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Got in a real mess trying to dismantle our Dandy Dart this weekend with respect to the roof. When you're standing in front of the door, do you have to fold the RHS bed down whilst at the same time trying to hold the roof clear. If so, how do you do this if you're less than 6 feet tall?

In the end we got into a strop and tossed the whole roof onto the ground on the LHS but didn't feel this was right and couldn't remember doing this when we had a Dandy previously.

people do it differently, i always leave it attatched to the right hand bed, the end that can come off, then fold the camper down with the roof layered between the beds, then the poles come dowm in the right places too, i also leave the strings attatced at all times.....

.its a piece of cake ..once you have it sorted, i can put it up and down it on my own and im 5ft 7in

Right, here goes!  The poles that clip onto the walls either side of the door/window hold the roof up.  There should be 4 pieces of string that hold these poles to the beds by attaching to the buttons used to tension the roof whilst the camper is up.  Folding can be done single handed, but is easier with 2, much easier with gas struts fitted.  Loosen all of the elastics under the bead/at the ends of the PVC walls.  Take out the 2 (3 if you have one as a wardrobe) poles going from front to back of the roof, leave the centre one of these in place.  Un-clip the steel frame from the top corners of the bed end walls & fasten the walls down with the 4 small bolts to the beds.  Un-clip the tubes holding up the roof & fasten the strings to the corners of the beds.  With the door open, un clip the last roof pole from inside, use this to gently lower the kitchen wall, folding the PVC walls in once down flat.  Close the door & lower that wall down flat, you can do this with the PVC walls before folding them down flat.  Fold over the bed on the RH side of the door, this will take one of those poles down with it.  Hold the PVC roof as the bed drops, leaving the roof on the floor to the right of the now folded bed.  Putting the cover on the ground will keep the roof clean if the ground is muddy.  Pull the roof to lift the second bed up & gently lower it down flat using the handles, again taking the last roof pole with it.  Make sure the roof does not get nipped when the bed folds.  Fold the roof neatly on top of the top bed, fit the cover & go.  Try not to laugh at the people in their Pennines, Cabaons etc. when you leave whilst they wait to see if the sun is going to dry their canvas. (Sorry!)

Look in the Files HERE for the original instructions from the makers as well as much other useful advice.  You will need to join to be able to access this info.

Steve.

Thanks for that. We managed much better this weekend although we did manage to snap off one of the little poles (about 1" long) that stick out right at the top of the door section inside. We couldn't for the life of us think what these are for though!  Do you know? We've noticed this latest (Riva) Dandy seems a lot more fragile than our earlier models - or maybe we've just got clumsier with age!

We are so glad we opted for a Dandy again. We were very tempted by a canvas alternative. At the end of the day though, if you have nowhere to open a unit for drying out, there's no contest - plus the fact the Dandy is SO cosy when you close the door in the evening.

PS the little caption you have is our exact model - that guy sure is a fast mover!

Those little bits of pole act as feet to create a bit of space between the door & the window when folded.  They pop on to a little plastic plug screwed to the wall.  I'm sure Ian at Riva would supply the bits if you broke one.  Riva did change some of the materials & parts over the years in order to reduce weight, perhaps that is why things feel different?

Steve.