SCA roof - straps working loose

[Jaffa]

I picked up my new camper last week it has an SCA Start roof with straps that feed into a crocodile clip. No other securing mechanism. I was reassured by the dealer that the straps are very safe and don’t fail unlike some of the clamp mechanisms.
However twice in one week I’ve been driving along and has sudden wind noise. I’ve stopped and checked the roof only to find the first time that both straps had worked loose and the second time one strap had worked loose.
The first time I thought maybe I didn’t tighten them enough or check them properly. But it’s happened a second time now and making me feel really nervous about driving it anywhere which defeats the purpose of having a campervan!
Any ideas?
And can I get clamps retrofitted as a backup?l without invalidating the warranty?

 

[DXX]

I picked up my new camper last week it has an SCA Start roof with straps that feed into a crocodile clip. No other securing mechanism. I was reassured by the dealer that the straps are very safe and don’t fail unlike some of the clamp mechanisms.
However twice in one week I’ve been driving along and has sudden wind noise. I’ve stopped and checked the roof only to find the first time that both straps had worked loose and the second time one strap had worked loose.
The first time I thought maybe I didn’t tighten them enough or check them properly. But it’s happened a second time now and making me feel really nervous about driving it anywhere which defeats the purpose of having a campervan!
Any ideas?
And can I get clamps retrofitted as a backup?l without invalidating the warranty?

Seems very odd, can you please post a photo showing how the straps are secured.

 

[Jaffa]

Seems very odd, can you please post a photo showing how the straps are secured.

 

[Jaffa]

View attachment 194352

View attachment 194353

The photos show the strap hanging down. The second photo I’m holding the strap out of the way so you can see the crocodile clip. There’s a bar that the strap feeds through and back up to the clip. They’re like luggage straps if that makes sense? If you push on the metal clip the strap comes loose. If you let go the clasp grabs the strap

 

[EAN]

I believe that’s an SCA196. Can’t comment directly as I have an SCA194 which has toggle fixings but I’ve found a couple of pictures on the web that show the straps. Might be difficult to see but are yours routed the same?

 

[Bargy62]

@Jaffa Mines not a SCA but Reimo so basically the same set up I also tie strap below the buckle which would hopefully stop it sliding back through the buckle

 

[Jaffa]

I believe that’s an SCA196. Can’t comment directly as I have an SCA194 which has toggle fixings but I’ve found a couple of pictures on the web that show the straps. Might be difficult to see but are yours routed the same?

View attachment 194363

View attachment 194364

Yes thanks that’s the model, yes they’re routed like this and still working loose :-(

 

[Jaffa]

@Jaffa Mines not a SCA but Reimo so basically the same set up I also tie strap below the buckle which would hopefully stop it sliding back through the buckle

Thanks I will try this. You would think they wouldn’t work loose I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong but I’ve checked everything I can think of

 

[DXX]

It looks like the roof mount has 3 fitting holes for the bolt and you are using the forward one which from the photo is not the shortest distance to the lower loop.
Try moving the bolt back the most rear position as in the photo that @EAN posted.

 

[Jaffa]

It looks like the roof mount has 3 fitting holes for the bolt and you are using the forward one which from the photo is not the shortest distance to the lower loop.
Try moving the bolt back the most rear position as in the photo that @EAN posted.

Thank you!

 

[airhoguk]

It might also help that usually you have to tuck the roof fabric in around the sides by rolling the fabric up and putting between the pop top roof and van roof. Whilst you may not be able to do that with this particular roof but there’s a lot of fabric gathered around the rear of the strap and if thats not fully compressed then the strap will appear to work loose as the fabric compresses

 

[Jaffa]

It might also help that usually you have to tuck the roof fabric in around the sides by rolling the fabric up and putting between the pop top roof and van roof. Whilst you may not be able to do that with this particular roof but there’s a lot of fabric gathered around the rear of the strap and if thats not fully compressed then the strap will appear to work loose as the fabric compresses

Oh! I think this could be what’s happening! I’ve been so focussed on not getting the fabric trapped under the roof. Think I need to watch some videos to see how much tucking in to do. Thanks for this!

 

[Bigsidavies]

What @DXX said definitely.

But you need to get the canvas rolled up nice and tight so it allows the clamp buckle to be in a vertical position which gives greater grip on the strap.
When you lower the roof pull all the canvas inwards and ensure none is trapped. Then try pulling the front piece of canvas back over the headrests and get a nice flat, crease free piece of material full width left to right then just roll it up nice and tight all the way to the front edge. Then thread the straps through the clamp and pull tight.

 

[moomin-j]

What @Bigsidavies said.
Although mines a Reimo roof, the clamping down of the inverted bathtub is the same:

 

[Bargy62]

@Jaffa Mines not a SCA but Reimo so basically the same set up I also tie strap below the buckle which would hopefully stop it sliding back through the buckle

tying as in Moomin's post

 

[Mike23864]

What @DXX said definitely.

But you need to get the canvas rolled up nice and tight so it allows the clamp buckle to be in a vertical position which gives greater grip on the strap.
When you lower the roof pull all the canvas inwards and ensure none is trapped. Then try pulling the front piece of canvas back over the headrests and get a nice flat, crease free piece of material full width left to right then just roll it up nice and tight all the way to the front edge. Then thread the straps through the clamp and pull tight.

You may already my do this but make sure that when you pull the roof down you have the doors open. It makes it easier and stops the fabric from being forced outwards.

 

[AussieMick]

The supplied staps on mine were hard to pull tight so i got some different ones that have worked great for over 5 years , my originals looked exactly like your pictured ones , very cheap to try others.

 

[AussieMick]

New ones look like this, pull up tight and never move.View attachment 194518

 

[Jaffa]

New ones look like this, pull up tight and never move.View attachment 194516View attachment 194518

View attachment 194519

They look great where are they from please?

 

[AussieMick]

They are from a camping store in Australia but I'm sure you can find them somewhere near you, try Google cam straps. These are 500kg rated and have been on thousands of km without a problem. Good luck.