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pop up camper maintenance
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Posted by Michael1 (My Page) on Mon, Nov 28, 05 at 8:18
Hi all,I need some info on putting my popup away for the winter.I had a spring arm unit and now have a crank up unit,and need to know if there is anything you do different ,or to these units to put them away .
Thanks,Michael1 |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Michaell - Where I live has mild winters. We do have some hard freezes (down to maybe 10 degrees) that sort of come in spells, but generally don't last more than three days. So I'm not as mindful as someone who lives along the Canadian Border and really have some serious winter and low temps. Obviously, the first thing is having the camper cleaned-up, inside & out; it will get another going over & airing out in the springtime. All food stuffs are removed for the winter, includes salt & pepper, and certainly any canned goods that could freeze. I make sure the water lines are blown out so there can be no water anywhere in the line ... will freeze and burst. Obviously, that includes that the water tank is completely empty. Where do you plan on leaving the camper ... in the Garage, in the driveway or stored somewhere? I never leave the camper stored for the winter with the tires on bare ground - I always make sure there's a block of wood underneath the tires. Dale |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Thanks for the response Dale,I live in Allentown ,Pa. so the winters aren`t really harsh,and I did all the things you mentioned,I was mainly concerned about cable and pully(or whatever they use to raise and lower the top.The camper is in my back yard,on 1x10 blocks,covered with a plastic tarp,with mothballs inside,and a mouse trap.Anything you see that I missed,please let me know. Thanks,Michael1 |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Michael - you don't mention the camper brand so I'm not sure about what lifter system you might have. On my little Starcraft they have the "Goshen" lift system which is a pretty simple (and reliable). What I do is use a 100% silicone spray for the lifter sections; I spray down into the sections after I've raised the roof maybe a foot. Put a rag behind where your spraying so as not to get any of the silicone spray onto the canvas; and not too much, just a couple good sprays will do. The silicone spray will not gather dust like maybe WD-40 would do. Underneath the camper, Goshen lifts have an enclosed sort of flattened tube like affair where the cable runs through. There's a couple of zerk fittings there that require a little squirt of grease every now and again. Usually I have that done when I have the wheel bearings re-packed annually - again, not too mush grease as it will only attract dust and make a mess. The Goshen lift also has a winch where you do all the cranking from and again, I use the silicone spray here a couple times a year or so - just get on my back and spray up into the winch and that lubes the workings there without attracting too much dust. Also, along these lines of "lubes" ... when I hitch up the camper for a trip I also give the coupling ball a very light coat of grease. Always have to remember when you get to where your going and you un-hitch, to wipe off any grease that might be present on the ball as it's nasty stuff to wash out when you brush up against it with a pant leg. Hope that helps you some. Dale |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Dale,my camper is a 89 Coleman. |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Michael - not familar with your lift system or the maintnance. But do know you would use the 100% silicone spray for the four lifter sections. You might want to make a post on one of the popup camper sites, like for example, www.popuptimes.com and see if maybe someone might have an '89 Coleman, or maybe have owned one at one time or another. Dale |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Thanks Dale,I`ll try that. Mike |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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where could I find a pretty cheap
hand winch and a water pump for a 95 dutchman popup trailer |
RE: pop up camper maintenance
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| Cal86 - are you talking about the winch on the front of the camper for the lift system? And for the water pump, are you referring to a hand pump or a 12 volt electrical type? Dale |
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