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06-20-2013, 07:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lake Tahoe, NV
Posts: 296
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
We had a manual top and it was fine until we put a Thule box up there. We had to empty the box to get the top up. This meant that if we were "traving" we didn't put the top up because it was a pain to unload and reload the box for a single night. We finally had the electric top installed along with a new roof (old one had severe cracking in the gel coat) and it is soooooo nice. As others have stated, it's much cheaper to do it when the top is installed than later.
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06-20-2013, 08:17 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,715
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Penthouse-Power or not?
Unless you like doing squats and shoulder presses Electric ftw. Try popping a manual. Add any kind of weight on top and try it again. You'll soon find out e-ph is the way to go. Do it now for $1300 or $3000 plus the hassle of dropping the van off again as a retrofit.
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06-20-2013, 10:05 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: ID
Posts: 68
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
Thank you for all the helpful advise. I called Sportsmobile today and scheduled an appointment to have the top installed in August. I spoke with Nick at the west store and he offered up some helpful information also. I went with the electric top, especially knowing to have it retro-fitted later would cost $3700, ouch!
Cant wait to have it installed. My van is a work in progress and I have more ideas of what to do to with it than money.
Thanks again, Greg
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06-20-2013, 10:15 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,005
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
__________________
Sportsmobile-less.
"A job worth doing is worth doing at least twice."
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06-21-2013, 04:07 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,408
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
Sucks when you can't use your PH because you've strained your back
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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06-21-2013, 07:27 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Boulder, CO.
Posts: 2,554
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Penthouse-Power or not?
Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
Sucks when you can't use your PH because you've strained your back
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I second that....although I also tightened the spring tension and put in a bigger block on the preload, that helps, along with unhooking the bed when putting it up. The added weight of the solar panel doesn't help, although turning the fan on high with everything shut trick helps, on the flip side, if you don't have the engine running and fan on and have everything shut, it creates a suction when you try to raise the roof, done that too many times, opening a window or door is a must. We have managed without, that being said, we would add it to a new build.....
__________________
'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
(de)SMB'd Custom RB-50
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile Offroad's R.I.P. package
CCV High Profile Pop Top
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06-21-2013, 09:44 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,220
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
If you plan on carrying cargo on roof: powered top is a must...not an option
If you plan on not putting anything significant on the roof: power or manual ....both will work
Fairly simple choices
__________________
Len & Joanne
The Green TARDIS
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06-21-2013, 11:14 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 38
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
Anyone ever done a do-it-yourself convert to power on an SMB manual top?
__________________
2015 Jeep JKUR with J-30 Ursa Minor top
1994 GMC G3500 EB 5.4 2WD SMB, PH (sold)
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06-24-2013, 11:48 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PNW WA
Posts: 618
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rustypayne
Anyone ever done a do-it-yourself convert to power on an SMB manual top?
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It requires a bigger hole cut in your roof to accomodate the scissor lift and equipment. This is the main reason why it is so expensive to have it retro fitted. They have to take off the top completely, cut bigger hole, put on all new hardware and wire it all. Not an easy thing.
Coming from a manual PH if I was to do it again there is absolutely no doubt I would go electric for all the reasons stated. My wife could not lift the top even after I adjusted the preload and tension. It was difficult and the weight always fluctuated depending on what was on the roof (thule box, skis, rack?)
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06-24-2013, 12:50 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Arcata, CA
Posts: 623
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Re: Penthouse-Power or not?
Quote:
Coming from a manual PH if I was to do it again there is absolutely no doubt I would go electric for all the reasons stated. My wife could not lift the top even after I adjusted the preload and tension.
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Ditto on that. I've had manual and I've had electric. Electric is the only way to go.
__________________
2002 E350 7.3 PSD
Quigley 4x4, EB50 floorplan
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