Installing roof, with or without lift panels?

[shellback]

Okay, I'm getting ready to put the roof back on my camper. I built composite lift panels, and they are heavier than wood. I'd like to rivet the panels to the roof while it sits upside down on saw horses. Then ratchet strap them folded tight and lay the roof on the camper body with some 2x3's in between to be able to lift it afterwards. I have no fabric sides on it, nor the trim that holds it. Once on the camper, I'll raise and block up the roof, then fasten the bottom hinge to the camper. How have other folks installed the roof during a rebuild process? I don't like the idea of doing all that riveting overhead if I put the panels on last. Thanks, Ron

 

[Alley-Kat]

It's been awhile (2010) since I was at All Terrain Campers, however, that process seems almost like what they do (I saw it happen twice, once on each of my two visits).
Why not give Marty or Jeff a call and run this by them.
They do this process several times a week.

 

[philos65]

I don't envy you this process.

This is probably a bit off topic. If the roof is off, the vinyl siding is going to be replaced, you're going to put tracks or aluminum tubing for a rack on the roof, why use the quirky FWC panels? It seems to me that someone came up with this idea in the 70s and the company stuck with it, for some unknown reason.

The FWC panels keep you from having fore and aft ventilation/light. With the advent of gas struts, there is no reason not to fabricate a 3/4" EMT lift system. Use 30 or 40 lb struts when it's just the roof. If you put some sort of rack system on the roof, and put up 80 lbs of solar panels, carry a canoe or kayak or two, you can plug in 50 or 60 lb struts. The EMT lift system chronicled elsewhere on this forum works in harmony with the struts. The FWC panels will work of course, but seem less elegant than a good EMT lift system.

Like I said, this is off-topic, so just ignore my opinion.

As an aside, the roof is off my 80s Keystone, original vinyl is now in the dump, lift panels gone, 1" aluminum box tubing ready to be mounted to the roof so my two 245 watt, 40 lb solar panels can be mounted.

I have 60 lb and 40 lb struts and enough EMT tubing to fabricate a lift system. I'm with you in spirit.

Jeff...

 

[ETAV8R]

I don't envy you this process.

This is probably a bit off topic. If the roof is off, the vinyl siding is going to be replaced, you're going to put tracks or aluminum tubing for a rack on the roof, why use the quirky FWC panels? It seems to me that someone came up with this idea in the 70s and the company stuck with it, for some unknown reason.

The FWC panels keep you from having fore and aft ventilation/light. With the advent of gas struts, there is no reason not to fabricate a 3/4" EMT lift system. Use 30 or 40 lb struts when it's just the roof. If you put some sort of rack system on the roof, and put up 80 lbs of solar panels, carry a canoe or kayak or two, you can plug in 50 or 60 lb struts. The EMT lift system chronicled elsewhere on this forum works in harmony with the struts. The FWC panels will work of course, but seem less elegant than a good EMT lift system.

Like I said, this is off-topic, so just ignore my opinion.

As an aside, the roof is off my 80s Keystone, original vinyl is now in the dump, lift panels gone, 1" aluminum box tubing ready to be mounted to the roof so my two 245 watt, 40 lb solar panels can be mounted.

I have 60 lb and 40 lb struts and enough EMT tubing to fabricate a lift system. I'm with you in spirit.

Jeff...

This is a very interesting idea. I don't need to replace my vinyl but if I were I'd be giving more thought to this. Having stronger outside lifting struts could hold the top up but I'd be concerned during storms and/or with weight up top. I'm having a hard time picturing how EMT would be used to hold up the top. Having windows/screens fore and aft would be great!

 

[shellback]

I have a 79 Grandby that I bought as a project. There were no lift panels whatsoever. The conduit looked like a very simple solution for me. I was hesitant to use them due to any side wind load. Seemed to me the conduit could collapse. At that time I wasn't familiar with the lift struts. Using them, I think they would solve the side load wind problem. But now I have hours and hours building samples and then the finished project composite panels. I gotta go with them now.

 

[philos65]

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for an overview of the EMT conduit support structure...

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/11945-84-fleet-09-tacoma-project/page-10

Jeff...

 

[PokyBro]

Hi Ron,
In my experience, it is much easier to attach your lift panels with the roof upside down as you've described. I believe both ATC and FWC assemble in this manner. It's very difficult positioning your upper panel hinges in place and riveting when installing as you would be doing this upside down in the camper. Bad for blood pressure too.

So, once the panels are attached, tying them off as you suggest, and flipping the roof over and setting the roof on the camper body is the way to go. I had two people help me flip mine over. Marty, at ATC, recommended making some boards as jigs to hold the weight of the roof when your ready to attach the bottom hinge of the panel to the camper wall, unfortunately I can't tell the measurements though. Cutting two boards the same length ensures uniformity. Anyhow, much of this is in my thread which I'm including the link. One thing I also would mention, is that you can only have one end of the roof, or the other, up at a time without the fabric side liner on, or it is unstable and will fold up on you in a way it's not supposed to. Once the liner is on and attached to the top of the roof, it will hold the panels in position fore and aft. So, I hope that helps you a little bit, along with the link below.

Poky

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/12116-new-build-1981-grandby-to-become-a-hawk/page-11

 

[shellback]

Hi Ron,
In my experience, it is much easier to attach your lift panels with the roof upside down as you've described. I believe both ATC and FWC assemble in this manner. It's very difficult positioning your upper panel hinges in place and riveting when installing as you would be doing this upside down in the camper. Bad for blood pressure too.

So, once the panels are attached, tying them off as you suggest, and flipping the roof over and setting the roof on the camper body is the way to go. I had two people help me flip mine over. Marty, at ATC, recommended making some boards as jigs to hold the weight of the roof when your ready to attach the bottom hinge of the panel to the camper wall, unfortunately I can't tell the measurements though. Cutting two boards the same length ensures uniformity. Anyhow, much of this is in my thread which I'm including the link. One thing I also would mention, is that you can only have one end of the roof, or the other, up at a time without the fabric side liner on, or it is unstable and will fold up on you in a way it's not supposed to. Once the liner is on and attached to the top of the roof, it will hold the panels in position fore and aft. So, I hope that helps you a little bit, along with the link below.

Poky

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/12116-new-build-1981-grandby-to-become-a-hawk/page-11

Thanks Pokey, When I installed my prototype lift panels I raised the back first. Once that was up, I clamped some boards on each side of the rear wall and sandwiched the rear lift panel in between to keep it from flopping over. That won't work when I have to install the canvas. With both ends up, maybe some diagonal braces front to rear on the inside will work.