How to Replace Cables on a Pop-Up Camper
A pop-up camper is lifted from its low-profile, towing configuration to its deployed configuration by operating a system of stranded cables. The cables are routed around pulleys and actuated by a cranking or winching mechanism, which is in turn assisted by springs. Cranks are operated manually and winches are mechanically driven, from either the towing tongue or a location on the base box. The rigid bottom of a pop-up camper, called its base-box, remains in place, and the collapsible top is raised. Some manufacturers create the lift by attaching the cables directly to the top section, but more usually systems are used which cause the cables to extend telescoping support legs. Cables can snap, and must then be replaced.
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Things You'll Need
- Automotive jacks (optional)
- Pole/clamp assemblies (optional)
- Automotive toolkit
Instructions
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Raise the pop-up camper top. If this is not possible because of the broken cable, use automotive jacks and have an assistant brace the roof all around with poles and clamps.
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Remove the shrouds or paneling in each corner of the camper and along the horizontal cable runs. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the mechanisms. The pulleys are located one to each corner, either immediately beneath the camper or inside, within inches of the floor.
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Use a non-solvent-based aerosol spray lubricant to ensure that the cranking mechanism and all the cables and pulleys can move freely. Silicone spray is best.
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Inspect the actuating mechanism to determine where the fault lies. The corner pulleys are often situated tight up against the wall and floor of the base-box, and if your camper is so designed, it is necessary that the pulley be removed. Use a properly-sized socket to remove the nut holding in place the pulley through which the broken cable runs.
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Feed the broken cable out of the pop-up camper base box and back to the crank or winch. Some manufacturers route the cables through closed conduits; others simply run them through tunnels or guides.
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Use a wrench or screwdriver to release the broken pulley at both ends, from the crank or winch and from its attachment to the leg if your camper was manufactured using telescoping supports, or from its anchor at the top corner of the camper's extending upper section. Typically, the cable will be held in place by trapping it between two plates and clamping the plates together with one or more nut/bolt/washer/lock washer assemblies.
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Inspect all the other cables for signs of wear and potential damage. Be particularly careful to ensure that no cables are rubbing on any housings or conduit ends.
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Purchase a replacement cable of exactly the same weight and size. Never mismatch cables. Your local RV dealership will have these in stock or be able to order them.
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Install the replacement cable according to the manufacturer's instructions. Replace the pulley and its fastener, then recheck that the cable is taut. Double-check that the full length of the cable is seated accurately in all its guides and in the groove of every pulley it passes through.
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Reassemble the shrouds or paneling.
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Tips & Warnings
Cables can simply jump their tracks. Before making any replacements, ensure that the cables are seated properly in their grooves. If any are found to have jumped, replace them into their pulleys and/or housing, and then operate the pop-up function again to see if this has cured the problem.
After replacing the cables and reassembling the mechanism, lubricate the crank, pulleys and cables with spray-on or heavy white grease.
Never try to repair a broken cable. Cables are under considerable strain when the pop-up top is deployed, and if they snap again, they can cause serious injury.
Do not use a solvent-based spray lubricant either during the repair or after. It will strip the necessary grease from the system.
