A Word from Starcraft

I did manage to contact the Starcraft Company last Friday. Their website only offered a phone number not an email as I had hoped. I discovered some useful facts. First, I cannot order parts directly from Starcraft. Instead, I have to order through a licensed dealer. They gave me the name and number of a new dealer in Nashville. However, they did suggest that it would be better to call the Starcraft parts dept. to get the actual part number and such that I need to order as dealers apparently don't like to be bothered with this and typically ask customers to call Starcraft anyway.

I asked about a parts catalog or something that I could get but was told that they didn't have anything for customers. I then explained that I will be forced to describe parts that I need in very layman's terms and they would have to decipher what I say to identify the part I need.

They said they had no problem with that.

I thought I would start with the bent bar hook in the lift system. It turns out that part is called the "Safety Hook." After a few minutes on hold, the parts guy came back and told me "oh, that part was made in the old blah blah blah (I don't remember the name) factory in Illinois. It's been closed down a long time." You're going to have to get one made yourself.

Translation: jerry-rig it

I then tried with the roof gasket. Yes, it was made in the same blah blah blah factory. The rep said that he would research and see if there is a recommended alternative. He took my number to call me back with the info. I won't be holding my breath.

I suspect that I'm going to grow to hate that blah blah blah factory.

On a positive note, they are going to send a user manual free of charge.

He did say that the one part he can guarantee to be in stock is the lift cables themselves which will come in handy once I inevitably manage to break them all trying to jerry-rig the safety hook.