First off, thanks for resisting the urge to write "no, No, NO You Idiot!" in your comments. I do appreciate your interest in what I am doing and willingness to chime in and share some of your knowledge.
The wheel bearing info is wonderful but I’m not diving into that just yet. I’ll refer back to your comments when I’m ready. Regarding the lift system, I fear I might already have a pdf of a photocopy of that guide. It is for lift systems in 1985 and later Starcraft campers and mentions on the front that it also covers *most* 1983 and 1984 campers. I just have to hope that my camper falls into the *most* category.
Also, the lift system itself is not broken in that the roof goes up and down ok. It's the rod that hooks to the hitch when it is raised all the way and holds the roof up. I'm hoping that it is detachable and replaceable via Starcraft. I did some poking around though and wonder if installing an electric wench meant for popups would work. Do they stop and hold the cable when raised or do they also depend on some type of hook?
I'll have to look into this further.
Money's a little tight this weekend so I'm just going to get essentials for what I hope to do or at least get started with.
* Silicone caulk & gun
* Solvent for removing caulk
* 1 gal. White bathroom mold resistant paint for the inside of the box walls. Note this this will be covered by insulation and paneling which is why I'm not getting a glossy type paint.
* 1 2 ft square piece of wood (you had the type pegged exactly, Dusty)
* Brackets and screws to install the wood piece
* New insulation (the type dusty suggested. I just can't remember how to spell it at the moment)
* A light wiring kit for trailers per Dusty's suggestion. That was a good idea. The wires on lights of the trailer now are all the same color.
If I could at least finish removing the inside panels, remove water damaged insulation, and clean and paint the inside walls it would be a step in the right direction.
If the weather cooperates, I can remove old caulk and re-caulk the corners and roof of the camper.
If all this goes off without a hitch, I can at least start to repair the hole in the corner.
This afternoon when I get home, however, I am going to call Starcraft and inquire about parts and manuals.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
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I don't think you're an idiot at all. I also think that you can pull this off relatively painlessly if you take your time, ask lots of questions, and listen to the answers. Everybody who's ever worked on a camper asked the same questions you're asking right now, so don't sweat it.
ReplyDeleteI would be a bit concerned about that trip to Australia being added to the budget though...
I've never used an electric roof winch on a pup, so I'm no help there. I think it would be easier (and a heck of a lot cheaper) to get the replacement rod from the Starcraft dealer than to try to adapt an electric winch to yours. You also won't have to worry about not being able to get the roof back down with a dead battery.
I'm waiting on the weather too. We've got another snow storm coming in tonight, so this weekend is shot, along with all the others so far this year.
I wrote about my experience with rewiring our pup on my blog, which I started not long after I discovered yours. Here's the link to that blog entry:
http://dustyspopup.blogspot.com/2010/01/have-you-seen-light.html
Keep in mind that I'm going by memory (never a good idea with me,) chronicling things that happened almost 2 years ago.
Remember - this is supposed to be fun...