Roof canvas reinforcements

[jonddd]

Our Beach has the usual roof canvas reinforcement at the front, helping it to fold correctly.
Apart from the central fold, ours has two extra breaks in the plastic a couple of inches up from the bottom, and down from the top.
They are just visible on the photo. It is not that easy to pack the canvas away when the roof drops.
Is this normal? Or is the plastic strip broken?
(Photo taken whilst looking for a leak causing water under the carpet but that's another issue).

 

[owen_h]

This is mine. Does look different (less crease’s) in the area you highlighted. But evidence of different wear which might indicate there is a break in the plastic strip.
Can’t check at the moment as the van is off having the roof edge sorted. Photo taken as evidence that canvas is in good condition before going to body shop.


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[Ch1pbutty]

Your roof bungee needs loosening, its pulling the fabric up slightly.

 

[calibusje]

Hellow, mi guess: it’s your bungee

 

[MeltedGoldfish]

My 5.1 SE is the same - the reinforcing ‘batons’ (plastic strips) have a slight kink at the top (and I think bottom). Unrelated to the bungee (although I agree yours looks a bit tight!), but whether it’s ‘normal’ or mine has the same ‘fault’/damage as yours I don’t know! It doesn’t affect the roof closing though, albeit mine’s hydraulic rather than manual.


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[jonddd]

Thanks for your comments. The roof isn't quite completely up in the photo so the bungee does look tight. It's like that to show the extra bends in the plastic reinforcing strip. I'm still not sure if the plastic is a long vertical strip with one fold in the middle, or, perhaps the two extra folds or breaks near the top and bottom are correct.

 

[MeltedGoldfish]

Will have a closer look at mine when the roof’s up at the weekend. But I’m pretty sure mine has those kinks in the strips at the side too. I’ll let you know on Saturday…


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[ArunAlec]

Thanks for your comments. The roof isn't quite completely up in the photo so the bungee does look tight. It's like that to show the extra bends in the plastic reinforcing strip. I'm still not sure if the plastic is a long vertical strip with one fold in the middle, or, perhaps the two extra folds or breaks near the top and bottom are correct.

It’s 2 lengths with a flexible “hinge“ joining them in the middle.
The folds at the top and bottom are where the canvas has not been closed properly and trapped the canvas between the fixed and lifting roof, bending the strip.
From experience the plastic is quite robust and can be straightened if you drop the roof a couple of feet and bend the strip back into shape.

 

[MeltedGoldfish]

It’s 2 lengths with a flexible “hinge“ joining them in the middle.
The folds at the top and bottom are where the canvas has not been closed properly and trapped the canvas between the fixed and lifting roof, bending the strip.
From experience the plastic is quite robust and can be straightened if you drop the roof a couple of feet and bend the strip back into shape.

I was wondering whether it has been caused by the previous owner getting the roof caught. My canvas does have a (repaired) cut on one side, suggesting it was caught at least once in its life.


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[Azteccamper]

It’s 2 lengths with a flexible “hinge“ joining them in the middle.
The folds at the top and bottom are where the canvas has not been closed properly and trapped the canvas between the fixed and lifting roof, bending the strip.
From experience the plastic is quite robust and can be straightened if you drop the roof a couple of feet and bend the strip back into shape.

I tried this after a VW dealer bent the top part as described. They denied it obviously.
It snapped!
I just pull it in a bit manually all round as a precaution when closing the roof now.

 

[Multi1100]

Our Beach has the usual roof canvas reinforcement at the front, helping it to fold correctly.
Apart from the central fold, ours has two extra breaks in the plastic a couple of inches up from the bottom, and down from the top.
They are just visible on the photo. It is not that easy to pack the canvas away when the roof drops.
Is this normal? Or is the plastic strip broken?
(Photo taken whilst looking for a leak causing water under the carpet but that's another issue).

View attachment 88521

Reply on your leaking issue; if you find water under the carpet (left or right side) it has in about 99 % of the cases to do with blocked drains located front and rear on where the poptop rests on the vehicle. (4 drains in total)

 

[sbmcd]

Your roof bungee needs loosening, its pulling the fabric up slightly.

I eventually took my bungee off my van as even on a fairly slack tension I thought is was causing unnecessary stress / tension on the bellows. I just stick my head up to check all is ok when I'm lowering the roof.

 

[BeachyBird]

Definitely agree with some of the above the two kinks top and bottom are evidence that the roof canvas has been trapped when closing down the roof at sometime. We visited a VW dealer once and there was a California parked on the forecourt with the roof down and the canvas trapped and poking out the front had to go and tell the sales people to sort it.

 

[MeltedGoldfish]

Yep…just checked mine. Kinks at the top (but not bottom) of both forward side struts and the front one. That ties in with the small repair around the rear hinge mechanism, where the previous owner (or dealer?!) clearly got it caught. Not affecting the roof operation though.


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[ArunAlec]

Yep…just checked mine. Kinks at the top (but not bottom) of both forward side struts and the front one. That ties in with the small repair around the rear hinge mechanism, where the previous owner (or dealer?!) clearly got it caught. Not affecting the roof operation though.


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Highly likely to be dealer damage! @WelshGas attempted to flag the dealership “fail” sometime back! Dealer’s online advertisement showed a Cali with the roof canvas and batten nicely crushed.