How Safe Am I From Roof Collapse?

[ScouterMom]

Yet another reason why I stuck with starcraft for  my 2nd 'vintage' camper.  

Old starcrafts, (and many others, too) use a cable and pully system. and if there was ONE spot that could break, and make the whole roof come down, it would be where the single winch cable joins the harness that connects ALL the cables.  In order for that to happen, all the fibers in the cable would have to break (you would see fraying first) or the connectors would have to fail, (and there are 2 or 3 on each loop), or the eyebolt would have to break or bend. (not something that happens fast)

We HAVE been having a problem with the eyebolt bending open - so we swapped it out for a molded, one-piece eyebolt. No more problem.

However the camper came with ONE of two original aluminum 'pole covers', so I made more - out of aluminum 2 x 4's.  they are really inexpensive, (less than $3 for a 10' length) and you can get them at most home-imrovement stores.  

Here's the original that came with the camper:


Here's the ones I made


I made them more so that they would help shed water away from the telescoping poles - because in my camper, the floor in the rear was completely rotted out in the back corners and the posts had fallen thru the floor.  We guessed that water had flowed inside the poles and pooled at the base.  

So the covers DO shed water away from the joints of the poles, but they also can hold the roof up if needed.  They hold to the poles without velcro, tape, or zip ties, and they pop off easily.  they are lightweight and won't fall over and bonk someone on the head. (this DID happen while we were fixing the lift system; took the weight off the roof, and a 2X4 fell over on my HEAD! OUCH!) They were really easy to make, and they fit perfectly over the poles.

Laura

[Mike Up]

I'll add a couple of things.
 
First I've been in campers with single cable systems when the cable broke. 99% of the time it breaks when raising or lowering. When no one should be in the camper anyway. I was in one that broke in the middle of the night (mainly becasue I ahd over 250 pounds on the roof and was to lazy/tired to remove it before running the roof up. Trust me the door stopped the roof from moving more than an inch or two. We didn't even know it till the next day when the door was sticking when we opened it.
Either way with supports or the door holding the roof up, you'll need some help lifting the roof to either free the doot and close it up or/and remove the wood/poses/etc you used for corner supports.
SO don't worry about "getting trapped" during the night even if the roof fails.
 
As a side note The only documented severe injury with a roof collapsing was a woman in a 1996 Dutchman PU whose roof collapsed when lowering it and she was jusr exiting the camper and the edge of the roof hit her directly on the top of the head.
BUT, come to find out the roof was waterlogged and weighed as reported a 1000 + pounds. SO the causes were the owner not maintaining his camper as required and being in the camper when lowering the roof.
I figure I've got a better chance of hiting the lottery than getting hurt from a PU roof.

They also weren't using the safety supports as they claimed they didn't know. To me, the whole story sounds fishy as if they were wanting to make some money.
 
I know this is an old topic, but wanted to emphasis that the safety supports weren't being used when someone was in the camper!
 
Have a good one.

[Mike Up]

While some disagree, I'll say it again. IMO, the Goshen lift system is the best out there. It's tubes are underneath the camper for easy inspection, cleaning and lubing. The system is repaired easily since it's all external and no walls or cabinets need to be taken down.

The process is simple but it does rely on one main cable that pulls a header that pulls the other 4 cables. The cables can be easily inspected and lubed. You have 2 safety supports to use at each corner should the main cable break or the winch fail.

Simple, easy to fix, easy to maintain, and is now the popular lift system used on Forest River, Coachmen/Viking, and Starcraft. Jayco and Fleetwood use their own proprietary lift systems that are internal.

Just an opinion, have a good one.

[flyfisherman]

While some disagree, I'll say it again. IMO, the Goshen lift system is the best out there. It's tubes are underneath the camper for easy inspection, cleaning and lubing. The system is repaired easily since it's all external and no walls or cabinets need to be taken down.

Starcraft has two lift systems ~ their own patented sytem that they use on their top of the line models and larger units and the Goshen lift used on the smaller and the more cost competive models, like my Venture model.

Not too long after I had the Starcraft I broke a leaf spring just tooling down the road. As it ended up, the spring was covered under warranty by Dexter and come to find out, the unit was under sprung, and I now have stronger leaf springs. During all these happenings I got acquainted with the tech folks at Starcraft and it was kind of indicated that they had less trouble with the Goshen lift, i.e., less warranty claims.

To date, I've not had a minute's problem with my Goshen lift. And, the lift has the saftey rails that fit over the lifts and are placed on opposite corners. The saftey rails, plus the door (if it's closed), would ensure the roof could never come down.


Fly

[ScouterMom]

Starcraft has two lift systems ~ their own patented sytem that they use on their top of the line models and larger units and the Goshen lift used on the smaller and the more cost competive models, like my Venture model.

Not too long after I had the Starcraft I broke a leaf spring just tooling down the road. As it ended up, the spring was covered under warranty by Dexter and come to find out, the unit was under sprung, and I now have stronger leaf springs. During all these happenings I got acquainted with the tech folks at Starcraft and it was kind of indicated that they had less trouble with the Goshen lift, i.e., less warranty claims.

To date, I've not had a minute's problem with my Goshen lift. And, the lift has the saftey rails that fit over the lifts and are placed on opposite corners. The saftey rails, plus the door (if it's closed), would ensure the roof could never come down.


Fly

That must be the name for my 'covers' that came with my '73 starcraft.  Somewhere, the previous owners lost one, but they were easy to make myself with those aluminum 2X4s (they are almost identical to the material used to make the originals)

Since you have them - does anyone have any idea what the purpose is of the wide 'hook' and ruber bumper shown on the one original safety cover shown above? (Loook about 2/3 of the way up the first post photo)  I've never figured out what it was supposed to be for - it doesn't match up to anything in the camper.....  Heck, I may have that safety cover on the wrong post or even upside down for all I know! LOL!  But they  DO work.

Laura

[wavery]

That must be the name for my 'covers' that came with my '73 starcraft.  Somewhere, the previous owners lost one, but they were easy to make myself with those aluminum 2X4s (they are almost identical to the material used to make the originals)

Since you have them - does anyone have any idea what the purpose is of the wide 'hook' and ruber bumper shown on the one original safety cover shown above? (Loook about 2/3 of the way up the first post photo)  I've never figured out what it was supposed to be for - it doesn't match up to anything in the camper.....  Heck, I may have that safety cover on the wrong post or even upside down for all I know! LOL!  But they  DO work.

Laura

I'm just guessing but it looks like a handle to be used to remove the device. The rubber bumper may only be intended to keep the handle from getting smashed flat during storage.

[AustinBoston]

I'm just guessing but it looks like a handle to be used to remove the device. The rubber bumper may only be intended to keep the handle from getting smashed flat during storage.

While this makes sense, the opposite is also possible...it may be to prevent the handle from tearing up whatever it is put on (or whatever is put on it) during the vibration of transit.  If that handle were laid down on a lenoleum floor and driven down some second-rate roads, it could create a warranty issue for the manufacturer.

Austin

[ScouterMom]

Well, I don't think it's a handle - as you don't really need anything to pull it off with - they just kinda slide on and fit snug, but not tight. It is not hard to get on or off at all.

I thought it might be some kind of support for an awning pole, or frame. the little rubber bumper is exactly the same as the bumper that is (was) on the wall of the camper behind the door knob to keep the knob from denting the aluminum.

They are not mentioned at all in the manual copy I have - I didn't know what it was for at first, and had to ask someone on the board.  Sure wish I could see how they were used on an original back in 197?

laura

[flyfisherman]

The saftey rails for my Starcraft Venture have no such rubber bumpers so I would'nt have any idea.