Has anybody seen this popup mechanism before?

[brycercampbell]

I Bought a 2000 Pheonix popup a few months back. Gutting the interior and rebuilding. Biggest hurdle has been lifting the roof— it weighs a ton.

It works by pushing both bars out to the side, but the roof is too heavy to do this. As of now I have to get on top of the water tank and get into proper form and squat the roof.

Two owners ago had gas struts front and rear, the previous owner removed them ( “Because the camper is really meant to go down one side then the other”) and put actuators in the middle (which I removed because the roof was bowing.

Pheonix said I could do actuators if they had 12” aluminum plates, but I am still concerned about the roof bowing.

I could theoretically move the gas strut mounts to the side, though I do not know what this project would consist of exactly.

Right now I am at a loss on what to do; manually opening this roof is not viable. Any thoughts or ideas?

Thanks,
Bryce

 

[plh]

DIY?

 

[brycercampbell]

DIY?

This is a pheonix camper, each one custom built to order. This unit was manufactured in 2000.

 

[NatersXJ6]

I’m a little confused by what you mean when you say push to the sides. Do you have an interior picture popped up?

 

[RDinNHand AZ]

I had that same model custom built. I pushed one side out then the other. My wife could not raise the roof but I didn’t find it too bad. Mine was all aluminum framed and the roof was not that heavy. I'd go with 4 actuators with limit switches when open or closed run off a HD DPDT momentary switch. Putting them near the corners should end the bowing.

 

[zoblo]

I had that same model custom built. I pushed one side out then the other. My wife could not raise the roof but I didn’t find it too bad. Mine was all aluminum framed and the roof was not that heavy. I'd go with 4 actuators with limit switches when open or closed run off a HD DPDT momentary switch. Putting them near the corners should end the bowing.

I have 2014 Phoenix built to fit my 1992 toyota pickup which is a little smaller than yours and maybe lighter as its aluminum framed. Anyway it was getting a little hard to pop up wedging my back to the ceiling and pushing up. A couple of years ago I was at an Expo show and Rob, the owner of Phoenix was there and I mentioned it to him. He suggested that I put a rafting paddle outside between the lip of the top and the side and use my legs to push up one side. Seems weird, but It actually worked and makes it easy to get one side up. Doesn't seem to hurt the soft side. Then I get inside and push out on the bars to get the other side up. It works well and don't have to use my back anymore. It maybe that your top is too heavy to do that. Also I spray silicone, occasionally, the tracks on the ceiling that the 'lifting' bars run in.