Broken Cable - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

raysnuffer · 09-09-2011, 08:45 PM

Bought a 1908T two weeks ago and went to Roaring River Missouri today and snapped a lift cable.

Packed up and left 20 minutes after we got there.

It looks like a rusted cable cause I could see the break on the roller to the right of the door.

Even though has no warranty, the owner says he will take care of it. We will see.

Any one else have this problem?? Hilo advertises the lift cables are airplane strength. These are only 3 years old !!! I wonder if the airplanes are still flying

RichR · 09-09-2011, 09:16 PM

The cable can be replaced and it would be a good idea to check the others. They do need to be maintained, cleaned, lubed, and inspected for fraying, along with the rest of the lift system components at least once a year.

campthewestcoast · 09-09-2011, 10:10 PM

We have the original cables on our 1997 21Ft. As long as they are maintained, they should last a long time.

JackandJanet · 09-10-2011, 12:49 AM

That really is too early for a cable failure. I wonder if there's some problem (binding maybe) along the guides the top moves up and down on. Or, was the cable adjusted improperly so that its side hit the top way before the others?

Do you see rust at the broken end of the cable? Both ends of the break should actually be visible. You should have a relatively short piece still attached to the top and the longer length running under the trailer to the lifting ram (or whatever it's called). I would expect both ends to be hanging off the trailer now.

- Jack

raysnuffer · 09-10-2011, 10:46 AM

Thanks all for the replies....

The cable next to the door was rusted thru where it broke.
So both cables broke on that side.

There obviously was no lubrication done on the unit, lucky me to buy it just in time to experience a cable failure.

I will keep the forum posted on the repair outcome.

Thanks again.

Ray

raysnuffer · 09-21-2011, 05:14 PM

All four cables will be replaced. I will pay 386.00 which is half the cost. Since I bought the HiLo on cosignment, the original owner was contacted by the rv sales office and agreed to pay the other half.

They ordered the cables so I guess I will see my trailer again in about four weeks. We'll see

PopRichie77 · 09-21-2011, 05:44 PM

The RV place is charging a lot for the job, here is a link to the cables and it takes about half a day to change.
Web Store - The Official HiLo Trailer Parts & Service

sam · 09-21-2011, 11:26 PM

Just to give you an idea. Our HiLo dealer has a shop rate of 75.00 an hr.If you care to replace the cables yourself there are directions in a previous post.

raysnuffer · 09-22-2011, 08:07 PM

Thanks popriche77 and sam. I know its a lot of money, but I could have been stuck with the whole bill since the unit was sold "as is". I had a verbal knock down dragout with the owner to get him to do this much.

I looked at the DIY cable replacement post and it is impressive, but I don't trust myself to do the job.

The narrative and pictures will help me when I lubricate the cables and ram every year.

I am still baffled as to how the cables could rust thru that fast. As you know, a lot of HiLo rv's from the 80's and 90's are still going without a cable replacement.

They ordered the cables from J.R.'s I think.

Should be up and going by middle of next month.

Thanks again for the comments

Ray

raysnuffer · 10-16-2011, 07:41 PM

Got the camper back with all 4 cables replaced. They work well. He put in 4/16th cables as opposed to original 3/16th.

Spent a couple of days at Grove Okla at Cedar Oaks camp grounds, a great place on Grand lake of the Cherokees. Love the trailer, especially the rain hitting the aluminum roof

Found out heater doesn't work, so thats my next project. I have been researching the furnace parts manual.

I bought a volt meter and will start the process by seeing if the thermostat is getting any voltage from the battery and work my way through the other parts like the ignition board and motor. At least the fan ought to work but it doesn't even fire up

campthewestcoast · 10-16-2011, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysnuffer

Got the camper back with all 4 cables replaced. They work well. He put in 4/16th cables as opposed to original 3/16th.

Spent a couple of days at Grove Okla at Cedar Oaks camp grounds, a great place on Grand lake of the Cherokees. Love the trailer, especially the rain hitting the aluminum roof

Found out heater doesn't work, so thats my next project. I have been researching the furnace parts manual.

I bought a volt meter and will start the process by seeing if the thermostat is getting any voltage from the battery and work my way through the other parts like the ignition board and motor. At least the fan ought to work but it doesn't even fire up

If the fan doesn't start when you turn on the thremostat and raise the desire temperture, the furnace isn't getting 12volt power. There might a master power switch on the furnace that is off or a blown fuse. The fan should be the first item that starts, which engauges the sail switch to close to start the ignition.

Rolff · 10-17-2011, 05:04 PM

My Atwood furnace has 2 switches - one on the thermostat and a circuit breaker under the grill/front door of the furnace. If only the thermostat one is ON the fan will run but it won't ignite.

raysnuffer · 10-18-2011, 10:44 AM

Thanks Rolff...

When I looked at the furnace under the dinette seat, the ignition board was hanging loose and the grill was off. So somebody else had been trouble shooting.

Will use my voltmeter to see where the problem is. I bet I need to replace the thermostat and ignition board. We'll see.

Ray

raysnuffer · 10-23-2011, 07:39 PM

Thanks Campthewestcoast and Rolff....

I found that someone had bent the metal part of the thermostat "on" switch so it wasn't making contact.

Before that, I touched the two wires of the thermostat together and the fan and gas fired up ok.

I think I wore the battery down just enough so the fan would not trip the sail switch. Cause after a while I got the three clicks that says trying to ignite and the ignition board code light blinked 3 times that says "ignition lockout".

The battery checked out at 12.6 volts and I think a full charge is a little over 13 volts. The top lowered ok on the charge that was left.

Am going back to "Roaring River" Missouri next week and will try furnace there with a full charge on the battery.

goldman · 10-24-2011, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysnuffer

Got the camper back with all 4 cables replaced. They work well. He put in 4/16th cables as opposed to original 3/16th.

Spent a couple of days at Grove Okla at Cedar Oaks camp grounds, a great place on Grand lake of the Cherokees. Love the trailer, especially the rain hitting the aluminum roof

Found out heater doesn't work, so thats my next project. I have been researching the furnace parts manual.

I bought a volt meter and will start the process by seeing if the thermostat is getting any voltage from the battery and work my way through the other parts like the ignition board and motor. At least the fan ought to work but it doesn't even fire up

check your fuses first,brush out yearly