Winding handle of overcab skylight won't park

The van went to AS in October to have the protruding screws on the overcab skylight sorted out. It came back with the winding handle to open this skylight firmly parked in its recess above the skylight.

Yesterday we opened the window for the first time. No problems opening or closing, all very smooth, but the winding handle will not wind round to the parking position and is sitting proud of the recess that it is supposed to go into.

We're ( fairly ) convinced the window is closed properly ( we move on Tuesday next so time will tell...) so are not concerned on these grounds but wonder what we can do to park it or if anyone else has had the same thing happen ?

Q

Sorry I can't help Quilter, but I'm very interested to learn if the handle is on a spline, or similar.

Ours will park (just!) but it's a bit of a strain, and I would like to ease it a fraction if it's possible.

Shall watch with interest.

Dave

Dave...! Your letter has just prompted my OH to unscrew the unit to check and, having done that, he was able to re-insert the winder unit so it now parks properly. Yes, it does have a spline, which is plastic so might not react well to this method of parking if it happens frequently.

Thank you !

Q

Thank you in return.

I hadn't considered the possibility of a spline until I read your post just now. I'll do the same and re-align it so there's a lot less strain.

Dave

My winder for the front roof window looks loose and rattles a lot when on the move. It goes into the park position OK, but I had to place a small section of grey pipe insulation foam round it, to stop the noise. I have had it off the spline but there is no obvious way to tighten it up. As for the other main central roof window, I think it is only a matter of time before that winder breaks. When winding, I help it to open by gently supporting/pushing the window a little and when closing, being careful with it when attempting (very tight) to park the winder back into its final position. I don't want force it. I have even thought of purchasing a spare, in case it breaks when we are away in Europe this year.

Quilter, I guess you were happy with AS's repair to your roof around the front window. We had ours done earlier in the year. Mark and his team did a good job, though it's a shame that the problem existed, meaning we had to have this repair carried out. Regardless, we love our Broadway.



Pete

Interesting what you say about the apparent awful strain on the central roof window winder. I do as you when I open it and assist with hand pressure and when I close it I support the window with my hand and just turn the handle until I feel the latches engage and there is no slack. I then leave it like that with the handle about 90degs short of the recess. Even at 6'2" I haven't banged my head. I believe there is a plastic cog which is the weak point and breaks.

Yes Pete: the AS repair was neat and quick and - possibly even more important - done with no whingeing or " not me guv" attitude.  

We have already had to have the dealer fix the central rooflight, which refused to shut and, after we had made it shut ( we were away, it was winter) refused to open again. I must admit, like you, I open it very gingerly and with every expectation it will break in some way. The another rooflight which I can't see lasting long, is in the shower room ceiling.   To be able to open it without it being subject to strain you have to be at least 6 ft tall and have 3 hands.

Not AS's fault: they are at the mercy of a very few manufacturers who are themselves trying to balance weight and longevity.

We are still pleased with our Broadway and find it no hardship to use for the whole of a winter away. We watch with a certain amount of schadenfreude the massive Carthagos and even bigger monsters wiggle their way into pitches which we can drive straight onto.

And yes, I also "help" the roof light to open for the same reason. Without a push it seems an awful strain on the little winder, specially at the beginning of the lift.

Fortunately I'm 6'3" so I can reach - but unfortunately that extra inch taller than Jaytee means I do bang my head if the handle is not parked properly.

One can only hope that Messrs Remis knew what they are doing when they designed it - but I'm not holding my breath.

Dave

PLOUGHLIN wrote:It is not really necessary to wind the handle to the full extent just to "park" it. The last couple of turns slide the locking  mechanism in. I wind it until resistance felt then back to the "park" position. It will then be locked sufficiently. Test it by pushing up at the back, it should not move.

Yes - that's the theory, but on ours (and several others from what they say here) the resistance comes before it reaches the park position, and if I wind it back one complete turn to park it, the locking mechanism disengages. I have to give it quite a push to park it properly, so it's coming apart tomorrow to see if I can move the handle round a bit on the splines.

Dave

When my winder broke in France last year, Mark had it changed, together with some other warranty work. What he suggested to me was, to smear the seal with silicone and do this to all other seals including windows.

Hope this helps.

I have to say that the two Remi units on our Stanton feel far flimsier than the Heki we had in the Topaz; they almost feel ready to pack up at any moment.

DuPont Krytox oil is the thing to lubricate rubber roof seals (Google it) but do sit down before you read the price, especially from the likes of VW dealerships. I got some direct from DuPont's UK agent for a third of the VW price and still found it hard to swallow. It really is good, stops squeaks and creaks and is used in the aviation industry for lubricating seals.

This is what I use on all the rubber seals on our Broadway and never have a sticking doors, windows or roof lights, I know you can use talcum powder but I find it messy.

John.

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Mine is a Heki and not a Remis. When I first had the van the winding handle was very floppy and I had problems opening and closing. It went back to Marquis for a number of issues inckuding that, which they "fixed". I tried it before drivjng away and it would not open at all. Red faces, drive back home in car, new Heki fitted, no more problems.
On maintenance and use: I hzve taken mine off the spline to locate the hsndle so that it parks, which is about 3 full turns after the vent appears closed. You can tell when it is locked by pushing up in each rear corner. When laid up I leave the rooflight fractionally open to prevent sticking. A/S only fit seal on the front rim and that is plain rubber. I fitted more seal all round the other 3 sides and that is flocked so won't stick. The unparked handle reminds me that the rooflight is not closed.
The extra seal has considerably reduced wind noise.

What was the seal you used please Ron?

Yes, that ix the same one. I think that I had to get 5m and it cost around £27 including postage. It took a few weeks to come. I had intended to replace the seal that was just at the front with a single piece all round but the original bit had been glued into its slot so I merely butted up to it. I did not find it necessary to glue it to the slot.

We had the Remis roof window winding mechanism gearbox replaced by AS last April. I think it's not 'man enough' for the job. Despite it's renewal I now feel the need to have to support the window on the way up and down, I just don't trust it, even though we've had no further problems.

This May we have to return to AS to also have the front Heki roof window repaired. Some may remember the saga of the fixing screws breaking through the gel coat on the outside surface? I covered our holes with water and weather proof Gorilla Tape.

Regards, Barry.

Hi Barry,
Same as you we took ours in to Marquis for the first hab check and the centre roof mech (I don't know what make it is  ) had to be changed because they said it was broken, hmmm  was fine when I took it in so I reckon they damaged it while checking it. I too support both up and down with no further problems. I also have two very small screw protrusions which I am going to repair myself as for such a minor defect removing the whole front window and frame feeds my paranoia of 'what will get damaged while they are doing it'.

Jaycee, if those two small screw protrusions are to do with screws coming through the GRP, like others have had problems with, then I suggest using AS, as they did a great job repairing ours, and seemingly others on this forum. I am sure AS will want to know how many vans are affected, and it will surely be covered under your warranty.

Pete

As Pete say's, I would let A/S do the repair, they did a fantastic job on our Broadway.

I was the original poster who found this fault and I repaired it myself, our van had 3 blown pieces of the black gel coat and I was fed up with going down to A/S with faults.

Any way they ground out my repairs and replaced the top covering of black gel and you can't tell there were any holes whatsoever.

John.