Back deck

[linemanjim]

When you use the back deck as a patio and you are going to put it away do you need to remove the cables completely or can you leave them attached to the top of the trailer and tuck them in along the edge and close it up, or will this damage the door once you close it. there seems to be enought space but the dealer said to never do that always remove them and stow them away till the next time.

 

[DocFather]

I never have removed the cables. They stow without getting in the way

 

[Ladiver]

We leave ours connected all the time. No problems yet.

 

[Cjackg]

At first we had one pinched so we now clip the two cables together near the middle of the door/ramp and that has worked fine.

The other thing to watch for is the bottom of the side rails when they are folded down flat... We had one get behind the door frame with the ramp closed and it locked the ramp in place.... Took a while to pin this down... now we use Velcro straps on the rails when folded...

 

[ndmac]

Rear and side deck on our 4200...Leave them both connected all the time. No Issues.

 

[Dloebrich]

I unhook at the ramp end and lay them behind the 3 season door.

 

[ILH]

However the cables were when last used (attached or not) is how it gets folded up. We've never had an issue.

 

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

I learned this from someone else on this forum. We use bungie cord between the two cables when putting it up and have never had a problem.

"Happy Trails
Chiefneon

 

[im_1406]

Me too Cheifneon.....and tried the bungie trick this weekend.....works great. Will need to add one to the side patio also. Sized to give just the right amount of tension to pull the cables out of harms way.

 

[oscar]

I disconnect the cables at the bottom and then weave them through the two handles of the three season door. It secures the cables and it keeps the three season doors closed as the latch designed to do that does not work.

 

[hp2guy]

We stow the cables down the side rails of the tailgate frame, there's a piece of channel that holds them.
Does anyone have an issue with inadequate helper spring tension?
My wife just suffered a compression fracture in her back when she unlatched the tailgate & it squashed her like a bug under a fly swatter.
I have stretched tendons in both elbows & damaged my right shoulder trying to lift/lower the easily 150lb weight of the tailgate.
I didn't realize they weren't supposed to be so heavy 'til I watched someone lift the tailgate on their Forest River with one hand.
Do I go to Heartland for my wife's doctor bills?This happened LAST fRIDAY

 

[hp2guy]

ATF: Cyclone - Toy hauler ramp helper springs

Just discovered (didn't know better) that the helper springs on my tailgate are way too low in tension. The deck weighs probably 100+ lbs when trying to raise/lower it. My wife suffered a 10% compression fracture to her L1 vertebra Friday. She unlatched the tailgate & it fell on her. We spent the day in the ER & paid $750 in copay/deductible to be told she must suffer through it. She can barely walk or stand up. I have injured both elbows & my right shoulder trying to operate this tailgate.
How much weight should the user encounter when raising or lowering the tailgate?
I witnessed another camper raise his tailgate with his left hand last week. That's the first time I realized we had a problem.

 

[danemayer]

We stow the cables down the side rails of the tailgate frame, there's a piece of channel that holds them.
Does anyone have an issue with inadequate helper spring tension?
My wife just suffered a compression fracture in her back when she unlatched the tailgate & it squashed her like a bug under a fly swatter.
I have stretched tendons in both elbows & damaged my right shoulder trying to lift/lower the easily 150lb weight of the tailgate.
I didn't realize they weren't supposed to be so heavy 'til I watched someone lift the tailgate on their Forest River with one hand.
Do I go to Heartland for my wife's doctor bills?This happened LAST fRIDAY

Hi hp2guy,

Sounds like you need to have the door checked out by your dealer to find out why it's so heavy. You might call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready. I'm sure they'll be interested in finding out what your dealer finds.

 

[hp2guy]

Thanks Dan,

We are roughly 1800 miles out from our dealer. I contacted them, but they don't respond (likely scared I'm going to ***). Heartland has been very helpful with many other issues we have encountered, but they say to check in to one of a list of dealers. Each of those dealers says to leave our rig with them for 6-8 weeks before they can look at it.

 

[danemayer]

I think all the ramps/garage doors are made by Lippert. And although I don't know much about them, I'd guess that one of 2 things is wrong: either a spring is not doing its job (broken or out of place), or there's water inside the door.

Have you inspected the springs? Are there any signs of swelling of the door?

 

[hp2guy]

It is an LCI (Lippert) system. There are 6 springs across the bottom, all are intact. The door itself does fill with water, my dealer has observed this at 2 of their locations & repeatedly advises that it is of no consequence because the framing is aluminum & the deck plates are metal. When lowered from the deck position, water fountains out of the bolt holes through the deck that hold the patio rail brackets. I'll let it drain before attempting to lift it, never hear any water flowing up or down the ramp as I move it.
The springs seem a little light in gauge & do not appear to have any winding torque applied to them.

 

[BLHFUN]

It is an LCI (Lippert) system. There are 6 springs across the bottom, all are intact. The door itself does fill with water, my dealer has observed this at 2 of their locations & repeatedly advises that it is of no consequence because the framing is aluminum & the deck plates are metal. When lowered from the deck position, water fountains out of the bolt holes through the deck that hold the patio rail brackets. I'll let it drain before attempting to lift it, never hear any water flowing up or down the ramp as I move it.
The springs seem a little light in gauge & do not appear to have any winding torque applied to them.

Wait.... what? The back deck itself has water inside?

 

[danemayer]

If you have a door full of water, you have two problems. The problem with the weight is no doubt the additional water weight. And the wood in the door will rot from the inside. You need to let it drain and dry out and figure out where the water is getting in.

 

[avvidclif]

It is an LCI (Lippert) system. There are 6 springs across the bottom, all are intact. The door itself does fill with water, my dealer has observed this at 2 of their locations & repeatedly advises that it is of no consequence because the framing is aluminum & the deck plates are metal. When lowered from the deck position, water fountains out of the bolt holes through the deck that hold the patio rail brackets. I'll let it drain before attempting to lift it, never hear any water flowing up or down the ramp as I move it.
The springs seem a little light in gauge & do not appear to have any winding torque applied to them.

Something is wrong. The ramp should not have water in it. Mine never has. While it is heavy it's not that heavy. I'm guessing 75 lbs max. Try this, mine when lowered will not go all the way to the ground. The springs stop it. It usually stops about a 6" to a foot in the air. That's not dropping it but lowering it easy and letting it stop on it's own. If you take the deck railings off it stops about level....

 

[IronJ]

Shoot not mine. ..it's easily 150lbs trying to lift that thing...I won't let my wife near it...the side patio ramp is smaller so it's not as bad...but you gotta be careful walking it down or it will flatten ya!!.....

Mine don't hold water but has a nice bow in the middle and is kinda soft....I'll be taking that up with the dealer shortly....

I don't disconnect the cables but I have noticed on the side patio if your not careful they will catch the bottom leg of patio rail and stop door/bind about half way down

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