Lift problem w/new PU

[Never2Old]

We just picked up our first PU a week ago (new 2005 Fleetwood Yuma).  Spent last weekend camping with no problems at all.  It's been drying out in the driveway all day from a rainstorm during our camping trip.  When we went out to put it down earlier today, the crank just spins both ways....the top will not come down...nothing happens except a loud "clank" with each turn of the crank.  We tried over and over to lower it...making sure the crank was engaged correctly.  Of course we called our dealer and he will send someone out later this week to look at it.... said it's an "unusual" problem.  Just wondered if anyone else has encountered this and, if so, what was the problem?   Thanks in advance for any info.

[AustinBoston]

Always start by making sure you didn't leave something up that prevents it from closing (such as the door).  If that's the problem, rest assured you are not the first to do so.

From what it sounds like, that's not the problem, though.  Good luck.

Austin

[Never2Old]

Always start by making sure you didn't leave something up that prevents it from closing (such as the door).  If that's the problem, rest assured you are not the first to do so.

From what it sounds like, that's not the problem, though.  Good luck.

Austin

No, Austin...we did remember to put the door away, but thanks for your response.  I wouldn't have put it past us though since this is our very first PU and we are still learning...LOL.  The dealer ran though the obvious things with us on the phone.   Guess I'm just a "nervous newbie"...

[tlhdoc]

This isn't a problem I have heard of.  Good thing the lift system has a life time warranty for the original owner.

[tafkas]

We had something similar with our new Viking: the front half cranked down, the back half did not.  Needless to say the front would not go back up, so we were left with half a pop-up.  Something about a kinked spring (?).  It's being fixed now but we will not have it for our only weeks summer vacation.

[Never2Old]

We had something similar with our new Viking: the front half cranked down, the back half did not.  Needless to say the front would not go back up, so we were left with half a pop-up.  Something about a kinked spring (?).  It's being fixed now but we will not have it for our only weeks summer vacation.

Hope this didn't happen to you while away from home.  Thank goodness, our problem happened here in the driveway.  Even more frustrating to have it happen at a campground!  Thanks to you and tlhdoc for your replies.  This is a GREAT forum with tons of info for us first-timers.

[hoppy]

I agree, this is a rather unusual lift system problem.... the first I have heard in 15 years plus PU camping and repairing them.

There is a pin inside the crank drive (the pin that the slotted hand crank goes into) that may have broken or fallen out after you cranked it up. But that "clanking" sound throws me. Check to see that once you have the crank handle all the way in to the sleeve, that the sleeve is actually turning.

 If it does, then the doctor will need to make a house call to lower the roof down to drag it to the shop.

 

  Good luck.... and thank goodness it is still under warranty.

[Never2Old]

I agree, this is a rather unusual lift system problem.... the first I have heard in 15 years plus PU camping and repairing them.

There is a pin inside the crank drive (the pin that the slotted hand crank goes into) that may have broken or fallen out after you cranked it up. But that "clanking" sound throws me. Check to see that once you have the crank handle all the way in to the sleeve, that the sleeve is actually turning.

 If it does, then the doctor will need to make a house call to lower the roof down to drag it to the shop.

 

  Good luck.... and thank goodness it is still under warranty.

Hi Hoppy,
Thanks for your suggestion to check for a broken/lost pin.  Looks like it's still there though... and yes, the sleeve does turn with the crank; however, for some crazy reason, it does not engage the gears (clutch?) and lower the popup.  We have raised and lowered it several times since we brought it home last week (took our "shakedown" trip over the weekend) with no problem.  Anyway, we are really excited about getting into PU camping.  Used to do tent camping when the kids were small.   I'm happy to find this forum and to read all the good information offered by you experienced PU campers!

[Never2Old]

Hi Hoppy,
Thanks for your suggestion to check for a broken/lost pin.  Looks like it's still there though... and yes, the sleeve does turn with the crank; however, for some crazy reason, it does not engage the gears (clutch?) and lower the popup.  We have raised and lowered it several times since we brought it home last week (took our "shakedown" trip over the weekend) with no problem.  Anyway, we are really excited about getting into PU camping.  Used to do tent camping when the kids were small.   I'm happy to find this forum and to read all the good information offered by you experienced PU campers!

Update:  Dealer sent out two mechanics who found a pin inside the crank sleeve had sheared off.....and, the sleeve threads were "stripped".  They put on a new sleeve and the lift works fine.   Said they have no idea what caused this to happen....mumbled something about a factory defect.  Does this sound feasible to some of you more seasoned PUP owners?   We had only had the PUP a week and had raised/lowered it three times with no problem..the first time was at the dealer's orientation on how to set it up.  We asked if it could be something we did...just to make absolutely sure we don't do it again.  They said "probably not"...not very talkative at all.   Just wanted to update this post and thank those who responded once more.

[AustinBoston]

Update:  Dealer sent out two mechanics who found a pin inside the crank sleeve had sheared off.....and, the sleeve threads were "stripped".  They put on a new sleeve and the lift works fine.   Said they have no idea what caused this to happen....mumbled something about a factory defect.  Does this sound feasible to some of you more seasoned PUP owners?   We had only had the PUP a week and had raised/lowered it three times with no problem..the first time was at the dealer's orientation on how to set it up.  We asked if it could be something we did...just to make absolutely sure we don't do it again.  They said "probably not"...not very talkative at all.   Just wanted to update this post and thank those who responded once more.

It is almost certanly a factory defect.

I worked in QA for 13 years.  I learned a lot about "infant mortality," and this was a classic case of infant mortality.

When a product is manufactured, it has a life expectancy.  The worst time is in the very early stages of that life.  Most defects are detected then, through product testing and inspection.  But the curve of life expectancy typically hasn't reached it's peak until the product has been in the field for a while.  There are always some brand new units that have significant defects that show up weeks or months into their useful life.

Let's hope this is the only problem you run into.  I'd bet that it is.

Austin

[hoppy]

I would doubt very much that you had any part in this type of failure.  To shear the pin and strip the threads in the sleeve sounds to me like something didn't come together right during the assembly.

 Glad that everything is ready to roll now.