Flagstaff 206LTD power winch problem

[andyg]

Hello, I have had a 2007 Flagstaff 206LTD from new and I have an issue with the powerwinch.

Model Powerwinch P55000 Folding Camper Winch.

I set it up a couple of weeks ago to get ready for my first trip of the season, the winch raised the top with no problem.
When I went to put it back down nothing happened. As a thunderstorm was coming in I had to do it via the manual method - didn't have a drill and bit handy.

I have cleaned all the connections and checked the fuse from the battery (which was ok). I have taken off the two 25 amp circuit breakers from the battery (no one sells these anymore) and replaced them with a 50 amp circuit breaker. Nothing happened.

After doing a couple of searches today I have found out there was a recall on this winch back in 2008. The dealership I bought this camper from closed there doors last year so I am now looking for a local Forrest River/Flagstaff dealership.

Is there any other checks I can be doing (my technical knowledge isn't the greatest)?

Thanks

[LadyWindrider]

Without having your camper, or that model, there are a few things I can suggest. Get a voltmeter and measure the battery voltage. Measure the voltage at the switch also, when off, and when in down position and up position. Check the voltage at the winch motor while holding the switch up, and down. If you have voltage, 12 volts or more, at the motor, you have a bad motor. You will not know this until it you test with a meter. A recall doesn't mean every item will fail, it just means there is an abnormally high failure rate. Your motor may be fine, and you have another problem which you need to track down. Good luck. If still lost, report back your voltage readings at the various points.

[Irene]

We just bought a pre-owned 2008 Rockwood Premier, in exc. condition - but on the 1st time we went to put down the top using the powerwinch - nothing happened. (Luckily, we had set it up in the back yard!) There was absolutely nothing in the owners manual about the winch, even how to manually crank it down. I searched the internet - still no help. So, with the top still up, (since I didn't know how to crank it down)... my son used his voltmeter and checked the battery and all points along the circuit from the battery, switch, etc, & everything seemed fine, up to the motor. then he touched the motor and it was hot. So it seemed it was the motor. then we found out the hard way, that there is no brake on the winch, as there is on boat winches, to keep it from unwinding. He started to remove the motor so we could have it checked out, and CRASH! Luckily we had one of the safety posts in, so it kept the whole top from crashing down, only 3 sides. We were so lucky. So be forwarned, if you are checking out the electrical as we were, do.. not.. remove the motor, unless the top is completely down! (which by the way, as we then found out, there is a hard to get to nut (I think) next to the motor, which with a power drill, easily lowers the top) This seems a very dangerous situation, why is there no safety on that winch? all it takes is for the gear that is attached to the motor to be disengaged from the winch gear, to allow the winch gear to go into a freefall spin. We were dumb and lucky, I'll admit it, just to try to warn others. I think also, that it is reprehensible that Forest River doesn't have a decent customer friendly website that provides information on the basic operation of their power winch, such a crucial piece of equipment! I went to the Powerwinch website, and no help there, either, although I see there is a recall on another winch (buried on their website under RV products) I'll copy the first few sentences here for info. :

IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE
To:

All Carefree Folding Camping Trailer (FCT) Winch OEM Customers and
Distributors

Subject:

Safety Recall NHTSA # 07E077—Carefree of Colorado FCT Winch

Model:

Powerwinch Model P55000 FCT Winch shipped between February 2007 and

August 2007

[JFB]

I'm a newby as of today. There is a PDF file for the "Powerwinch Mod. 55000 at the following URL : http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/do...er%20Winch.pdf

I to have the raise power but no lower power phenomena. In as much as we just bought this Flagstaff High Wall out of state with this prexisting condition, I stopped at the dealer and was told that it was caused by a faulty limit switch. There are two, an up and a down. Both share part numbers. In the booklet that came with my unite it lists it as Item 17, x2 part no. P30028. That said, now where can we get the switch? My next task is locating these parts. Jerry