New hi-lo owner need help with top adjustment

[mckavett]

Thanks for this group of knowledgeable owners, you have helped me so much just in reading your posts. Purchased a 99 26FB and have been working on it for several months. Almost finished and i went and left the microwave on top of the fridge and a bathroom cupboard door open (both back left side) and lowered the top. . Got it unjammed but now the back wall sits too high and the front wall too low (about 2 1/2 inches) tried to adjust the cables but they don't seem to make any improvement. when we bought it the front was already to low, back was good, now not so much
The cables look good, no fraying. Cant find any broken pulleys, but it is definitely out of wack, it goes up and down fine but makes a squeaking sound. the plate that the pulleys are on that rides on the bar underneath is crooked due to the adjustments i tried to make. the adjustment rod for the front is all the way out and the back ones are almost all the way in. we live in southern new mexico and there seems to not be anyone in the area that works on these things. i have checked everything i can think of including greasing the rod and oiling the pump shaft, any advise from y'all will be greatly appreciated

 

[RichR]

Did you check to see if any of the cables had jumped off the pulleys?

 

[mckavett]

Yes I did, and also checked for any pulleys I may have broken. I can not find anything wrong. I took the trim off on the inside today and watched the rotation of the pulleys and cables from the inside as I had only watched from under the trailer and everything seems to be turning freely. Cables look good. I really am lost on this one.

 

[RichR]

Are the glide blocks on the sides engaged in the vertical rails? If those aren't engaged it could cause binding. Grasping for possible problems here.

 

[JackandJanet]

Just a thought - check the underside edge of the top where the cables attach. You MAY find the cables have pulled into that surface "denting" it.

But, I like Rich's idea. Lowering the top on something inside that caused to top to stop lowering evenly could well have twisted the guide blocks off the rails, or even broken them.

- Jack

 

[mckavett]

Guide blocks all on rails. I have waxed the rails. Will recheck the underside edge of the top just in case I missed something. Is it possible that I could have stretched the cables? Although the side that I jammed raises higher than the rest not lower.

 

[JackandJanet]

Your last post almost makes it seem the top was "torqued" when it was lowered, causing it to remain higher than the other side. But, if that were true, then the side that lifts higher would remain higher as the top was lowered and it possibly would not rest on the outrigger when it was fully down. Is any of this true? If so, the top would need some major work (so I hope it isn't).

- Jack

 

[RichR]

Have you checked to see if something isn't caught in between the top and bottom? That can cause that situation.

 

[mckavett]

Nothing caught between the top and bottom, but think I better take a closer look as to weather or not it is resting properly when it is down. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Bobhxsn]

Lift Cable Adjustment

IOf your top section sits evenly on the lid lowered position supports, you might try the normal cable adjustment procedure: cut enough 2x4s 24 inches long to set one on end at each of the down supports and then lower the lid down to the 2x4s. It will set level with the bottom of the rig. While letting the top sit on the 2x4s, check the cable adjustment point. It is located between the wheels on the driver side of the rig. If any of them are hanging loose, loosen the lock nut for the lose cables and then tighten the loose adjustment nut until you have snug fit. Re-tighten the lock nuts. Lift the top to the raised position and check for consistent fit all around the bottom/top interface. If that does not square away the issue, you almost certainly have a warped top that will require considerable work to fix. Hope that is NOT the case !!! I have had to adjust my lifting cables twice since I bought the rig new in 2010 (one of the last HiLos to come out of that plant). Good Luck

Bob

 

[MTboondocker]

IOf your top section sits evenly on the lid lowered position supports, you might try the normal cable adjustment procedure: cut enough 2x4s 24 inches long to set one on end at each of the down supports and then lower the lid down to the 2x4s. It will set level with the bottom of the rig. While letting the top sit on the 2x4s, check the cable adjustment point. It is located between the wheels on the driver side of the rig. If any of them are hanging loose, loosen the lock nut for the lose cables and then tighten the loose adjustment nut until you have snug fit. Re-tighten the lock nuts. Lift the top to the raised position and check for consistent fit all around the bottom/top interface. If that does not square away the issue, you almost certainly have a warped top that will require considerable work to fix. Hope that is NOT the case !!! I have had to adjust my lifting cables twice since I bought the rig new in 2010 (one of the last HiLos to come out of that plant). Good Luck

Bob

Mckavett- sorry to hear of your troubles, I'm having a similar issue.... bobhxsn, a little more detail please. Are you saying cut quantity 4 of 24" long 2x4, then place them on the rubber pads (2 each front & rear) of the actual frame rails where to top sits when in fully lowered position? If so, does one stop lowering the top until it just rests on all 4 boards, then adjust up any noted slack? Thanks in advance for your help, mckavett & I appreciate it!

 

[mckavett]

Thanks for the info Bob. Looks like we are at the worst conclusion. The top is definitely warped. Done as much adjustment as I can and it will go up and down again with no loud noises or grinding. But it sure won't seal. My wife and I are in our 70's so I really doubt if we will try to tackle that kind of job. Looking for someone in the New Mexico, Arizona area that knows enough about these trailers, but no one so far. When you raise it it still locks into place so I believe it may be safe enough, and I guess I can use foam to seal the gaps when it is up for now, but sure makes me sick. Went to Colorado to get it and we have worked long and hard on it since April. Everything works now. All Windows have been taken out and resealed, has an inside shower and tub that works again. Put the cabinets back up in it, got the heater and a/c working. Installed new toilet.Repaired and resealed the roof. Seems the list goes on forever and then we go and do something so stupid. All we had left was brakes and it would have been done. Even put all new external lights and changed the inside to led. Oh well, I guess it could have been worse.Haha. Thanks for all the great advice everyone. We have sure learned a lot along the way, and a lot of it thanks to you.

 

[JackandJanet]

Mckavett- sorry to hear of your troubles, I'm having a similar issue.... bobhxsn, a little more detail please. Are you saying cut quantity 4 of 24" long 2x4, then place them on the rubber pads (2 each front & rear) of the actual frame rails where to top sits when in fully lowered position? If so, does one stop lowering the top until it just rests on all 4 boards, then adjust up any noted slack? Thanks in advance for your help, mckavett & I appreciate it!

Hi boondocker - you place those 2x4s on the things we call "outriggers". Those ARE the things the top rests upon when lowered. They are part of the frame and level with the upper part of the lower half. When I did it, I taped my 2x4s to the sides of the lower half with duct tape, so they wouldn't fall off.

Then you lower the top right onto the 2x4s so that ALL the strain is off the cables. This gives you the slack you will need to tighten the cables that are supporting the parts that are too low to meet the bulb seal when the top is fully up.

It's a 1:1 ratio for the amount of adjustment bolt movement to the amount of lift you see at the side you are adjusting. So, if you can tell the top is 1/2" lower than the bulb seal where the cable comes out under the top, you would adjust the bolt to extend out 1/2" more than it currently is. Don't lift the top TOO high, or you can damage something.

- Jack

 

[retiredcamper47]

Adjust your cables the easier way. Lay the 2x4's horizontal, not vertical. You only use 2 boards instead of 4. To adjust the front cables, lay the 2x4 across the frame, so that when the top is lowered, the rubber pads attached to the bottom side of the top rests on the board. Make sure the board lays on top of the frame (both sides) so that you do not crack/damage the plastic tongue cover. This will give you plenty of slack for the front cable adjustments. To adjust the rear cables, do the same procedure to the rear. If you are going to adjust front and rear cables at the same time, use the 2 boards, one on each end. This is the system I used on both my HiLo's and it worked like a charm. Just trying to make life easier.............

Bob

 

[MTboondocker]

JackandJanet & Retiredcamper47, thank you BOTH for great clarification! Jack, my concern using your method is exactly as you state, I could inadvertently keep my finger on the switch a bit too long while lowering the tio down to contact boards and "create" too much slack which, if I take all of it up, may cause top to raise TOO FAR or TOO HIGH causing problems. Retired, your method of dropping top down nearly all the way to bottom of its extension save for the last 4 inches (if I lay 2x4s on edge) would seem to almost eliminate that possibility if I watch carefully as I lower and release switch as soon as I see all 4 points contact boards, is that correct? Any reason not to use 2 (front & rear) 4x4 as I have 3 of 4 corners to raise about 1.5-2.0 inches? Many thanks again in advance to you both!

 

[retiredcamper47]

MT, you can use 4x4’s instead of 2x4’s. They would give you more slack in the adjustment cables. I found that a single 2x4 did the job for me and I laid it with the wide side up. Remember, you are only going to turn the adjustment nut 1/2 to 1 turn at a time. Raise the top to check seal fit. If more adjustment is needed, lower top and repeat process. Lower the top all the way down just as if the board is not there to make the adjustment.

Bob

 

[MTboondocker]

Retired- thanks for more clarification (I agree, a 2x4 laid FLAT SIDE UP allows stability and maximum drop of top prior to adjustment). I appreciate it and am sure the O/P does too!