Help - Roof Latch Failure

[JaSAn]

On my trip to Nebraska I had one of my front roof latches fail. Before I realized what happened, two more latches failed: the other front one and the left side rear. The right side rear held and that caused most of he damage.





I am hoping that I can repair the damage without removing the roof, that I should be able to bend it back.

The roof is still watertight.

 

[Vic Harder]

OUCH! I wonder if this is the first time this has happened... never seen that posted here before. Looks like the screws rusted out?

 

[Kolockum]

You can bend the roof back. Plenty of people that have had to do that.

How are the latches failing? Are the bolts rusting through (galvanized steel touching aluminum will speed up the corrosion process} ? or are the screws pulling or falling out?

You probably could get by with replacing them with new latches with larger diameter screws. I believe the original are #8. I have replaced mine with #10s because they were getting stripped and starting to pull out.

 

[craig333]

Thats pretty ugly. I wonder if they were overtensioned?

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Ouch! Looks like it can be fixed.I think another member did a roof straightening.
Maybe search it.
Fank

 

[pvstoy]

You can put the latch hardware moved either right or left of existing to have the screws into new material. Just seal off the old holes.

 

[Kolockum]

Ouch! Looks like it can be fixed.I think another member did a roof straightening.
Maybe search it.
Fank

More than one member. I think there is a surprisingly large number of us who have a "friend" who has done it. The bend on my "friends" rig was similar to yours.

Here are some links:
https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/20570-fwc-bent-front-corner
https://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/18790-bent-roof-by-leaving-one-latch-on-when-opening

 

[craig333]

Get used to the "feel" of raising the roof. I did it once, didn't feel right and I immediately stopped and found a latch I"d missed.