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Old 07-14-2020, 12:37 PM   #61
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Pete and I are PMing to coordinate...

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Old 07-14-2020, 08:32 PM   #62
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Originally Posted by boywonder View Post
Pete: I'm in South OC (Coto De Caza)....


If you want to drive down I'd be happy to help.....bring a mask.


The pivot bolt failure is a common problem...I highly recommend replacing with a shoulder screw...


Looks like that failure blasted your top lifting/slider block apart....it's a pretty feeble glue joint up there.....all fixable ..just a PITA.
Boywonder helped me immensely also. My top is dialed in now after the whole shoulder bolt upgrade.
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Old 07-17-2020, 03:49 PM   #63
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Thank you!

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Originally Posted by boywonder View Post
Pete and I are PMing to coordinate...
Boywonder is awesome! He knew exactly what to do, and we fixed it up in short order! Here are some photos of the setup that he did for me. I think this is the premier setup.

Thanks Scott!
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Old 07-18-2020, 07:55 AM   #64
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..as a side note.....Pete's top goes up and down crazy easy...not sure exactly why.....


Of all the tops I've played with/adjusted, this one was the easiest.



..and it's an EB van/EB top.....with nothing on the roof.



His helper springs are much shorter than what came on my van; that I'm sure is part of it.
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Old 07-18-2020, 07:57 AM   #65
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..as a side note.....Pete's top goes up and down crazy easy...not sure exactly why.....


Of all the tops I've played with/adjusted, this one was the easiest.



..and it's an EB van/EB top.....with nothing on the roof.



His helper springs are much shorter than what came on my van; that I'm sure is part of it.

Must.....Find....Out......Why......
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Old 07-18-2020, 08:02 AM   #66
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Must.....Find....Out......Why......

I'm planning on revisiting my roof mechanism soon.....after finishing my mobile miter saw station project.....keeping myself sane during lockdown...
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Old 07-18-2020, 11:18 AM   #67
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I'm planning on revisiting my roof mechanism soon.....after finishing my mobile miter saw station project.....keeping myself sane during lockdown...

Have seen enough posts on the scissors bolt breaking. I believe the max load on the bolt is with the roof down. I do carry an extra grade 8 bolt in my tool box. The question is though CAN THE PENTHOUSE BE LIFTED IF ONE OF THE SCISSOR BOLTS FAILS?? Are there any other tools I should have in my tool box encase this failure happens while in a remote location?
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Old 07-18-2020, 01:17 PM   #68
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I believe the max load on the bolt is with the roof down.

yup...that's when the springs are applying max load on the bars.



Quote:
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CAN THE PENTHOUSE BE LIFTED IF ONE OF THE SCISSOR BOLTS FAILS?? Are there any other tools I should have in my tool box encase this failure happens while in a remote location?

Pete and I lifted the roof...it took both of us......as it turns out both of his bolts failed, but on one side the bolt stayed in the holes.....I tightened a hose clamp around that bolt and both crossbars to keep it from coming out while we worked on the other side that had completely separated.


The best way to this repair is to get robust supports in the roof corners and then use a come-along to release the spring tension on the crossbars. That allows one of the crossbars to slide to get the holes aligned. I've helped at least one other member get the bolt in without releasing the spring tension but that was monumental.
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Old 07-20-2020, 11:27 AM   #69
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Have seen enough posts on the scissors bolt breaking. I believe the max load on the bolt is with the roof down. I do carry an extra grade 8 bolt in my tool box. The question is though CAN THE PENTHOUSE BE LIFTED IF ONE OF THE SCISSOR BOLTS FAILS?? Are there any other tools I should have in my tool box encase this failure happens while in a remote location?
Based on my experience this weekend with boywonder, I think you would want to have four two by fours cut to length to support the roof, and a come along to release the tension in the springs to be able to get the new bolts in. Without those items, I think it would be impossible to do the replacement of the bolts.
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Old 07-20-2020, 02:05 PM   #70
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We had a failure of the lower bolts on an electric pop top, and resolved it with new shouldered-bolts and a bracket to put the bolts into double-shear. 14.5 years of use later the bolts are still straight and no more problems.

Some angle iron from the hardware store, and a few minutes with a hack-saw and drill.



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