any tips on erecting roof?

Hi,
We have a Delta (about 1999 I think). I'm not good at explaining but... Having real difficulties putting up the roof bars (the ones that comes up from the front and back wall and slot into into the bed sides). They're incredibly hard to get them pushed up enough to get them into the slots. My husband has arthritis in his hands so finds it painful, and I've not got enough strength to push them in on my own. I don't know if this is a problem for all dandy's, or whether some how ours has somehow got bent over the years. Its been like this since we got it last year.
I was wondering whether we could use some kind of lever, or has anyone got any thoughts?
Many thanks

They should not be difficult to locate.i can only think something is out of true,they can be a bit fiddly if the dandy isnt level.
Once the strings are removed they should just fall into place,another possibility is you are not getting the roof right and it is interfering in some way but thats unlikely

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing. Like I said, I'm not good at explaining! I don't mean the bars that fall into place against the door wall and kitchen wall when you take the strings off. I mean the bar that you then fold up from the door ( forming the rest of the wall) and push up and into a notch on the top of the bed wall; to hold bed wall upright. I'm making a right pigs ear of explaining!

All is clear now    excuse the French but they can be a real bugger,we call them the bat wings,the only way that can be made easier is to pull a bit more roof over so you are not pushing the roof up at the same time,then drag it back from the other end.

  yep I had to read a couple of times I have great problems but I fold a little bit of the roof back to clear the slot , then with my back to the dandy.. hold onto the bat wing and push up but will admit that if the roof is tight you have no chance  I release the roof a little before I attempt it  as I can look like a weightlifter huffing and puffing and groaning under the weight    

We struggled too until we realised that it was easier if we put the fixed end up first ..... both sides meaning front and back - with one of us at the door side of the Dandy and one at the tow bar side. The fixed side is the hardest as we have the weight of the roof but once that's up the other end is really easy.

I think you may be letting the legs out too far. You pull the steady legs out from the side at each corner, then unscrew a knob and the leg drops out of the bottom.

Try not letting the leg drop too much. If you do it will raise ther beds too high and make it hard to get the bat wings in.

Those legs don't support the beds, they only stop the whole dandy tipping just like corner steadies on a caravan.

I'm with Helen on this one. It's easier with the roof slackened and do the side where the roof is fixed first. Turn back the roof flap to ease access, pull the batwing bar up and out to engage into the top. You might find one locates easier with both of you on the same side. Generally we do one side each, we say "done" if successful, if not, Mark takes his side out again and we start again.
Essie

navver wrote:I think you may be letting the legs out too far. You pull the steady legs out from the side at each corner, then unscrew a knob and the leg drops out of the bottom.

Try not letting the leg drop too much. If you do it will raise ther beds too high and make it hard to get the bat wings in.

Those legs don't support the beds, they only stop the whole dandy tipping just like corner steadies on a caravan.

We struggle with our 6 more than with Phoenix. We too put the end up which the roof is fixed to first and then sometimes have to slacken the roof off to get the other end in. Navver makes a good point, when we drop our legs we always lift the supports a bit to make sure they have a bit of weight. We will try it without doing this next time, thanks Navver.  

An excellent point navver, I can see how that would make it difficult to get the batwings in place ..... I'm guilty of lifting the leg after I'd unscrewed and let the bottom half drop before tightening in place and the only reason I stopped doing it was because I could see the broad bands of blue on my dandy didn't look quite straight   perhaps that was also why we used to find it so difficult   

Thanks everyone for all that advice. We've just had few nights on Mersea Island (Fen Farm, our absolute favourite). All the tips were helpful, but the bit that cracked it for us was Navver's advice. We didn't drop the legs til after the Dandy was up. A million times better. Where would we be without you helpful dandycampers.
We're off to the Loire valley in 10 days. First time abroad with the Dandy. First time abroad with the dogs! Taking the ferry to Dieppe. Wish us luck!

Bar

Good luck, I am so envious, sounds like a good trip.

Drop the legs to stop it tipping if you step inside to put the roof bar in. Just dont make it too tight on the beds.

I noticed yesterday totally by accident that it's so much easier to put the batwings in place before the legs supports are fixed down on the destiny. I was only opening her up to clean inside so wasn't planning on putting the bed supports in.