Lift System Access - Jayco

[OkiesAhoy]

Greetings all!

We recently purchased out first pup (96 Jayco Eagle 10) after 18 years of tent camping! And while a tad bit more expensive then a tent hehe .. its every bit worth it! However, with such luxury comes regular maintance..

While peering thru my lift system access door (front, pass side), I noticed that the lift crank is detached from the support member. I can see the three (or four) lag bolts have completely disengaged from the stud. The system still lifts and lowers fine, but I know this cannot be good... so I need to go in. My question is HOW do I get to it? The bottom of the front sheet metal cover is stapled many many times. And the sides appear to be held in place, at least in part, by the vertical edge trim. How do I get the trim off, and reseal, the panel off, and resealed, so that I can figure out a way to re-attach the pulley / crank?

Also, this year when I first cranked it up it sounded ill. I know I need to lube or service it. I called the Jayco dealer near my home and they want $150.00 - Well, im pretty handy and can handle the work, I just like to know the hows and what-to-expect before I start.

Any info or advise would be GREALY appreciated!!  Thanks a ton and hopefully we'll see ya at a camp grounds soon!



OkiesAhoy
96 Jayco Eagle 10
04 F150 Scab - 5.4L

[OkiesAhoy]

Upon further review .. heheh .. it seems that removing the front panel will not help me at all being that there is a metal plate that would prevent me from getting to what I need to get to.

Anyone else here have a similar Jayco? I guess all lift system access must come from inside.

[giff]

I have a '93 that I am working on.  I have removed the back panel but everything up front feels solid so I should not have to remove it.  I will take a look at my crank system and see if I can find out how to get to it.  I would also be interested in the lubrication of the system....if it is needed.  What I can tell you is that the main cable attaches to the other cables under the bench seat that is along the front of the camper.  On mine it is the same one that the 12v converter is housed in.  There is a cover over the cable parts in this compartment.  I think it is held in place by 4 screws.

Giff

[giff]

Took a look at mine today.  Right behind the lift mechanism, you will see it is enclosed in a box.  That box is inside the cabinet right behind it, of course if you have a shower or something else there besides an empty cabinet it may be more difficult to get to.  Mine appears to have 3 bolts that I can see holding the main ratchet on the lift mechanism.

Giff

[tazman547]

I have a 98 Jayco, and just found a broken cable in mine that runs to the left rear. Look like some thing smashed against the cable pully and runner.

Anyhow in mine I went from the inside and removed the wood panels near rear. The crank system looks to be behind the cabinet, so my guess is you would need to remove the cabinet.

Hope this helps.
Tony

PS
Anyone know where I can get a replacement cable, or some cable to splice mine back together.

Greetings all!

We recently purchased out first pup (96 Jayco Eagle 10) after 18 years of tent camping! And while a tad bit more expensive then a tent hehe .. its every bit worth it! However, with such luxury comes regular maintance..

While peering thru my lift system access door (front, pass side), I noticed that the lift crank is detached from the support member. I can see the three (or four) lag bolts have completely disengaged from the stud. The system still lifts and lowers fine, but I know this cannot be good... so I need to go in. My question is HOW do I get to it? The bottom of the front sheet metal cover is stapled many many times. And the sides appear to be held in place, at least in part, by the vertical edge trim. How do I get the trim off, and reseal, the panel off, and resealed, so that I can figure out a way to re-attach the pulley / crank?

Also, this year when I first cranked it up it sounded ill. I know I need to lube or service it. I called the Jayco dealer near my home and they want $150.00 - Well, im pretty handy and can handle the work, I just like to know the hows and what-to-expect before I start.

Any info or advise would be GREALY appreciated!!  Thanks a ton and hopefully we'll see ya at a camp grounds soon!



OkiesAhoy
96 Jayco Eagle 10
04 F150 Scab - 5.4L

[OkiesAhoy]

Thanks for the replies!!

Got it opened up this weekend and found that it is all accessed from the inside. There is an "L" - shaped 'step' (dont EVER step on this.. it's like paper thin) with 4 diamond head screws. Remove the screws and you can see the cables that are attached to the push/pull bars and the crank system. Inside the cabinet there is also a cover with two of these screws (maybe more, someone was in there and fixed a broken cable before). Once you remove the cover from inside the cabinet you can see plan and clear the crank. Its a tight space to work but appears that by removing several of these types of diamond head screws one could remove the cabinet itself and have very good access....using a cordless screwdriver would make it go very quick.

What I discovered is that I have at least 2-3 hours of work to be done if I want to do it right. The trailer needs to be popped up, but not fully. If you raise the pup fully it will bring the cable connections too close to the crank, making it hard to work on. I need to remove the cabinet and the step covers. There is also a step cover inside the seat/storage box that doesnt have to be removed except for maintenance service. I'm going to do my best in describing what you might see with your Eagle 10 with this type of lift system. However, mine does not look totally factory...but maybe it is..

My crank wench is bolted to the floor in 4 places, not included the rail. It is also bolted to the side wall with two screws. It is these two screws that have come detached on mine. It appears that when the cable was replaced, whatever method used tightened the cables too much, thus causing the crank to pull away from the wall.

From the crank wench there is one thick(er) cable that has a 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" steel plate at the end of it where the other 4 cables are attached. The plate has four holes in it, one at each corner with eye bolts, and adjusting nuts, with the cables attached (wish I had taken pictures). Its a very simple adjustment system.

The cable that was replaced...well, more like "fixed", by using the same size cable (about 8 inches) "spliced" in with three cable clamps. Two clamps attaching the new piece of cable to the old, and one at the loop that goes thru the eye bolt. I am not sure what tool is used for the cable clamps. I would assume something designed for these clamps and not just pliers or channel locks.

In order to re-attach my crank to the wall, I need to back out all four eye bolts (removing the four cables from the crank). I assume I need to prop up the roof somehow before removing the four cables...right? - Detach the four bolts holding the crank down, install a piece of strap iron on either side of the bolt holes so as to span the floor and reinforce. Since the system was installed too tightly, it has caused the crank to depress the floor. Bolt it all together, reattach the cables, and adjust.

Once I do this I'll post the results!