Electric lift malfunctions

[jwt2966]

Today while putting down the roof of our 2017 Rockwood Hw277, the electric lift switch stopped working halfway down. We could raise it electrically, but not lower. Nothing was in the way inside the camper. Tried to use the manual crank and that wouldn't work to lift roof up or down. Called Roadside assistance and while waiting for a call back I removed the protective rubber/plastic cover from the toggle and it began to work. Anyone else have this issue? Not sure if it's an electrical problem or the design of the protective cover that covers the toggle.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by jwt2966

Today while putting down the roof of our 2017 Rockwood Hw277, the electric lift switch stopped working halfway down. We could raise it electrically, but not lower. Nothing was in the way inside the camper. Tried to use the manual crank and that wouldn't work to lift roof up or down. Called Roadside assistance and while waiting for a call back I removed the protective rubber/plastic cover from the toggle and it began to work. Anyone else have this issue? Not sure if it's an electrical problem or the design of the protective cover that covers the toggle.

I had a similar problem last fall while out at the campsite taking down. Started to lower the roof and only went down maybe a foot. Would go back up but would not come back down below that foot. Didn't know what I was going to do. I removed the cover and was able to manually lower the roof ask I had my drill with me. If you didn't have a drill with you with an attachment, you probably didn't notice any movement. It still took a little while to get it down with my drill.

I finally ended up messing with the limiter switches on the bottom of the motor and that got it working again. That was the last of our camping for the season so didn't get to try it again other than to clean it up for fall. Just opened it this weekend and lowered it for spring cleaning and dewitnerization and all was still working, so fingers crossed.

Try adjusting the limiter switches and see if that helps out.

Good luck

[jwt2966]

Thanks, I will give it a try if it acts up again.

[exploreco]

Originally Posted by jwt2966

Today while putting down the roof of our 2017 Rockwood Hw277, the electric lift switch stopped working halfway down. We could raise it electrically, but not lower. Nothing was in the way inside the camper. Tried to use the manual crank and that wouldn't work to lift roof up or down. Called Roadside assistance and while waiting for a call back I removed the protective rubber/plastic cover from the toggle and it began to work. Anyone else have this issue? Not sure if it's an electrical problem or the design of the protective cover that covers the toggle.

If you don't have one of these yet, get one. I use it in my drill for raising and lowering the stabilizer, but it is what I also used to finish lowering the roof when that happened. If you try to manually crank the roof down by hand, you would never get it down.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-57363-L...eveling+blocks

[jwt2966]

I did purchase a drill/impact combo with assorted sockets for any issues. Thanks.

[jimmoore13]

I am currently using a cordless drill to raise and lower my 2014 HW 277. The last time I operated the winch last year, it kind of sputtered. This year, when de-winterizing, I tried it, and I got a couple of buzzes and clicks, but no movement. Then silence.

On close inspection, I found two issues.
1) The limiter switch is driven by a plastic gear, and the gear had broken, and the plastic engagement "key" on the turning ring had sheared off. I removed the outer gear, opened the limiter, and neutralized the mechanism so that both switches are "closed" - current passes. I then verified continuity between the up/down switch and the "relays" in the gearbox. I also verified continuity in the up/down switch.

2. I pulled and reset all connections everywhere related to the lift winch.

After all that, the motor goes "down" but it is still dead going up.

I suspect that one of the relays is burned out, and the cause may be related to the failure in the limiter switch - or it could be coincidence. I never exceed the height allowed by the little red tension wire that dictates height. And when I lower, I use my hand to sense tension on the lift cable. When there is enough slack to allow me to clamp down the roof, I stop.

Any ideas on replacing the relay(s). The hangar is riveted to the winch chassis, and the design of the hangar prevents removing the relays without removing the rivet. If that's all there is to it, I can replace the rivet with a small bolt and locking nut, but one assumes there'd be a better way.

[dgwarren]

My electric lift stops in middle of use. Where are the limiter switches that people talk about? I know nothing about this so its not easy for me. Thanks for any help!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by dgwarren

My electric lift stops in middle of use. Where are the limiter switches that people talk about? I know nothing about this so its not easy for me. Thanks for any help!

It would help if you posted year, make and model number of your popup. Or put that information in your profile or signature.
That way, those who have the same model number can be more helpful.

[Mike91]

I read more issues about this stupid winch failing. I wish Forest River just put in a manual winch with an electric drill and socket like Coachmen/Viking do.

[jimmoore13]

Stabs from the past! I learned a lot since my contribution to this thread.

This is the manual for the Carefree PUP Lift Winch.

Note the small tube-shape on the front of the larger motor body...main cover pic.
A bit more clearly displayed on page 4.
Clearly pointed out on page 6 including instructions for adjustment.

In my opinion, these are a very poor design.

• The large plastic ring gear that engages with the main steel winch gear is prone to failure...the teeth strip off, and the limit switch mechanism stops being driven by the winch.
• The internals in the mechanism are a mix of plastic and brass...also prone to fail.

The good news is that when the switch is functioning as it should, the switches are normally "closed"...completing the circuit. These switches only open when the limits are exceeded.
What this means is that you can replace the switch - or jumper around it - with a straight piece of wire...from the lift/lower toggle switch to the respective relay for each action. Note that the wires are color coded, so you can trace the same color into the switch and out of the switch to the relay.

Of course you can replace the limit switch mechanism, but, in my opinion, the only time I'd bother would be at the time of resale...or just notify the new buyer to use the cable tell-tale to stop the lift motor.

WHEN DO YOU NEED ONE OF THESE? If you have toddlers or young kids who might sneak under the front bed and play with the lift/lower toggle switch, they might over-extend the lift and do damage. Any adult who can't figure out when to stop the lift isn't qualified to go camping.

I fully dismantled my switch...'cuz that's how I roll...and figured out how it operates. I then manually adjusted the tabs that ride on a worm gear inside so that they had no chance of opening either of the switches. Then I reassembled it, put it back in place, and it became, for all intents and purposes, a straight wire. The reason this worked is that the ring gear teeth were entirely gone after just 3 seasons of use.

From then on, I lowered the roof until it was down and I had a bit of slack in the lift cable, and I raised the roof until the red-jacketed tell-tale cable was just about taught. Once the PUP's main door was installed, I'd lower the roof ever so slightly for a good overlap fit between the door frame and the roof...done. The limit switch protects against "stupid."

Again, my opinion. All the monkey motion going on in this limit switch is Rube Goldberg engineering at its worst. But if you know how it works, you can a) replace it fairly often; b) work around it. I chose to work around it because I don't have little kids who'd inadvertently lift the roof clean off my rig.

P.S. If your limit switch is merely out of adjustment, there is a tool that came with the rig (probably a red fiberglass hex key) to adjust it. Any old 4 mm hex (Allen) wrench will do the job, but the red fiberglass one provided is nice and long, and since it's straight (no "L" shape), and it's not steel, it can't apply "too much" torque on the adjusters.

If your lift is stopping halfway up, you're way beyond needing an "adjustment." More than likely, your ring gear is stripped. They don't get that far out of adjustment all by themselves.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Mike91

I read more issues about this stupid winch failing. I wish Forest River just put in a manual winch with an electric drill and socket like Coachmen/Viking do.

There is a manual override on the winch...I used mine many times. Your drill and 3/4" adapter for your stab jacks are all you need. Pop the cap on the winch cover, and the hex head drive bolt is right there.

Fair warning, your drill operates the lift at about 1/3 to 1/2 the speed as does that huge winch motor. And you'd be wise to have one or two spare drill batteries with you...just in case.

And by drill I don't mean one of those impact drills you hear at campsites every so often. I mean a real cordless drill...and, preferably one with a two-speed gearbox so you can use the lower speed/higher torque setting when lifting. My 20 volt Porter Cable handles this task with ease on the higher speed, but my 12 volt Kobalt drill needs to gear down to get the job done. Unlike the stab jacks, this is real work for the drill. It depends what you have in your toolbox.

Second warning....there ain't no way you're gonna want to tackle this with the stab jack crank, 'cuz you'll be crankin' for a VERY long time.
But, with a drill, it works quite well.

Third warning...there is one helluva lot of momentum in the winch system. EASE off the drill speed to stop...don't just stop...because all of that rotating mass doesn't stop instantly, and if you just stop your drill, that rotating mass will "twist your arm off."

[flyerdp]

A lot of things said in here but I wanted to add a few more just to confuse things.

I have posted about the lift system many times as I have gotten well in to mine though not to the point of taking apart the limiter as I suspect I would do as others have and just bypass it if it comes to that and manually stop/start the winch.

One of the main things I have mentioned is that this winch system is a rather unique animal from any other I have seen before. I may have this reversed but as I recall when raising the roof there is a latch that "ratchets" over a matching gear so that when the motor is stopped it holds the roof at that position. However, when going the other way the motor forces the gear to slip on what I have deemed a "paper clutch" though it may have graphite or something impregnated in the paper. In other words the system is built to "slip" in one direction which is why you get the roof lowering on its own. Either you need to tighten that "clutch" or replace it entirely. Its a set that includes the gear etc..

I explained all that to say that "IF" your clutch is slipping going up and/or down then it would not at all be inconceivable that the limiter gear is getting spun but the roof isn't going anywhere or if its "slipping" closed then the gear is not turned. The effect would then be that the limiter is way off on its positioning and could lead to the motor being switched off prematurely.

I think the biggest culprit to limiter calibration being off and thus turning off early or not soon enough is slippage at the clutch without the limiter being moved.

All that to say that perhaps your limiter is WAY off and shutting off early on your down travel. This *should* also go hand in hand with the raising action not stopping on its own I would expect unless it JUST started slipping.