Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Workshop and Technical tips & tricks.
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RMS
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Location: Near Wakefield, UK, in God's own Country!

Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by RMS » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:27 pm

Bob750 wrote:Hi Michiel

Where abouts do you live? Hope to meet members moving forward
Most folk put their location in their profile, and it appears under their username.

Michiel is in Northants :tiphat:
1967 109" Carawagon 200TDi
1972 109" SW Carawagon 2.5NA
1958 109" Carawagon 2.25P (project)
1972 109" Carawagon 200 or 300TDi (project)
1974 Dormobile 2.25D (project)
(Robin on S2C forum)
woollen797
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by woollen797 » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:58 pm

I went the add another other hole route. I have now found that with more use I am getting the roof to open a little bit more so now we are onto the second position of the 3 locking points at the top.

How do the gas struts cope in the wind as we've been out in a few gales with ours.

This morning we woke up to ice on the inside of the windows and a very crunchy roof when closing it down.Image00045 Peak District Land Rover camp. 2018 10 07. Wardlow Mires campsite by Simon Turner, on Flickr
Bob750
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Location: Stoke on Trent

Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by Bob750 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:05 am

Ok many thanks Robin
I did the extra hole mod and it worked a treat
Cheers
Bob750
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by Bob750 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:33 am

Good question regards gas struts and wind
Is that campsite next to the Three Stags Pub by any chance. I camp regularly up at nearby Monsal Head. Took my Dormobile there this year
Is the campsite you were on open all year? Always looking for sites to camp in winter
Cheers
RobW
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by RobW » Mon Oct 08, 2018 1:44 pm

Other than "carefully" how do you put the second hole in to avoid damaging the sliding part? Mines a new canvas but I'd prefer not to over-stress it.
woollen797
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by woollen797 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:31 pm

Bob750 wrote:Good question regards gas struts and wind
Is that campsite next to the Three Stags Pub by any chance. I camp regularly up at nearby Monsal Head. Took my Dormobile there this year
Is the campsite you were on open all year? Always looking for sites to camp in winter
Cheers
Yes that's the 3 Stags but it closes for the winter this month, nice basic site only £3 per person and dogs welcome.
We end up wild camping and at shows over winter.
woollen797
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by woollen797 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:34 pm

RobW wrote:Other than "carefully" how do you put the second hole in to avoid damaging the sliding part? Mines a new canvas but I'd prefer not to over-stress it.
I Just added the second hole on the inner tube once I'd marked where it needed to be with the roof fully up. You may need an assistant to help you hold the roof while you mark the tube up.
Bob750
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by Bob750 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:42 pm

Regards the additional holes I put the roof up, unscrewed the top of the arm 7/16th nut and bolt, moved the arm and raised the inner sliding section up which allowed me to mark the hole approx 15mm centre to centre below the existing hole and very carefully dot punched the tube and drilled a 8.5mm hole.
Then lower the inner slide and pop in the button. Insert and retighten the top fixing bolt.
Did this on the other arm and on my own it was no problem. Took about 30 mins. Works great with no real effort to open now

Cheers
Bob
Bob750
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by Bob750 » Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:49 pm

Yes I recall camping there and drinking some beer that was strong enough to knock out a Horse!
Pity it’s closing
Monsal Head campsite is open all year. Great place and pubs and views of course
Cheers
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DrivingDutchman
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Re: Dormobile roof won’t open fully. Help please

Post by DrivingDutchman » Mon Oct 08, 2018 7:29 pm

Bob750 wrote:Good question regards gas struts and wind
Hi Bob,

I haven't camped yet in very strong winds, but judging by the force needed to pull the roof down, I would say it needs to be verry, verry strong winds to blow it down. But I am planning a little mod to prevent the eventuality of the roof blowing down.

I'll mount an aluminium u-channel profile over the rod of the gas strut so that it will prevent the gas strut contracting. Not sure how exactly I'm going to mount it, but will come up with something I'm sure...

Michiel
1969 109 sw dormobile Dora
1996 overland defender sw 110 Nellie
1962 109 sw safari diesel Hannie (sold)
1973 88 series 3 soft top in various bits on the drive...
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