Middle hinge for Viking

Post by **Bogwoppit** » 17 Jul 2008, 16:32

At last it's on! And it is SO much better! No bowing at all. I would recommend anyone with a Viking to have an extra hinge put on in the middle of the roof

Post by **hobajay** » 17 Jul 2008, 16:46

Hi Bogwoppit,

We replaced all 3 struts on our Viking roof last night and it's made a great difference! Yours with just the end one's on must have been very hard to get up and down?

Question for you regarding the viking roof, when you're putting it away, do you pull the side bit in from inside, or push it from outside? The bit we pull on seems like it doesn't like it and might break if we continue to do so, but don't have the muscle to push it from outside

( Maybe I should just use my gym membership a bit more?!

Jo.

Post by **Bogwoppit** » 17 Jul 2008, 19:22

I pull from the inside, but like you I keep thinking it won't last much longer!

As for the struts... Yes it was flipping hard to get it up with just those end two, especially as they were Kn***ered!! I've got new ones now and it's much easier

I would definitely think about a middle hinge though. My roof bowed out so much that side before I had it fitted, too much to push in. I was getting worried about the fibreglass cracking

Post by **Steve P** » 18 Jul 2008, 17:10

Have you got the handle on the inside/middle of the roof? If you look at the roof when it's up, we have a handle inside halfway along the length of the roof which is attached through the headlining into a wooden support. If you have then maybe the wooden supports inside of the fibreglass are breaking up. We've had to replace a few of ours at the back of the roof just recently. Good luck if you have to do it!

With regards to the hinge, we've got four on ours as has Ermie I believe.

Bev

Post by **Bogwoppit** » 21 Jul 2008, 13:34

Yes I've got that handle, but what is that with regard to? My roof being hard to put up? Or...?

I had four hinges - two at the front and two at the back, but I had this one put in the middle which pulls the middle in. Is that what you mean by the wooden supports? That it might be that that's making it bow outwards?

Post by **craigie** » 20 Sep 2008, 18:17

you wouldn't happen to have any pics of the middle hinge? Ours had a middle strut, but it just slid up and down a runner, not even attached properly, and didn't seem to do anything.

(we also pull the side in from inside. yes it does feel like the edge bit will just fly off)

cheers

Post by **ermie571** » 20 Sep 2008, 21:08

confusion here.....bogwoppit is talking about the brass hinges on the outside of the roof. I have 2 at either end of the roof, as does Steve and Bev. Bogwoppit put one in the middle of the roof to stop the roof flexing. My roof doesn't flex.

The roof should have 3 struts. The middle one is in a runner. This is correct. But if the strut is working (ie is sufficiently gassed) it will hold the roof up about 6 inches before shutting, so you can work your way around and tuck all the canvas in!

Ok, mine doesn't have this strut....it just didn't line up when we fitted the roof. So in tue 80-90 style, I have 2 bits of 6x4 which we lower the roof onto, go round and tuck in the canvas, then shut the roof!

As for pulling the roof in.....I sprayed the metal runners/sliders with some chain lubricant....now it slides in so much easier. But I think I have it easy as I left the middle bed board out as it isn't fixed in, and just pull the sliding bar! The joys of fitting your own roof, I suppose.

I have to acknowledge that it isn't the easiest roof. But it is huge. John can lift it the couple of inches to get the struts to catch; maybe one day we will make the necessary alterations....but it works fine for us as it is now.

cheers
Em
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