18' Series Jayco Discovery Outback roof issues

[Patrolman]

I have a 2010 Jayco Discovery Outback pop top and have roof issues.
Unlike the other posts on this forum, my roof has move backwards about 50mm not sideways like most others.
Does anyone have any ideas on how this can be rectified please?
No air con on roof, just solar panel.....

Thanks
Tony

 

[MDS69]

Which end do you drop first. Have you tried the opposite.

 

[Rockape]

When you have the roof up, does it sit right? Is the roof hard to lift? Does it move more towards the back or front? Do you have an awning? If you close the roof with the awning slightly out does it still do the same? Sorry for the questions, I'm just trying to get more info. You may have some weak gas struts. Or a jamming strut causing the roof to move in one direction. The gas struts pretty much control the roof movement and if one or two are weaker than the others the roof will be forced in that direction by the stronger or stiffer struts. You could try lightly lubrication the strut rams to see if that improves it.
Cheers
Nick

 

[Patrolman]

Which end do you drop first. Have you tried the opposite.

We usually drop both ends at once, by will experiment and see what happens

 

[Patrolman]

When you have the roof up, does it sit right? Is the roof hard to lift? Does it move more towards the back or front? Do you have an awning? If you close the roof with the awning slightly out does it still do the same? Sorry for the questions, I'm just trying to get more info. You may have some weak gas struts. Or a jamming strut causing the roof to move in one direction. The gas struts pretty much control the roof movement and if one or two are weaker than the others the roof will be forced in that direction by the stronger or stiffer struts. You could try lightly lubrication the strut rams to see if that improves it.
Cheers
Nick

Nick,
Yes roof seems to sit right. The roof has always been extremely hard to lift. That is why I have changed the gas struts about a year ago.when closed the roof sits back about 50mm. Yes we have an awning. We have always closed the roof with the awning out slightly. I will try the silicone spray on the struts to see if they are pushing the roof back. Back to your second question: Is the roof hard to lift?...... This is the third Pop top we have owned. Two Avans and now the Jayco. The Avans were a breeze to open and close.The Jayco, well it takes me all my time to lift the roof, I do one end and the Missus does the other. she has difficulties as well. Like I said, Avan was a breeze, not the Jayco. I just about need to go to the gym and beef up for this one........

 

[Dobbie]

If one person is lifting one end and the second person lifting the other, that might be the problem.

Try it with one person only. Do the end that is the problem first, then the other....not both together.

If it's not the gas struts it has to be the uneven force exerted while lifting....at least, that's one possibility.

At the silicone spray before that!

 

[bigcol]

yeppers,
try lifting the rear end first, then the front
then when closing, close the rear end first again, then the front...........

it may not be sitting properly because your both trying to lift the roof at the same time

 

[Rockape]

As others have said, lift and lower one end at a time. We raise and lower the rear first. This is how I've always done it. My roof is reasonable easy to put up and close. We have roof air and solar as well.

 

[Patrolman]

As others have said, lift and lower one end at a time. We raise and lower the rear first. This is how I've always done it. My roof is reasonable easy to put up and close. We have roof air and solar as well.

I have silicone sprayed the struts and operated the roof a few times. It doesn't matter if I raise the front or the rear first.
When the roof is lowered it is still almost off the roof latched, to the rear of the van. In other words, the whole roof appears to move backwards about 50mm when we close the roof. Most annoying. Maybe the roof struts that I was supplied are too strong or something. Don't know, will seek more advise if it is out there.....
Thanks

 

[Patrolman]

Next Question:
Does anyone know the specs for the gas roof struts?
I am guessing I have one or two that are not performing as they are supposed too.
So I will change them a pair at a time and see what happens......

 

[G Daddy]

I think the original are 380 Nm ( I would need to check but away at the moment ) . I replaced mine with 500 Nm to allow for fitting roof A/C and solar panels.