Safety concerns. Please help.

[mccheez]

I bought a used 1993 Viking Spirit 230 popup this spring.  I have opened and closed it alot in practice and have camped in it twice now.  

I camped this past weekend.  Got there Friday and opened it on an unlevel pad - the door side was much lower than the other side.  The top of the camper was leaning to the door side and you could see the left lean in the four conrner 'support rods'.  

It was pouring rain and despite my efforts to bring the door side up (by turning the jacks) in the pouring rain, I let it go for the night.  Saturday, I decided to close the camper, put boards under the doorside wheel and reopen on a leveler surface.

When I tried to close it, the side opposite the door didn't crank down.  I cranked it all back open, and then brought it down again.  This time it came down some, but then I had to push down on the side opposite the door to have it come down as I cranked it down.  Was this maybe beacuse the 'support rods' were now a bit bowed and rubbing?  Should I lubrucate them?

I got it closed, put boards under the door side wheel and reopened.  It was much more level now.  I got it all opened up and the door was a little difficult.  I decided to crank it a few more cranks open and proceeded to bust the guide cable that tells you when you cranked open too far.  I cranked it back a few cranks.  How worried should I be now that I over-opened it and busted the cabling system?

When I closed it again on Sunday, the same thing happened - the side opposite the door came down halfway, but then I had to manually push it down for it to go down the rest of the way.

I am concerned about the safety of my family now inside the camper.  Did I break the cabling?  Could the camper ceiling come down on us while we are inside?  What safety precautions can I take?  Please help as I have little knowledge of the mechanics of the lift and support system.

[wavery]

I'm not familiar with your PU but I do know the procedure for leveling.

When you get to your sight and have your PU where you want it, follow this procedure:

1. Before you unhook from the TV, level the trailer side-to-side. You can do this by putting something under the lowest wheel.

2. Block both sides of both wheels to keep the trailer from rolling.

3. Unhook the trailer from the TV and lever the trailer front-to-back. with the trailer tongue jack.

4. Double check your level by putting a level on the trailer floor. Make sure that you are level both ways.

5. Raise your top.

6. Put your 4-corner stabilizing jacks down. Please understand that these jacks are NOT meant to be used for leveling your trailer. They are meant to support it and stabilize it in a level position after it has been leveled.

7. Open your bunks, install your door and finish setting up camp.

To close up the PU, reverse the order above.

It your top lifts are sticking, make sure that they are clean then spray them with silicone spray. It is a good idea to do that every or 3 or 4 outings.

If you have broken a lift cable, it must be repaired before lifting again.

If you feel uncomfortable with the stability of the top, you can put support posts (cut to length) between the roof and the floor. You only need 2. One in each opposite corner.

Happy camping .

[mccheez]

It your top lifts are sticking, make sure that they are clean then spray them with silicone spray. It is a good idea to do that every or 3 or 4 outings.

If you have broken a lift cable, it must be repaired before lifting again.

If you feel uncomfortable with the stability of the top, you can put support posts (cut to length) between the roof and the floor. You only need 2. One in each opposite corner.

Happy camping .

I'm thinking of getting tensions rods (like those used to hold a shower curtain or clothes in a closet) and use them as a safety precaution to keep the roof from collapsing in the unlikely even that the cabling becomes compromised.  Any thoughts on that?

The camper still opens fine.  Just needs some help closing.  Sounds like I simply bent the support posts.  I'll grease them and see if that helps.

I assume since it still cranks open fine (and stayed open fine for 24 hours) that I have not compromised the internal cabling, despite opening it past the point where the guide cable snapped and despite opening it so unlevel that I bend the support posts.  Any thoughts/agreement?

[mike4947]

Any thing like "tension spring poles" are not going to stop several hundred pounds of roof. BUT the good news is the door will. You won't have the common nightmare of being trapped in the canvas bunkend when the roof comes crashing down. It won't. Ask anyone who's tried to put the roof down without removing the door first.

As for the binding, maybe you got the uprights slightly bent so they bind when closing. About 30% of PU's require some pushing/pulling/shaking to close up correctly and you cetainly found out why it's best to level the trailer before raising the roof. Follow the instructions Waverly gave and you won't have problems, other than the little push you have now.
As for the limit cable I wish I had a buck for every one I've either popped myself or seen other do it. Just repair the end making sure you get the original length back and keep a better eye on it when raising.
 
As for Grease...NO!  NO! NO! unless you want canvas that is stained for life. Even using dry silicon spray you need to take care and shield the canvas from oberspray unless you like a mottled/pinto pony kind od pattern on the canavs.

[mccheez]

Thanks - that's what I needed to hear - that others have busted their guide cable and that others have to finesse the roof down to close.  Basically that what I did to my PUP is not all that uncommon.