My question is this, my crazy (love her) wife is concerned that if the cables break on our popup while we are asleep inside the roof comes down on us. Is there a safety device or something you experienced campers do to protect you from this? Is there a safety in the camper that prevents the roof from coming down? Thanks in advance!
Your door will act as a brace to hold the roof up. Also if 1 cable breaks, it won't collapse, there are 3 other cables. It will slump. If you want, I have seen people who will put 2x4's on the corners and velcro them to the lift posts.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
We used to have a 1997 Viking PUP that had thin lift posts and a cable system that would collapse the roof* (*see note below) if one cable broke as all would let go. I don't think they make this type of system anymore. However, since it happened with my DH inside doing some poking around and lifting the clutch lock - hence, the collapse - and unable to get out without someone - my neighbor and me - lifting one side and pulling out the bed so DH could slide down onto the floor and squeeze out the door. He was lucky he was lying on his back and had placed the seat cushions up on the other bed end to keep the roof from crushing him. We read on another forum about putting angle irons on opposing ends when the roof lifted and wrapped velcro ties around the "L" angle and the post. It was rock solid after that, even in a high wind storm.
* Note: Also from experience: The door will hold up one side of the roof and cause the PUP to "A" frame. You would have to get the low side back up to even out to an equal height with the "A" side, remove the door, crank it down slowly. More than likely one or more cables would be broken, even the floor torn out where attached (if that is your cable system type), and you may have to stop at the nearest WalMart to buy a winch strap to keep the roof closed to meet the lower section.
These experiences happened within a week of each other and it wasn't pretty. After repairs and deciding my DH's life was worth more, we sold the Viking and purchased a "spring loaded" lift system TrailManor.
Since I got my camper not in the best of shape, I took some PVC pipe and cut to size, and I slide them in next to the cables. This way if they collapse the PVC will hold it up.
That said, I rarely ever use them, like everyone else mentioned, if one breaks the most it will do is slump. And I figure the bunked is the safest place to be if it collapses, the most that will hurt me then if the shepherds hook. 😉
[quote author=GA Judy link=topic=2557.msg24420#msg24420 date=1371841417]
We used to have a 1997 Viking PUP that had thin lift posts and a cable system that would collapse the roof* (*see note below) if one cable broke as all would let go. I don't think they make this type of system anymore.
The newer Vikings have wide posts, and you get two metal braces to put on opposite corners, just in case. The door will also act as a brace, should something happen.
With a newer popup, there is no cause for alarm.
Judy, what puzzles me is how someone could "mess" with the clutch pawl from the "inside"? If you raise the roof, install the U channels...and then the door...it should be totally safe!
Not that I would deny that another system might be safer...Goshen is "brilliant simplicity" in my experience! 8)
If you can't find the U-channels...mine were in the rear bumper held-in by spring plates!
If you are inside and into the box by the dinette at the end bunk entry, you can get into the clutch mechanism. Remember, this was a 1997 Viking made by (I think) Viking before the other company(ies) took over the name. The telescoping lift poles were approx. 1-1/2 inch square on each end. Each part of the "telescope" opened up smaller and smaller! There were no "U" channels on this year's model that we ever knew about.
If you didn't know what you were doing (we had only used our PUP 2x at this point) and were poking around in there in the driveway before going camping, believe me, it could happen that the roof would come down. The door was not - repeat, was not - inserted. It was still hanging inside on the ceiling.
You would not want to experience what happened to my DH nor be the DW watching! All I could think of was his being dead under that heavy roof. Thank goodness, that did not happen and he was not injured due to dumb luck ( :o) and the help of my neighbor in getting the roof raised enough for Al to climb off the dinette bed cushions and into the crawl space to get around to the door so he could slither out. The 2nd SPUT was because the door did hold up one side of the PUP when the cables snapped (because you can't crank 'er down with the door in place!) and the rotten floor on one side - of which we were unaware - broke off, the cables all let go, and we were "A" framed.
There were other factors involved in this nightmare but who wants to write a novel about a SPUT! We just did what we felt would be a better measure for safety when we had the two experiences that one week. This topic asked about collapse and we took measures with the angle irons at opposing ends to ensure the top would not come down on us after seeing and knowing how hard it was to lift it up. Those angles stood up extremely well during a heavy wind storm at Fort Clinch a couple of months after we got our PUP back from repairs.
Yes, we love our TrailManor and having such trouble with the NTU PUP was too much for my DH. That trip to Fort Clinch "clinched" it for us when a TM 2720 SL pulled into the site next to ours. I accidentally discovered what a TM was when the lady was walking her dog while her DH was pulling in and going to set up. I was immediately impressed and thought this was the answer to being able to continue camping since our kids were afraid their dad just would not be able to handle a PUP. He was into his 70s when we got the Viking. Much easier now and more fun for us both. 😉
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