Roof Walking (kneeling)
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12225
Printed Date: 04 May 2024 at 3:15pm
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Topic: Roof Walking (kneeling)
Posted By: harrypodder
Subject: Roof Walking (kneeling)
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 7:05am
| Has anyone got there full weight on a Pod roof to work on the A/C or other maintenance? Does FR have a position on this 1. Don't go on the roof only work from the sides. 2. Kneeling or walking on the roof is ok. |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 7:58am
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I walked on our 177 roof a couple times, but was able to do nearly everything from a regular ladder leaned against the side..
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 8:36am
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Me too, I also have been on the roof several times, normally can reach anything with ladder. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 9:08am
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I've been on the roof many times to work on various things like installing the Micro-Air Easy Start in the AC, installing and then removing and installing again a cover on the fan, washing and waxing the top, removing the cover of the AC so I could paint it white and reinstalling it, etc. The roof is strong as long as you stay on the flat part (179 and 180 size models). I'm not sure about some of the other models. I guess it depends on whether the other models also have the aluminum framed part on the top. There is a YouTube video of a 2014 factory tour showing two workers on the roof of an R-Pod under construction. I think if two people can safely be up there, I can be up there as long as I take care not to fall off since I don't have that nice bridge along side for safety. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Awchief
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 9:57am
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Several times. My PDI tech recommended I stay on my knees. Seems solid with no flexing. ------------- Michael |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 11:55am
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I have not been up there yet, as I've been able to do what I need from the side on a ladder. However, as I tip the scales at a little over 200 lbs, I would be super careful. I think I would lay a sheet of 1/4" plywood over the top to help distribute the load as a precaution.
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 5:13pm
As I have said on other threads on this topic, I slither around on the roof. Never had a problem except that I'm too old and fat to be climbing up there in the first place. I would recommend wearing spike heels on the roof.  ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 6:09pm
 ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: OldNeumanntapr
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 6:38pm
| I’ve climbed up to the roof on my 180 to put the trailer cover on but I stayed on my knees and only on the flat part. I didn’t want to get too close to the front because I could just see myself sliding off and landing on the tongue (and then being taken to the hospital!!) |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 6:41pm
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I fell off mine it took a week to heal:) ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: RetSandcrab
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 2:13am
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From FR, the Pod has a 500 lb roof weight limit.
------------- 2018 Rpod 180 2011 Toyota Tacoma R-Pod (Retirement Prevention of Depression) |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:13am
mcarter, last time I fell from that height [off a scaffold when a plank broke] it cost nearly $500,000 in medical bills. And now I set off metal detectors.  ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 9:29am
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I laid a partial sheet of 3/8 plywood on mine when I needed to be up there to install the Easystart on the ac unit, but I'm no lightweight. I use an extension ladder with rags tied around it to protect the roof edge rather than a step ladder. I've fallen off a step ladder before, only about 2 feet but onto concrete it was enough to spend 6 weeks in a wheelchair recovering from a broken hip and elbow. So I hate step ladders now. Didn't know the pod had a 500lb weight limit on the roof, I can cover the whole roof with solar without exceeding that! ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 2:10pm
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Be careful with that plywood sheet. You can find it slipping off faster than you may expect. I think the coefficient of friction of you and your clothes may be a little better than plywood and fiberglass, though I confess to having done no testing. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 2:12pm
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Better yet is a pair of rubber knee pads along with good shoes with good traction such as deck shoes.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: OldNeumanntapr
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 2:16pm
I agree. The plywood sheet sounds like a bad idea. Good sticky shoes and knee pads, (and keeping a low center of gravity), is a much better idea.
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 3:28pm
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The friction coefficient between rough sawn wood and most materials is around .5 or .6, so pretty good. I guess the plywood or anything else could be a problem if you were to stand up on it, but I never did. Just slithered around to keep from creating any point loading. I was concerned about damaging the roof. Pretty obviously, avoid going up there if the roof is wet, nothing has a good friction coefficient when wet. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 3:30pm
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Spreading out your body, rubber soled shoes, a dry Pod roof, etc. all enhance raise the coefficient of friction. Some of that glue that Spiderman uses for his web slinging would be ideal. I wonder where you can get some, maybe Amazon. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2018 at 3:39pm
Short of Spidey glue it would also help to deploy the stabilizing jacks so the pod isn't tilting while you're up there  ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 8:54am
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Yikes! I'm not that fat! ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 9:01am
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I'm 230, the trailer does for sure notice it when I get in and out. Didn't want to find out what it was like climbing around on the roof without the jacks deployed ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2018 at 3:51pm
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Aha! There's the difference I only weight 220 so our Pod hardly moves when I get in; kind of like a leaf falling on the roof. In all seriousness, I agree about putting down the jacks down, both front and back. It's not that the trailer would try to tip over, but just that it's an unstable surface -- kind of like a painters fall scaffold hanging on the side of a building. For most of us with advanced years, our balance isn't what it used to be Or, as I suggested in another post, maybe it's time to send your kids or grandkids up to take care of the chore. They're much more agile. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2018 at 11:33am
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I can certainly feel that extra 10 lbs so you may be right.... I can agree with your suggestion except that kids are so protected from any sort of risks these days that you expose yourself to being accused of child abuse for putting the grandkids in danger by sending them up on the roof of the pod. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2018 at 4:34pm
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Nahh, My kids started working at 14. I started paying into Social Security at 12, working off books earlier. My oldest grandkid started working at 14. It goes back generations in our family. You just have to be sensible about the kind of work they do. No explosives, logging, or working as a deck hand in Alaska. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2018 at 5:01pm
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Good for you, my kid is ok but the grandkids...not so much..,computer gaming is a lot safer I guess.. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |