Hi,First, thank you for all the helpful posts on here. I was a dedicated tent camper until last weekend. I'm now the owner of a 1990 pop-up Coachmen bare bones, TC. I've just been getting familiar with all the parts in the driveway but I'm taking my first weekend trip in it next weekend. I bought this for hunting and fishing in out of the way places. So it's just me and my 2 dogs. They're not much help. Raising the thing is a piece of cake. Lowering...not so much.You can raise it all the way up. And lower it all the way down. Which can happen rather quickly if you lose y our grip on the crank handle. What I can't figure out is how to stop the top when it's about half way and then three quarters of the way down so I can stuff the canvas in. Has anyone out there figured out a clever way to stop the lift or is there some part of the process I'm not getting? The one suggestion I found was to get a fan but at the moment the camper has no power. So any suggestions for this brand new RVer would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to be the guy driving down the highway with the canvas flapping in the wind.Thanks,Hobie

See if in time you can install a fan on your camper. Turn it on to exhaust out and it will create a vacuum that pulls in the canvas as you lower it. Other wise perhaps some sort of blocking on the outside (perhaps old hockey sticks cut to length) to hold the top while stuffing the sides in.

It may not be applicable to your model but I think I saw one that had bungee cords inside that were used to pull the canvas in as it lowered. Maybe you could adapt the same idea.

How do you switch the jack from the raising to the lowering position?Is it like a winch?If so, you should be able to lower it a bit and flip the switch to "raising" to keep the roof in place.

With that type of lift system lowering the top is a two person job.What you might try is making some type of adjustable pole with a notch at the top that you can prop under the handle at each point you want to stop.One problem with that though is most cranks are removable (I presume yours is as well) and they can pop out of the socket pretty easily if pressure isn't applied to hold it there. So you are not only looking to stop the crank from turning but also to push inward on it.

Steve_in_29 wrote:One problem with that though is most cranks are removable (I presume yours is as well) and they can pop out of the socket pretty easily if pressure isn't applied to hold it there. So you are not only looking to stop the crank from turning but also to push inward on it.Exactly. It takes steady pressure to keep the handle on the spindle.So far the bungee cord idea is sounding the best. It doesn't work like a winch. There's no stop or clutch. You turn clockwise to raise, counter-clockwise to lower.Hobie

Lowering a pop-up TC....is there some trick to this?

MKish
Explorer II
Sep 20, 2013
With the Palomino skirt, would it make sense to add a few sets of peel and stick Velcro (the weak Velcro, not the super sticky stuff) and stick the skirt to the soft walls before depopping? I guess there would still be tucking required though. I admit I paid more so I wouldn't have to tuck. A few other reasons, but that was not insignificant.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Sep 20, 2013
If you've got a Palomino, you've got to deal with the "rain skirt" that extends out over the exposed wall tops. That has to be tucked in manually. No amount of suction inside the camper will pull it in.
Majku
Explorer
Sep 20, 2013
I make sure all doors and windows are closed properly. I have a NorthStar pop-up TC. Then I turn on my roof fan full blast while I'm cranking down the pop-up from inside. The fan helps to suck in the tent sides. When roof is almost down, leave the fan running, go and walk around the camper to make sure no canvas is sticking out. Go back inside, finish cranking down the roof, go back outside, with the fan still running, and close all the roof clamps. Go back in and turn off the fan. The whole procedure shouldn't take you any more than 3-5min
WVbassmistress
Explorer
Sep 19, 2013
Couple of great ideas here. * leaving the door open **tucking as much as you can from inside.

I love this site!!!
whizbang
Explorer II
Sep 19, 2013
Be sure to leave the door open so the air can get out as the top comes down. If you shut the door it wont lower much at all.
DIMDave
Explorer
Sep 19, 2013
My Sunlite uses the Heco and with A/C the roof comes down quick. I used a version of the basketball/bed trick: I put a step tool on top of the icebox cabinet, kept the roof up about 4". Later I installed a gas spring affair to balance the A/C weight.
RichandLiz
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
I lower roof a bit , reach over the bed and pull in the canvas. Lower some more and pull in again. I can reach sides and pull in as I go. With one hand I support the roof as I pull in the back. I have done this with canoe on top also. When roof gets down I walk around outside to see if any canvas did not make it completely in. At most I have had to lift slightly by pushing up on roof enough for final tuck. Then I lock it down. Only once is stronger winds did I have difficulty where it took a few tries. Had to reach over bed with roof resting on back, pull in canvas, and slither out. Good luck!
mkirsch
Nomad II
Sep 18, 2013
I've been on here almost daily since 2004 and this is the first I've heard of it, so you may be the only person struggling with it :)
Hobie1026
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
Really appreciate all the suggestions. And the warning Butch. Yeah, I wasn't getting a warm fuzzy feeling sticking my fingers in there. I'll get a broom to use.

I'll try the mattress idea; that's clever I hadn't thought of that. I also picked up some D- rings and bungee cords to see if I can rig something up. I'll keep everyone posted on how it works, I can't be the first person wrestling with this. Thanks again!

Hobie
lizzie
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
I used the "mattress method" with mine. Gave me just enough space to run around outside pushing the canvas in with the sweeper end of a broom. Folks used to line up and eat popcorn watching an old lady running around a little truck camper poking it with a broom. I now have a TT. lizzie