torqued my frame one time. Is it beyond repair?

[workinghard]

No, you don't have to correct or repair anything electrical to get the mechanical/manual lift/lowering to work. But if you have no lift with the hand pump, you will not be able to get the top off the safety bar so you can release it. Hopefully, adding Dexron will allow you to lift it.

I doubt there's any way you could have blown any seals using the manual handle. The valve COULD be stuck in a partially open position by some dirt in it and there is a way to clear that talked about in this forum somewhere. But, if the valve was closed, my guess is that the fluid level was just too low. Don't worry about adding too much, my 1/4 cup suggestion was probably way too low.

- Jack

Got it.

Thank you!

 

[oldcarguy]

Keep us posted on your progress - will be interesting to see what turns out to have been the issue that's got your upper section stuck in place.....

 

[workinghard]

Update:

Bottom of trailer is now level.

I have prepped the trailer to lower the top with the possibility in mind that it may get stuck in the down position (which would be awkward to live in, but I am ready for it if it does happen.)

Stabilizer jacks are going to arrive today, and I expect to be able to try to lower the top either today or tomorrow. I plan on siphoning out the extra Hydraulic fluid before and as I lower it, if I can.

There's definitely more than enough fluid in the reservoir, and my thinking is that since it did seem like there was a goodly amount of debris stuck in the lowering valve seal, I can siphon some of the possibly debris containing fluid out and replace it with fresh Dex 3. It seems like it is not likely to cause issues if I do that, and it might help down the line.

Im off to the auto parts store to see if I can find an appropriate siphon.

Thank you to all who have been helping me along this path!

 

[oldcarguy]

Sounds like you're making progress - hopefully you're past the worst of it. Out of curiosity, how far off-level was the frame?

 

[workinghard]

Update:

The top goes down and up reliably now!!!

I do think there may be a glide block issue, and/or cable adjustment, and/or who knows, because the cables are rubbing on the port rear corner (left side facing the back of the trailer). This seems to be an old issue, as the wood already has some old grooves in it.

There is a new issue which may or may not be related, as well.

The day before I got the stabilizer jacks in place (which ended up being 2 days before I attempted to lower the top again), the door started getting a little stuck. It takes more force to close and open it. Putting the stabilizer jacks in place made no difference.

I am in the process of a move and a few other major things that have to take priority over the fine tuning of the top, and the door pinching, but I will be researching the forum and of course welcome any advice.

Thank you again to everyone who contributed! This would have been a LOT more stressful without the assistance you all have so kindly provided. I have an incredible amount on my plate right now, and you have helped me more than you would imagine.

 

[oldcarguy]

Depending on how and where the door is sticking, you might have some distortion in the door opening. If it's the upper door, check to see if you're getting any sagging across the door opening - we've had some minor issues there that have been partially resolved by adding a 5th support for the upper section on the curb side just aft of the door opening.

The woman we bought the trailer from (2nd owner) spent 6 months on the road for several years, so it had a lot of towing miles on it - with nothing to tie the sections in front of and behind the door opening together and nothing supporting the top at the door opening, I suspect the inevitable flexing and bouncing from all that travel caused the upper section to sag at the door opening. in our case the upper door frame was almost 1/2" wider at the bottom than at the top and the latch and deadbolt tended to hang up in the latch plate.

 

[workinghard]

Sounds like you're making progress - hopefully you're past the worst of it. Out of curiosity, how far off-level was the frame?

It was level, it turned out. As far as leveling, I just put the stabilizer jacks under it. I do have a broken glide block, too.

There also was an intermittently bad circuit breaker, and some debris in the hydro pump, too.

I still need to replace the glide block, and I think either cable adjustment or replacement (The top doesnt seem to be level) and a bad bulb seal (its missing huge chunks), but all that stuff can wait. I am in a huge hurry to move to my new place. It goes up and down, and the cables rubbing seems to be an old issue. Its only gotta go down and up once to get me to my new place.

Im moving either tomorrow or Thursday.

Once I am there, I can prioritize all the repairs (I have a hefty list), and modifications (like the 2X4s to hold the top up.)

 

[workinghard]

Depending on how and where the door is sticking, you might have some distortion in the door opening. If it's the upper door, check to see if you're getting any sagging across the door opening - we've had some minor issues there that have been partially resolved by adding a 5th support for the upper section on the curb side just aft of the door opening.

The woman we bought the trailer from (2nd owner) spent 6 months on the road for several years, so it had a lot of towing miles on it - with nothing to tie the sections in front of and behind the door opening together and nothing supporting the top at the door opening, I suspect the inevitable flexing and bouncing from all that travel caused the upper section to sag at the door opening. in our case the upper door frame was almost 1/2" wider at the bottom than at the top and the latch and deadbolt tended to hang up in the latch plate.

Thank you.

I should have been more specific. Its the bottom door.

I am eager to get to that repair, but that, like all the others, has to wait until I am in my lew location.

 

[workinghard]

Sounds like you're making progress - hopefully you're past the worst of it. Out of curiosity, how far off-level was the frame?

Sorry for the delayed response.

I don't know how far the frame might have been off...there were a few contributing factors to my not knowing.

Every time I thought I had the base level, I would find it was off again the next time I checked it. I couldnt tell if there was some "settling" going on, or what.

It was a REALLY bad situation at my previous location, and between a severe medical thing I am working to heal, and CPTSD, I wasn't very effectively troubleshooting.

There was also a strong possibility that there was one or more people on the land I was on who could have been intentionally misadjusting jacks and/or doing other sabotage. (I found a big was of toilet paper stuffed in my sewer hose once....buuut I never put toilet paper into the toilet. Not once. I have a specific can in the trailer for that, because I was told about the issue TP can cause....never knowing ifI was doing something wrong, or my thinking was off base, OR if I was being sabotaged was making me even more crazy and stressed. Dear lord am I glad that I am not on that land anymore!)

Im in a sustainable situation now, though. I have an INSANE amount of work to do on the trailer to make it roadworthy, and a massive amount of work to heal. I am finally in a situation where its possible now, But it's POSSIBLE now.

re the trailer, I never got a definitive answer as to what was off, except that the top was resting on the safety bar, and some debris were in the hydraulic pump, and the top was askew, as well. When I finally spent a weekend working on it without leaving the trailer unattended, I was able to adjust everything, get the top off the bar (pump debris issue was already resolved by that point), clear the counters, etc to lower the top, lower the top, and raise it again.


Anyway, the next things are getting my water situation fixed up (multiple issues) and putting the 2X4s in to hold up the top. I am also going to use the 2X4s as a base for shade cloth, that (ideally) I will be able to go up and over the top with. The heat is already an issue, and its not even summer yet.

Thank you again for your help!