Overall Height with Pop Top

[Bluey18]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to pull the trigger on a t6.1. I'm in a bit of a pickle regarding total height, I really need to keep the height under 2m due to access to my garage.

I'm going to get a pop top. With -45mm lowering springs and a low profile pop top and default tyres/alloys I should clear it.

The low profile options seem to be much more expensive but have the benefits of cosmetics/aero/wind noise. I've also read that pop top fitters over estimate the additional height for reasons such as liability.

Can anyone with a set up that's 2m or lower with a pop top let me know what pop top they have and if and if/how much they are lowered by and what wheel set up they have?

Thanks very much

 

[ginkster]

Welcome.

Reimo Superflat here with about 70mm lowered suspension on 255/45R18 tyres. Comes in at about 195cm depending on load.

 

[Bluey18]

Welcome.

Reimo Superflat here with about 70mm lowered suspension on 255/45R18 tyres. Comes in at about 195cm depending on load.

Brilliant, thank you. What's the suspension set up you've got if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Bav]

My van is under 2m with factory supplied wheels (17"), tyres and suspension. The van has a Hilo roof.

 

[Bluey18]

My van is under 2m with factory supplied wheels (17"), tyres and suspension. The van has a Hilo roof.

Thanks and thats interesting, Hilo are now Horizon? How much does the Hilo roof add in height? Factory spec for height is 198cm so that would mean the Hilo roof comes in under 2cm unless your van is loaded?

 

[Sasquatch]

Mine is aboit 2.1M, Redline pop top, standard suspension on 235/55 18.

 

[JoshB_]

I can get under 1.9M barriers (squeaky bum time!) with a Halifax PopTop and lowered on coilovers (unsure how much, but it’s not “slammed”) with 245/45/R20 tyres.

 

[Camper_Chris]

I have an SCA 194 pop-top and standard suspension and the hight is 2050mm. Or 50mm over the 2 meters you're looking for. Is the drive up to your garage flat of on a incline as that may affect the clearance you need.

 

[Bigsidavies]

I have a Vanmax slimline pop top and van is lowered about 60mm and I have a rigid solar panel mounted into cross bars which are attached to roof rails and mine is 202 cms including the solar panel and bars etc.

 

[Martinf]

Height was very important to us too. Our pop top is the converters own model, but they don’t now convert VWs so probably not relevant.

Anyway, we chose to add VB Air which gives us a standard height of 2015mm including semi-flexible solar panels. Going to car-park mode reduces this to 1925, with lowest possible at 1915. Add the benefits of self-levelling and off-road mode and we love our VB Air. Others hate it, so it’s a personal choice, but an option you could consider.

 

[Skyliner33]

Height was very important to us too. Our pop top is the converters own model, but they don’t now convert VWs so probably not relevant.

Anyway, we chose to add VB Air which gives us a standard height of 2015mm including semi-flexible solar panels. Going to car-park mode reduces this to 1925, with lowest possible at 1915. Add the benefits of self-levelling and off-road mode and we love our VB Air. Others hate it, so it’s a personal choice, but an option you could consider.

Out of interest, how noisy are the compressors when the kick in to fill the tanks?

 

[Bluey18]

I have an SCA 194 pop-top and standard suspension and the hight is 2050mm. Or 50mm over the 2 meters you're looking for. Is the drive up to your garage flat of on a incline as that may affect the clearance you need

Height was very important to us too. Our pop top is the converters own model, but they don’t now convert VWs so probably not relevant.

Anyway, we chose to add VB Air which gives us a standard height of 2015mm including semi-flexible solar panels. Going to car-park mode reduces this to 1925, with lowest possible at 1915. Add the benefits of self-levelling and off-road mode and we love our VB Air. Others hate it, so it’s a personal choice, but an option you could consider.

They sound great but very expensive!

 

[Bluey18]

I have a Vanmax slimline pop top and van is lowered about 60mm and I have a rigid solar panel mounted into cross bars which are attached to roof rails and mine is 202 cms including the solar panel and bars etc.

Cheers, how much of the 202 do you think the roof rails and bars are adding?

 

[Bigsidavies]

Cheers, how much of the 202 do you think the roof rails and bars are adding?

Just done a quick measure and it’s about 8cm

 

[Bav]

Thanks and thats interesting, Hilo are now Horizon? How much does the Hilo roof add in height? Factory spec for height is 198cm so that would mean the Hilo roof comes in under 2cm unless your van is loaded?

Yes, the Horizon is based on the Hilo design. My van's a full camper, so may be a little lower than standard height to start with, but I don't think the roof adds much height at all

 

[icn05]

Mine is 2.01m on 20” wheels with a Skyline pop top. It’s actually the Fiamma awning which is the highest point when the roof is down - probably just under 2m without that.

I’ve been under a 2.05m height restriction barrier - veery slowly as there was a speed ramp across the entrance & I wasn’t quite sure if that was accounted for on the height restriction notice. It was flippin’ close!!

 

[Martinf]

Out of interest, how noisy are the compressors when the kick in to fill the tanks?

@Skyliner33 the compressor is certainly audible both within and without the van. But I wouldn’t say that it was particularly noisy.

 

[ginkster]

Brilliant, thank you. What's the suspension set up you've got if you don't mind me asking?

The suspension is H&R/Koni coilovers from CRS Performance. It’s a pretty firm ride so maybe not to everyone’s taste.

 

[Keith Waterman]

We have the t6.1 Cali with ultra low profile mounts and roofbars and a side shower tent and Starlink. Comes in at exactly 2.0m.

 

[cgtmiles]

The suspension is H&R/Koni coilovers from CRS Performance. It’s a pretty firm ride so maybe not to everyone’s taste.

We have the same coil over setup, also set quite low but not slammed and with an austops roof (in no way low profile) and 19” wheels and it’s around 190, having said that I would do a 2m barrier I wouldn’t risk anything less on a public car park