How to Repair the Maxx Air Maxx Fan Deluxe (Loud clunking noise & broken part) | VAN BUILD #17
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2024
- How to replace the lifting gear operator mechanism for the MaxxAir MaxxFan | We turned our fan on and heard a horrendous noise, sounding like the mechanism was slipping. Before we could get it turned off, there was a loud thunk and a piece of the mechanism landed on the screen. Despite having ordered the fan within the past year, after calling support we learned that the fan we ordered new through Amazon was an older version of the model, manufactured 2 years prior. Older models were made with a different operator mechanism than is currently used and the part has the tendency to break. (The first 4 digits of the serial number on your fan will tell you the year it was manufactured. If you have an older version, beware!) The support team told us they would send us a replacement part but that it was on back order. Two months later, we finally got the part. It was a relatively easy process to replace the broken part with the new. We're just really glad to have a working fan again after all that time. The fan is pretty key in keeping things cool. Thankfully, it didn't break during the middle of summer or things would have gotten pretty uncomfortable in the van!
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We're Steve and Audra, DIYers from South Florida that share a passion for travel and adventure! We've been working on converting a 2019 Ford Transit cargo van into a campervan and are sharing our build and adventures with you! We've started traveling the country with our two cats. We invite you to follow along on our journey! If you have any questions, we’re happy to answer! Comment below or send us a message on Facebook and we’ll respond as soon as possible. And please don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!
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#MaxxAir #VanBuild #Vanlife #FordTransitVanConversion #VanWindowInstallation #LowBudgetVanBuild #SteveAndAudra
What a genuinely fantastic video! It's couples like you that make CZcams such a brilliant resource. Well... another cup of tea and then up onto the roof!
Wow, thanks so much! We're glad our video was helpful to you. Were you able to get your fan fixed? We hope so as that's something we wouldn't want to be without!
This is what happened to both of my fans😢 Thank you for posting!
Oh man, that's a bummer. What are the chances of both breaking at once? Sheesh. We hope you can get them fixed.
Big thanks for this excellent video (and to some other CZcamsrs that put up similar videos on the MaxxAir fans). Our RV is a 2016 model and the fan has a 2015 manufacturing date. Our operator/gearbox disintegrated a few days ago on the last day of a trip. Already had the part as I'd thought it was failing previously and had purchased one. Hardest part of the entire process was getting on the roof of our Class B van and navigating the stuff on the roof - A/C, awning, vents, antennas, etc. Once I got in place, the part replacement was simple, just followed the printed instructions and the steps in this video. Fan is now working fine and hopefully will continue doing so for years to come.
We're glad the video was helpful! It's always a pain when a system, especially as important as this one, fails. So glad you could navigate the minefield and get the fan fixed!
Same thing just happened with my fan today. Your video will prove most helpful in repairing it. Thank you for sharing.
Sorry to hear that happened to you but glad our video will be of help! Let us know how it goes!
Life saver indeed! Ours is making the same noise, it hasn't broken yet, I ordered the part. Thanks so much for the video, and specially the noise of the problem! That was super helpful.
We're so glad this was helpful! Thanks for letting us know and good luck with fixing it!
@@SteveAudra hope the weather cooperates
You're a life saver! My mechanism was so destroyed I was having a hard time figuring out how the spring had been attached. This video cleared that up very nicely and my fan is repaired! Thanks!
That is so awesome! We're so glad we were able to help and that your fan is working again!
Me too. This saved me! I couldn’t work out the spring either. Many thanks.
Oh man it must have been disheartening seeing one of the most expensive van things break. So glad that Mr. Fixit was able to fix it! Keep enjoying the breeze! :)
It was an awful feeling to hear it make that noise and then not know what the process would be like to fix it. We're so relieved to have it working again!
I was cheering when Steve retrieved the washer too! So frustrating to have to wait so long on the part, but glad it's working again. The video footage replacing the part was really clear. Nicely done!
Thank you!!! Yes, it was very frustrating! And now we are hearing from other people having to wait weeks for parts for theirs as well. That's a bummer. We're just so glad to have ours working again. And that was a pesky washer! LOL!
This helped me so much tonight as I replaced mine! Thank you!!!
We're so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting us know!
Thanks for the great "How To" video. Saved the day. The instruction manual was a waste of a tree.
We're so glad you found it helpful! We're glad to be able to help out a fellow MaxxAir fan owner! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. We appreciate it!
Thanks, again. I repaired my fan. Glad to have it back working. The company has resolved the "page numbers" issue on the installation instructions; but your video was still most useful.
We're so glad you were able to fix it! Also glad to hear that they have fixed the page numbering! 👍
Great video! Saved into my van repair playlist!!!!
Thanks, Brian! 🙂 We've had two sets of problems with the MaxxAir. It freaked out when it got condensation on it in cold weather. Have you ever had that problem? We've read some people have put a coating on the board to prevent that but we haven't done it yet.
@@SteveAudra so far no computer issues with the fan. I did some maintenance today on the motor assembly, but haven’t seen any signs of corrosion from condensation. We run the fan every single day for the past two years and often with the heater running- perhaps that has helped?
Wow! Lol! That is exactly, what happened to my, Fantastic fan!Snow fell off the tree and mashed my lid down.Just took it apart today and found that part!
Oh no! Sorry to hear you had a similar issue. We hope our experience is helpful to you. Interesting to hear that MaxxAir and Fantastic use the same part but it also makes sense. Someone else here with the same problem just told us they were able to find the replacement part on eBay.
I'm gonna have to buy Steve a pick set for him to pick up those washers!
Might be good because Steve says he doesn't even know what a pick set is! 😆
You guys rock. I fixed my fan. Thank you!!!!!
Oh, that's awesome news! Thanks for letting us know. We're so glad to hear you were able to fix it! Happy travels! 🙂
Yup, mine just blew up on my Oliver Travel Trailer. Thanks for the video. Very helpful.
Oh man, what a bummer. So glad you found our video to be helpful though!
Thanks guys, I will be replacing our operator in a week or so and this video helped so much. Again, thank you.
We're so glad we were able to help - but sorry that you also have had issues with the fan! We hope you're able to get it working again with no complications!
thanks a lot for that instruction ....I didn't even get an instruction ...and as you can imagine ...even worse to get some parts send to germany .
We're glad you found the video to be helpful. It's surprising they would send a part and not provide some sort of guidance on how to fix it! Were you able to have success in fixing yours?
Nicely done Steve! Can't believe how many pieces that part broke into!! Crazy!!
Thanks, Safety Sue!
This just happened to my fan. Now I have to go find the part. I was wondering how complicated the repair would be but thanks to you it seems rather straight forward.
Oh no! We hate that it happened to you as well. Glad our video was helpful. Good luck getting the part and getting it fixed!
@@SteveAudra Ordered it from etrailer. Ship date of March 17th we think. I called the manufacturer and they have no stock and not sure when they will get the part. I cut 2 pieces of a pool noodle to make about 8" legs to hold the shroud up for ventilation. It's open about half-way so that should work until the part arrives. Thanks again for the video.
@@netposerx That's great that you found the part and can get it so soon. You sound like our kind of vanlifer - innovative and using the resources you already have!
@@SteveAudra eTrailer changed the delivery date to August. No way could I wait that long. Summers in NC are hot!. I found the part on ebay, ordered it and it came in cracked (never been opened). The seller refunded the money right away and I bought another from him and it came in today and it looks great. Love it when ebay sellers do the right thing. Will install once it stops raining.
@@netposerx Wow, yeah it's tough being in hot weather without the fan working. So glad to hear that you finally got the part and we hope replacement goes well! Crazy the wait time on some parts and materials right now.
Thank you so much! My fan crunched today and it looks like I have the same failure. Will be a chore as I don't have a ladder and have never gotten up on the roof before, I probably shouldn't be climbing up there, but I'm on limited funds so will need to do this myself.
Be careful and we hope you can get it fixed easily! We were just in a situation where we needed to access our solar panels and didn't have a ladder. I bet you could find someone who would let you use theirs. We did that. Then later we went to Lowes, got a ladder, did work in their parking lot, and took it back! We're glad our video can be helpful in replacing the part. Please let us know how it goes.
Glad you guys were able to fix it pretty easy. Our Maxx fan is having issues too. We can only have it on the highest setting and sometimes it won't turn off 🤷🏻♀️. It's on our list to do list while in NY.
Oh no! Now that we've shared our experience we're hearing all kinds of feedback about problems with the MaxxAir. What a bummer! We hope you can get yours fixed. It's such an important component!
Have you guys thought about buying another one of those parts? That would seem like a good expenditure, because if it happened this soon after installing the fan from new it would be a good idea to have one on hand while on the road. Plus if it took that long to get the part this time, then if/when it happens again, you'll already have it.
We had not. This part (covered under warranty) is supposed to be new and improved though so we're hoping we won't have a repeat of the issue!
Thank you so much! Exactly what i needed to know mine just broke 😥
Glad our video helped but sorry to hear that yours broke! Hopefully you can get it fixed and running properly again!
I’m glad you were able to fix your fan. 👍🏼
We are having different issues with our Maxxair fan (which we purchased from Amazon). Apparently we have a bad circuit board which is not allowing us to shut off the fan, unless we unplug it from the power source. None of the functions on the fan and the remote will respond so it is stuck on one speed and one direction. According to the forums we’ve been on, it’s a known problem. We called technical support and they will send us a new board in four to six weeks due to back orders. SMH. We’ve only used the fan twice. Very frustrating.
Oh no!!!! We are so sorry to hear that. Before buying the fan, we didn't hear about any problems. That's a pretty big deal to have problems like this with such an integral component - especially as warmer temps are coming! The company better get better prepared for these issues. If there are known issues, they need to have parts ready!
Thank you
You're welcome. We hope the video helped.
Well done!!!
Glad it’s working again💪
Thank you! Us too!
The screw - the most vital and significant invention necessary fot a technological civilization to arise. Could not be used without arms and hands evolving. Conclusion: aliens have rvs.
We are big fans of screws, preferable Phillips.
Nice work! I heard the crow was back to cheer you on🤪
Thanks! Those crows are stubborn!!!
Awesome job 👏
Thank you so much, Deb!
Nice job!
Thank you!
Good job!
Thanks! Steve has been learning so much and doing such a great job with this van build! We're so glad he was able to fix it - just in time for travel!
got job I hadn't seen any problems with the maxx air befor
We hadn't either! Now that we've shared this, we've heard about several problems from several different people. That's rather disappointing!
@@SteveAudra I have one but haven't installed it yet
@@edemery873 Hopefully it will do well for you!
Thanks so much, I’m about to do this. One thing I’m confused about though - you say the first step is to make sure the fan is in the ‘open’ position (3:51), but when you go up on the roof it appears to be in the closed position (4:22). And again when you finish installing the mechanism, you say that the next thing to do is open the fan, because it’s currently in the closed position (9:05). Which is it, or does it matter?
Hi. Thanks for watching. The knob needs to be turned to the open position on the inside when you start but since it was broken when we started, the cover didn't open with it. I had to manually lift the cover from the roof. Then, right before you install the new mechanism, you'll need to turn it so that it's in the closed position as shown in the video. Hence the need to open it once again later. I hope this makes sense. Let me know if you run into any trouble and I'll help as best I can.
@@SteveAudra ~ gotcha! I missed the part about turning it to the closed position before installing the new mechanism.
These opening mechs are junk! Hey Steve, you will become a pro at these replacements as they tend to break every couple years. I’m working on getting these outside cases on the mechs made out of a solid piece of aluminum to stop the issue with the chinesium cases continually breaking apart.
It's a bummer the part broke and we hope the replacement will last for awhile! Please let me know if you're able to do that.
I can’t source the part does anyone know where I can get it from?
Did you contact Airxcel directly? We contacted them and got the part. It took quite some time though.
I am coming to FL if mine break. I know an expert down there!😉🙃
Sounds like a plan! 😃
Use 2 hands