My stepdad had to replace the 'automatic stairs' on my folks' motorhome and
I had an opportunity to see how it was put together... it occurs to me that
an enterprising someone could possibly adapt that device into a sort of
scissor lift for the pop-top so that you would have a push-button system to
raise and lower it. Of course I haven't seen a Westy pop-top mechanism up
close so I could be way out in left field but I thought I'd throw the idea
out there.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pensioner" <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 9:05 AM
Subject: Re: Poptop Raise Assists

> McMaster - Carr sells a wide variety of gas struts.  Kim Brennan mentioned
> that he installed some on his westy just for raising the top.  I suspect
> he
> could post some pix of that clever installation on the yahoo vanagon group
> to give you an idea of how to do it.
>
> Kinda works like this.  You will buy two sets of struts, one for just the
> top and one for the top plus whatever you have currently mounted up there
> (cargo box, spare moose, that extra vaganza).
>
> The struts help you lift the top.
>
> Or you can just get several varying lengths of the ubiquitous PVC
> irrigation
> pipe add a rubber crutch tip to each end and you have a prop that will
> help
> alleviate the 'clean and jerk' move to raise the top.  Raise it a ways,
> insert the first pipe, take a break, raise it the next step, insert the
> second pipe...pipe is placed between the top and the ledge at the front of
> the roof where the latch is.  Rubber feet keep it from slipping.
>
> Of course you should carefully lubricate the hinges both at the rear
> (they're plastic bushings) and at the front so rotation is as
> friction-free
> as possible.