Cable/Mount failure help please

Well, today sucked. Finally got the walls down to the frame, ceiling prepped for new insulation and panels, and roof ready for resealing. Cleaned everything out and went to lower the top. We don't have the inside switch hooked up, instead we have a switch by the pump. Flipped the switch to lower, and slowly down it went, normal sounds and then bang (insert preferred expletives here) front crashed all the way down and rear is still about 8" raised. Crawled under and found a snapped cable with the pulley bracket sheared from the ram. Anyone got a helping idea at what is involved here, other than getting it lifted up and going from there. I'm hopeful the bracket can be welded back to ram and cables replaced. Of course the cable replacement was on my to-do list but it might have gone straight to the top if the repair number isn't too large.

Yes, I think you're going to have to raise the front to match the rear before you do anything else. I'd cut 2-2x4s to the current height of the rear and use them between the rear bumper frame and the top while you're lifting it. I suspect you'll need something like farm jacks to get the front half up, then support the entire top with 4-2x4s between the outriggers and the top. That will support it properly, removing the unnatural stress that the 2x4s at the rear bumper will place on it.

You're going to have to inspect and very possibly replace the guide blocks that slide on the tracks that run up the lower half. Looking at your pictures, I think they may be broken - possibly all four of them. You can get new ones at J&R Repair in Ohio.

I've never seen the type of breakage you have, but your idea of welding that pulley bracket back in place sounds feasible. Once you have that fixed, you can replace the cable, but I'd replace ALL four! If one has broken, I would not trust any of the others. You can make your own or J&R can provide those too. A set of four will be a bit pricey, so you might give strong consideration to making your own. You can buy the steel cable and other parts that will work at a home improvement store.

- Jack

Thanks Jack, I had already gone through the entire hydraulic subforum to get an idea of problems to look for, and except for that one cable with a minor fray everything looked in order. That cable was on the docket for next weekend after a call to the folks in Ohio to get some insight on fabbing my own. Needed one guide block, well until about 5 hours ago lol, thankfully they're pretty cheap.

My concern is on that plate I'm guessing it was attached to the ram end so figuring out how to get everything lined back up and not bind as the ram extends and retracts, while being strong so not to break again. Trying to find as many pics of the system in an unbroken state for reference.

Also, hi neighbor, we're in Flagstaff!

Yes, you're sort of "close" (as the ravens fly) - about 90 minutes away.

I think you'll have to replace the cable(s) BEFORE you replace the guide block, because you have to get the top all the way up so that you can take off the guide rails before you remove the blocks. Possibly, if one was broken, it caused binding that twisted the top putting extra strain on that cable.

In the future, if you see ANY fraying, replace the cable right away. And, inspect and lubricate them annually. You have to take the trim strips off the inside upper half to get at the upper part of the cables (where breakage normally occurs) and to lubricate them and the pulleys in those locations.

I wish I could give you some guidance on repairing the pulley bracket, but I've never heard of one breaking like that.

- Jack

Cable replacement in my 1998HiLo24td.

This 15 page document was posted by another member on 3-3-2010. It explains how to do the repair and make your own cable. Much cheaper to make your own cables. Perhaps someone that is very computer savy can post the link for you.

It's a "sticky" as the first post in this thread: https://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f61/cable-replacement-and-adjustment-5875/

Yes, I'd make my own if I had to replace the cables.

- Jack

When the front cables broke on the 69 I took it across town to the Hi-Lo shop . Cables.had to be retrofit and made up for it as they were not available anyone run 600 bucks for the replacement.

Your pictures are confusing. Did you have four cables? I see three pullies, were you lifting with three cables only? The plate must be balanced on the ram or damage may result. The ram cannot be repaired.