91 Hallmark Cuchara Roof Rebuilt - Not Closing Opposite Corners, any Ideas?

[Flysar]

I purchased a 91 Hallmark Cuchara for my son and I to use as our hunting/fishing mobile camp with conveniences. All appliances work but it needed a good cleanup and some wood repair... no problem I'll have it ready by summer, famous last words.

The roof was in poor shape so a few months ago I tore it off and yesterday I put a newly rebuilt one on. Built with wood, 1" rigid foam, glue, Kreg screws and staples, as original, except I could not reuse the aluminum ceiling and roof so I used luan panels on the ceiling, added a wood lip that will act as the weather seal when closed, and plan to fiberglass the roof and weather seal.

In the open position I have uniform height all around of 23.250" at the 4 attaching points and the roof looks straight and level. Fully lowered the roof touches the base in opposing corners and the other corners are raised 2 or more inches; I did not make any changes to the Heco lift system. Within 3" of the low corners touching the base you can easily see the roof on the passenger side is higher in the front than in the back and on the drivers side it is higher in the back than in the front. I know the torsion system works because I could not lower the lift system when the roof was off. I can't lower the system far enough to lower the high corners without putting a lot of pressure on the handle and it doesn't stay in place. I can pull the high corners down and probably latch them but I'm afraid that will put stress on the fiberglass and and latches and on rough roads something will fail. On my Heco lift the torsion rods are in the lower tube mounted at bed height.

Any ideas?

 

[Flysar]

My limited understanding of the torsion system it that there is a square rod that runs through the tube which is inserted into stationary receivers at both end attaching points and there is a square receiver in the tube that is welded or pinned to the tube. When open there is no torsion on the rod but when closed the rod rotates with the tube creating torsion which assists you in raising the top back to the neutral position. Is that correct?

Is it possible that the torsion rod on the low end on each side has failed and the high end is good?

I should be able to raise the roof (rested position) and support it, unbolt the attaching ends and then see if either end rotates freely or easier than the other side, correct?

 

[1stDeuce]

?? sounds good to me. Is the Heco lift you're talking about a "crank up" style, or the style with the bars that you push up one at a time?? I wasn't aware there were torsion rods in the crank up style, but if there are, perhaps mine are broken at the front, as the rear always sticks up on my camper... ??
C

 

[Flysar]

?? sounds good to me. Is the Heco lift you're talking about a "crank up" style, or the style with the bars that you push up one at a time?? I wasn't aware there were torsion rods in the crank up style, but if there are, perhaps mine are broken at the front, as the rear always sticks up on my camper... ??
C

Mine is the crank up style and I thought I had most of the hard work done when I built and loaded up the new roof but I guess not.

 

[kerry]

That's a mystery. Did you remove the raising arms from the body of the camper in the process?

 

[Flysar]

That's a mystery. Did you remove the raising arms from the body of the camper in the process?

No, and i would have thought no one else would have needed to remove them either; it is the original roof. I'm going to call Hallmark tomorrow and see if they purposely put a twist in the roof using the lift system to help with rain shedding?

 

[Flysar]

Here are a few pictures

The first picture - upper bar is attached to roof on front and rear supports
- middle bar is attached to the Heco Travel/Crank gears
- lower bar closest to the window is the torsion bar

 

[kerry]

I had no idea there was torsion in those bars. Someone bought out HECO recently and is now making the system. It's a camping canvas supply company I think. There was a post on here about it within the last year or so. Might be worth giving them a call and describing the problem. Sorry but I can't remember the name of the new owner. Perhaps I can find it or the thread on here about it.

 

[kerry]

I think this is the place that bought HECO: http://www.popupparts.com/?main_page=index&cPath=4_6

 

[Flysar]

I called Heco today and they refer folks to Canvas Replacements, I left them a phone message earlier today.

 

[kerry]

Yeah, that's right. My link is wrong.

 

[DEnd]

When the roof is in the up position are the attachment points of the lift system square? is the camper square, level and plumb?

 

[brian90744]

roof problem.

Maybe its the left side of the roof closing too soon?? I would disconnect all the Heco bars on the roof, and lower the roof onto the camper body. Check where the Heco arms are now, if they are not in the correct attachment position to the roof. this should give you what the problem is. Also check the gear teeth at the crank wind-up area?? could have slip a tooth when the roof damaged??

Just FYI=brian

 

[kerry]

I thought about the crank mechanism also but if that was faulty, wouldn't the problem be either at the front or back and not catycorner (sp)?

 

[Flysar]

The attaching points that move along the gears are identical length from the center hub. I marked the gear bars on both sides of center stationary crank hub, removed the hub inspected all teeth, even played with the gear position a little (boy did that throw things out of wack) and reassembled everything as before.

In the open position how is it possible to have the same measurement at the front and rear roof attaching points but in the lowered position the upper bar which attaches to the roof is no longer parallel with the other bars in the lift system and is higher in the front (see my first picture).

I talked with Canvas Replacements and they suggest I call Hallmark and talk with Bill or Randy on how they set them up and what adjustments I may be able to make.

Thanks for all the input and I'll get back on here when I know more.