Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

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Womble
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Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Womble » Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:39 pm

I'll fess up that I've not used my Bongo for camping for over a year now. The roof clasp broke (snapped in half when trying to shut it) on a manual sky lift roof last time I used it.
I live in Bristol area and am looking for somewhere that can fix the clasp. Does anyone know any converters who might do this in South West / up to say Birmingham / Reading area?

Roz
2001 2.5 V6 (LPG), Skylift roof
Bob
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Bob » Thu Sep 29, 2016 1:53 pm

Is it a JAL Sky Lift?

If so Phil is near Worcester or may well be able to supply any parts and recommend someone near here. :wink:
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mikeWalsall
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by mikeWalsall » Thu Sep 29, 2016 4:49 pm

What dose the fastener look like ..??

Image

The one went on my Mushroom roof so phoned JAL who had them in stock around £80 inc P&P and VAT ..

I looked on eBay .. identical locks with keys ....... (search bonnet locks) around £15 delivered .. !!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hot-Racing-Ca ... SwQPlV94wh
JAL Mushroom roof,12/240v, fridge, cooker, sink, LPG V6 .. (written off @ £5500 Nov 2016)
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Womble
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Womble » Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:14 pm

Thanks that's exactly what the clasp looks like... and before I read this I'd just phoned JAL who said he could email me prices for part but will look on ebay too.
Now to find someone to fit it... JAL said I could find a mechanic locally so guess it's a yellow pages job for that too
2001 2.5 V6 (LPG), Skylift roof
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Bob » Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:46 pm

I'd say that looks a very simple fit, worth looking at it before you splash out. 8)
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mikeWalsall
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by mikeWalsall » Fri Sep 30, 2016 11:19 am

I 'gifted' my JAL /V6 to a grandson (who is not very mechanically minded) .. he fitted it the two onto the mushroom roof OK ..

Filled the recess with Vaseline to keep the locks / posts lubed
JAL Mushroom roof,12/240v, fridge, cooker, sink, LPG V6 .. (written off @ £5500 Nov 2016)
cuchillo
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by cuchillo » Tue Oct 04, 2016 12:02 pm

I managed to snap one of those off as well.

The fitting part is reasonably easy once you have all the right fittings!

Things to note:

1. The cheap ones on eBay may not be the real AeroCatchs. Not sure if that matters or not.

2. The fittings that come in the AeroCatch pack was a lot shorter than the thickness of my (Skylift) GRP roof so had to head down to ScrewFix and get bigger nuts and bolts.

Once that was done and with a bit of swearing and cursing as the holes were not perfectly cut so had to use a rubber mallet to "encourage" the fitting in, its was"easy"

HTH

Cuch
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Ian » Thu Oct 13, 2016 11:52 am

cuchillo wrote: The cheap ones on eBay may not be the real AeroCatchs. Not sure if that matters or not.
Yes, it matters a lot. There's a reason why genuine Aerocatches are relatively expensive. It's because they are precision engineered to high standards unlike the Chinese counterfeit versions available on ebay and elsewhere. If you are travelling at 70 mph and you want your roof to stay down, I wouldn't trust the cheap catches.
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Bob » Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:51 pm

Crickely,, that could be nasty. :shock:
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Jillygumbo » Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:55 pm

That's worthy of future note Ian, thanks
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Bob » Thu Oct 13, 2016 1:51 pm

It would be interesting to know if anyone else has had these break, if it proves a common problem it may be worth carrying a spare.
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by g8dhe » Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:25 pm

There have been a couple of reports on FB of broken locks / clasps but as always with FB trying to find the posts subsequently is hit an miss, so unable to provide links.
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by mikeWalsall » Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:29 pm

IF .. those on my JAL roof where genuine they still broke .. but if you want to be 100% sure yours are genuine and beet the counterfeiter .....

http://www.aerocatch.com/

Maybe worth checking with the converter that yours are the genuine article .. if not maybe an issue for a recall notice ..??
JAL Mushroom roof,12/240v, fridge, cooker, sink, LPG V6 .. (written off @ £5500 Nov 2016)
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Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

Post by Bob » Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:56 pm

    Good point, this doesn't seem too bad for a pair:

    http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorspor ... -fasteners
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    mikeWalsall
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    Re: Broken roof clasp -Sky lift roof

    Post by mikeWalsall » Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:43 pm

    I know my broken one was the one originaly fitted .. I have replied to a couple of posts about broken roof catches both on Bongo Fury and on FB pages

    It makes me wonder if these where genuine English made items .. or the Cheapo Chinese ones .. and are an accident waiting to happen .. ??
    JAL Mushroom roof,12/240v, fridge, cooker, sink, LPG V6 .. (written off @ £5500 Nov 2016)
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