Proper time to relax cables

It is probaly here somewhere, but I could not find when is the proper time to relax the cables after the top is raised- before putting out the extend a room or before? We had some problems with the box on top of the extend a room (ear) coming loose at the corners, so thought that was from too much weight resting on it, we have been leaving it all the way up, but we are concerned that the weight of the top is resting on the cables instead of the supports. What are the forums thoughts on this?

The top half of the trailer rests on the cables any time the top is up, there are no additional supports. The stop bar that is attached to the pull cable, only prevents the hydraulic cylinder from detracting. If you are talking about the extend a room, then I don't know what you mean.

Pipers,

I agree with Pop, the main lift cables are (and should be) under tension whenever the top is raised.

Frankly, your question is a bit confusing. After raising the top, and deploying the tip-out, are you saying that you then lower the top to rest on the tip-out? And/or, are you saying that the piece of wood, mounted at the top of your tip-out, where the winch cable is attached, is coming loose? And/or, is the entire cabinet, that houses the winch, coming loose at the corners?

The correct operating procedure is to raise the top, all the way, until the ram locking bar engages (typically with a faint "clunk"). Then deploy the tip out all the way until you can engage the manual locking pin (up on the side of the tip-out). If you are deploying the tip-out until the wood side trim rest against the upper half side wall, then you've done it correctly. The locking pin should not be able to engage until the tip out is ALL the way tipped out.

Over time, due to minor hydraulic seepage past the ram, the top of your Hi-Lo will probably drift down until the ram lock is holding it up. This is okay, and safe, but could cause the tip-out to hang-up (including jamming the locking pin). All you need to do if this happens, is raise the top back up... which is normal anyway to release the ram locking bar (by pulling on that little cable by the switch), and then unlocking and retracting the tip out. The tip out should come all the way in until it rests on the floor without tension on winch cable.

Hope this helps. If I've completely missed the problem you're having, give us some photos to look at.

Jim

Thanks for the technical terms there- LOL yes, I was asking if the top should be resting on the ram locking bar- the top and bottom seems to seal better when we rest it there, but that puts pressure on the box that holds the hoist and we have had to renail and glue the box to handle the weight of the top resting on it. We do not have the pins that lock the extend a room in place- I've seen them in pictures, but perhaps the 2006 did not have them.

Okay, to take any pressure off the cabinet, when I deploy the tip out, after its all the way out, I let the winch run for an extra second to give it some slack. When retracting the tip-out, I do the same thing for a bit of slack, and let the winch run an extra second after the tip-out is resting on the floor.

I would caution not to let the winch run too long, loosening the cable excessively, as it could cause the cable to jump a pulley or tangle on the winch drum up in the cabinet.

Jim

Oh, forgot to include this in my prior message. When you get the tip-out to top dead center (TDC), before reversing winch direction, lay off the switch! If you keep tightening the cable at that point in the tip-out arc, you could actually rip the cable off the tip-out, or I suppose the inverse, which would be to start tearing the cabinet off the ceiling!

When I get close to TDC, I stop the winch and manually push the tip-out through TDC. Then I start the winch again to lower the tip-out into place. TDC is the BIG danger point.

Jim

Ok, think I get the problem, Jim's directions sound exactly right, it sounds like you are running the wench to long or when your shouldn't be running it.

Tip out

I also have an 06 Classic and there are no pins to hold it when open. I don't see the need for them as the tip out rests against the trim and wall when open. As for the winch, just don't force it beyond the center position when running it in or out. I haven't had any problems like what you describe, so I can't give you any help. I also run the top all the way up and leave it there when using the trailer. It sounds like you might need a little cable adjustment if the top seal is better with the pressure off, it might be going higher than it should. There are a lot of good links in the forum on cable adjustment.

Thanks all- the cables probably do need some tweaking. Will check that out.

JMDoering said:

Oh, forgot to include this in my prior message. When you get the tip-out to top dead center (TDC), before reversing winch direction, lay off the switch! If you keep tightening the cable at that point in the tip-out arc, you could actually rip the cable off the tip-out, or I suppose the inverse, which would be to start tearing the cabinet off the ceiling!

When I get close to TDC, I stop the winch and manually push the tip-out through TDC. Then I start the winch again to lower the tip-out into place. TDC is the BIG danger point.

Jim

Click to expand...

JIM, there is a limit switch that should shut off the tipout winch motor at top dead center so you don't break the cable. That limit switch is adjustable.