman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Venice Ca
Posts: 142
Garage
Replacing Bent Penthouse Bows

Hello All

The bows for the penthouse top are beyond straightening, replaced pivot and forward bolts with shoulder bolts, not to bad. Looks like I have a crease in the front bow and not comfortable using it. My SMB is a 2006 EB50, how do you access the rear bolts in the slider, passenger side looks like upholstery, but drivers side has cabinets beneath. I looked at the video but it appears that the particular van had no cabinets beneath. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

__________________
2006 EB SMB " Big Boi “
1967 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-45
1974 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-40
ghetto fireman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 03:41 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
boywonder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,045
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghetto fireman View Post
.....passenger side looks like upholstery, but drivers side has cabinets beneath.

...very carefully...with lots of effort..mine are behind the headliner....



On another note, what are you planning to do for new crossbars? Knowing what I know now, I would consider bending some out of cro-mo tubing and having them powder coated.
__________________
2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element
boywonder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 03:56 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
ghetto fireman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Venice Ca
Posts: 142
Garage
I was just going to order new tubing from SMB. Looks like I may need to remove my wardrobe closet to gain access to the rear drivers side bow. Hard to believe that it’s made with no accessibility. Current bolts look bent.
__________________
2006 EB SMB " Big Boi “
1967 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-45
1974 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-40
ghetto fireman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 04:03 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
boywonder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: So Cal
Posts: 4,045
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghetto fireman View Post
I was just going to order new tubing from SMB. Looks like I may need to remove my wardrobe closet to gain access to the rear drivers side bow. Hard to believe that it’s made with no accessibility. Current bolts look bent.

Sleeve the new ones with cro-mo tubing.....there will never be an easier way/time to do this after they are installed...


McMaster sells the tubing...or your local metal emporium.
__________________
2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element
boywonder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 05:59 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Twoxentrix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,348
Garage
I'm sure over time the weight of the top takes a toll on the originally installed SMB bars (stress of holding the weight while top is up, and any influx of weight that comes from Wind & just moving around in the Van). If you don't already have it, I would suggest taking some of that stress off the bars using supports in all 4 corners each time you put the top up.
Many people have tackled that in different ways (I recall reading through several threads on this), I just placed a length of sturdy wood dowel in each 4 corners (held in place by a closet rod bracket from local Home dept so the support has no chance of slipping - Pic's in my album).
The bars on my 2006 sill look new and still have very little bend while going up (thats with a roof rack, Shovel, Axe, all the lighting, and a Thule box with some relatively light stuff stored inside).
At some point soon I also plan on taking the advise of Boywonder concerning sleeving the bars using cro-mo tube
__________________
TwoXentrix
"AWOL"
Twoxentrix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 06:17 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
ghetto fireman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Venice Ca
Posts: 142
Garage
Mine is also a 2006 and according to SMB they are already sleeved, it sure looked like it to me. I always worried about the top, I took 2” square structural tubing welded the ends closed took 1/2 nuts welded to each end and inserted leveling heavy duty appliance feet to the ends. I simply twist the tubing to extend the feet, it’s a bit overkill but it’s piece of mind. I’d still use them even if my bows weren’t bent. Just baffles me that I’ll need to tear it apart just to get to the bolt.
__________________
2006 EB SMB " Big Boi “
1967 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-45
1974 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-40
ghetto fireman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 06:25 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Twoxentrix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,348
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghetto fireman View Post
I always worried about the top, I took 2” square structural tubing welded the ends closed took 1/2 nuts welded to each end and inserted leveling heavy duty appliance feet to the ends. I simply twist the tubing to extend the feet, it’s a bit overkill but it’s piece of mind.
That sounds interesting & inventive - If or when you have a chance, would you mind sharing a photo of that set-up? If you've already posted it in a thread, can you direct me to it?
Thanks
__________________
TwoXentrix
"AWOL"
Twoxentrix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 06:41 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
ghetto fireman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Venice Ca
Posts: 142
Garage
Here is a photo, I’ll share one with them installed. I have 6” round 1/2” Starboard that goes to the top. It extends 4” on one end and 6” on the other. Everything sourced from McMaster Carr.
Attached Thumbnails
F2ECC9FE-E2D3-4AC6-8066-C4A9FA45232C.jpg  
__________________
2006 EB SMB " Big Boi “
1967 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-45
1974 Toyota Landcruiser FJ-40
ghetto fireman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 06:52 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Twoxentrix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,348
Garage
Thanks. Nicely done!
__________________
TwoXentrix
"AWOL"
Twoxentrix is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2018, 07:13 PM   #10
Orv
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 619
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twoxentrix View Post
I'm sure over time the weight of the top takes a toll on the originally installed SMB bars (stress of holding the weight while top is up, and any influx of weight that comes from Wind & just moving around in the Van). If you don't already have it, I would suggest taking some of that stress off the bars using supports in all 4 corners each time you put the top up.
I'm kind of curious how common this is, and whether it's unique to the electric tops. Most references to bent bows I've seen happened when people tried to operate an electric top with one of the hooks still engaged (or when one of them caught during the movement.) Anecdotally the 28-year-old bars on my van still look straight, but it's a manual top and I don't put extra weight on the roof.
__________________
N8SRE
1990 E-250 Sportsmobile w/ penthouse top, converted when new by SMB Texas.
Orv is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:50 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.