Barrel latch at rear lift panel

[Toddhom]

For the life of me I always seem to struggle with the barrel latch at my rear lift panel. It is way too hard to line the bolt up with the hole in the lift panel. It's not a side to side thing. It's an up and down thing. Sometimes it seems easy but usually it's really hard. Any advice?

 

[JaSAn]

Speaker lift.

You easily raise the roof and don't have to hold it up to manipulate the latch.

 

[PaulT]

I usually slide it in as I lower the roof. Got used to doing that way when I got the camper. I'll probably mess it up now that I'm thinking about it.

With a front dinette, the cabinet stack on the rear passenger side provides a place to sit in the perfect location for doing that .

Paul

 

[AWG_Pics]

I do exactly what Paul does. As it comes down, just before it is all the ways down, I start poking the slide bolt to the hole. Seems like second nature now.

 

[Wallowa]

Also make certain if you have a thermal pak that the rear corners are folding flat as you lower the top or it hold those panel askew.. pak in the corner 'holds up' on the cabinet it is tough to line them up..

 

[Santiam Camper]

What is a speaker lift?

 

[Vic Harder]

What is a speaker lift?

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0075DNT0S/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_10?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

 

[Kolockum]

What is a speaker lift?

It is a method of using a jack to raise the roof. Here is one of the original threads.

https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/9597-using-a-pro-audio-adj-speaker-stand-to-raise-your-roof/?hl=%2Bspeaker+%2Blift

 

[Beach]

I lower the top completely, then push up a bit on the panel till the latch aligns. Never thought about trying to do it while the roof was lowering(in motion).

 

[fish more]

I do as Beach, just push up on the lift board and slide into place

 

[Toddhom]

The problem is that even when I close the top completely Its really hard to push up the lift panel so that it aligns with the barrel bolt. It makes no difference if the tops is all the way down or if I try to slide the bolt in when I'm lowering the top.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The problem is that even when I close the top completely Its really hard to push up the lift panel so that it aligns with the barrel bolt. It makes no difference if the tops is all the way down or if I try to slide the bolt in when I'm lowering the top.

The speaker lift or ratcheting cargo bar may be your best options. I have used the speaker lift, and it would be my choice.

 

[campito]

I use a speaker lift to fully raise the back. But to open and close the barrel bolt, I simply press up with my head the 1/2" it requires. I am already sitting under it, so really easy.

 

[Vic Harder]

I think we are all assuming the alignment difficulty is in the vertical axis. Is it?

 

[BrianG]

As with others, I just lower the roof and push up about half an inch to secure the bolt.

 

[CatButt]

I too have a difficult time, intermittently, with this issue. I am still quite new to the FWC and about half the time, for no obvious reason, I cannot push up hard enough to latch (and sometimes unlatch) the latch. I thought it was the thermal pack material getting in the way and causing enough pressure to cause this...but I am not convinced yet...still susing it out. Complicating my particular problem is that after I pull my front end down it never stays down...it will pop right back up. I even have a hard time keeping it down pulling with all my might on the push rod. So I usually have to go outside and climb quite high on the side of the truck and pull the top down...sometimes it stays and sometimes I have to pull the rear down first then the front. It is a learning curve that has taken longer than I would have anticipated.

 

[Vic Harder]

I too have a difficult time, intermittently, with this issue. I am still quite new to the FWC and about half the time, for no obvious reason, I cannot push up hard enough to latch (and sometimes unlatch) the latch. I thought it was the thermal pack material getting in the way and causing enough pressure to cause this...but I am not convinced yet...still susing it out. Complicating my particular problem is that after I pull my front end down it never stays down...it will pop right back up. I even have a hard time keeping it down pulling with all my might on the push rod. So I usually have to go outside and climb quite high on the side of the truck and pull the top down...sometimes it stays and sometimes I have to pull the rear down first then the front. It is a learning curve that has taken longer than I would have anticipated.

try closing the door, and keep your vent(s) on high, pulling air INTO the camper. It can help suck the top down. Works well putting it up too, just reverse the fan!

 

[veryactivelife]

With my camper if the barrel bolt is extended about halfway it slips right in as the top comes down.

 

[CatButt]

try closing the door, and keep your vent(s) on high, pulling air INTO the camper. It can help suck the top down. Works well putting it up too, just reverse the fan!

Thought about doing just that. Pressure and vacuum are pretty cool forces.

 

[Machinebuilder]

I too have a difficult time, intermittently, with this issue. I am still quite new to the FWC and about half the time, for no obvious reason, I cannot push up hard enough to latch (and sometimes unlatch) the latch. I thought it was the thermal pack material getting in the way and causing enough pressure to cause this...but I am not convinced yet...still susing it out. Complicating my particular problem is that after I pull my front end down it never stays down...it will pop right back up. I even have a hard time keeping it down pulling with all my might on the push rod. So I usually have to go outside and climb quite high on the side of the truck and pull the top down...sometimes it stays and sometimes I have to pull the rear down first then the front. It is a learning curve that has taken longer than I would have anticipated.

Are you leaving your door open? If you don't it will be difficult to Raise or lower the top.