Lift system issue

[J Potts]

Sorry for the length but I need to explain. We bought a 2001 Rockwood Freedom Tent Trailer. The man we bought it from had bought it as a project. He replaced rotted wood in the roof on the door side and purchased a new spring set for the front of the Goshen lift system. He was able to use the camper once before the lift system stopped working. He pulled the front spring system out to discover the door side spring was bent. He got frustrated and sold the camper. We bought it cheap because we foolishly thought we could fix it. We bought a replacement spring, installed it and tried to put the top up. It went up just over halfway before it felt like the crank was bound up. Hubby pushed the crank beyond the place that it felt stuck, it suddenly let go, the crank turned freely and the rear of the top went up but the front didn't move. We cranked it down and had to push the front down by hand. We pulled the spring and the door-side spring was bent in two places about 2" apart. We then pulled the cable out to check it and discovered the push plate was bent/folded back onto the cable, like a U. So we got a piece of 1/4" steel and made a new one. We ordered another new set of springs, made sure everything was well grease/lubricated again and tried to lift the top. This time it only went up about a foot. As soon as we felt resistance in the crank we stopped and cranked it back down. Again, we pulled the spring out and it was bent really badly, it is in the shape of a Z. The bend or crimp or jam or whatever it is is happening on the door side within the main channel under the camper. PLEASE Has any ever seen this happen? Do you have any suggestions on how to fix it, or where else to look. I have called Forest River and they are as confused as I am.

[flyerdp]

Give the number of bent springs I think you have a jam somewhere.

First off, the springs should be the same size. The way this system works is that the cable underneath "pushes" the springs out of the center channel under the body and to the front lift posts or rear posts via the steal tubes that go from the underbody main channel to each corner. Then it pushes the corner lift posts up. The springs will all "travel" the same distance and there should be zero pressure on the springs while closed.

Somewhere in this process you are probably getting a bind keeping the roof from going up. Is the roof going up evenly measuring from the top of the body to the roof at each lift post as it goes up? Is it possible there is an obstruction or damage in one of the corner tubes or as it enters at the bottom of the lifter post?

I hate to say it but if you have completely taken the bottom end apart, all tubes and springs out and see nothing obvious then its time to take more drastic measures.

Either taking the whole roof off which would be hard, or while it is at least 1/2 way up and blocked, meaning it cant go down you can release pressure on the winch so its not holding the roof and then remove one corner post at a time from the top retention mechanism and out of the bottom and inspect inside its passage and for smooth up/down travel.

This is a tough thing to diagnose remotely not being able to see/hear firsthand what its doing.