replacing flip pac torsion bar

[kevek01]

Hey guys
I've had my FlipPac for about 2 1/2 years. It hasn't been used in the past six months and the other day I went to install a rack on the top, and noticed the torsion bar looked like it had snapped. It appears (check out the photo) that perhaps there was water penetration into the casing of the spring and froze splitting the bar like a like a frozen pipe (I live in Maine). Anyway the top does not open now, or at least not easily...I haven't tried to open all the way because I'm afraid I may not get the cap closed or that it will be easier to replace if the cap is still on aligned?

Can I get some advice on replacing. What has worked for you guys, what hasn't? Is this a one person job in a drive way type of job that will take a day to do, or is there a lot of rigging involved and special equipment? Do I have to go through FlipPac to get a new torsion bar (customer service is as you know non-existent) or is there someone else who can supply quicker?

Spring is here and I want to get this done right away. Please any help!!!
torsionBar.jpg

[Climber Rob]

Read from page 8 on in this thread for Bella's instructions: http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...torsion&page=8

You can call Mario at Adventure Trailers first, but may need to go through FRP.

[TACODOC]

Read from page 8 on in this thread for Bella's instructions: http://www.expeditionportal.com/foru...torsion&page=8

You can call Mario at Adventure Trailers first, but may need to go through FRP.

x2!

[abeaudin1971]

I have to do this tomorrow - You got about a year longer out of yours than I did mine. Mine broke at 16 months.

FRP should have them in stock, I picked up the torsion bar, aluminum cover, two bushings and a one of the retention bushings (the plastic piece with the set screw in it)

FRP tried to tell me that the torsion bar requires maintenance - i.e. putting wd40 on the ends regularly (which to me is a giant load of horsesh*t) but be that as it may, it gets replaced tomorrow.

I'll post up pictures of what I did following the instructions here.

In the meantime, if you're near riverside go in and get what you need in person, I was fortunate enough to be in Los Angeles on business so dropped by in person. If I had to source it remotely it would likely have been a pain in the butt.

[abeaudin1971]

Just noticed you're in maine and not anywhere near Los Angeles

[cglass]

WOW!

I was just explaining to someone that the same thing happened to the used camper I bought...

<<The first time I tried to open the camper top to show it off to friends and family, that bar across the front bowed out and snapped as the top tent part was coming over the cab (plink! just like that). The bar had a silver tube covering it and it must have let water in as the bar inside was rusted through in a few places. I think it was going out for a while and just gave up the ghost on my watch>>

You can check with these guys about replacement parts:

http://www.adventuretrailers.com/pag...es/at_flippac/

[abeaudin1971]

Step 1
Decide if you'll replace it on the truck or off the truck, I've opted for on the truck and took an old thick sleeping bag and placed it on the roof of the truck, draping over the sides and tucked down between the truck and the flippac to protect the roof.

The hose clamps on the bar were there with a piece of muffler repair to make sure that the bar didn't drop in the 30 or so kilometers I had to drive before I fixed it.

[abeaudin1971]

Step 2
Since the bar is indeed broken, there's no tension on it anymore and you can do most of the work with the camper closed. Disclaimer here, you have to ensure that the tension is off the bar.

I made a hole in the aluminum cover and enlarged it to allow me to drive the longer of the broken pieces from the driver's side towards the passenger side.

[abeaudin1971]

Step 2 continued.

On the driver's side is a retainer bushing with a set screw in it - mine was seized so I used a hammer and a chisel, one whack and it was off, allowing me to drive the longer broken piece out.

[abeaudin1971]

Step 3
**Partially** install the replacement bar.

There are two sides to the torsion bar - a side with a short splined section and a side with a longer splined section - the short is the passenger side, the long is the driver's side.

The arms that extend into the camper that the torsion bar installs into - one is splined and one is not per side.

On the passenger side, the outer/bottom one is splined and the inner upper takes a bushing.

On the driver side, the inner/upper one is splined and the outer bottom one is not.

So when you're cranking the flippac open or closed, you're actually driving the driver's side inner/upper arm (I should have been able to deduce that on my own without seeing but I never honestly paid much attention to it before)

With the above being said, the torsion bar is installed from the passenger side.

Slide it in until it's almost at the driver's side.
Slide one plastic bushing on to it from the driver's side to the passenger side.
I used some electrical tape at either end and the middle of the torsion bar (non splined sections) to act as a bushing for the aluminum cover so it won't rattle around on the torsion bar once installed.
Have a helper pull down on the flippac roof at the passenger side so that you can install the plastic bushing on the passenger side. You may have to undo the rear latches on the camper to be able to install the bushing.
Install the aluminum cover note - I had to trim mine by about 1/8" in length as it was a little long for my flippac
Get the bar lined up on the drivers side to the splines in the inner/upper arm on the driver's side.
Tap the bar from the passenger's side through the driver's side inner/upper arm and flush to the outside of the driver's side outer/lower.
Repeat the pulldown of the roof with the assistance of a helper to install the bushing on the driver's side.

At this point, the bar is fully splined on the driver's side and flush with the outside of the outer/lower arm.

On the passenger side, the splines are NOT engaged.

This should let me, with the help of a couple of buddies in the morning, get the roof up at a 90 degree angle to the flippac and finish tapping the bar through.

More pictures tomorrow during the allignment and finished product.



At this point