AFT won't fully raise

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:19 pm

Hi all

The AFT on my van won't completely rise up. It gets to about 80% and the stops, and need a bit of manual assistance to fully get there.

We took it away the other week, and it was windy, but not to the extent where the roof seemed to be getting excessively battered. And it worked fine during the hols.

I've put 3 in 1 oil on the runners, but this hasn't seemed to help.

Any ideas?

Many thanks

Bern

Steve L · Post by **Steve L** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 3:10 pm

Its best to raise the AFT with the tent completely unzipped. This eliminates the resistance of the tent material and the bellows effect. The motors then have less work to do.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 3:42 pm

I wonder if the gas struts may need regassing. Its common for AFTs to not quite 'lock out' without a bit of help, but 20% short of that is a lot. How do the motors etc sound - any straining? Be careful if so as its possible to mounting point geometry could be overstrained if the struts aren't adequately supporting the weight of the roof. I think I saw some 2nd hand struts on ebay recently.

northerntaff · Post by **northerntaff** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:13 pm

Steve L wrote:Its best to raise the AFT with the tent completely unzipped. This eliminates the resistance of the tent material and the bellows effect. The motors then have less work to do.

Hhmmnn ! This is an interesting one - not sure if the tent fabric places any resistance on the roof motors but it would be maybe worth trying to see if it makes any difference. I'd be interested to see if you think it helps.

jumper · Post by **jumper** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:24 pm

I noticed a difference after i put in place the memory foam matress, the roof wouldnt lock up and i had to lower a few inches then raise up again till it fully locked up. but it workes fine with the tent unzipped a few inches.This helps when its lowered as well as the sides dont puff out so much as the air is expelled.

Ian

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:35 pm

northerntaff wrote:
Steve L wrote:Its best to raise the AFT with the tent completely unzipped. This eliminates the resistance of the tent material and the bellows effect. The motors then have less work to do.
Hhmmnn ! This is an interesting one - not sure if the tent fabric places any resistance on the roof motors but it would be maybe worth trying to see if it makes any difference. I'd be interested to see if you think it helps.

I tend to agree with that. The fabric may stop it going the last 1% (so that the buzzer keeps going) due to its tension, but 20% short or target is substantial.

I avoid tent billowing (which has caused more than one torn tent I think) by always keeping the hatch folded back (better for airing the loft too) when the roof is (coming) down. Allows me to use the sunroof as well

Aethelric · Post by **Aethelric** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:40 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:I wonder if the gas struts may need regassing. Its common for AFTs to not quite 'lock out' without a bit of help, but 20% short of that is a lot. How do the motors etc sound - any straining? Be careful if so as its possible to mounting point geometry could be overstrained if the struts aren't adequately supporting the weight of the roof. I think I saw some 2nd hand struts on ebay recently.

Hi Mike how do you get the struts regassed? Mine struggles a bit and I had been thinking about this.

Cheers

Dave

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 7:55 pm

Aethelric wrote:
mikeonb4c wrote:I wonder if the gas struts may need regassing. Its common for AFTs to not quite 'lock out' without a bit of help, but 20% short of that is a lot. How do the motors etc sound - any straining? Be careful if so as its possible to mounting point geometry could be overstrained if the struts aren't adequately supporting the weight of the roof. I think I saw some 2nd hand struts on ebay recently.
Hi Mike how do you get the struts regassed? Mine struggles a bit and I had been thinking about this.

Cheers

Dave

There's a company thats been mentioned on here (SGS or something like that) who've done tailgate struts for peeps before. I'm guessing they would just as happily do the AFT ones. I've no idea how they know how to set the 'gassing preload' but assume there is data stamped or labelled on the strut that tells them. Maybe a techie on here could comment?

Post by **aitch** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:12 pm

mine won't always go right up in "one hit" so I lower it a fraction then raise it again and it goes all the way up, this has happenend to me a couple of times in the last few weeks but goes up in the end I think it might just be "one of those quirky Bongo things"!!!!!!!!!!

duncsuk · Post by **duncsuk** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:59 pm

In case it's not, having the engine running at the same time may help (few more volts).

stilldesperate · Post by **stilldesperate** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 5:08 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:
Hi Mike how do you get the struts regassed? Mine struggles a bit and I had been thinking about this.

Cheers

Dave

mikeonb4c wrote: There's a company thats been mentioned on here (SGS or something like that) who've done tailgate struts for peeps before. I'm guessing they would just as happily do the AFT ones. I've no idea how they know how to set the 'gassing preload' but assume there is data stamped or labelled on the strut that tells them. Maybe a techie on here could comment?

It's SGS Engineering Derby Tel 0845 8801255

SD

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:32 pm

stilldesperate wrote:
mikeonb4c wrote:
Hi Mike how do you get the struts regassed? Mine struggles a bit and I had been thinking about this.

Cheers

Dave

mikeonb4c wrote: There's a company thats been mentioned on here (SGS or something like that) who've done tailgate struts for peeps before. I'm guessing they would just as happily do the AFT ones. I've no idea how they know how to set the 'gassing preload' but assume there is data stamped or labelled on the strut that tells them. Maybe a techie on here could comment?
It's SGS Engineering Derby Tel 0845 8801255

SD

Well done SD

munroman · Post by **munroman** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:47 pm

From my experiences with VW campers, it always helped to have the side door open when raising or lowering the manual pop top, as it did create a sort of vacuum effect.

I usually raise the roof when I have a door open, (its a habit thing), so haven't noticed any problem.

redalan1971 · Post by **redalan1971** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:56 am

if your roof wont fully raise its probably due to weak struts.
i have just replaced mine with new ones from sgs and it now speeds up until fully locked not slowing down and refusing to fully open as it did before.
the tent doesn't need to be unzipped it works no problem with it zipped up.
cost was £59 each.

Rhod · Post by **Rhod** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:00 pm

White grease is best for the runners. Some silicon grease on the struts will help a bit with sluggish raising, but has to be re-done fairly frequently.

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