Not sure about how that torsion spring works but here's a link to a general thread on the Heco lift system. The last two posts are mine. Since I routinely raise my roof with 2 canoes on top I made a longer crank handle for greater leverage. Works far better than the original Heco handle. by the way, Heco sold out their business to another company in the recent past. Maybe Canvas Replacements?
1993 Starcraft Roadmaster 850. Finally out camping.
- Thread starter jrod420
- Start date
jrod420
Observer
Well, did a little more planning, starring and wondering. The wife always wonder what I'm doing when I'm in the just stare and think mode. We were in Lowe's hardware store here the other day and there was guys everywhere seeming to be starring at products and such. She asked, "What are they staring at?" I had to inform her that they are thinking. Thinking if it will work, if it fits, hows the price, did i measure that right, is that the right brand, will the wife like it, is it the right size, color, weight. etc etc. Men stand and think in hardware stores. I do anyway, and it seemed I wasn't alone. Anyhow, onto the repairs:
Doing this in a single garage that is so tight you can only open one car door at a time. At the left side rear you can see where the heco lift has torn the old wood away from the structure. It didn't help that there was an impact there at some point in time, PO never mentioned. I cant find the weatherstripping that fits inside the T-channel aluminum cap that is under the roof. Any ideas? Stick on 3m D bulb seal?
You can really see the rot on the side piece in this picture. I am not going to replace the side panels instead I am going to build a bracket to support the HECO and and add structure to the rear corners. I am going to fill the voids left by the rotted wood with expanding foam, trimmed and sealed.
This is just with the tin peeled up form the back panel.
This is the bracket that I will weld up. Top left of pic is some more rot on front panel.
These are the front and rear panels. The rear on the left shows how it was buckled from the force of the HECO and the lack of structure in the lumber used. It is a poor design from the start. Goood enuf to last a few years i suppose, but a long term failure seems like it would be inevitable. I don't know. I'ma fix it tho.
Just another shot of the super awesome brackets I'm gonna install. They will be drilled to match the HECO inside and should be alot stronger than the factory setup. Im going to fab a cross bar to go from corner to corner inside to also help relieve some of the twisting stress applied by the HECO. And It will let me add some pre-tension when I install the roof again.
Just cuz.
Doing this in a single garage that is so tight you can only open one car door at a time. At the left side rear you can see where the heco lift has torn the old wood away from the structure. It didn't help that there was an impact there at some point in time, PO never mentioned. I cant find the weatherstripping that fits inside the T-channel aluminum cap that is under the roof. Any ideas? Stick on 3m D bulb seal?
You can really see the rot on the side piece in this picture. I am not going to replace the side panels instead I am going to build a bracket to support the HECO and and add structure to the rear corners. I am going to fill the voids left by the rotted wood with expanding foam, trimmed and sealed.
This is just with the tin peeled up form the back panel.
This is the bracket that I will weld up. Top left of pic is some more rot on front panel.
These are the front and rear panels. The rear on the left shows how it was buckled from the force of the HECO and the lack of structure in the lumber used. It is a poor design from the start. Goood enuf to last a few years i suppose, but a long term failure seems like it would be inevitable. I don't know. I'ma fix it tho.
Just another shot of the super awesome brackets I'm gonna install. They will be drilled to match the HECO inside and should be alot stronger than the factory setup. Im going to fab a cross bar to go from corner to corner inside to also help relieve some of the twisting stress applied by the HECO. And It will let me add some pre-tension when I install the roof again.
Just cuz.
I was worried about your chances of success till I got to this part. This makes you at LEAST as qualified as the average RV industry assembly line worker. You're good to go man.
jrod420
Observer
I sure hope so. My thoughts are this, pretty simple: "If another man can do it, so can I." Knowledge is the only difference, skills are developed. Just gotta ask questions, be patient, don't give up. Sometimes my way will cost me more because of lack of experience, or less because I have my own experience. Thanks for the support man!:ylsmoke:
brian90744
American Trekker
Keep at it=good job.
I have a wind-up roof by Heco/NorthStar and found a sail boat winch handle for $5.00 @ the swap meet and ordered a new modified gear assy from "Canvas Replacements" drilled out old sail boat nose piece and installed with drive pin the new gears. The new gears have a longer gear teeth. with the longer teeth it stays connected and dos'nt pop out. In my camper there about 15" between the winder and the roof. It make winding the roof up/down very easy, this is just FYI=brian
I have a wind-up roof by Heco/NorthStar and found a sail boat winch handle for $5.00 @ the swap meet and ordered a new modified gear assy from "Canvas Replacements" drilled out old sail boat nose piece and installed with drive pin the new gears. The new gears have a longer gear teeth. with the longer teeth it stays connected and dos'nt pop out. In my camper there about 15" between the winder and the roof. It make winding the roof up/down very easy, this is just FYI=brian
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jrod420
Observer
Thanks Brian! Guys have told me that the lift can have handle issues, my friends Hallmark has had issues since he bought it. My HECO is sweet besides trying to fold the roof in half at the rear, I run the crank with two fingers and the roof goes up without an issue. Super easy cranking. You, Slo, and Papawheely have been helpfull, I appreciate it! Sure hope i can find some info on the roof gasket. My local RV supply has never seen a seal like the sample I gave them. They had about 60 different kinds, but none were a match.
brian90744
American Trekker
can make a picture of the seal/gasket=My local RV supply has never seen a seal like the sample I gave them. tx=brian
brian90744
American Trekker
Nicaragüense
Observer
McMaster carr has some different weather-stripping profiles, but nothing that matches that, maybe you can try modifying a different profile to work for you.
jrod420
Observer
I found the replacement seal. Canvas Replacement's ebay. They have a pic of the one I have, also stating that it is obsolete and replaced by another part number. 40 foot seal, and the price is right. I remember reading about Canvas Replacements somewhere else on the forum just didn't know for seals as well as the HECO lift parts. Gonna go look at the new canvas I am having made this Wednesday. I will take some pics.
I am 99% sure this is the one I checked out it Canyon Meadows, Calgary. I was ready to pull the trigger on it until I discovered the damage on the rear corner that the previous owner tried to reseal. Sorry to here you got stuck with it
. Looks like you have the skills and space to get it fixed up though!
. Looks like you have the skills and space to get it fixed up though!