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12-23-2010, 04:26 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,408
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
For some extra information check out badgertrek.com
They showed some problems with their top.
__________________
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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01-04-2011, 01:46 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Colorado
Posts: 23
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Thanks! They had a lot of great information and pictures.
__________________
Silver 2008 Ford E350 RB Quigley 4x4 6.0L Diesel
Traveling coast to coast!
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02-10-2011, 09:14 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 140
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
This thread is very helpful. I'm looking at a van with a penthouse top and will be sure to check these bolts. Has anyone ever heard of one of these tops collapsing on a sleeping human. I can't imagine it happening as Sportsmobile would be paying a lot to settle the lawsuit. Is the only backup in case these bolts fail while the top is up the set up badgertrek came up with?
Thanks, L.
__________________
Always looking...4x4 Van 19ft or shorter. Sleeps 4 - two together, two separately; 4 forward facing seats with shoulder seatbelts, interior shower, water heater, 110 power, sink, aux. heat, aux air conditioner, aux. battery, generator - all at a price a school teacher could afford...help me Obi-Wan Kenobi you're my only hope.
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02-10-2011, 09:57 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,220
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
No one has posted any info. but I would guess the bolt failures are mainly on auto. penthouse tops where the people also store 200-400 pounds on the roof. Probably lots of stress on the X supports even though the electric motor has enough power to raise the top.
Ours is manual. We do use 4 corner braces when the top is up. They raise the roof another 1/2 inch to an inch. Our awning is attached to the roof and of course our bed with all bedding hands from the roof. Without the corner braces the roof just stays up. Maybe 20 more pounds and it would tend to come down.
Awing when not deployed adds 30 lbs to the roof and the bed with all bedding maybe 80 pounds. So our manual top mechanism has to support the penthouse itself plus another 100-110 lbs. Corner braces make it all a non issue.
Let me know if any of you with manual tops have snapped bolts. If so I better carry a field fix kit with me.
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Len & Joanne
The Green TARDIS
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02-10-2011, 10:48 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 140
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Len, Thanks for the info. I'm a total visual person. Do you have any pics of your four corner brace set up in your gallery?
Thanks, L
__________________
Always looking...4x4 Van 19ft or shorter. Sleeps 4 - two together, two separately; 4 forward facing seats with shoulder seatbelts, interior shower, water heater, 110 power, sink, aux. heat, aux air conditioner, aux. battery, generator - all at a price a school teacher could afford...help me Obi-Wan Kenobi you're my only hope.
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02-10-2011, 06:00 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Newark, CA
Posts: 795
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Here are the ones we have:
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Jack
'01 Ford EB50p Quigley 4WD
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02-10-2011, 08:16 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,220
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Ours are free standing. I used 3/4" electrical conduit, plastic end caps from hardware store. Because they fit snug into the corners I put 2"x2" wood blocks under the bottom of the poles so that they do not mark the SMB installed cloth covering.
My pics:
Page 5 bottom row 2nd pic shows that front penthouse supports.
Page 8 top row 4th pic shows the rr penthouse supports and the net bag we attach.
When getting ready to lower the top just pull them out and lay each under the nearest window.
We always install them prior to hanging the bed from the penthouse roof.
On take down we always remove them after setting the bed down onto the penthouse side rails.
Cost: $3-$4 total
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Len & Joanne
The Green TARDIS
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02-17-2011, 08:29 PM
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#18
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,408
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Because I have solar and a rack up top, I worry when it snows...makes it hard to sleep thinking something might go wrong. So I made my supports from 1" aluminum tubing and added those rubber caps that go on the end of chairs and cains. Another more expensive solution is the devices that mechanics use to keep the hoods on cars up. They are adjustable.
I inspect the bolts but always have that worry in the back of my mind.
Dave
__________________
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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03-19-2011, 04:31 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 140
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
Quote:
Originally Posted by yvrr
Here are the ones we have:
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Yvrr, did you install those or did Sportsmobile? If Sportsmobile did it did they come standard with the top?
L
__________________
Always looking...4x4 Van 19ft or shorter. Sleeps 4 - two together, two separately; 4 forward facing seats with shoulder seatbelts, interior shower, water heater, 110 power, sink, aux. heat, aux air conditioner, aux. battery, generator - all at a price a school teacher could afford...help me Obi-Wan Kenobi you're my only hope.
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03-19-2011, 08:42 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Newark, CA
Posts: 795
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Re: Penthouse support bolt broke, van roof collapsed...
SMB supplied them when we had our manual penthouse converted to an electric penthouse. I installed them when I got home. I thought they were standard equipment with the electric penthouses but had to ask for them when they got done with the conversion so I'm not sure about that...
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Jack
'01 Ford EB50p Quigley 4WD
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