Lifting System Problems - Broken Winch

[Rauch0812]

We replaced the winch on our camper early this summer because it broke (our first camping trip - go figure).  The gears just spun around the axle in the winch so the top slammed down and would not crank back up.  We replaced the winch with a heavy duty winch.  We've been on about 8 camping trips since we replaced it and the new winch just broke!  Same problem.  I called a camper repair place and they are saying there must be something wrong with the lift system.  Unfortunately they are two hours way and they are extrememly expensive - just not even clost to being within my budget right now.  We are going to put another winch on it this weekend and then try to look at the lift system.  Does anybody know what we could be checking on the lift system?  We have some reservations coming up that we've been looking forward to all year and we're all going to be depressed if we can't go!  Our first year with camper is going a bit rocky to say the least. And yet we're still lovin' it!  We need help!  Please!

Desera
'00 Coachman Clipper 1280

[hoppy]

This is a tough one to call.
 When you say the exact thing happened again, do you mean the gears on the outside edge of the spindle were stripped out again?
 Also, when you replaced the winch, did you notice any restriction raising the roof the several times it did work?  If it had restriction, the RV tech is probably correct in his assumption, and you will need to locate the lift diagram for your unit on the net and see just how to go about the repair.

 There have been a rash of lift system failures the past couple of months.

  Sorry this is all I can add, but good luck with your repair.

[coach]

I can't image the winch breaking before the cables.
I assume your '00 is the Jayco/L&W lift system!
Was it hard to crank?

[Rauch0812]

As far as the gears on the spindle, the gears themselves are ok, they are no longer attached, they just spin freely around the bar.  I'm not sure if I'm making sense on that one?  

As far as hard to crank, we are starting to wonder.  We just purchased the camper this year and we've never owned a pop up before.  We have nothing to compare it to.  I find it too hard to crank up myself.  I can get it half way up and then I'm pooped and my husband has to do it.  While I admit I'm only 100lbs and very petite, I'm not a weakling either.  Normal?

Restriction... we noticed the new winch was just a touch tougher to when raising, but it was a heavier duty winch, some crazy load capacity that was above what we needed, but the store had it available.  It was not the same as the original winch that was in the camper, we bought it at a boat store.

I don't even know what lift system it is... Coachmen told me to call Viking, and Vicking told me to call a dealer.  I feel stuck.  In the meantime I went ahead and ordered a new winch from a dealer who is shipping it to me, just incase I really do need to go with the original equipment.   Think it makes a difference?

And I guess I should add that once before I posted a thread asking about how to grease the four posts on the corners since it made a loud squealing when raising and lowering.  This may be normal too?  Now I'm wondering if the noise is really coming from the posts like I assumed?

[4Campers]

Our pup has always been kind of hard to crank up too, which probably has a similar lift system. The cables run from the winch to the top of the roof through tubes with pulleys where they have to turn. If a pulley is worn or not turning it would make raising the roof tough, but as mentioned earlier I would think that if this were the case the cable would break before the winch. Same if one of the tubes was bent or pinching the cable somewhere. Sounds like more a defect in the winch, but two different ones with a similar problem is weird. My only suggestion is when you camp, use some sort of external brace to support the roof should the system fail.

[coach]

I had sent you a message to send me your email address and I'd send along any lift system doc I have.

Well, I just fround them at http://parts.cunninghamcampers.com/

You'll need to 'register' then log in, go to owner's manuals, scroll down to lift system docs.

Not so much help with gears free wheeling

[minthillbill]

From what I read, it appears that the pins attaching the gears to the shaft are shearing due to excess force.
Replacing the pins should be easier than replacing the winch BUT You have to find out why the force is so high, high enough to shear the pins.
Dr. Bill

[wavery]

It sounds to me like you may have a bad pulley or two in your corner posts. That would cause the hard lifting and the squealing. The cables should run free and smoothly. My 60+ year-old 120# wife used to love to crank up the roof on our 12' Coleman roof with AC. Yours certainly shouldn't be any heavier than that one.

If someone has been spraying the pulleys with WD40 or some other form of petrol chemical, the pulleys may be damaged. They should only be lubed with silicone.

I would make sure that I repaired the source of the problem before something else breaks too.

[Rauch0812]

I finally found out my camper has a Goshen DLB winch, which I just ordered.  Sounds like there must be something wrong with my lift system with the noise and how difficult it is to raise up.  

Are the pulley's something that would be difficult to change?
Are there any other parts we should change while were in there?
Does anybody have any instructions or schematics that would help?
Should pulleys also be ordered from the manufacturer or is this a hardware store part?
Am I getting WAY over our heads?

Thank you so much!

[coach]

I finally found out my camper has a Goshen DLB winch, which I just ordered.  Sounds like there must be something wrong with my lift system with the noise and how difficult it is to raise up.  

Are the pulley's something that would be difficult to change?
Are there any other parts we should change while were in there?
Does anybody have any instructions or schematics that would help?
Should pulleys also be ordered from the manufacturer or is this a hardware store part?
Am I getting WAY over our heads?

Thank you so much!

The jayco/l&w diagrams will be useless for Goshen.
Goshen Lift system

Doesn't the goshen system have grease zerks somewhere for the spring pusher rods/tubes?  Everything should be accessible under the PU. I've read the folks at Goshen are helpful.

[Rauch0812]

Coach,

Thank you for help via email.  Also, the link you posted above is EXACTLY what I have been trying to find!  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Also, just incase someone is reading these posts because they are having the same problems, a gentleman at RVWorkshop.com has been extremely helpful and is able to provide all of the parts for pop-up camper lift systems!

His advice to us was to get into the Mastertube under the camper and make sure the Spring Tubes are junked up, wipe them clean and regrease them.  Also, to make sure the pulley is spinning freely.  He said it does not sound like we have broken hardware.   I'll post back on what happens...

Also, Coach mentioned grease zerks and I see them in the diagram... ? Should we be doing something with these?  

Thank you SO MUCH, I'm starting to feel a little less lost...
Desera

[wavery]

His advice to us was to get into the Mastertube under the camper and make sure the Spring Tubes are junked up, wipe them clean and regrease them.  Also, to make sure the pulley is spinning freely.  He said it does not sound like we have broken hardware.   I'll post back on what happens...

Also, Coach mentioned grease zerks and I see them in the diagram... ? Should we be doing something with these?  

 

The grease zerks are for lubing the system after you clean it. I think that the gentleman at RVWorkshop.com might be thinking that the old grease may be all gunked up with road dirt, sand etc. There's a good chance that he's right and that would make everything hard to turn.

I would take his advise and clean everything really well before re-greasing. Adding more grease to the mess won't help.

After wiping all of the old grease out, you may want to spray it down real good with WD40 to remove any remaining grit. WD40 is a good cleaning agent but lousy lubricant. Let it dry out before re-assembling and filling with grease again.

[Rauch0812]

Well, we received the winch from Goshen and unfortunately it's defective.  I have to wait until Monday to contact them regarding sending another winch, but in the meantime...

We were able to look at the springs.  The spring that are in the tubes that push up into the four corners are bone dry and the springs in the main tube are bone dry - clean as could be with no trace of grease in site.  I figure this must be our problem with the squealing and why it?s hard to raise.  The Goshen website says to put grease in the grease zerks with a grease gun and to use a needle adapter to get the grease into the springs on the four corners.  The hardware store told my husband they had no idea what he was talking about.  Are we supposed to grease the springs in the corner?  And how?  The pulley in the rear is moving freely and working good, but again no grease on the pulley.  We need to grease everything up, right?

[Topflight]

If you look at the tubes, you will see a small hole on the bottom near where they curve upward.  Just squirt qrease in the holes with the needle addapter.

[Rauch0812]

Can we use white lithium grease to grease the springs?  We just happen to have this on hand and it comes with a skinny straw to spray it, which may fit in the hole where the need adapter is supposed to go (since we don't have one of those and our local hardware store has no idea what we're talking about)?