Just thought I’d ask if anyone else had experienced both front roof clips snapping off and the front of the roof popping up on the motorway! More details available if anyone’s interested…

No, but it sounds an awful experience.

Not great, to be honest. I had checked the roof clips were on and screwed shut but heard what we thought was a bump in the road surface. Checked the wing mirror and the front of the roof was up so slowed and stopped on the hard shoulder. Both clips had sheared so the front section of both was on the floor. There was no getting the front down so limped off at the next exit. Unscrewing the back retainers allowed us to unclip the back, put that up and then bring the front down, swapping a clip from the back to hold one corner and strapping the front handle to the cupboard framework allowed us to gently proceed! Leisure First, bless them, sorted out two new clips within 48 hours and all was fixed. Lesson learned though - from now on I’m strapping the front handle down to a g-clamp on the worktop (we have a Familia 320 with the kitchen at the front).

Hi Colin. It’s a 2015 van, though purchased second hand in 2017, and we always (as instructed when we picked it up) put the front up first and the back down first then clamp when it’s all flat.

Does anyone know the reason behind the “front up first and down last rule”?

Interested to know if anyone has retro fitted the screw down clamps to an older model - I wonder if the screw clamps are to try to prevent air getting up and under the roof while in motion following the change of shape.

I happened to break the front hooks. We were in the Baltic countries, on the way back, when I heard some shocks. Upon inspection it was found that the front hooks of the roof, of a puck 120 year 2003, had broken. I didn't think about replacing them with the rear ones, I took some ropes and packed the roof.

We had this happen to our front roof clips 3 or 4 years back on our 2012 Troll.
The reason it happened, after inspecting the roof I noticed that the rubber roof seal has squashed over the years and this effectively lowers the roof. Looking at the catches inside (after fitting new ones) showed them not to clamp the roof down tightly leaving room for the roof to lift. Once air gets under the front of the roof at speed it eventually puts too much stress on the plastic catches and they break.
I fitted a new roof seal and the catches clamp tightly again and no problem since.

Jandi called these ‘Tie Downs’ Hymer called them POSITIONSLEUCH part number 2709198.
2 of my plastic end pieces snapped off last year so I replaced all 4.
On one of them the 2 screws had more or less rotted and I could not get a good fixing into the wood frame. In the event I plugged the 2 holes with 2 matchsticks and Gorilla glue - no problem.
They cost about £25 each….
Bob

Yes I had this happen to me in Spain 3 years ago. The temperature outside was in the mid 40s centigrade. Had to tie the roof down and travel slowly stopping at every service station to refit. JandI said this had never happened before in their experience and got Hymer to courier the relevant part. Hasn’t happened since.

Just a thought on this - when I raise the roof all the clips are removed before lifting and likewise not refitted until both ends are down. This avoids any angular strain on the clip. Also I make sure that I do not 'snap' them into place over the bevelled edge of the retainer on the roof rim.

I changed our roof seal to a new Seals Direct one (as recommended on here) and the roof clamp down is much stiffer now - it sits really snug against the clips.

Good Morning
Do you have any idea who might have these .I'm in the US and I sure can't seem to find this parts here .Can you point me in the direction who might have them and ship to the US ?

Thanks Patrick