Penguin Camper collapse_a second time

Submitted: Monday, Jan 24, 2011 at 23:15
ThreadID: 83874 Views:6272 Replies:4 FollowUps:7
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Early in October 2010 I wrote via the Forum asking for information about the roof collapsing on my new Jayco Penguin 13 camper traile, thinking this was a one-off. I later reported that Jayco completely rebuilt the roof. I went overseas for a few months and just yesterday prepared the Penguin for its return journey from Trentham in Victoria to northern NSW. The roof collapsed, the new and fully replaced roof, collapsed again. Any suggestions? What can be done about this? Where does it end?
Di
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Reply By: Bush Wanderer - Monday, Jan 24, 2011 at 23:42

Monday, Jan 24, 2011 at 23:42
Thats no good at all Diane.

Rebuilding the roof.....so thats taking the poptop part of completely or is it just the corner that collapsed ?

This is what happenened to mine.....

I had a Eagle Outback and the drivers side front corner collapsed. It was an easy fix. I held the corner up with a large inverted tent pole, removed the seat cushions and notice that the flexible rod that lifts the corner had popped out. I pulled it out, turned it around, reinserted it, then placed a large metal clamp over the exposed section between the two channels, to ensure that it did not pop out again.

If this is the same issue.....this worked on mine and two others. About 30 minutes to fix.

It does sound different to your issue though as it did not require a roof rebuild.

AnswerID: 442955

Reply By: Member - MUZBRY(Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:00

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:00
Gday Diane
May be you better head for Dandenong instead of NSW .
Muzbry
Great place to be Mt Blue Rag 27/12/2012

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AnswerID: 442960

Reply By: Hairs & Fysh - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:27

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:27
Hi Diane,
Geez, your not having a good run of it are you?
Does it appear to be the same problem as last time or is it a different one? I guess a little hard to tell if you can't or haven't been able to get in to have a look at what has let go. Did you hear anything go bang, or something snapped or did it just slowly start coming down.
Here are a couple of a diagrams of the windup system for a 1998 Eagle lift System I would presume it would be very similar to yours. Also this might help, HOW TO REPAIR A CRANK LIFT SYSTEM
Unfortunatley I don't have a solution to your problem, other then to ring and bitterly complain. It shouldn't be up to you to fix it either.
I hope you get it sorted.


AnswerID: 442963

Follow Up By: Member - Diane F (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:39

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 07:39
Jon,
Some sound advice,and thanks. Yes, there was aloud bang. That mean anything to you?
Di
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FollowupID: 715020

Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 08:04

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 08:04
Di,
It could be a cable letting go, cable camp, a pulley breaking or a track popping out of the floor/bracket. The loud bang is usually the tension being released from any one of the above. Is it on a lean like last time? either left to right or is it front to back. This help with what cable has become slack through any of the problems I mentioned.
It could even be an eye bolt stretching open( to stop this it is best to have someone weld the eye bolt closed) and the cable becoming slack though slipping off it, even the nut working it's way loose on the eye bolt, it's best to put a Nylon Lock nut on these to prevent this from happening.
If I was around the corner Di, I could pop around and have a look for you, but I'm all the way up here.
hmmm


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FollowupID: 715022

Follow Up By: Hairs & Fysh - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 08:05

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 08:05
Sorry thats meant to be 'Cable Clamp'
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FollowupID: 715023

Follow Up By: Member - Julie P (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 10:40

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 10:40
As someone else said - head straight to Dandenong - you know everyone always says Jayco have a great after sales service section - does that raise any questions with anyone else????????????????? If your product is so good, why do you need it?
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FollowupID: 715032

Follow Up By: pmk03 - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 12:42

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2011 at 12:42
Have you checked that you are not "overwinding" the lift crank..... Just an idea
Not saying you are but you need to stop before the cable that restricts the lift is too tight (the green cable beside the front left roof support.) Overtensioning this might damage the lift system componants...
We were instructed on taking delivery of our Eagle not to have this cable tight
Just a thought.
PMK
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FollowupID: 715040

Reply By: bob p3 - Friday, Feb 18, 2011 at 14:34

Friday, Feb 18, 2011 at 14:34
I bet the problem people are having as it happened to me a couple of days ago and I am pullin my hair out at this minute.
I recon the TOP PART OF THE DOOR IS NOT BEING REMOVED before the letting the top down is the problem. Yes, I started to wind it down, ONLY A MATTER OF 3 INCHES and the bang occurred. The top part of the door which holds the 3 screws it in place on the top wall snapped which allowed the right hand rear to sag. ( The same side as the door I am referring to.)
Today I have unscrewed the areas that hide the cabling and love and behold I find the cable is slack at the telescope lift on the left rear that collapsed. I recon the problem is either the approx 1 metre spring is shot or the whatever you call it that pushes the spring up has come out of plumb.
I have been quoted near on a grand to have it repaired by the approved Jayco mob. I bet I will part with that sort of money.
Keep tuned and I will advise you how I repair the problem.
I hate parting with one cent let alone a grand.
My thought is to raise the roof with the aid of timber at the collapsed corner the with a good screw driver get the metre long spring out and check it then try and get the square which the high tension cable is attached to and hopefully between the two I will find the problem.
REMEMBER FOLKS. THE TOP PART OF THE DOOR MUST BE REMOVED AND HUNG FROM THE CEILING BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO LOWER THE ROOF. I BET THIS IS HOW MOST PROBLEMS WITH A COLLASPED ROOF OCCURS.
By the way, I have had the Penguin for 6 years and not a fault with the roof. I carry 5 solar panels in a secure theft proof cabinet along with a permanent 100 watt solar panel on a bracket and the spare tyre. All up weight is approx 100 kg. 90 per cent of the time I don't use the panels in the cabinet and the roof is raised and lowered with the total weight. The present fault is mine, not what I carry on the roof
Regards
AnswerID: 445888

Follow Up By: Member - Diane F (NSW) - Friday, Feb 18, 2011 at 23:16

Friday, Feb 18, 2011 at 23:16
You may be correct in saying that some people might not follow the instructions on how to raise and lower the roof, but I suspect having made the investment that most people of average intellect would stick to the instructions as provided by Jayco. Perhaps you would like to forward your comments direct to the National Service Manager, Jayco, Paul Morgan, and get his comments?
As far as I am concerned, the matter is now dealt with. di
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Follow Up By: cycadcenter - Saturday, Feb 19, 2011 at 02:29

Saturday, Feb 19, 2011 at 02:29
Hi Bob,

Well that was a "nice" reply to receive for trying to help someone!!

BTW Jayco USA now have electric push button system to raise and lower their pop tops over here. Look on the USA web site to see.

Bruce
Childers/San Diego


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FollowupID: 718254

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