Fantastic Roof Fan manual crank fix.

[Stumpalump]

Spin the knob to open vent and nothing happens. I've seen this twice but nothing online except referring to the motorized versions or telling you to just call Fantastic Fan. The lifetime warrenty is not warm and fuzzy since Fantastic got bought out and you may need the air right away.



Remove all the knobs and just the Philips screews holding the unit to the frame. No need to remove the trim ring.
There is a pin in the crank mechanism gear box that works loose. Make sure the pin does not fall out when you drop the fan down. Let it hang from the wires.

If the pin has not fallen out then it is stuck halfway in the gearbox hole. You can manipulate the lift arm by pushing up the lid with a screewdriver and work the pin in to get it working. It will fall out again but this will get you back in operation. A more permanent fix is to reinsert the knurled pin from the other side because it's not wallard out. For this you remove two screews and drop the gearbox down.





At this point just press the pin in from the outside and gently screew it back together. The lid flapping in the breeze works the pins out but it's easy to fix.

 

[rayra]

Is there room in the design or action of the part to allow a dab of 100% silicone caulk on the ends of the pin to help keep it in place? I say silicone as it's easily reversible / removable. And it holds up very well.

You could also possibly 'set' the pin by using a punch to make a slight indentation at the opening the pin is within. Just enough to keep the pin from walking out, without making it difficult to deliberately remove.

Handy enough to open it up and find the trouble to fix it, handy enough to fix it so it doesn't happen again.

 

[Stumpalump]

Is there room in the design or action of the part to allow a dab of 100% silicone caulk on the ends of the pin to help keep it in place? I say silicone as it's easily reversible / removable. And it holds up very well.

You could also possibly 'set' the pin by using a punch to make a slight indentation at the opening the pin is within. Just enough to keep the pin from walking out, without making it difficult to deliberately remove.

Handy enough to open it up and find the trouble to fix it, handy enough to fix it so it doesn't happen again.

That center punch trick works great. I have even used it on rear axle bearings that spin in the housing. You would have to punch this before you pressed the pin. The opening arm and all the flimsy plastic would not handle the whacks. You are pressing it into fresh metal but the first side failed and the second side is a matter of time. I did put the type of lock tight made to be put on threads after they are screewed together but doubted anybody knew it existed. They also make a type to hold bearing races. Superglue is almost the same as lock tight fwiw and vice versa. I fixed the wife's plastic sunglasses with the same lock tight. In fact I like it better than superglue because it's a little thicker and working time is slower. It does not dry out and is a real go to product for all sorts of things. For this silicon, glue or whatever you have should stop it from falling out again. I leave mine up since it's so dry here and it takes a beating in the wind. This brand of fan is know to be the best so no complaints on this 10 year old fan.

 

[rayra]

Good to know. I've been working up plans for a future traveling wood shop in a tandem axle enclosed trailer. Having a pair of these would help keep it workable.

 

[Stumpalump]

Good to know. I've been working up plans for a future traveling wood shop in a tandem axle enclosed trailer. Having a pair of these would help keep it workable.

I orderd a Dexter EZ Flex kit for the tandem axle trailer today. The regulator and bushings take a beating on tandems and the parts wear out really fast. This kit swaps out the plastic bushings for brass and adds drilled bolts with zerk fittings called wet bolts to keep it riding smooth. My bolts had deep grooves in them. The shackles were elongated and the regulator holes (triangle thing) were beat to death. It seems like a simple devise but people on the RV forums love them. It might smooth out the ride for your tools unless you have torsion axles. http://www.dexteraxle.com/e_z_flex_equalizers Nicks truck parts had the best deal.