Cable length to fix lift system on 75 Starcraft

[baaramuluke]

Does anyone know how much cable to buy to replace the entire top lift for a '75 Starcraft Starmaster 8?  We got a great deal on Ebay for $300 for this camper and the hitch (no pun intended) was it wouldn't open, bought it sight unseen, and after 2 new tires hauled it 250 miles home, towed like a breeze (2004 Ford F150 4XR).  We got it open manually, and it's actually not too bad inside.  Needs one end of new canvas and one rear doorside, but Hubby says he can do the cable, but he wants to know how much to footage to get.  I'd add...what type is best?

[hoppy]

This is a tough question to answer. A lot of lift systems use a number of different sized cables depending if it's a main cable, or one of the individual cables used to lift the four cables in the corners.

  Your situation seems to indicate the main cable that is attached to the winch.

 The best way to determine this is to have hubby and a few of his buddies lift the roof, and support with 2 X 4's. Locate the broken cable to verify the one needed.

   Starcraft has an excellent reputation of supplying the OEM parts on their early models. It maybe cheaper in the long run to purchase the exact replacement part, than to purchase aircraft grade cable, and a crimping tool to make the loops on your own.

   My main cable only cost $ 29.95 for the OEM part from Palomino..... and that included shipping, cable, and a maintance manual for my complete lift system.

  Hope this helps ya'

[baaramuluke]

That sounds like good advice.  All the cables we've found are in rough shape or are missing.  The Mister was going to do just that, get cable and do his own, but if you get all the right info with the kits, I'd opt for that, all things being (un)equal.  I'll see if I can talk him into it.

Thanks for the reply!  I'll call Starcraft!