Hi, same thing just happened to me on the way back from France. 2 hours into the journey and it popped up at 70mph . You can clearly see the latch is not meeting the catch securely enough. In their defence they booked me straight in to do all the repairs. Hopefully they will have a new locking mechanism as I no longer feel safe to drive at speed. Great pop crap system unfortunately. I wonder if they will pay my hotel and travel expenses as I live four hours away from their unit.
Skyline Aurora Pop-Top opening on motorway?
- Thread starter Creamytash
- Start date
Ask them. Would seem reasonable to me.
Oh, dear! I have become a victim of the Skyline self opening pop-top whilst driving on the A1M yesterday. It was a very scary and frightened experience to say the least. I know the pop-top was secure. We had driven 140 miles already on the M1, M18 and A1M when BANG! I secured it with 2 straps I had in the van and crawled 7 miles to our next comfort break. I secured the roof again but didn't put the straps on - big mistake! Whilst sorting it out the wind blew the passenger door to hitting my face and glasses into the van - ouch! A few miles later it went up again! Straps on and with half an hour crossing time to spare we arrived on Holy Island for a week's holiday.
So ... what should I do now? Contact the fitter, who no longer fits Skyline by the way or contact Skyline? It was fitted in 2020.
Thank you everyone for reading. I know your advice will be helpful.
So ... what should I do now? Contact the fitter, who no longer fits Skyline by the way or contact Skyline? It was fitted in 2020.
Thank you everyone for reading. I know your advice will be helpful.
Try and get skyline to fit replacement locking mechanism hopefully FOC or supply for you to fit
Then fit some other form of back up security ie additional straps
Others come on here and say I check mine regularly and have reason no to add additional securing straps it won't happen to me but sooner or later it WILL or maybe their just never mention it to save face
But if I had one of these roofs and reading this thread that started 3 years ago I would by now have fitted something extra.
Then fit some other form of back up security ie additional straps
Others come on here and say I check mine regularly and have reason no to add additional securing straps it won't happen to me but sooner or later it WILL or maybe their just never mention it to save face
But if I had one of these roofs and reading this thread that started 3 years ago I would by now have fitted something extra.
I’m the -renegade- doing nothing extra, but I’ll certainly let you know if it happens!
Worth noting that there are loads of Skyline roof owners out there not on these forums without issue (anecdotally, I know a few and none have any hint of an issue).
And yes, the opposite will be true, too. But I’m sure they’re finding this forum after it happens, so I recon we have a disproportionate sample here.
Very true but I also don’t see any other threads on pop tops opening themselves.
Seems to be solely a skyline issue.
D
Deleted member 54139
Guest
After my “cam collapse” I fitted these footman loops and straps. (Amazon)
Just as a piece of mind backup.
Strangely enough the roof is a lot quieter.
Just as a piece of mind backup.
Strangely enough the roof is a lot quieter.
I have a 2019 van and I haven’t replaced the cam belt
well if it hasn't failed in 6 years it probably never willI have a 2019 van and I haven’t replaced the cam belt
I went straight to skyline because they were the people that fitted mine, they seemed to understand the situation and took full responsibility. They changed the locking clasp to a different style and they replaced all of the lifting mechanism at the back. I think if you was to phone them up directly and talk to them
, it really wasn’t a big job they done it in an hour. I’m sure they will help you out to save their reputation. They are in Bristol. It cost us an overnight stay but we had a good time and made the most of it. It was worth it. They were decent enough to not even quibble it. I know they should’ve got it right in the first place, but everybody makes mistakes.
It never occured to me that, if my roof was securely closed as per manufacturers' specification, it would self open!! I wouldn't dare drive the vehicle if I had known it was a possibility! I only found all these other people on here, who have had the same issue, when it happened to me yesterday. I'm a nervous wreck with 220 miles to drive home next Saturday - so much for a relaxing holiday
I have a cover to hide all the canvas. This wouldn't close if I used straps, is that right?
D
Deleted member 54139
Guest
Correct. I don’t have a cover. My handles are below the head line.
Bumped into a couple last year with a hired California with the roof stuck up (failed solenoid) they had to carry on with a “ratchet strap” over the top and through the windows.
Miles matter more than year.I have a 2019 van and I haven’t replaced the cam belt
GetOnYourBoots
New Member
I just came across this thread whilst searching for alternative methods to hold down my Skyline roof fitted to a LWB T5.1
This has happened to me twice and it’s scary. The first time was on the M6 in pissing rain passing Preston on the way home from collecting it after fitting. There was no damage but I drove the last 100 miles home with my hand physically holding the handle above me. The fitter (Market Harborough) was mortified when I told them the next day and immediately sent up one of their fitters to investigate. They realised that this was the first of these new models (fitted Nov 2020) thru had fitted to a LWB and had used latches apparently for the SWB version. Anyway all was good till last Oct when I was heading up the M74 passing Moffat when it happened again. Since the first episode I’d been fastidious about checking the front corners were right before every drive and they were but it didn’t stop the passenger side one coming loose. I called Slyline and said I wasn’t claiming any warranty but I wanted to buy new latches. £65 later I got them and can see they have now changed the design of the shaft which connects to the latch, it’s now square with a square hole whereas the originals have round with no ‘keying’ as far as I can tell, if the nut of the end gets loose the latch can move independently of the shaft.
I’ve still not fitted these yet as it means removing the internal roof lining and that seems an awkward job. It’s currently held with a strap through the handle inside the roof on a ratchet to the passenger seat fixing so no way it’s lifting again but it’s a pain and also means I can’t close the sliding cover.
Has anyone fitted some sort of clamp on the upper side of the roof lining which pulls onto the handle? If so I’d like to see how you’ve done it. Alternatively, anyone got any experience of removing the roof lining that’s previously been removed for the original fitting?
Thanks
This has happened to me twice and it’s scary. The first time was on the M6 in pissing rain passing Preston on the way home from collecting it after fitting. There was no damage but I drove the last 100 miles home with my hand physically holding the handle above me. The fitter (Market Harborough) was mortified when I told them the next day and immediately sent up one of their fitters to investigate. They realised that this was the first of these new models (fitted Nov 2020) thru had fitted to a LWB and had used latches apparently for the SWB version. Anyway all was good till last Oct when I was heading up the M74 passing Moffat when it happened again. Since the first episode I’d been fastidious about checking the front corners were right before every drive and they were but it didn’t stop the passenger side one coming loose. I called Slyline and said I wasn’t claiming any warranty but I wanted to buy new latches. £65 later I got them and can see they have now changed the design of the shaft which connects to the latch, it’s now square with a square hole whereas the originals have round with no ‘keying’ as far as I can tell, if the nut of the end gets loose the latch can move independently of the shaft.
I’ve still not fitted these yet as it means removing the internal roof lining and that seems an awkward job. It’s currently held with a strap through the handle inside the roof on a ratchet to the passenger seat fixing so no way it’s lifting again but it’s a pain and also means I can’t close the sliding cover.
Has anyone fitted some sort of clamp on the upper side of the roof lining which pulls onto the handle? If so I’d like to see how you’ve done it. Alternatively, anyone got any experience of removing the roof lining that’s previously been removed for the original fitting?
Thanks
D
Deleted member 54139
Guest
penfold4dm
New Member
Mi e popped open while I was on the A64 on way to Scarborough scared the shit out of me ,have tightened them down but think I need to put a bend in the bracket of make a longer one
You might have the older dodgy clips. So may be able to upgrade them to the newer better ones.
Even then I’d be looking to put a strap on it as well
Mutineer
Member
It's a simple design, but prone to error when users don't ensure the catch has engaged with the bar and pulled it down. Note that one latch free will cause the roof to open up at speeds above 60 mph. One side lifts and then the lifting roof on one side levers the closed clip and bar on the other side so that it bends back and releases that side as well. Bang.
The clips are relatively soft mild steel and bend easily. This is a poor choice of material. If bent back, metal fatigue develops quickly and the clips will break off. Skyline take note and sort out your choice of materials for such a safety-critical item.
The clips are relatively soft mild steel and bend easily. This is a poor choice of material. If bent back, metal fatigue develops quickly and the clips will break off. Skyline take note and sort out your choice of materials for such a safety-critical item.
