Raise motor question
 

Does anyone know if I have to pull out the pump to get motor off for rebuilding. Positive battery cable is getting hot when raising, thinking it is drawing too much. I know it takes a 1973 ford starter as my books that came with unit state that but it doesn’t show how to take out motor. Advice would be appreciated, pump is fine and cylinder was rebuilt just before I took possession 20 years ago and it just fine.

Tim, I've never removed my motor and I've never felt my positive battery cable after raising the top, but I would not be surprised if it was warm. My understanding is that the motor draws over 50 Amps when it is raising the top and that amount of current, over the length of time it takes for the top to go up, should easily heat up the supply cable. I'd say, if the top is raising normally and the motor is not generating any unusual sounds, to leave it alone. I try to adhere to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" policy, and have usually regretted it when I don't follow my own advice.

- Jack

Long story short how I happened to find the hot cable end. We were leaving for a week and our tow vehicle started to act up as we got to hi-way speed so we turned around and to save vacation we switched to our tiny tent trailer for the week (cramped). I raised Hi-lo and I grabbed the battery out to put on the other trailer immediately after raising the top (which raised flawlessly) I burned my fingers on the battery cable as I pulled it off. The cable was warm (not hot) but the post clamp was "HOT" as in immediate blister hot. So since I was having vehicle problems, etc. my mind went to the and now I will need to fix the Hi-Lo as well. Yes at 50 amps if my cable end was not fully clean and tight it would be getting hot. Guess it is part of the price of vintage camping and being in a hurry. Our tow-vehicle is the last year of the square body suburban which square-body first debuted the year our Hi-Lo was new so we really have a vintage set going down the road.

Thanks for your help and knowing that they pull that much amperage.

Revisit the warm cable situation.
 

If you get burned on the battery post/connector. You have a bad connection. Clean both the battery post and connector and tighten the clamp securely. A light coating of grease when it's done will help stave off corrosion too. The connector should not get hot. If it does it is an indication of a high resistance connection. High current through resistance produces heat. An example is a toaster. That's why you were burned.

Check the cable for brakes in the insulation. If water can get in the wire inside will corrode. That will cause resistance when in use in turn heat the wire.