pop tops and panels should be hinged at the front so wind blows them down not up or open, simple design rule really. yeah ones the other way can be safe, but you still have to think that someone will forget to put it down before driving.... like you see people forgetting to put slides in, or wind legs up, awnings out, it happens, so needs to be planned for....
What doesn't help is the speed some of these vans go. I've had campers fly past me when im doing 60mph in my Master. It all adds to the stress on the weak points.
I used to be the proud owner of a Citroen 2CV. Look them up, kids! They all had a soft top as standard. To open the soft top and travel along with the sun beaming on your dome, all you had to do was stop the vehicle and open the spring-loaded clips at each corner of the soft top, release the bar holding the roof down and then manually roll it back to the rear clips and secure it. Drive off, sun, dome, smiles. I had just bought it and was on the way home. I looked up at the clips and said to the missus "let's open the roof!" Now, the 2CV has a 600cc engine so it's like the Puch moped of the car world. You know, those mopeds with pedals on them? Like that. In fact, pedals would add a bit of hair to its balls. It's very tiny pair. So yeah, thundering along at 45mph, hammering the very tits off her, the missus and I, in unison, unclip the roof. Remember the bar that was holding it down? Under pressure from the clips? Well imagine that a 45mph wind caught the fabric it was attached to and swung it round on it's hinges, unleashed from pressure and then all of that force stopped dead by the tallest person in the front having their nose in the way. Clips, roof, Wang, TWAT! Twat, to what does he refer? Your choice. There we were, travelling along at 45, I'm pretty much blind and the missus can't breathe due to trying to stop laughing and the roof is flapping about behind us. Fortunately I managed to stop without causing any injuries to anyone else. But yeah, do try that at home. Only ever at home.
Nice video mate and I thought I did bodge jobs but that one takes the biscuit mate who ever installed that wants shooting hope they get it sorted and they deserve compensating for it
Hi, I am looking at a ford with a pop top but when its lowered its not level at the front and where the seal strips are all round, you can put whole hand straight into void, straps fully tight but doesnt pull pull top down any tighter. Even after dealer adjusted and now better but doesnt seal at front, still put fingers easily into the gap. My concern is wind noise, water ingress, overpressure and worst case failure of fibreglass top breaking up. Dealer says all fine but is that likely to be the case or am I being overdramatic. Any advice appreciated as think might be best to walk away?
Walk away, if the dealer says it is fine find another dealer with a reputation to uphold. Any number of reasons for the problem from an accident, flipped open while driving, never fitted correctly, even not for that model.
Hi any chance you can let me know the name of the company, as I have mine booked in to be done in January, and just a little concerned. I think the place where I have booked it in fit them a similar way, ie big overhang at the front any info would be great 🙏
@@simplycampervanconversions can u tell us who it is yet mate as im looking for some one to fit one on my transit custom and defo dont want tom use these clowns
I have had a T2 Westfalia, and it was great and never had a problem. Now I have a T4 and am looking at Westdubs to put a roof and bed. They seem to have a good name, what is your opinion ?
Don't be silly and scaremongering a properly installed pop top has reinforcement built-in and if it has the correct test done then you stand as much chance of dying in a minibus.
1 inch strap is ample when used correctly. ;-) That's just a 5hit roof installed by idiots.. end of story. :-( Gets right on my wick all the cowboys who have jumped on this industry, we spend as much time doing new conversions as we do fixing other companies work now.
@@simplycampervanconversions I just had a look at photos of mine when opened. I don’t have that overhang and mine had an extra strip in front of the pop top (on the roof) to help divert wind over the pop top and not under it. I’ve noticed some pop tops don’t have that.
Dude I can’t watch your video properly: I’m flicking through instead. The part where you narrate is flickering really badly and it’s unwatchable for me at least. Do you have a fan in front of a light, or don’t you have the proper incandescent light setting on your camera?
Hey sorry about this, it’s fluorescent lights, I need to check out the shutter settings on my go pro there is a way of adjusting it I just haven’t figured it out yet.
I would say it’s both parties fault, 1) not going to a decent company, 2) based on that overhang I assume the overhang was coming down the windscreen therefore shouldn’t have driven away which would have avoided the issue that occurred. This is why I went and paid a lot of money to get a professional to fit my second fan. Research on internet is an easy task to undertake, by the the way professionally good fitted roofs can still be heard, you cannot hide the wind from them.
He went to a professional and paid good money for it. The overhang was due to the hole not being cut big enough the overhang finished at the front section of the roof like normal.
pop tops and panels should be hinged at the front so wind blows them down not up or open, simple design rule really. yeah ones the other way can be safe, but you still have to think that someone will forget to put it down before driving.... like you see people forgetting to put slides in, or wind legs up, awnings out, it happens, so needs to be planned for....
I’ve always thought it seems odd they lift that way.
I think the reason is for access.
If the hatch was at the back it would be awkward to get up.
Pop tops open at the front generally because that is where the height is needed, no point having stand up height over the bed…
I haven't got a pop top but u sorted my 00 code on my Chinese diesel heater so I watch all your stuff now nice video
Thanks bud always here to help when it’s needed.
Note to self. Pop top front overhang should be minimal and straps should secure the pop top especially at the front.
What doesn't help is the speed some of these vans go.
I've had campers fly past me when im doing 60mph in my Master. It all adds to the stress on the weak points.
I used to be the proud owner of a Citroen 2CV. Look them up, kids! They all had a soft top as standard. To open the soft top and travel along with the sun beaming on your dome, all you had to do was stop the vehicle and open the spring-loaded clips at each corner of the soft top, release the bar holding the roof down and then manually roll it back to the rear clips and secure it. Drive off, sun, dome, smiles.
I had just bought it and was on the way home. I looked up at the clips and said to the missus "let's open the roof!" Now, the 2CV has a 600cc engine so it's like the Puch moped of the car world. You know, those mopeds with pedals on them? Like that. In fact, pedals would add a bit of hair to its balls. It's very tiny pair. So yeah, thundering along at 45mph, hammering the very tits off her, the missus and I, in unison, unclip the roof. Remember the bar that was holding it down? Under pressure from the clips? Well imagine that a 45mph wind caught the fabric it was attached to and swung it round on it's hinges, unleashed from pressure and then all of that force stopped dead by the tallest person in the front having their nose in the way. Clips, roof, Wang, TWAT! Twat, to what does he refer? Your choice.
There we were, travelling along at 45, I'm pretty much blind and the missus can't breathe due to trying to stop laughing and the roof is flapping about behind us. Fortunately I managed to stop without causing any injuries to anyone else. But yeah, do try that at home. Only ever at home.
😂😂😂😂that’s made my day I had an xr3i that uncoupled it’s self when you went over a bump! Luckily it never flew off 😂
Nice video mate and I thought I did bodge jobs but that one takes the biscuit mate who ever installed that wants shooting hope they get it sorted and they deserve compensating for it
Really bad isn’t it. Couldn’t believe it when he sent me the photos.
@@simplycampervanconversions yea it’s bad mate
What make of roof was it as there are roofs and then there are roofs some are just rubbish
happened to my boss (on the motorway too) that was Camper Kings.
Would you recommend a place that could fit a top on my 1999 Nissan Sentra please I live in Flintshire North Wales thanks 👍
Hi I've had a problem with a poptop different to your friend and can't find a solicitor that will even look at it do you know of one ?
Hi, I am looking at a ford with a pop top but when its lowered its not level at the front and where the seal strips are all round, you can put whole hand straight into void, straps fully tight but doesnt pull pull top down any tighter. Even after dealer adjusted and now better but doesnt seal at front, still put fingers easily into the gap. My concern is wind noise, water ingress, overpressure and worst case failure of fibreglass top breaking up.
Dealer says all fine but is that likely to be the case or am I being overdramatic. Any advice appreciated as think might be best to walk away?
Walk away, if the dealer says it is fine find another dealer with a reputation to uphold. Any number of reasons for the problem from an accident, flipped open while driving, never fitted correctly, even not for that model.
Skyline supply a roof now that doesn't need straps
I would recommend them
Hi any chance you can let me know the name of the company, as I have mine booked in to be done in January, and just a little concerned. I think the place where I have booked it in fit them a similar way, ie big overhang at the front any info would be great 🙏
Hi Keith I’m afraid for legal reasons and an ongoing investigation I can’t, however if they have a large overhang then I would be avoiding either way.
@@simplycampervanconversions can u tell us who it is yet mate as im looking for some one to fit one on my transit custom and defo dont want tom use these clowns
Can we know who it was yet????
I have had a T2 Westfalia, and it was great and never had a problem. Now I have a T4 and am looking at Westdubs to put a roof and bed. They seem to have a good name, what is your opinion ?
we have a westdubs roof and bed on our transit , can't fault it
Can I ask what speed they where going at when this happened ?
The speed limit if not lower they say, the issue was a massive installation error.
pop tops are about as safe as a convertible you roll you die
they cut the roof off and the support that run across it then do nothing to reinforce it
Don't be silly and scaremongering a properly installed pop top has reinforcement built-in and if it has the correct test done then you stand as much chance of dying in a minibus.
you let air under heath to lift the top of you had the top in open position , i would use duck tape
Please tell me it wasn’t C&H Campers
Here for the same thing 👀
1 inch strap is ample when used correctly. ;-) That's just a 5hit roof installed by idiots.. end of story. :-( Gets right on my wick all the cowboys who have jumped on this industry, we spend as much time doing new conversions as we do fixing other companies work now.
Agreed, hence the reason we don’t fit them. If you don’t know how to do something, then just don’t!
I hope it wasn’t who fitted mine 😱😭
Me too it should be obvious by comparing the two as this is really bad.
@@simplycampervanconversions I just had a look at photos of mine when opened. I don’t have that overhang and mine had an extra strip in front of the pop top (on the roof) to help divert wind over the pop top and not under it. I’ve noticed some pop tops don’t have that.
Dude I can’t watch your video properly: I’m flicking through instead. The part where you narrate is flickering really badly and it’s unwatchable for me at least. Do you have a fan in front of a light, or don’t you have the proper incandescent light setting on your camera?
Hey sorry about this, it’s fluorescent lights, I need to check out the shutter settings on my go pro there is a way of adjusting it I just haven’t figured it out yet.
I would say it’s both parties fault, 1) not going to a decent company, 2) based on that overhang I assume the overhang was coming down the windscreen therefore shouldn’t have driven away which would have avoided the issue that occurred. This is why I went and paid a lot of money to get a professional to fit my second fan. Research on internet is an easy task to undertake, by the the way professionally good fitted roofs can still be heard, you cannot hide the wind from them.
He went to a professional and paid good money for it. The overhang was due to the hole not being cut big enough the overhang finished at the front section of the roof like normal.
Get what you pay for..
He plainly said he paid good money from a company that is supposed to fit them right but in this instance, they did not.