Broken cable

[mamabus512]

I have an 83 Coleman Shenandoah popup, the cable snap while putting it up. I have restored just about everything on this camper and now I want to recable the entire thing, This way theres no worring about a second cable breaking. Can anyone tell me where I can find a diagram of the crank up lift system for this year camper. One that is totally readable. I found one but the print is so small and when you enlarge it, it becomes blurred. Got it from RV Advice of the WWW. Any help or info will be greatful. Thanks Sally

[tlhdoc]

Contact Fleetwood Folding trailers and they will send you the lift system manual.  I used to have a link for it online, but it doesn't work anymore.  You can get the cables at a Fleetwood Folding camper dealer.

[PhilipTiderman]

Hello Mamabus. I'm Phil and i'm a lift system-a-holic. Bought an 85 Coleman Sequoia and ALL the lifts and cables were broken or about to break. Thus began a longgg journey of trial by error(s) and quite a learning experience. The first of many challanges was to get the lift system manual. I had the good fortune to find it on this very website, but the link has since been removed. I still have the Adobe file and should be able to make it available somehow. I really appreciated the help found here and want to pass on the favor. Soooo, let's see - first there is the materials. At the dealer the cable is $28 per lift (x4) if you need to do them all. Then there are the ferrules (the clamps that creat the loops) Dealer price for copper ferrules is $4 each, 6 for each lift....

   Then there is Lowes - The cable, although not stainless steel, is galvanized steel and appears to me to be just fine for the job and at 22 cents a foot! Then there are also the ferrules. Not copper, but aluminum and also just fine for the job - 2 for 77 cents....

    And now we get to the tools. This is where it all gets a little tricky.
The cable is difficult to cut and a regular pair of cutters is out. I wasted good money and time on an average pair. I don't recommend it...Felco model F7 is the best cutter on the planet, Swiss made, and available on the web at The Felco Store for $45 or so - and worth it.

    And the most elusive tool of them all, the swage hand tool, known to us regular folk as a crimper. This is what compresses the ferrules to create the loops in the cable. This is the most important step for a reliable lift. NicoPress is the well known brand on the market and costs $200-300 and up to prove it. While i was at Lowes i noticed they used a Campbell brand tool but don't sell them. I went looking on the web and found very little availability for any brand and prices out of this world. I got lucky and found a private seller with a couple extra and bought them at a decent price, so i'm looking to sell one if you're interested. It's Campbell brand and is 22" long and a single step leverage hand tool. After using mine extensively i can honestly recommend it.

     And what else? I put my trailer on car oil change ramps to get more clearance underneath while working on the lift. You'll need a good socket set, standard open end wrench set, vice grips, drill set, screwdrivers and a rivet gun. There is a plate around the lift that is riveted to the trailer body and the rivets must be drilled out and replaced. The dealer has a resonably priced plate replacement set that comes with the extra large rivets and rubber seals.

    Well that's about it. The rest you'll figure out as you go. Let me know if i can be of any more help. I live in Cincinnati these days but am a native Baltimoron, born and raised.

    Good luck!     Phil T.

[jmcanzo]

Here is the FIXED link to the lift manual.
http://home.comcast.net/~jmcanzo1/liftman.pdf
It is a LARGE 14mb file so it might take a while over dial-up