pop top camper vans

milo · Guru

pop top camper vans

Happywanderer · The Master

You can get a hightop cheaper than that Milo. Keep looking.
Those tops can be hard to pull down at times as I found.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

The Jayco pop-top pulls down very easily... they have a nice big frame thingy that you undo with one finger and let it down. Go to the other end and repeat. Then go outside and hook up the hooks on each corner to lock it down.

Aren't they all the same??

Vic41 · Guru

Gerty Dancer wrote:
The Jayco pop-top pulls down very easily... they have a nice big frame thingy that you undo with one finger and let it down. Go to the other end and repeat. Then go outside and hook up the hooks on each corner to lock it down.

Aren't they all the same??

No, not all the same, I have had the "Lever Type" on a Jayco caravan like that but Coromal caravans only use drawer type handles on the roof to pull theirs down. Campervans usually have the same type as the Coromal.

Milo, I made up a rope cord that I looped like a skipping rope with a clip on at each end, clip onto the roof handles on each side with the loop about 12 inches off the floor, put one foot in the loop, grab the handles on the roof and pull down on the handles and push with your foot on the loop at the same time and they come down easily. The just unclip the rope off the handles for next time. Usually you can push them up ok using your head or stand on a small stool if you must.

Not sure how dear they are, but one of the members on here had an electric motor (worked off the aux battery) that was used to put up and pull down the pop top of their campervan. They had it installed by Dove Campervans in Victoria Park, you could contact them (google will give you the addy contact etc) to find out how much they are and what type so you could find them over east....

-- Edited by Vic41 on Saturday 22nd of February 2014 06:50:05 PM

Sheba · Guru

Milo's talking about Campervans guys. I think you'll find they pull down differently. Milo, I can still pull mine down alright, but in the future, I'm going to get an RV Airlifter unit installed. That way, all I'll have to do, is push a button, to put it up or down.

Google them to find out more.

Cost is around $8 to $900.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Vic41 · Guru

The rope trick was with my Hi Ace Campervan Pop Top, worked very well.

Here is the one once owned by a GN member with the electric motor assisted pop top Milo, see;

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-james/campervan/2007-ford-transit-campervan-diesel-turbo/1030930617

Sheba · Guru

Vic41 wrote:
The rope trick was with my Hi Ace Campervan Pop Top, worked very well.
Sorry about that Vic. That'll teach me to do what I'm always saying other people don't do. Read the whole post properly. Pushing it up is hardest for me. Pulling it down is no problem.

Cheers,

Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Saturday 22nd of February 2014 11:25:20 PM

milo · Guru

thanks guys but think I'll still stick to the hi top

Vic41 · Guru

No worries Sheba, Dove Camper Conversions told me that you can adjust it either way (but once adjusted can't do it again, I don't know why) so either easy to push up but hard to pull down, or hard to push up but easy to pull down.

I've been trying to find a link to the 12V electric device supplied by Dove to put the pop top up and down but haven't been able to find anything on the net, works off the auxiliary battery apparently, as per the one in the Gumtree link. I believe it wasn't cheap.

Milo, probably best (the high top) also makes it easier if you pull up for a cuppa or snack enroute to somewhere. Disadvantage is you have to watch your height and can't go through drive throughs (eg; Macca's, bottle shops etc) or low roof carparks, also your carport at home.

Also some buffeting from wind and probably more fuel consumption.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 12:47:15 AM

milo · Guru

that's also making me think about the vans, etc

sheba do you mean this confuse

http://www.rvairlifters.com.au/air_lifters.htm

milo · Guru

I wonder if some times a coaster would be better, maybe bit more room ?
not sure on length or height of those

Sheba · Guru

milo wrote:
that's also making me think about the vans, etc

sheba do you mean this
http://www.rvairlifters.com.au/air_lifters.htm

That's the one Milo. You should check this link out too Vic. They will install the unit, or if you're a handy-man, send you the Kit, to do it yourself.
Cheers,
Sheba.

Sheba · Guru

Vic41 wrote:
I've been trying to find a link to the 12V electric device supplied by Dove to put the pop top up and down but haven't been able to find anything on the net, works off the auxiliary battery apparently, as per the one in the Gumtree link. I believe it wasn't cheap.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Sunday 23rd of February 2014 12:47:15 AM

Hi Vic. Check out my reply to Milo below.
Cheers,
Sheba.

grahos · Guru

We had a poptop ,an old one,since sold that when you pulled the roof down you had to duck or you would get whacked on the head.

Vic41 · Guru

Sheba wrote:
Vic41 wrote:
I've been trying to find a link to the 12V electric device supplied by Dove to put the pop top up and down but haven't been able to find anything on the net, works off the auxiliary battery apparently, as per the one in the Gumtree link. I believe it wasn't cheap
Hi Vic. Check out my reply to Milo below.
Cheers,
Sheba.

It's the purely 12V electrical lift one that I am talking about which helps put it up and down, don't think the airlifter one does anything to help pull it down, only deflates the bags so you still have to use grunt (or inside levers like on Jayco) to pull them down, but the airlifter one is an option worth considering.

Talking about caravans only, one thing I liked about Jayco's is their fulcrum type lift handles for raising and lowering the pop top at each end, Coromal and some other types of pop top do not have them. The lift handles also came in handy for hanging towels/tea towels etc.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Monday 24th of February 2014 12:51:30 PM