mattress in roof

[gnome2]

hello, just received my memory foam mattress for the roof and have hit a snag..can anyone help? When the mattress is in position everything is fine, but I cannot fold the trapdoor flat (mattress prevents it going flat) so I can have the skylight showing..when roof is down.If I lift the mattress and fold the trapdoor flat the thickness is too great.Basically what I am asking is ..is there a way to have the mattress in the roof and the flap back so the sun shines in the van when the roof is down. Thanks for reading.

[BongoBongo123]

The only thing I know is the original one is thin enough to allow for this scenario we have our flap
open all the time when the AFT is open or closed. (unless I am kipping up there) You might have to store it downstairs.

[sotal]

Ours fits, you have to lift the mattress up first to allow the trap door to sit flat and the bit that goes over it had to double back but the roof squashes it down when you put it down.

[gnome2]

Thanks for that, have done as suggested and layed mattress on top, and although it was squeaky bum time as roof came down, all was fine, if squashed.....hope light aint broke...

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks for that, have done as suggested and layed mattress on top, and although it was squeaky bum time as roof came down, all was fine, if squashed.....hope light aint broke...

Hate to undo any useful advice, but after my roof got stuck in the down position and had to be fixed, i was advised not to get into a situation where the roof motors/mechanism were strained when closing the roof. I think healthy new motors may cope but older ones may pack up. I had two new motors fitted (not cheap!) and it revitalised the roof lifting, but i'm cautious these days about what i pack up there

[gnome2]

mmm .. maybe a rethink then, ive read that pins can be removed from hatch making it a slider rather than a foldback..may look at that as it will lie flatter..and can anyone point me in the direction of a link to manually lower roof..(if needed)....

[mikeonb4c]

mmm .. maybe a rethink then, ive read that pins can be removed from hatch making it a slider rather than a foldback..may look at that as it will lie flatter..and can anyone point me in the direction of a link to manually lower roof..(if needed)....

Just a bit puzzled as unless something is obstructing it the hatch should fold back flat. Is the mattress getting in the way?

[gnome2]

...Thr hatch folds back flat, its just when mattress lies back on top (2" mem foam ) its a bit tight when roof comes down..the light pushes into the foam...ive pushed mattress towards the back of the van as far as I can, but it still overhangs onto the flap..I don't really want to take out mattress, prefer to leave it up top...just a bit concerned about pressure on motor now.....

[mikeonb4c]

...Thr hatch folds back flat, its just when mattress lies back on top (2" mem foam ) its a bit tight when roof comes down..the light pushes into the foam...ive pushed mattress towards the back of the van as far as I can, but it still overhangs onto the flap..I don't really want to take out mattress, prefer to leave it up top...just a bit concerned about pressure on motor now.....

Hmmm. 2" memory foam on top of an open hatch ought not to be a problem. I have a 2" memory foam mattress up there and no issues. Hard to know without seeing it in action - maybe best to listen to motors working to close roof when its empty and then with mattress in place then make a judgement on whether they're straining.

[cmm303]

Mike, I take your point about overloading motors in a roof position and direction of travel for which they may not have been designed. Could I chuck this thought in ... if it is only the light squashing into the mattress, the weight of the roof (not insignificant) would do that without loading the motors. I reason that when lowering the roof, towards the end of travel the struts apply little upwards force so I would expect the motors to be acting as a brake, so a little mattress squishing will reduce some of that load. I have had too much up there and could hear the change when the motor started to struggle to close the roof. Not done it again!

Therefore I wonder if the general warning is to be sensitive to the motors loading up on closure and to avoid this.

[Alan2016]

As a new owner I've been struggling with this a bit as well. It's entirely possible that I have the mattress in backwards but it seems to fit best the way I have it which is with the section of mattress with the "tongue" that covers the hatch at the rear of the roof and with the U shaped piece with the two arms at the front. With this layout if I fold the hatch back under the mattress I am then left with the tongue extending over the hatch so also have to fold this back. This means that if I was to close the roof I would have a stack consisting of the normal roof floor, the hatch and two layers of 2" mattress (the folded back tongue). This seems like it might be a bit too squishy or is that what everyone else is doing as well?

Thanks

Alan

[mikeonb4c]

Mike, I take your point about overloading motors in a roof position and direction of travel for which they may not have been designed. Could I chuck this thought in ... if it is only the light squashing into the mattress, the weight of the roof (not insignificant) would do that without loading the motors. I reason that when lowering the roof, towards the end of travel the struts apply little upwards force so I would expect the motors to be acting as a brake, so a little mattress squishing will reduce some of that load. I have had too much up there and could hear the change when the motor started to struggle to close the roof. Not done it again!

Therefore I wonder if the general warning is to be sensitive to the motors loading up on closure and to avoid this.

Yes those are very good points and i've considered them before. The danger though, as my mechanic suggested, is if/when the locking action is strained. Overall though, it all comes down to personal judgement. My ha'peth worth is that new motors transformed things. But at a cost!