Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob414
This is a repost from 1.5 years ago, hoping for new info.
SAFETY FIRST!!!!!! I "ALWAYS" start and finish the raising/lowering job manually, to ensure proper torque and position.
I have tried to use a battery powered drills to raise and lower the roof of my 10ft box camper with AC in the past. About 3/4 way up the drill stalls out (have tried 3 different 20VDC drills) they do not have enough torque. Lowering the top, the drill chuck loosens up and the adapter starts slipping in the drill.
<<SNIP>>>
Bob
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2014 Flagstaff 206LTD
2008 Nissan Armada LE 4X4 TV
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I tried to find out
if you have an electric winch to raise/lower the roof or if your winch is manual. No luck on that front.
The manual override for an electric winch is an easy job for a cordless drill. BUT, using a drill to try to drive a manual winch is a different matter. I'm not sure this is a good idea.
So, I'm not going to suggest a better tool. Instead, I'm going to make two observations:
1. If you have an electric winch that you are driving with a cordless drill, and if the drill can't handle the job, you need to lube the cable lift system and possibly service the winch lubrication. Then there's the matter of simply fixing the electric winch...whatever is wrong with it (probably limit switches). Regardless, manual override on an electric winch is VERY easy for even a cheapo cordless drill...unless something is wrong.
2. If you are trying to "motorize" your manual winch with an cordless drill, you are asking A LOT of that cordless drill. That manual crank on the winch gives you an enormous torque advantage over trying to drive the winch drum from the center with a cordless drill. Assuming that this is your goal, I suggest you fire up your generator and use a
robust CORDED drill to do the job. This thing is a beast.
Continuing with the manual winch:
A) Lube the hell out of everything...especially the cable lift system and all bearings, etc. in the winch. Also lube the 4 corner posts that guide the roof up and down...use a dry lube sparingly to ensure there's no binding in the corner posts...and perhaps wipe it off so you don't make everything around them turn black.
B) Use great care running this caliber of corded drill. It can break your wrist or thumb if you are careless. Use the side handle and hold the drill with both hands. DO NOT RUN IT AGAINST THE UPPER LIFT LIMIT...the sudden stop will hurt you and the camper.
C) Or...crank your roof by hand...as it was designed.
BTW, I used this drill to motorize my
Trailer Valet 5X. This unit is designed for 5000 pound trailers with max 500 pound tongue weight. I later bought a 6000 pound trailer with about 800 pound tongue weight. The Trailer Valet handled the weight, but I could no longer use a 1/2" cordless drill (even in low gear) to motorize it. I switched to a modest Makita 1/2" corded drill and burned up the motor. The Dewalt was up to the task.
So, if you have an electric winch. Fix it. If you are attempting to motorize a manual winch, you're asking too much of a cordless drill, because there is no mechanical advantage or gear reduction built into the manual winch...all that torque comes from the long crank handle and the muscles in your arms.
If your cordless drill almost gets the job done, the Dewalt corded drill (the one I specified) will do the job, but it may also break your arm or thumb. Word to the wise, when motorizing that Trailer Valet, I nearly broke my thumb several times if I was careless enough to wrap my thumb around the handle. I always used the heel of my had to push down against the torque and kept my thumb on the side of the handle with the rest of my fingers.
PS Your cordless drill is probably "ruined" from this abuse. It may still work, but it likely no longer makes full power due to overheating and far too much current going through the motor windings while the motor is stalled. I still have the one I used on the Trailer Valet, because it can drill holes etc., but I had to buy a new one for more difficult work...like drilling holes in steel. The old one was too abused to handle the tough stuff anymore. As for drilling holes in steel, that corded drill also wants to break your arm as a 1/2" bit breaks through the steel and bites in and comes to a dead stop.
Once again, use the hand crank if you have a manual winch. Trying to electrify that thing is not a good idea.
LAST TIP: The kinds of drill chucks on cordless drills require that you snug up the chuck, then grab the chuck in your fist and give it an extra quarter turn to lock the chuck. If you're chuck is loostening up as you run the drill, try this method to finalize tightening the chuck. If you're doing that already, and the "bit" comes loose in the chuck, the chuck is ruined.
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