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The basic procedure for replacing broken pivot bolts:
Get a motorcycle tie down and a $20 Harbor Freight come-along. The hooks on the motorcycle tie down are way easier to connect to the roof parts than the giant come-along hooks.
Cut 4 pieces of 2x4 about 28" long (going from memory here...) You want them to hold the roof fully up....
Buy good beer and get some helpers to lift the top....stick a 2x4 in each corner. This isn't the sturdiest or safest method but it works.
A better/more robust method would be to build a front and rear 2x4 rectangle with diagonal supports in each frame to make it very stiff.....around 28" tall by about 40" wide. I've never resorted to that but it would be more robust than a 2x4 propped in each corner.
Unscrew and pull back the upholstery on the broken side.
Remove the steel plate above the helper spring in the channel; remove the helper spring.....it will be sitting there completely unloaded. It's at the rear of the channel.
Lay a 28" long 2x4 in the channel where the helper spring sits.
You need to release the long extension spring tension from the chain and the S hook......the 2x4 laid in the channel holds the roof up way better than the ones propped in each corner.
Put one hook from the tie down through the loop on the end of the extension spring; put the other tie down hook in the approx 1" diameter hole in the side of the channel a couple feet from the end of the long compression spring...you will likely have to feel for the hole in the side wall of the channel and perhaps peel back a little upholstery/foam to find it.
Connect the come-along hooks to the eye part of the tie down hooks and crank the come-along until the chain tension goes slack; disconnect the chain from the spring and slowly release the come-along. At this point the roof will be supported by the 2x4's in the corners and the 2x4 laying in the channel.
The crossbars should be unloaded at this point, and you should be able to get the holes lined up and a new pivot bolt and spacer(s) in there. If not reconnect the come-along, crank it up, remove the 2x4 in the channel and slowly release the come-along. Now only the 2x4's in the corners are supporting the roof but the crossbars should move easily enough to get the new pivot hardware in place.
At this point you've figured out exactly how the roof mech works; re-install the chain on the extension spring, helper springs and covers and voila!
If your roof is difficult to raise shorten the chain one link, maybe 2....great time to do that. Zip-tie the loose link back on the second link to keep it from rattling. You can also make wood spacer blocks to preload the helper springs too.
Have a beer then repeat process on the other side. don't forget to button up the upholstery.
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2008 E350 RB passenger 4WD SMB penthouse
2013 KTM 350 EXC
2008 KTM 250 XCF-W
2003 Honda Element
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