Uprated Devon roof springs

Mine goes up very uneasily .. one of my welds cracked through on the first attempt of welding and grinding : too enthusiastic with the flap wheel on welded thin steel....and suddenly a spring appeared...
It has not broken since, but the springs start by hindering and only start helping at about half way up..

 

Likewise ..mine is the same .And you at a hideous angle to start it off .

 

Spinach! Worked for Popeye

 

May have the spring and struts if helps when you loose bits in the grass, obviously cant look at mo.

 

The struts are bolted to the roof, riveted to the panel on the side of the opening . The panel is held on with five big screws..
So ideally two straps - I used luggage straps as they are narrower .. are used to tame the two struts looped round the ends .

Its easier to lift the poptop to remove the screws from the side, when the struts are no longer pushing because of the straps.. I dropped the poptop a bit, fitted the straps then propped it then I could unbolt the cross linking bar and then the struts with the struts trapped by the luggage straps. Undo screws .. take it outside then no risk of stabbing canvas..

After that .. my procedure differed

 

Yep, sort of what I did. I did NOT take the struts off the poptop though.
prop up the poptop, ratchet strap the struts to compress the springs slightly, unscrew the bottom strut bracket, slacken the straps.
Replace the springs.
Refitting is the reverse of above.
The springs are hellishly springy, mind your fingers.
There was some fiddling about to get the springs out but I don't remember anything particularly tricky.
I did this on my own, getting the straps in a secure pattern so they didn't slip sideways and loosen off was the trickiest bit.

 

The only reason I took mine off was I had to take it to my cutting and welding jig (had to slice the strut open to extract the spring from below the swaged section) .
you can do it all in place as you have sensible pins locking the spring in place..
The new springs are obviously even more springy and scary.. Time to wear sacrificial gloves.

 

I'll provide Unskilled help.
I have one Aldi/Lidl Ratchet strap already in the van and this one.

@scrooge95 remember to get whatever carb screw from me that I forgot to send with Mark last TE.

 

The ones without the hooks would be better suited. The hooks may make it impossible to strap it tight enough and they do tend to wreck paint.

 

Mske sure you count your fingers after installing them

 

I don't think the other one has any hooks so we have one set at least!

Could chop the hook of the other if needed

 

I think i was able to use the 25mm wide roofrack straps with hand power.. less to get in the way when you need to work around them.. the springs are strong but within human hand held push and pulling range.. straps to hold position..

 

Used 10mm threaded rod, 4 x 10mm clamps few cable ties and sorted. as if ratchet straps slip you may loose any eye too....
let us know frame lengths and will sort tomorrow, cant measure mine cos Im not near bus.....

 

Measure from lower part where riveted to 5 hole side bracket to top rivet where cross bar is where you pull roof down. (when as pic above so extended)