Danger of shells popping up while in motion?

I purchased a set of long ratcheting tie down straps at our local big box store and keep them in the storage area. In case there is ever a latch failure they can be used to go all the way around the TM and keep it closed. Little cost and extra weight for nice insurance.

Originally Posted by rumbleweed

I purchased a set of long ratcheting tie down straps at our local big box store and keep them in the storage area. In case there is ever a latch failure they can be used to go all the way around the TM and keep it closed. Little cost and extra weight for nice insurance.

I had one of those, but I could not find out how to release some of the strap that had already been ratcheted tight & thus the strap would NOT reach. I wound up using a series of ropes, but when I got to the campsite (250 miles from home) I found that the ropes didn't really adequately hold, as a result one of the side latches got torn out.
I purchased two sets of four ratcheting hold-downs and I attached one of the hooks to the frame (where there are cut outs) on each side, then the hooks attached to the ratcheting devices were hooked together on the top (so that the ratcheting devices were hooked to each other), I put a double layer of cardboard under them and tighten them down. Seems to have worked quite well. Probably a better solution than the cardboard cushioning would be using mouse pads.

[shebantam]

I just closed up the TM by myself, for the first time...Volvofan was there aiding me when I bought it from him.

had problems with the door...my problem not the doors, it is a little confusing at first. Remember I am totally nonmechanical.

Got the back down, had to remove the bedspread and get the bed past the shelf that Jon had put in in the galley.

BUT could not get the back to latch on the door side, other side latches nicely. The latch handle kind of hangs straight down unlike the front latch. Front is latched under the door.
I climbed on my ladder, put weight on the roof, the bar goes to the latch but will not engage. That, it seems takes 2 people or someone stronger than me to hold down the roof. I see the little handle and tried stepping gently on that but I am not a small woman and do not want to break anything.

I brought the back side up by myself several times so I could get back in and see what was keeping it from going down (silly me, it was the right side of the door frame) I am waiting for my husband to wake up from his nap so he can manually hold the latch open and close it whist I push down from the top, have to do similar on my popup, difference is the latch is right by where I am pushing down.

Any ideas? a new latch maybe?

Originally Posted by shebantam

I just closed up the TM by myself, for the first time...Volvofan was there aiding me when I bought it from him.

had problems with the door...my problem not the doors, it is a little confusing at first. Remember I am totally nonmechanical.

Got the back down, had to remove the bedspread and get the bed past the shelf that Jon had put in in the galley.

BUT could not get the back to latch on the door side, other side latches nicely. The latch handle kind of hangs straight down unlike the front latch. Front is latched under the door.
I climbed on my ladder, put weight on the roof, the bar goes to the latch but will not engage. That, it seems takes 2 people or someone stronger than me to hold down the roof. I see the little handle and tried stepping gently on that but I am not a small woman and do not want to break anything.

I brought the back side up by myself several times so I could get back in and see what was keeping it from going down (silly me, it was the right side of the door frame) I am waiting for my husband to wake up from his nap so he can manually hold the latch open and close it whist I push down from the top, have to do similar on my popup, difference is the latch is right by where I am pushing down.

Any ideas? a new latch maybe?

Are you talking about the automatic spring loaded latch? If so, I have found that letting the shell up a bit and then pushing down quickly frequently works as it adds a bit of momentum to aid the latching.

[shebantam]

Got it all latched, hubby had to step on the stepy thing on the rails and I use my ladder and leaned on the roof...it is all closed up just in time for a thunderstorm.

[shebantam]

Thank you, that be the one, we tried that to no avail. I think something is off kilter. It worked for Volvo fan but I must not be strong enough, even Raymond and I did it together. Poor 2720 needs some service...will make do since we are only using this for a week or longer trips, we have the Cabin A for the weekenders.

Me putting my weight (and I am no light weight) and hubby stepping and allowing a little bounce, we got it all latched, the popup latches are not an issue, used to them.

Another question, Jon gave us 2 straps with spring type s hooks. Do they go around the arms for extra protection? I did not pay attention when I took them off and hooked them to the steppy thing on the lift arms.

[lazymanor]

Another thing to check are the mounting plates for the latches, this year we found that the wood holding the lag bolts holding the brackets had pulled out ,letting the latch loosen . I used Hide glue and bamboo skewers to fill the holes an reinstalled the bolts. Will check next year to see if it is still holding. Caused by caulk around the plate had failed. This caused the latch to drop away from the wood frame and made it almost impossible to close.

[BrucePerens]

Originally Posted by M&M Hokie

In order to preclude any possibility of this unfortunate outcome, I remove all 8 torsion bar bolts prior to towing and then reinstall them once I stop. Doesn't everybody do this? I admit it is kind of a pain at gas stations and roadside eateries but you can't be too safe

Not while the shells are down, you don't :-) There's quite a lot of energy stored in there.

Is it even safe to remove these bolts while the shells are up and locked? I would like to work on the rectangular bars, one of which has one of the holes for the latch broken out. The latch that you step in the stirrup to engage, not the corner latch.

[wbmiller3]

I am pretty sure this was a joke about overreacting to a perceived danger of little actual moment.

It was also posted 5 years ago.

[BrucePerens]

Originally Posted by wbmiller3

It was also posted 5 years ago.

Of course I'm a new TM owner so everything old is new :-)

I'd still like to know if I can work on those rectangular bars while the shell is up, and while I support the shell with something temporary, or if there is still a lot of force stored in the torsion bar even when the shell is up.