Fitted Iso Top V1 but now cant close roof!

I thought this was going to be a problem but went ahead & purchased the Iso Top V1 for my manual roof Coast - after firstly spending the £500.00 & then spending hours fitting it, Im thoroughly disappointed as even when taking out the front section Im unable to close my manual roof - my husband can only just manage it using his whole body weight & strength.
My catches have always been stiff to close & being 8 stone I dont have the same weight as a man to pull down to close & seeing as I camp on my own a fair bit am somewhat fed up!
Ive now removed the whole Isotop to see if leaving the velcro in situ it will close & it does, there's just too much extra material with it fitted.
It does defeat the point of the inner lining if I have to dismantle the whole lot every time.
Has anybody else struggled with this on their manual roof?

Jenny H said:

my husband can only just manage it using his whole body weight & strength.

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When you close the pop top do you do it in stages and push the bellows in each time from the outside so that it doesn't bunch up?
Wish I could offer some more practical advice above what you've tried already but I would advise against forcing anything. Good chance you might buckle the aluminium pop top shell or stress the hinge anchor points.

What mattress do you have? The Isotop is very thin but there is little room up there once the roof is down. I have the electric roof but even with that, now I have fitted an Isotop, I have to fully deflate the Sea to Summit mattress for the roof to close evenly all round.

Also do you leave the upper mattress in place? If yes, you might want to consider a self inflating mattress which can be removed when needed and packed small.

Corradobrit said:

When you close the pop top do you do it in stages and push the bellows in each time from the outside so that it doesn't bunch up?
Wish I could offer some more practical advice above what you've tried already but I would advise against forcing anything. Good chance you might buckle the aluminium pop top shell or stress the hinge anchor points.

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Yes I always look through the hatch to check the bellows are folding inwards which they always are.
Yes thats a good point about not forcing anything - Im hoping when I go to the Norfolk Caravan & Camping Show in a couple of weeks there maybe exhibitors with it fitted or other Cali Coasts.

Keith Smith said:

What mattress do you have? The Isotop is very thin but there is little room up there once the roof is down. I have the electric roof but even with that, now I have fitted an Isotop, I have to fully deflate the Sea to Summit mattress for the roof to close evenly all round.

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I just have the standard mattress which fits snugly so nothing else up there but I hadnt thought I would have to remove the standard mattress.

Corradobrit said:

Also do you leave the upper mattress in place? If yes, you might want to consider a self inflating mattress which can be removed when needed and packed small.

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Yes I do just leave the upper mattress in place & assumed that everybody who's fitted the Iso Top leaves the mattress in place as its a perfect snug fit. Perhaps I need the catches looked at or in the least see how tight other owner's manual roof catches are as that might not be helping.

Hello Jenny,
Do not despair. I have fitted three Isotop liners, one to an SE with the Electro/hydraulic roof and the other two were to Beaches, both with manual roofs. Providing you have followed all of the fitting instructions correctly and only have the standard VW mattress up top then the roof should close properly. However there is a technique that should make closing easier:

1. It helps if you have the bungy cord fitted to the outside of the roof canvas, but it isn't essential.
2. Stand between the front seats facing the rear of the vehicle. Reach up and pull the roof down.
3. As the roof comes down observe the bungy cord pulling the canvas and Isotop in towards the centre of the van and away from the roof scissor mechanism.
4. The roof will come down to rest so that there's still a small amount of travel before it's fully closed.
5. At this point assist the canvas and Isotop by pulling the sides, above where you are standing, in towards the centre line of the vehicle.
6. On top of both body mounted securing catches for the roof you will find a stout tab made of black seat belt material. Your aim is to push all of the canvas and Isotop material outboard behind that tab before pulling the roof down fully and snapping the catches shut. However BEWARE: Make sure that all of this material is clear of and behind the catch mechanism or when you attempt to close the over lock catch the claws will punch two neat holes right through both layers! If you have done things correctly then you will be able to both see and feel that the claw mechanism isn't trapping any material before attempting to snap it shut.
7. When attempting to snap shut these over lock catches, first pull down on the transversally mounted roof bar (on the side you are closing), to fully close the roof. If you don't do this the catch will not snap shut.
8. Once snapped shut apply the roof security buckles.

It sounds straight forward but it can take practice. There are two further important pieces of advice that may also help:
1. Do not try to neatly fold the roof canvas and Isotop liner before tucking behind the tabs. If you do this it will make the roof more difficult or even impossible to secure. Just stuff it loosely behind the tabs and ensure it's clear of the claws.
2. The securing catches can be very stiff especially on new Calis. These catches can easily be adjusted to make them easier to close. However I have never had need to do that myself. My advice would be not to loosen too much as it may lead to other issues.

Once you master it you will find that it us a much simpler and less problematic solution that the powered version.

Borris said:

Hello Jenny,
Do not despair. I have fitted three Isotop liners, one to an SE with the Electro/hydraulic roof and the other two were to Beaches, both with manual roofs. Providing you have followed all of the fitting instructions correctly and only have the standard VW mattress up top then the roof should close properly. However there is a technique that should make closing easier:

1. It helps if you have the bungy cord fitted to the outside of the roof canvas, but it isn't essential.
2. Stand between the front seats facing the rear of the vehicle. Reach up and pull the roof down.
3. As the roof comes down observe the bungy cord pulling the canvas and Isotop in towards the centre of the van and away from the roof scissor mechanism.
4. The roof will come down to rest so that there's still a small amount of travel before it's fully closed.
5. At this point assist the canvas and Isotop by pulling the sides, above where you are standing, in towards the centre line of the vehicle.
6. On top of each of the securing catches for the roof you will find a stout tab made of seat material. Your aim is to push all of the canvas and Isotop material outboard behind that tab before pulling the roof down fully and snapping the catches shut. However BEWARE: Make sure that all of this material is clear of and behind the catch mechanism or when you attempt to close the over lock catch the claws will punch two neat hole right through both layers! If you have done things correctly then you will be able to both see and feel that the claw mechanism isn't trapping any material before attempting to snap it shut.
7. When attempting to snap shut these over lock catches, first pull down on the transversally mounted roof bar (on the side you are closing), to fully close the roof. If you don't do this the catch will not snap shut.
8. Once snapped shut apply the roof security buckles.

It sounds straight forward but it can take practice. There are two further important pieces of advice that may also help:
1. Do not try to neatly fold the roof canvas and Isotop liner before tucking behind the tabs. If you do this it will make the roof more difficult or even impossible to secure. Just stuff it loosely behind the tabs and ensure it's clear of the claws.
2. The securing catches can be very stiff especially on new Calis. These catches can easily be adjusted to make them easier to close. However I have never had need to do that myself. My advice would be not to loosen too much as it may lead to other issues.

Once you master it you will find that it us a much simpler and less problematic solution that the powered version.

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Oh thank you Borris for taking the time to go through stage by stage that really is very helpful - if temperatures allow (its boiling hot today) I will revisit the whole issue tomorrow, refit the Isotop, & try again doing the stages as you suggest. Im sure I have fitted the Isotop correctly as have spent hours watching all the videos, reading, & rereading, which is why I was so disappointed to fail at the final very important hurdle!! Thank you so much I did tell my husband I was reverting to my Cali forum friends for their experienced advice!

Jenny H said:

Oh thank you Borris for taking the time to go through stage by stage that really is very helpful - if temperatures allow (its boiling hot today) I will revisit the whole issue tomorrow, refit the Isotop, & try again doing the stages as you suggest. Im sure I have fitted the Isotop correctly as have spent hours watching all the videos, reading, & rereading, which is why I was so disappointed to fail at the final very important hurdle!! Thank you so much I did tell my husband I was reverting to my Cali forum friends for their experienced advice!

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If you get stuck send me a PM.

Continuing: Whilst I have never done this job, I believe that the manual pop top roof catches could easily be adjusted as follows:

1. Open the pop top roof and examine the opened roof catches.



With the catch lifted up you will see the 2 x set screws holding each catch in place. Loosen the set screws then adjust the catch to suit (slide catch upwards slightly to loosen) and re-tighten. However be careful as you dont want them too loose because the roof seal at the front needs to be a tight fit to avoid leaks and wind noise. ( Probably best to mark the exact catch position with some masking tape before starting just in case you need to restore it to it's original position).



In the above photo the red arrow shows the black tab that both layers of roof lining MUST be tucked behind prior to any attempt being made to secure the roof over lock catches. The above photo also shows the pop top mounted black claw bracket which is what causes the damage if you don't tuck properly. So make sure you can both feel and see a bare black claw before securing those catches. You should be able to both see and feel this:



And finally the over lock catch fully secured:

@Borris thank you for a detailed explanation and photos. I have been worried about getting holes in my fabric when the van arrives.

I have mounted the Iso-top on our manual push-up roof, we can close it with the "front section" on.....just note that the zipper are at the top.

Nich said:

I have mounted the Iso-top on our manual push-up roof, we can close it with the "front section" on.....just note that the zipper are at the top.

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Same here - I don’t bother unzipping the front section as there seems to be no need with my roof

I have an isotop in my new Coast. It is pretty tough to close the clips. The difficult bit I find is ensuring the material is behind the catch at both sides while simultaneously pulling the roof down the final couple of centimetres. Really a job for 3 hands. Even with everything tucked away, the catches are tight. I’m just back from 2 weeks away in the van and can’t say they’ve eased off at all. I guess my summary is that yours should close ok with isotop in place but it’s not particularly easy.

Thought Id post a quick update - so finally weather cooled down enough to allow further attempts & following Borris fabulous advice above this led to a successful fitting & roof closure albeit with the front section removed (as advised).
I took time examining the clips & saw that they are on a rocker/lift action which raises the clip a few mms & I think before in my despair I hadnt been lifting them up to their full extent. Needless to say one side is still quite stiff but Im hoping with bedding in time they will become easier. When I find any fellow Cali Coast Campers on site I will be quizzing them too to see if any have Iso Tops fitted!!
Anyway many thanks to Borris for his excellent guidance

Just unzip the ISOTOP front zips (2 window version), pull roof down to 1st postion...comes to a natural stop, shove any excess material behing the small webbing strap on the roof clip. Pull metal roof bar down final cm with one hand, use the other hand to to engage extended roof clips & then close clips.

You can pop outside the van quickly before the final clip close to check no fabric is poking out the side.

It's important to undo the zips to let the air escape quickly as you close, otherwise you risk bursting a seam / zip , or, you might force the Cali roof fabric into the scissor mech . No need to adjust the catches, they are tight for a reason.

I think it's mainly about the extra layer where you have to pull extra down to pull the attachment over the hook. We have an inner insulation of Thai sl (took us less
than one hour to fit in). This one is in one piece and I remove the front (Velcro) and put it on the mattress, then roof down and it doesn't seem any harder than it is without insulation.

Despite the Brandrup instructions telling you to do so, I've never bothered unzipping the front before bringing the roof down. I've had three Calis each with an Isotop and never experienced any problems as a result. My view is that zips can fail over time and the less you mess around with them the less likely that is to happen. Fit the Isotop and forget it I say. You are not likely to trap air between the layers as the Isotop isn't sealed at the top.

Fitting a bungee cord also helps when bringing the roof down as it pulls both layers in towards the centre of the vehicle. Also you will see it coming in. Just make sure you have a window or door open on the leeward side otherwise it will be difficult to bring down and both layers won't fold in as easily.

I think there is a big difference between ocean and coast: at the ocean it closes the roof anyway, that extra layer doesn't do it for the electro-hydraulic. With the manual roof you have to pull the roof down firmly at the end before you can secure it and then this extra layer can make a difference for some.

Borris said:

Despite the Brandrup instructions telling you to do so, I've never bothered unzipping the front before bringing the roof down. I've had three Calis each with an Isotop and never experienced any problems as a result. My view is that zips can fail over time and the less you mess around with them the less likely that is to happen. Fit the Isotop and forget it I say. You are not likely to trap air between the layers as the Isotop isn't sealed at the top.

Fitting a bungee cord also helps when bringing the roof down as it pulls both layers in towards the centre of the vehicle. Also you will see it coming in. Just make sure you have a window or door open on the leeward side otherwise it will be difficult to bring down and both layers won't fold in as easily.

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I will give it a try somewhere down the line leaving the front section in albeit the sliding roof is quite a tight fit too! For now am just happy I can close it! I always watch the sides folding in nicely as Im pulling it down so not sure a bungee would help with my snug roof tbh but time will tell - thank you.

Borris said:

Despite the Brandrup instructions telling you to do so, I've never bothered unzipping the front before bringing the roof down. I've had three Calis each with an Isotop and never experienced any problems as a result. My view is that zips can fail over time and the less you mess around with them the less likely that is to happen. Fit the Isotop and forget it I say. You are not likely to trap air between the layers as the Isotop isn't sealed at the top.

Fitting a bungee cord also helps when bringing the roof down as it pulls both layers in towards the centre of the vehicle. Also you will see it coming in. Just make sure you have a window or door open on the leeward side otherwise it will be difficult to bring down and both layers won't fold in as easily.

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I think they give the advice as the open mesh vent on the Cali roof ( high part above driver / passenger) gets obstructed by the ISOPTOP fabric as you close, so if you pull the roof down too quickly then the air remains under the ISOTOP and could potentially push the van bellow material outward as you close. Obviously if the van door is open and you pull the roof down slowly then it will avoid this.

Jenny H said:

I will give it a try somewhere down the line leaving the front section in albeit the sliding roof is quite a tight fit too! For now am just happy I can close it! I always watch the sides folding in nicely as Im pulling it down so not sure a bungee would help with my snug roof tbh but time will tell - thank you.

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I would advise that you follow the Brandrup instructions to the letter. I don't but that's my risk.

As I have previously said, I have never had any issues but at the same time I wouldn't want to encourage others to do the same just in case you run into problems.