Or it could be me.My motor on the powerwinch died last night in the middle of nowhere, and I had to tie rope around the camper just to keep the top down while we drove home 150 miles. We never found a manual winch mechanism, which sounds crazy. I am assuming that I just can't find it and/or don't know what I am looking for.Any Starcraft 13rt owners around here that can chime in on this? I assumed that all campers came with a manual winch...which I know is my fault for not checking on before I made the purchase.

My 14RT probably has same setup and it does a manual crank. You can see the hole in the motor gear assemble. Never used it. I think it is the same stablizer jack handle...Search for manual on-line for the STARCRAFT 13RT... Think mine has a photo of the motor crank systemIf you raised it with a pole then you may have a big problem on your hand with happens to the cable not being cranked back on the spool...Here is a link to the P55000 Electric winch on my 2008 14RT versionP55000 POWERWINCHI see on PAGE 7 you can use a 7/16 inch socket to manually lift your top...Roy Ken

I camped with some folks with a electric lift-equipped Starcraft popup last year, and I know it had a manual crank since they used it when the battery went dead. Don't know if it was the same model, but similar vintage and this part is the same for all according to what I understand. The handle looks like the one below, which image also shows the size of the opening you're looking for.It's a little hazy in my mind, but I THINK that the "socket" you're looking for is sorta hidden behind a cover right near the on/off switch. And it might be coated in grease which would further camouflage it. Image source

Here's a downloadable version of the Starcraft Owner's Manual... on Page 31, it discusses the manual winch operation, and there is one photo. Unfortunately, as with most manuals, it may or may not be helpful.Starcraft Owner's Manual

I wish mine had a motor. I have to crank in up every time. :)

Wow...thanks for all the replies. I think I may have found a new place to hang out!So, I still don't see it. Perhaps behind the cover (picture below)?? The picture from the manual doesn't have this cover here, and I am thinking that this may be the missing link.

My 2008 Starcraft 13rt doesn't have a manual lift?

CampOrDie
Explorer
Jul 13, 2014
So, my powerwinch is a P30001. It looks identical to some of your pictures, minus the actual model number.

I did find the bolt, and it is a 7/16. To get a socket under there I had to use a flexible nut driver. If I didn't do that I had to remove the entire battery, cover, and diamond plate just to get at the bolt straight on. I think I might end up creating a setup to where I can either remove the battery easily, leave the battery completely off, or just use the flexible nut driver every time I want to raise the damn thing.

Why they designed it this way I have no idea...but that little 7/16 nut is a pain. It took about 9-10 turns of the socket for the gears to move 1/4 inch.
RoyB
Explorer II
Jul 12, 2014
The 7/16-inch manual crank nut is on the other side of what you see in this photo. Mine too was covered with greese...

I can get to mine without removing the front plastic cover through a small 1-inch by 1 inch square hole on the other side of this photo. My POPUP was locked up but I think the stablizer jacks tool is the same size as this 7/16-inch nut. That is the only tool I got with mine that fit the stablizer jacks. Never tried it on the roof manual crank nut.

just curious how your motor failed... There is only a few electrical parts involved here. You may have just lost 12VDC feeding the winch motor.

A bad battery - corroded battery nut - bad auto reset circuit breaker- worse case broken cable going under the trailer to raise the top with..

You should be able to see the two 25AMP auto reset circuit breakers connected to your POSITIVE battery terminal that looks like this

Let us how your motor failed. My 2008 Starcraft is same year as yours but a different 14RT model number. All of these powerwinch parts should be the same on the 13RT and 14RT models.

Roy Ken
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 12, 2014
Here's another pic of the Powerlift- if this is what you have, you must remove the plastic "face" that contains the switch- no need to disconnect wires, just move it aside enough to see behind it. Next pic shows what to look for behind the cover. See the upper left arrow? It points at the grease-covered crankfitting you're looking for. That pic along with more info can be seen at this page.
RoyB
Explorer II
Jul 12, 2014
check this link out...

DISCUSSING the POWERWINCH

Roy Ken
RoyB
Explorer II
Jul 12, 2014
I did find this photo of my UP-DN switch and the housing that holds all of the gears for raising the top. You can see the UP-DN switch just above the BEAR sticker on my frame

The gear box is just in front of the PROPANE TANKs - The hole for the 7/16 inch nut is on the other side of this housing.

Does your setup look anything like this...

Roy Ken
RoyB
Explorer II
Jul 12, 2014
The manual states the Electric Winch is covered under a separate manual. I am almost 100% sure yours is the same P55000 POWER WINCH made by Carefree of Colorado. You will have to look in the link I provided above to see it...

The small access hole for the 7/16-inch socket is on the opposite side of the winch house where the UP-DN switch is located. Does your POWER WINCH look like the drawings in the P55000 PDF manual I provide a link to...

My power winch is direct connected to the battery terminals and has two 25AMP circuit breakers wired in parallel.

I don't think I have any photos here of my setup

Roy Ken
CampOrDie
Explorer
Jul 12, 2014
Wow...thanks for all the replies. I think I may have found a new place to hang out!

So, I still don't see it. Perhaps behind the cover (picture below)?? The picture from the manual doesn't have this cover here, and I am thinking that this may be the missing link.
Dyngbld
Explorer
Jul 12, 2014
I wish mine had a motor. I have to crank in up every time. :)
RimCountry
Explorer
Jul 12, 2014
Here's a downloadable version of the Starcraft Owner's Manual... on Page 31, it discusses the manual winch operation, and there is one photo. Unfortunately, as with most manuals, it may or may not be helpful.

Starcraft Owner's Manual
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 12, 2014
I camped with some folks with a electric lift-equipped Starcraft popup last year, and I know it had a manual crank since they used it when the battery went dead. Don't know if it was the same model, but similar vintage and this part is the same for all according to what I understand. The handle looks like the one below, which image also shows the size of the opening you're looking for.

It's a little hazy in my mind, but I THINK that the "socket" you're looking for is sorta hidden behind a cover right near the on/off switch. And it might be coated in grease which would further camouflage it.

Image source