Detached Penthouse Latch

[ThatVagabondSteve]

Hey everyone,

I recently became the owner of a pre-owned Sportsmobile 4x4 and ran into a bit of an issue. While driving today, I heard something metallic fall off and later found out one of the penthouse latches—the one near the front door—had detached from the pop-top. I've attached a couple photos for reference.

Upon inspecting it, I realized this isn't a simple screw-back-in job. It looks like there might be a nut or some other fixture needed on the opposite side.

Any advice on how to fix this would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

[bigriver]

yup... there should be a big washer and nut on the roof that normally holds that together. Wouldn't be surprised if the washer is still there since it'd be imbedded in butyl tape working as a sealant.

[Steve C]

Looks like the bolt broke? As Joe said, the bolts that hold the latches extend all the way through the roof - I assume that the nut/washer and remaining section of the bolt are probably still in place (and stuck with butyl) on the top of the penthouse. You should be able to either just unscrew the nut on the exterior of the pop top or pry it up via the washer. Just use a screwdriver to pop the black plastic cover off first. Be sure to use an appropriate amount of butyl putty when you reassemble so that you don't get any water leaks.

[ThatVagabondSteve]

Hey Steve and Joe, thanks a ton for the advice! I got a new bolt and nut and tackled the repair. It was a bit of a squeeze with the solar panel up there, but I got it done. Your tips were on point. Made the whole thing way easier. Big thanks again for helping me out!