Check your sportsmobile wiring!

[4X4TOUR]

Look what I discovered:

To see the pictures, you may have to be a member. I was urged by several readers to impart this imformation, for safety purposes.

http://sportsmobileforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6839

 

[4X4TOUR]

For those who cant see the pics, also, check out the bolts!

Just had this installed last June. Started my interior build and took down the headliner. The red /scraped/unprotected wire is the power wire for the penthouse top lights.

The bolts are basically useless, as the washers are basically holding the top in that corner, from the "hack" job. Havent checked the other side yet.

 

[billwilson]

craftsmanship

wow
was that recent stuff??

is that raggity thing the roof cut??

 

[nely]

Oh man!!!! That was a monday morning build for sure!!

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

 

[Patman]

wow
was that recent stuff??

is that raggity thing the roof cut??

X2!!

Wouldn't it be quicker to have a magnetic jig and an air nibbler to make a clean cut every time?

I've seen cleaner work on a redneck pull truck where a torch is synonymous with a drill bit.

 

[4X4TOUR]

I call it the "San Andreas Fault" template. :sombrero:

 

[Patman]

Have you brought it to their attention?

 

[4X4TOUR]

I'm assuming they'll see this post, since they sponsor it. I really don't feel like letting them touch my van again...

 

[billwilson]

stuff

Well,

they are a big company with three locations

they sponsor this portion of the forum, i am sure
so they can stay in touch with their loyal client base
and keep them updated on things and get input to
improve thier product and service the installed base
of rigs

i am sure the company monitors this to be proactive

must be an oversight that they did not address this today

i would check back in the morning, as common sense would
dictate that a forum they sponsor they would moderate and check

sure hope you didnt photoshop those, we dont like trolls

bw

 

[wjeeper]

I am really surprised to see what appears to be a total hack job! Those self tapping screws and bolts look like they are 1+ inches too long :Wow1: and the hack job for the pop top........well the craftsmanship speaks for its self........ I honestly think Bubba and Zeke would have done a better job with a torch and a 12 pack.

Curious to see how SMB steps up to the plate on this one.

 

[4xdog]

That looks like astoundingly poor craftsmanship. Horrifying. That's *got* to be anomalous for Sportsmobile West, yes?

Can any other SMB owners report on their results from lifting the curtain?

 

[billwilson]

stuff

from another site
no first hand knowledge
some well known issues documented at badgertrek.com

 

[jage]

My wall wasn't finished and the insulation was dropping out the bottom, plus my top leaked for due to having the wrong hardware and by the time it was fixed and fixed again, there was so much damage it didn't solve the problem- and mine was a "Show Van" for West at one time.

I've had good and bad experiences with both West and Texas, I won't rehash it, but it's all been worth it when I get out in the van. QC is an issue as I've often commented.... seeing that cut makes me sick on a bunch of levels.

Anyway, expecting SMB to monitor ExPo and SMB4um and the yahoo groups, or frankly any one of them more than a fraction of the time, is expecting a lot. Expecting them to react even if these threads are brought to their attention? Well that is just silly in my opinion, and hardly fair.

I'm not saying you'll get an answer you'll like, or a fix that sits better (I've got $20 on sandwiching that section with two other pieces of metal and re-trimming to hide...) but it won't happen if you just sit back and expect them to come to you.

Go back and read Buji's story is what I always tell everybody. That and Badgertrek.com.

 

[billwilson]

My wall wasn't finished and the insulation was dropping out the bottom, plus my top leaked for due to having the wrong hardware and by the time it was fixed and fixed again, there was so much damage it didn't solve the problem- and mine was a "Show Van" for West at one time.

I've had good and bad experiences with both West and Texas, I won't rehash it, but it's all been worth it when I get out in the van. QC is an issue as I've often commented.... seeing that cut makes me sick on a bunch of levels.

Anyway, expecting SMB to monitor ExPo and SMB4um and the yahoo groups, or frankly any one of them more than a fraction of the time, is expecting a lot. Expecting them to react even if these threads are brought to their attention? Well that is just silly in my opinion, and hardly fair.

I'm not saying you'll get an answer you'll like, or a fix that sits better (I've got $20 on sandwiching that section with two other pieces of metal and re-trimming to hide...) but it won't happen if you just sit back and expect them to come to you.

Go back and read Buji's story is what I always tell everybody. That and Badgertrek.com.

Well said Jage,
Good news: we get to go out an play
Bad news: we gotta take some lumps gettin there

 

[Herbie]

Holy crap, that roof cut is SCARY.

I'm with Patman, I would have thought they would have a template.

I have to admit, though, that I'm not intimately familiar with the penthouse construction - Are those fasteners holding the "tent" to the body, or the top "hinge" mechanism, or what?

If it's just the tent, it's probably "acceptable" in that the tent shouldn't be pulling up on the roof too much, but if that's "structural" in the sense that the weight of the fiberglass top, mechanism, and anything lashed to the roof is depending on those fasteners.... well then I'd be looking into having someone make me a backing plate to "sandwich" the roof sheet metal.

EDIT: Looking at the other pictures I'm a bit confused. I see a line of self tappers outboard and parallel to the cut, so I'm guessing THAT is where the tent material attaches (the GTRV pop-top I transplanted was done sort of like that, so I copied it). My GTRV included a "ring" of welded steel plate and c-channel that got riveted to the roof for the entire perimeter of the roof cut. When I did the transplant, I rough-cut the roof a few inches "small", riveted the ring into place, then used the ring itself as a guide and ran the nibbler around the ring to trim the roof straight and tight up against the ring. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm surprised there's no reinforcement there, and more importantly I can't really figure out what those fasteners DO. I guess they attach the shelf/trim thing that's up in the bunk area I see overhanging the roof?