Help pop top stuck halfway up in remote area

[Hazeltina]

Hi everyone! I am freaking out because my pop top went halfway up, made a cracking sound from the right (passenger) side wall, and froze— the drivers side of the pop top will still go up and down but the passenger side will not.
I have read through the forum threads but am not in a position to do any repairs right now since I am in a remote campsite in Tofino. The advice in the Sportmobile manual is not making sense to me either since I can’t find where to set the poptop to manually lower/lift. Basically I am really worried about how I am going to get back home to Seattle!
Thank you for any advice, I am very grateful

[boywonder]

We need more details....

sounds like you have a power top......

Can you see any obvious problems with the crossbars? Are the bolts where the crossbars cross still intact? That's a common failure mode...

Is your van an E-series or something else?


I just sent you a private message....

[Hazeltina]

Thanks so much for the quick follow up! Sorry for lack of details.
It’s a power top. I want to try to switch to manual control but I can’t even figure out where the motor is ☹️
The crossbars and everything else seems fine on cursory visual inspection.

[Hazeltina]

Sorry also it’s a Ford Transit medium roof medium length. 2021. Not an E series

[Hazeltina]

Thanks so much to the prompt help of u/boywonder we were able to haul on the roof and pull down the stuck side. Have now latched it and will keep it closed for remainder of vacation. If anyone has any recommendations for repair shops in the Seattle area I would love to hear!
I am so grateful and thankful for the help of this forum!

[REF]

I think the lifting mechanisms are similar to what’s on the older Econolines…
When you get back home, see if you are able to raise the top with a little help pushing up on the side that’s not working. Stop if it’s sounding like something might be breaking more.
Check the pivot points on the scissor bars as you raise, do both sides look the same? Are the bars bent at all? If so, you’ll want to have a shop straighten and sleeve them, a common problem, especially if there’s a heavier load on the roof or one forgets to unlatch before raising.
The motor should be boxed, maybe inside an upper cabinet.
The pop top’s helper spring lifting mechanism is under that flap of fabric at the roofline on either side where the scissor arm ends terminate. Should just be a few screws to open that up, inspect both sides, see if everything looks intact and is bolted properly.
…..Report back, with photos(but that’s a whole other can o’ worms)

[Thistle]

Don’t know the ford transit but on my SMB Sprinter the manual controls are on the back of the cross arms at the back of the van. There is a pin that you can remove that releases the hydrolic arm from its anchoring to the frame. It is a bit of a pita to get to but if you release it the top should fold down so you can drive it back home