Forum Discussion

wowchad's avatar
wowchad
Explorer
Feb 25, 2018

Need technical repair help for outback loft lift system

We have a 2009 outback loft and one of the lift arms is not working.
My local dealer (Burlington RV) says nobody at their location is familiar or qualified to work on it.
So then I called Keystone looking for a service manual and they couldn’t help me either. All they had to offer was sending me a USER manual.
(I thought it’s Federal Law that manufactures need to support products for 10 years)

Anyhow it sounds like it’s up to me to repair this camper so my question is, does anyone know how to access the lift mechanism in an outback loft?
  • Update for anyone else dealing with this repair - Lift system isn't hard to access or work on. It's main components are all in the wall above the stairs, wall on your right as you go upstairs. Just remove 2 white wall panel('s) to get to it.
    It works just like a lift on a pop-up with push-springs activated by an electric motor winding 4 'runs' or lengths of approximately 1/8" wire / wire rope.
    One of mine bound up & snapped due to wood rot on a badly misaligned corner.
    You can access motor & winch assembly by removing panels at top of stairs & you can access push-rods & lift wires by removing those angled covers along the floor running front to back at bottom of outside walls.

    I really love my LOFT again now that the roof lift has been fixed!
  • I think it would be better if you got a moderator to move this to the Tech Issues section. There are some RV Repair Techs that hang out there that could probably help you.
  • Only lift system I know of is a happi-jack. I guess yours isn't a happi-jack, so I can't help you, sorry.
  • I feel like I probably need to clarify my issue some more....the lift is getting power & it is functional, however only 3 of the 4 corners are lifting up the top.
    One corner must have came disconnected or the cable broke/snapped & I need to figure out how to access the cables so it can be fixed.
    I’m not sure if it’s in the ceiling over the toyhauler area or in the walls up in the loft.
    Someone who’s owned one or worked on this model can hopefully offer some guidance.
  • bid_time wrote:
    Going to have to know what lift system you have, otherwise all we can do is half ass guess.

    I think you may have misunderstood. There is only one kind of lift system on an Outback Loft, it’s the auto-lift or powered lift that raises the loft top up.
    When I push the button up in the loft it works, but one of the arms is not lifting & I have to manually hold it up then quickly put the “safety keeper” I’ll call it in place
  • Going to have to know what lift system you have, otherwise all we can do is half ass guess.