Exterior Roof Strut refit.

[Drover]

When a Roof strut pops off it can be very hard to refit it, especially when on the road as you need to compress it so you can pop it back on the knuckle, not an easy thing to do.
The pic shows how I managed it by using a ratchet tie down.
First remove the strut from the knuckle, you will need a small screw driver or Leatherman to slide back the locking clips, just slip them back along the slot, with the strut down on the ground you can use your tie down I used the hook on the ram end, it just jammed over the tube the other end I made a loop of the strap and passed both ends thru the ratchet, the loop then sat over the knuckle end of the strut, compress the strut and take up the slack with the ratchet till you have the correct length...then it's just a matter of popping the knuckle joints back in place, slip the lock clips back and remove the strap.

I have had to replace one when at home and it was a bastard, need a painters trestle to manage it, this time I was on the road and managed to come up with "A Rather Cunning Plan " I thought.

Just be carefull when you compress the strut and the strap is tensioned, if it slips you could loose a finger or eye.

 

[bigcol]

that is a wonderful idea


I would not like to guess how many times it may have happened to others, and they not know it can be an easy (sort of) fix

 

[Drover]

Not wrong, the first time I tried it at home I started with a ladder but would push myself off it when trying to compress the thing, I then got out a paint stage and was able to compress the thing in relative safety but it was damn hard.
So when this popped out at Lightning Ridge, raining of course, I just dropped the lid and thought I would sort it later but found the roof doesn't sit properly and it was very hard to get it to clip down, so as I drove along the "little grey cells, they were working " and I'm surprised it actually worked and was fitted back on quite quickly. I started off thinking about a threaded rod with a small bit of flat on either end then soon as I saw the tie downs on my Yak, bingo.

 

[Crusty181]

Brilliant .... an example of terrific ingenuity. Whats that saying, "great ideas are born from necessity" ... is that right, or did I just make up a cracka saying.

 

[chartrock]

Brilliant .... an example of terrific ingenuity. Whats that saying, "great ideas are born from necessity" ... is that right, or did I just make up a cracka saying.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[rodney]

I use a ratchet strap wind it down and pop it back on bingo
I have a jig at work that I use for the big boy struts