Bellows becoming detached

[Alform]

Put the new one up today
(replaced under warranty) .
It's the T6 version which has the bits inside which pull the bellows in when retracting.

 

[Meoncoast]

When I pushed ours back in I used a wooden fish slice (clean!) to push it home. I could feel it click in so wonder if there are small metal "teeth" there. So far has stayed in situ. Good few roof up and down since with no issues.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I've always been Commando and (touch wood) had no issues with the detaching corners or bellows in the scissors.
On the later note, there are generally 2 of us watching carefully. One outside and myself on the inside but the T6 material so far just folds inward following the sprung folding strips. Still waiting for excessive wind

 

[BayCatOne]

After four trips to the dealer and 12 days of being there it’s finally resolved.

Here comes my non-technical specification of what they ended up doing:

• New “roof engine”
• New roof hinges
• Realigning the roof
• Glued(? Black residue can be seen ?) the bellows on the front left so it doesn’t come loose.

Looks like it’s solved and besides the long wait due to parts being out of stock and that the dealer have little to none experience with Calis, I’m happy that the bus is back.

 

[WelshGas]

Cleaning the roof today, I found again that the black rubber seal holding the bellows to the roof is coming away.

This is the 3rd time it has happened since getting the Cali back in September.

Anyone else with the same problem ? View attachment 46586

Bellows becoming detached

Hi all, I have a bit of a belllows issue on my T6 Beach... in hot weather the bellows peel away from the seating at the top corner, per the photo. 1. Has anyone else had this problem? 2. Should I go to the dealer as a warranty issue or should I solve myself by applying some superglue or...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Calisand]

Cleaning the roof today, I found again that the black rubber seal holding the bellows to the roof is coming away.

This is the 3rd time it has happened since getting the Cali back in September.



Anyone else with the same problem ? View attachment 46586

I had this problem last year. It was ‘fixed’ once but two weeks after getting the van back it happened again. My bellows was then replaced under warranty at the start of this year by the dealership without any quibble and has been fine since. I heard suggestions of a bad batch of bellows fitted late 2017 for vehicles delivered Q1 2018. I’m not sure if this was the case but my new bellows are definitely not under as much tension as originals. Go back to your dealer - I’d like to hope they replace without question.

 

[Kevthegas]

Bellows becoming detached

Hi all, I have a bit of a belllows issue on my T6 Beach... in hot weather the bellows peel away from the seating at the top corner, per the photo. 1. Has anyone else had this problem? 2. Should I go to the dealer as a warranty issue or should I solve myself by applying some superglue or...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Thank you WelshGas, I did google the problem and nothing came up.

 

[VW Guru]

VW Guru,
Looks like I need new bellows.

My Cali is a 2018, would the new bellows be replaced with old style or the new style with the opening front?
And if so would it be possible to pay a bit extra and have a different colour ?

I would come to your dealership to have the work done

Kev

Hi @Kevthegas the bellows would be replaced with then new style opening front however under warranty conditions we can only replace like for like so you would not be able to get a different colour unfortunately.

 

[Meoncoast]

When I push ours back in I used a wooden fish slice (clean!) to push it home. I could feel it click in so wonder if there are small metal "teeth" there. So far has stayed in situ. Good few roof up and down since with no issues.

Our issue is back after 2 weeks daily putting up the roof for 2 weeks while away - the bellows at the top corner on the passenger side pulling out when the roof is put up. My question is the definitive repair to replace the bellows to fix this issue or is there another fix. It pushes back in but will not stay in place. @VW Guru can you advise before I pop into Totton Breeze.

 

[VW Guru]

Our issue is back after 2 weeks daily putting up the roof for 2 weeks while away - the bellows at the top corner on the passenger side pulling out when the roof is put up. My question is the definitive repair to replace the bellows to fix this issue or is there another fix. It pushes back in but will not stay in place. @VW Guru can you advise before I pop into Totton Breeze.

Hi it’s a bellows replacement unfortunately, I’ve done a few for this issue now

 

[Meoncoast]

Hi it’s a bellows replacement unfortunately, I’ve done a few for this issue now

Thanks for that - @VWGuru is the bellows work something Totton have experience with or is it a trip to Poole

 

[VW Guru]

Thanks for that - @VWGuru is the bellows work something Totton have experience with or is it a trip to Poole

Totton have experience changing them so you will be fine going in there unless you want to come and pay us a visit

 

[Meoncoast]

Totton have experience changing them so you will be fine going in there unless you want to come and pay us a visit

thank you for your help @VW Guru will speak to Derek and the Totton team

 

[Deskman]

What wonders me is if the 'new' and stiffer silver/grey bellows are more likely to have this problem. All pictures in this thread are from bellows made from the new material. My old 2006 brownish canvas roof shows quite some wear and tear but no signs of coming off the rail. And I have never seen or heard of this problem on older Cali's. If so, this is more a design problem than a 'can happen' kind of mishap.

 

[Meoncoast]

thank you for your help @VW Guru will speak to Derek and the Totton team

Thanks again @VW Guru Totton Breeze replace our bellows yesterday great service as usual

 

[Meoncoast]

What wonders me is if the 'new' and stiffer silver/grey bellows are more likely to have this problem. All pictures in this thread are from bellows made from the new material. My old 2006 brownish canvas roof shows quite some wear and tear but no signs of coming off the rail. And I have never seen or heard of this problem on older Cali's. If so, this is more a design problem than a 'can happen' kind of mishap.

I think there seemed to be a group of T6 bellows coming away from the front corner above the passanger side all about the same age - possible a defective batch or original poor build.

 

[TripleBee]

What wonders me is if the 'new' and stiffer silver/grey bellows are more likely to have this problem. All pictures in this thread are from bellows made from the new material. My old 2006 brownish canvas roof shows quite some wear and tear but no signs of coming off the rail. And I have never seen or heard of this problem on older Cali's. If so, this is more a design problem than a 'can happen' kind of mishap.

Just what I was thinking looking at the pictures.

I have my second canvas, but it is still the "old" canvas, not the T6 one. Never had this problem.

 

[Jim Haviland]

My bellows have been replaced today on my T6 Beach, under warranty, by one of the more highly regarded dealers in Southern England.

They were clearly aware of the issue when I initially called them. They diagnosed, told me the bellows had to be replaced and booked in the van on that one phone call. No further inspection required.

They have just called to say that the work is complete and will drop the van off at home shortly. No mention of any roof alignment problems, just bellows. I will inspect tonight and will obviously monitor over next few weeks and will report back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can you let me know which dealer your referring to please.

 

[SpikeMcBike]

Can you let me know which dealer your referring to please.

SMG Cowfold.


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[Dave_T]

Hi, just thought I'd add that this has recently happened to me...

I had my old fabric bellows on my 2012 T5 SE replaced with the new T6 ones in April (as the dealer scissored my fabric ones), and the top left corner has just now come away. I've taken it back to the dealers and they're currently saying that the reason it's coming away is that there is some corrosion in the slot that the rubber edge of the bellows slots into. It's now going to be shipped off to a different dealer with more cali experience. Hopefully it can all be sorted out under warranty.

I'll also add that my van had the roof fix as many van did back in 2016.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Stow]

The (old style) bellows on my Ocean manufactured in Q1 2018 kept coming away on the passenger side. They were replaced with the new style bellows under warranty. The new bellows now come away on all four corners, though most prominently on the driver's side.

It'll be back to my dealer when I get the chance. Hopefully they won't earn me a penalty fare for driving on a toll road without telling me when they pick it up this time. (They never even offered to pay it).

 

[Craiguchty]

Hi it’s a bellows replacement unfortunately, I’ve done a few for this issue now

Hi @VW Guru,

We bought a '65 place Ocean from you guys a few weeks ago, all the way from Scotland. We had a baby a week after it was delivered and as such didn't get much time to use the van before she arrived.
We're just planning a trip to The Netherlands and whilst doing a bit of a shake down last week, I noticed that we have the same problem as being discussed on the forum.
I called our local VW dealer to book it in as we have a 6 month warranty from the sale but have been advised that the warranty does not cover the roof.

Can you advise on the best thing to do?

Obviously we are a little upset by this as the salesman advised us that the van had been fully inspected before the sale and had no issues.

Thanks

Craig.

 

[Meoncoast]

We bought a '65 place Ocean from you guys a few weeks ago, all the way from Scotland. We had a baby a week after it was delivered and as such didn't get much time to use the van before she arrived.
We're just planning a trip to The Netherlands and whilst doing a bit of a shake down last week, I noticed that we have the same problem as being discussed on the forum.
I called our local VW dealer to book it in as we have a 6 month warranty from the sale but have been advised that the warranty does not cover the roof.

Can you advise on the best thing to do?

Obviously we are a little upset by this as the salesman advised us that the van had been fully inspected before the sale and had no issues.

Personally I would not lose any sleep over it we had ours replaced as it was within the warranty but if it was not within a warranty period I would have not bothered getting it replaced.

 

[VW Guru]

Hi @VW Guru,

We bought a '65 place Ocean from you guys a few weeks ago, all the way from Scotland. We had a baby a week after it was delivered and as such didn't get much time to use the van before she arrived.
We're just planning a trip to The Netherlands and whilst doing a bit of a shake down last week, I noticed that we have the same problem as being discussed on the forum.
I called our local VW dealer to book it in as we have a 6 month warranty from the sale but have been advised that the warranty does not cover the roof.

Can you advise on the best thing to do?

Obviously we are a little upset by this as the salesman advised us that the van had been fully inspected before the sale and had no issues.

Thanks

Craig.

Hi Craig congratulations on the arrival of your little one mine was born on Thursday. As for your Cali if you could send me or post some pictures of the bellows I will take a look and see what we could do.

 

[Craiguchty]

Hi Craig congratulations on the arrival of your little one mine was born on Thursday. As for your Cali if you could send me or post some pictures of the bellows I will take a look and see what we could do.

Thanks
And congratulations to you too!

Over the weekend I was able to use a soft plastic trim tool to gently push the rubber seals back into the channel on both front upper corners. On inspection of the rears, they were coming away slightly too but I was able to do the same with those corners.

I've raised and lowered the roof a few times and the seals seem to be holding in place for now.

In terms of getting you a picture, I've re-uploaded the one posted by another member on this thread as it shows the exact same symptom - all be it, repeated on both front corners in our case and the rear very to a much smaller extent on the rear corners.



Obviously I'm pleased that my fix seems to be working for now but I don't feel confident that the issue won't re-occur if the weather is hot again etc.

As we are so far from your dealership (we live in Aberfoyle, Scotland) I'm a bit reluctant to pop in!

Thank you for your help!

Craig.