Carefree Powerwinch

[phil435]

My 2022 2318G came with an electric winch that is not to "carefree". During my walkthrough the dealer broke the end of the shaft and replaced it with one on the lot. I watched them replace it and glad I did since it broke on me as well on the last camping trip. I was able to operate it with my dewalt drill and get it down and up using the clutch side 3/4" double nut. Reading the manual it states to use the motor bolt which in my case is obviously broke off. Has anyone else operated it this way?

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by phil435

My 2022 2318G came with an electric winch that is not to "carefree". During my walkthrough the dealer broke the end of the shaft and replaced it with one on the lot. I watched them replace it and glad I did since it broke on me as well on the last camping trip. I was able to operate it with my dewalt drill and get it down and up using the clutch side 3/4" double nut. Reading the manual it states to use the motor bolt which in my case is obviously broke off. Has anyone else operated it this way?

Just be sure what you are turning is also turning the upper/lower limit switch. If not you will have some calibrating to do when the motor is operating again.

If you keep breaking shafts its time for the dealer to step up and fix it right. Something seems to be wrong and it won't improve with time. Perhaps something is causing the motor to work harder than it should and breaking the gear?

[phil435]

I’m still waiting on the dealer to ship the motor but I was able to install an ATV winch from harbor freight that worked well. It also includes a Bluetooth remote so that I can tuck in the sides as I lower the roof. The only negative is that there is no manual crank. It at least got me camping this weekend!

I believe part of the issue was when it broke on the dealer it also damaged the large gear. I think that this contributed to the second motor issue.

[ToddlersTantrumsTrvl]

I had a similar issue. The not attached to the motor sheared clean off. My dealership was useless especially considering it was a brand new unit!!! I emailed and called power winch company- they sent me a brand new power winch and paid shipping for me to return the broken one. Installation was easy and have been quite relieved since. If you’re going anywhere shady/gravely/excessively dusty I recommend popping the cover off and using a dust can to spray out debris and wipe clean with a dry cloth just to ensure no hang ups.

[cjer46]

I just had the power winch replaced on our Rockwood HW 296 (2021). I had to adjust the clutch as it slipped down when raised but once I got that fixed it seems the rear of the foof is 1/2 to 3/4" lower than the front. The door does not fit in and I measured so I am pretty sure I am correct. Can this be fixed easily or should I plan on another looooong repair time?

Chris

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by cjer46

I just had the power winch replaced on our Rockwood HW 296 (2021). I had to adjust the clutch as it slipped down when raised but once I got that fixed it seems the rear of the foof is 1/2 to 3/4" lower than the front. The door does not fit in and I measured so I am pretty sure I am correct. Can this be fixed easily or should I plan on another looooong repair time?

Chris

Front to Rear height difference is easy to fix small amounts on. At the rear of the camper on the underside is a pulley that is attached to the rear of the frame with a long bolt, washer and two nuts.

With the roof DOWN Loosen the nut at the rear and then shorten or lengthen the long bolt attached to the pulley as needed. You can just snug it up without really torquing it and run the roof up to check heights. I would honestly not worry about 1/2 inch front to back height difference. It is possible your door is not fitting correctly because the upper limit switch just needs to be adjusted a little.

I believe making the bolt shorter makes the rear end higher at max height. Don't get terribly hung up on the cable that goes from the roof to the frame if the front to rear height is adjusted and the door still doesn't fit. You can just loosed the upper screw on the cable and raise in tiny amounts until the door fits by changing the limiter then reattach the cable where its taught in a new, lower hole if needed.