1992 Starcraft

[linenoise]

Hi, everyone.  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I picked up this camper for $25.00.  I started to work on the lift this weekend.  I degreased it and cleaned all the pulleys and the winch and lubed everything up with silicone lube and oiled the winch.  I then cleaned the canvas.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560547437BInjcX?vhost=good-times

When I am lowering the roof there is a loud sound.  It's definitely friction and I figured it was because the lift system wasn't lubed.  So after I got done lubing it up, it still makes the sound.  It's not as bad as before, but it's still very loud when lowering.  Lifting the roof is fine and it clicks and goes up great.  So I still have to look into that among lots of other things.

But when I was underneath the camper I found out my corners were rotted out and the rear street side wall was rotted about 10" in from the back.  So as soon as I can get my other trailer sold I can start working on this one!

[austinado16]

Welcome and man, nice score!  I think you may hold the unofficial forum title of overall best deal on a PUP.

What did you use to clean all the canvas stains?  Sure looks like it came out nice.

You might have to have someone else crank the roof down while you walk around and listen for the location of the sound.  Maybe that rotted wall area is cause?  Possibly the lift base on that corner is out of true with the rest of the lift, because it's support "box" is all destroyed.

[flyfisherman]

Another "new" popup camper owner who should be arrested for stealing!  ($25.00!)
I'd call it "popup camper grand thieft"!

You might consider giving Starcraft Tech Services a call. They are great people and will help any Starcraft owner. Maybe they might have some insight into your lift system thats causing the problem. And, I'd bet they would have an idea or two about reparing the floor of your "new" popup.



Fly

[austinado16]

.....You might consider giving Starcraft Tech Services a call. They are great people and will help any Starcraft owner. Maybe they might have some insight into your lift system thats causing the problem. And, I'd bet they would have an idea or two about reparing the floor of your "new" popup.
Fly

Sage advice Fly!  Totally forgot to mention how nice the folks are at StarcraftRV (260)593-2550

Even when I call about the "antique" I own, I always get treated like I'm sporting the current year model.  They've even taken the time to find current parts that will work in my older PUP......exchanging emails and photos with me.

Personally, I've never seen customer service like that, at least not in current day America.  The owner(s) have really done an incredible job of turning the company around from it's bankruptcy and sale in 90/91.

Linenoise, take a look underneath at the corners under the lift arms.  You might find the lift arms are sitting directly on a metal plate welded into the corner, and don't actually sit on the floor at all.  So maybe it won't matter that your floor is a little rotted in the corners.....at least not structurally.

[dkutz]

our starcraft makes/made the same noise when lowering.  I believe it was fromth e rod that runs from the crank handle to the pulley in the center of the trailer.  I greased the hell out of it, and it still groaned.  I said oh well.  But when we went to break down after the last trip the groan was gone, I guess the grease just had to settle in???  Anyway good luck and good deal!

[linenoise]

Welcome and man, nice score!  I think you may hold the unofficial forum title of overall best deal on a PUP.

What did you use to clean all the canvas stains?  Sure looks like it came out nice.

You might have to have someone else crank the roof down while you walk around and listen for the location of the sound.  Maybe that rotted wall area is cause?  Possibly the lift base on that corner is out of true with the rest of the lift, because it's support "box" is all destroyed.

Well since everyone is saying I got a deal, I must tell the whole story.  LOL.  I showed up to my company picnic at our COO's house.  She had this sitting in the driveway.  Well I though she had a motorhome and when I asked her what happend to the motorhome she said she borrowed and the same with the pop-up.  "Do you want it?" I refused saying I had one already and I can't buy another one.  "No, take it".  So I got the jeep, picked up and started going through it this weekend.  She wanted the $25 for the sticker since she just renewed it.  I got there with the $25 and she couldn't believe it, she was only joking about it.  So I could have had it for free!  LOL.

I don't know about the best deal.  The roof seems good.  There's 1 1" gash and one 1.5" gash in one spot.  It still seems solid though.  However the veneer on the ceiling is (can't think of the word).  It's still solid but it has bumps in it.  (Sorry I can't think of the word GRRR)  The fridge doesn't work, the trailer lights work only when the TV's running and headlamps are off, the toilet doesn't work (I was told, but haven't tested looked into)  The water pump turns on, but I haven't filled the sytem yet to check.  Other than the yellowing linoleum, it seems good.  They hacked off whatever connecter was on there for the trailer lights/brakes/battery and wired a flat 4, which is no big deal at the moment because the jeep only has a flat 4 on it and the A-Frame jack wont' go up or down, I can't get the thread back into the bottom part.    

I used a product called Instagone. http://www.instagoneproducts.com/  It didn't work on the water stains on my other camper, but it worked WONDERS on this.  I couldn't believe it.

I have called them, but since they're an hour off, by the time I remember, they're at lunch and then I goto lunch and then all hell breaks loose for the end of the day and I always forget to call them back.

our starcraft makes/made the same noise when lowering. I believe it was fromth e rod that runs from the crank handle to the pulley in the center of the trailer. I greased the hell out of it, and it still groaned. I said oh well. But when we went to break down after the last trip the groan was gone, I guess the grease just had to settle in??? Anyway good luck and good deal!

That is EXCATLY it.  The sound is either coming from the winch or coming from the handle shaft.  I soaked the hell out of everything twice so I am hoping it will work itself in.  If it doesn't I will see what Starcraft has to say.  What did you use?  I used Silicone Lubricant.  My next thing is going to drop the winch again and try and use a machine oil.  I figured degreasing everything and cleaning everything with brake cleaner would allow me to start from scratch and take care of the problem.

I've found pretty much everything i've needed in the manuals (Oh yeah, it came with ALL the manuals :-)) or on the internet so I didn't really see a reason to call Starcraft just yet.  I do want to call them and ask them if they have some sort of assembly manual so when I rip everything out I can have something to goto for reference just incase I didn't get it with pictures or if I forget.

Austin:
I will check that out.  I'm trying to picture looking up at it, but I can't come to sound conclusion.  I will have to take some pictures to determine.

I've been looking at several pop up forums for a few years now, ever since I got my last trailer.  But I still have one question that I haven't found and answer too.  What is the best way to work underneath the camper?  What I did Saturday with the winch was lower the front all the way so I had room to work in the back.  Is there a standard way to lift the trailer?  Can I use ramps and drive it on to them?

[austinado16]

That's a pretty great story!

I'll bet all that stuff will be easy to get going once you dig in.  Plenty of info in this forum on the Dometic fridge, so search the archives and you'll hit the mother load.

Once you get the trailer wiring back to a 7pin, you'll be able to have all the trailer lights function and charge the camper battery (and run the fridge on 12v) while towing.  If it has reverse lights built into the tials, you'll be able to use those too.

The roof holes will be easy to repair.  Just fill them before the styrofoam gets (more) water soaked inside and ceiling Luan panels get more delaminated.  I just put new panels in my ceiling after a big water damage repair to the front of the roof.  

Gonna be a fun PUP to own and it sounds like it has some great features!

[dkutz]

I used white lithium on the rod.  Although some on this board suggested using something thicker like water proof bearing grease and apply with a brush.  Right now it stopped making the noise so, I will leave it for now.  I have had other starcraft owners speak of the same problem so I guess its common.

[linenoise]

I used white lithium on the rod.  Although some on this board suggested using something thicker like water proof bearing grease and apply with a brush.  Right now it stopped making the noise so, I will leave it for now.  I have had other starcraft owners speak of the same problem so I guess its common.

I tried that originally and it didn't work, that's why I tried the Silicone Lube.  I'm gonna let it soak in and see where it takes me.

Thanks for you help!