Milo,

My Hi Ace is easy to push up (I use my head to start it, some ladies I understand use a small stool) but hard to pull down. 

I was told by the people that do the conversion that they can adjust it to make it easier to pull down, but then it will be harder to push up and once adjusted I could not be reversed.

The missus came up with a brilliant idea of using a light rope in a skipping rope loop with a caribeena hook at each end.  The rope hooks are hooked onto the pull down handles, one end on each handle, and the looped rope stops short of the floor by about 8 inches.  To keep the rope apart at the bottom, I put a piece of clear plastic tubing on the rope at the bottom.

Then a simple matter of holding the pull down handles (with rope clipped on) and stepping onto the raised rope at the same time with one foot as you pull down on the handles, this gives the roof a start and then simply continue to pull the roof down by the handles.  When the roof is down remove the clip on hooks.   Works for me.

The high roofs do make life easier, and there is not a lot of difference in fuel usage (I tested my pop top against a high roof over 500 kms, both refuelling a the same time) in fact it was almost the same.   The high roof will give you a bit more buffeting in high side winds but not a great deal more.    Remember though that a high roof will generally not fit under a carport or any driver throughs (eg; McDonalds, underground carparks (some) or other type drive throughs, so you need to keep an eye on the boom heights.

Don't know about being colder in Winter, but in Summer, you have 4 zippered windows,  that let a lot of breeze through to cool the 'van down, and they work beautifully.  You don't have that with a Hightop I think.

As for storage, I made the bed a 3/4, and bought storage drawer units from the Warehouse.

Cheers,

Sheba.

thats the trouble i have seen the last year or so while researching, the amount of high k's and still high prices.. etc

Happywanderer wrote:

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It can take more than a couple of minutes Andy, and hard on the head and shoulders. Many times I haven't bothered if staying just the one night. If the weather turns I rush to get it down again rather than get the canvas wet. Then there is trying to get the clips back in place when its closed down, just about breaks my wrists. I have also had to put clamps on the outside to keep it in place.
Then of course if I don't put the top up I end up walking around doubled over.
With a hi top None of the above would be a problem.

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 I agree with you 100% Marj.

Milo that is my thought too, it would be terribly difficult I imagine to have any sort of made up bed at the front. With the twin bed you could leave one as a bed and one as table and seat. It would be quite a thin bed though from the looks.

every where i look , the pop tops are the cheaper units, hi tops are the dearest ,
only problem i see with a hi top is going thru my carport, don't know how high they are??

milo wrote:

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Also how are the bed at the back compared to at front?
Ie kitchen at the back?
Think I'd prefer bed at the bed, that way Could leave it made up all time..
Also any one know the height of a high top?

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Milo, the hi-top Hi Ace is 2.6 mtrs high.

My Hi Ace Commuter is 2.285 mtrs high.

According to Toyotas website, the standard Hi Ace is I.980 mtrs high.

Hope this helps. Happy searching.

Cheers. Pam.

hmmm,

i guess when the time comes ill have to see if i could get owners of the camper van

to try and see if it will fit..