Jayco Sport Series 10SD - Drill to Lift Top

[CatzWilson]

hello all!
just found the perfect hand drill to use to lift our POP top. We looked at letting the dealer install a custom lift @$1,300 but I could not let go of that $... after reading everyone’s recommendations and YouTube videos we decided on a 1/2” hand spade handle by Chicago Electric power tools from Harbor Freight for abt $60. With our shoulder weakness and other limited physical abilities this makes our camping more pleasant. I’ll try to upload video and photos of our drill. See you out there! Camp on

 

[Eliar]

Hello, I'm new around here as well and currently refabbing a Eagle 10, I'm curious with your set up here. How exactly are you using this drill to connect to the lift crank? Socket? Thank you.

 

[Buckmaster81]

I used a 5/8 socket with a notch cut into with an angle grinder it and attached it to a 3/8 socket adapter which fits in the drill.

Id love to see a battery powered drill do this. I tried this weekend with my Ryobi, it cranked for a bit then stopped. If I let off the trigger it will crank a few more times then stop. I am sure with today's tech in lithium ion and motors, there is something out there.

 

[Matt Benoit]

I use a cordless Makita 18v lithium ion brushless drill. Must be on low speed. And I can't do anything other than full pull of the trigger or there isn't enough power to raise the roof. If it's really hot outside, the drill will thermal throttle and need a few minutes to cool off before finishing the lift. Normally I get the roof up without trouble. This would be much easier without the air conditioner on the roof... Lol

 

[CatzWilson]

Hello, I'm new around here as well and currently refabbing a Eagle 10, I'm curious with your set up here. How exactly are you using this drill to connect to the lift crank? Socket? Thank you.

Hello Eliar, our lift system takes a 7/8" sq OD pipe crank to insert into my lift sys. I got a 1.1/16", 12-pt socket. My socket is 1/2" drive, so therefore I have to have a 1/2" drive drill adapter. The adapter attaches to the drill motor and the socket attaches to the adapter, and the socket fits the 7/8" sq pipe. It only works if you have a lift system that has a 7/8" ID receiver. Every lift system is different, but this works for our Jayco Sport Series 10SD.... not sure about your Eagle 10. Purchased the steel pipe online from MetalWorks.com. Ordered a 2-ft piece and cut off and used only 8" of it. We keep the original manual crank and start off lifting until resistance then use the drill. We use the drill to lower in stages while tucking in tarps. Hope to take a video of us lifting it with drill in our May's trip. Hope this helps.

 

[Canvas Cur]

This is what I was hoping to find on the portal. Had to search, but there it was. Only thing I am wondering...is there a source for ready-made tool that will go in a 1/2" drill and fit the square lifting port on our 2017 Jayco 10SD? I'm not finding one, but could make one if necessary. Would it have to be a 12 point socket?

 

[Canvas Cur]

Will be checking to see if Socket Jenie has one that will work. They have several that look like they might fit that square tube.

 

[Canvas Cur]

Emailed Socket Jenie (AKA Custom Cylinders). They responded right away and said that the 628 or 625 would work. Just ordered the 628. Hope it does the trick! Now...on to Harbor Freight to get a HD 1/2" drill (plug in type). Will get the extended warranty as well...just in case.
I usually try to "rig" something up first to see if it will work, but in this case did not want to take a chance and mess up the square tube that goes into the winch. Will give a report on this to let others know how it went.

 

[TSQ]

Glad you found one a socket adapter that works. I'm not sure what kind of lift system your popup has but an old cordless drill works fine for mine.

 

[Canvas Cur]

hello all!
just found the perfect hand drill to use to lift our POP top. We looked at letting the dealer install a custom lift @$1,300 but I could not let go of that $... after reading everyone’s recommendations and YouTube videos we decided on a 1/2” hand spade handle by Chicago Electric power tools from Harbor Freight for abt $60. With our shoulder weakness and other limited physical abilities this makes our camping more pleasant. I’ll try to upload video and photos of our drill. See you out there! Camp on

View attachment 48760

Just found a similar drill at HF. Item# 56179. Low speed, variable speed, with reduction gear. Tops out at about 600 RPM. Feels really heavy duty. Was about 65 bucks. On this item (I rarely ever do) I bought the 2 year warranty...over the counter full replacement. These are used for mixing paint and sheetrock mud. When I get my tool for the winch I will report on the performance. I figured I would be better off with one I could plug in at the campsite. No batteries to go bad! I have an old hammer drill that still works fine after 15 years!

 

[Sjm9911]

Just found a similar drill at HF. Item# 56179. Low speed, variable speed, with reduction gear. Tops out at about 600 RPM. Feels really heavy duty. Was about 65 bucks. On this item (I rarely ever do) I bought the 2 year warranty...over the counter full replacement. These are used for mixing paint and sheetrock mud. When I get my tool for the winch I will report on the performance. I figured I would be better off with one I could plug in at the campsite. No batteries to go bad! I have an old hammer drill that still works fine after 15 years!

Lol, 15 years is not old for a hammer drill. Your harbor freight drill should do the trick, at 1/2 it has the tourqe and power you need, or dont, but its there.

 

[Canvas Cur]

Got the Socket Jenie (628) today...really well made! Fits perfectly into the square tube of the winch. So...tried "power lifting" the top. (10' top with AC unit). First, my old and trusty Ryobi was put to the test. It really did not want to do it, and I would like to keep it around a while, so...on to the HF slow speed/high torque drill. Wow! You can slow down to about the speed of a muscular person on the handle and it went up just fine. Hardly got warm. Won't need it for putting the top down, gravity helps a lot! So...for the price of the Jenie and the drill (about a hundred in all), we have a power lift. My shoulders and elbows now are happy campers.