Bullet 272BHS Slideout Issues

[BrentH]

Purchased my trailer in February 2015, and over the 4th of July weekend, I noticed I was having an issue with my slide. It is going all the way out at the top, but the bottom is stopping about 1-1.5" short of being all the way out. This is causing the slide to lean toward the outside so much that if I place an object on the dinette table, it rolls right to the exterior wall. When the slide is in, the table is perfectly level left to right. When the slide goes out, it is very un-level.

After taking it to my local dealer twice with no resolve, I contacted Keystone today. They are telling me (and my dealer) that everything is within "spec" and it is ok for the top to be out farther than the bottom. When asked about the extra slack in the cables, they said as long as it moves in and out then it is ok. However, when I read the service manual from Norco on the accu-slide system, it is no where near spec. Norco says if the slide does not go out uniform, an adjustment is needed. It also says that if there is more than 1/2" of play in the cables/chains then an adjustment is needed. Everything Keystone is telling me contradicts this, and Keystone is saying I am on my own basically. So now I have to contemplate whether to adjust it myself or not. I'm assuming doing so would void any future warranty (not that my warranty has been good for anything thus far).

Has anybody else had similar slide out issues? I am currently waiting for Keystone RV to review these same photos and get back to me. After sending these photos to my local dealer, he agrees there is too much slack, but that he can't adjust it if Keystone doesn't authorize it.

[dcg9381]

Personally, I'd get those photos to Norco and see if they'll provide comments.
Scan the instruction in the service manaual. Highlight.

If you've got a smart phone, you can download a "level" app and get a measurement. Take a photo.

Provide this stuff to Keystone and your dealer.

Please report back.

On our Carbon, there is no slack like that. Slides probably don't go out perfectly flat, but at full extension they're level.

Your dealer can adjust it, he just doesn't get paid to do it if Keystone says no.

[BrentH]

I contacted Norco today, but their service tech is out until Thursday. I am hoping he will take a look at the photos for me. Here are some more photos showing how un level it is. First one is my 4' level laying across the table with the slide in, and the second one is with the slide out.

Tomorrow I will be sending Keystone the additional information I found in the service manual along with these photos.

[TandE]

That is pretty extreme. Have you looked at the maintenance manual for that slide? It seems relatively easy to adjust yourself if your mechanically inclined.

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/ac...ice-manual.pdf

That is if they can't get you in and you have trips planned since it is under warranty


Travis

[BrentH]

I have looked thru it and it is looking like I may just have to tackle it myself, and it looks like something I am capable of. I would rather have them address the issue though since it is under warranty.

[slow]

I adjusted the slides myself and it was straight forward. The biggest challenge I had was accessing the left side since our fridge is adjacent to the slide. I ended up taking the trim panels off and configuring it to be easily removed with screws for the future. If you can reach in from either side, you probably do not have to remove trim.

Note that the slide cables are adjusted so they tension equally when the slide hits the inside or outside wall (extremes of the travel in either direction). It has nothing to do with the level of the slide floor/table or gaps of the trim and the walls.

After adjusting, the slide runs much smoother and does not have the droopy chain and cables.

Download the manual per TandE's previous post. Make your first adjustment, run the slide in and out a few times then readjust to get the correct cable tension. It may seem intimidating at first, but once you do it, it is very straight forward and intuitive.

BTW: my understanding is that the warranty for slide adjustment is only within the first 90 days of ownership.

[TandE]

Originally Posted by BrentH

I have looked thru it and it is looking like I may just have to tackle it myself, and it looks like something I am capable of. I would rather have them address the issue though since it is under warranty.

And I completely agree but of course wouldn't hurt to get familiar with it for when warranty is up or pay to have it done.

Reading through that manual it seems that a lock nut came loose allowing it to become out of alignment. Or the lock tite wasn't applied right or at all. Unless a bracket that holds the cable to the slide is coming loose.

The last few numbers of your Vin or serial number doesn't end in between FD425761 - FD426136 by chance does it?


Travis

[TandE]

Didn't finish my reply. If your vin does end in between those last numbers there is an open recall on the norco slide.

http://www.keystonerv.com/media/2226...cket_-_web.pdf


Travis

[BrentH]

Slow- if there is this much slack in the cable, wouldn't that prevent it from traveling all the way to the outer extreme?

TandE- Thanks for the info. The last 8 of my VIN starts with FX.

[slow]

Originally Posted by BrentH

Slow- if there is this much slack in the cable, wouldn't that prevent it from traveling all the way to the outer extreme?

It probably still will but the tension will not be balanced on all the cables. I am not certain, but I believe the motor stalls out at a specific torque level, so it keeps turning until the total resistance is enough to stall it. If the cable slack is extreme, maybe it will not achieve full travel at some portion of the slide.

That was the issue I had and it destroyed one of my outside black pads that the cable runs thru and the outside bracket butts up against when the slide is closed.

[JRTJH]

BrentH,

It looks like your slide does need adjustment. There is a specific procedure (listed in the slide manual) for adjustments. That should align your slide much better. The "objective" is to have the seals contact the side wall in both the "slide out" and the "slide in" positions. If the seals don't contact, you'll have air leaks (hot and cold areas) as well as water leaks (wet carpet and walls/floor) either when in the travel mode or in the camping mode. Ideally, neither should happen.

As for a "level table", since the slide is not supposed to be used when in the "slide in" position, that condition isn't the "important one". You can only use your slide in the "slide out" position, so the table "should be level" when the slide is out.

Now, as for "within specifications" or not, that's an argument you'll have to do with both the dealership and Keystone. If I were you, I'd focus on the "operable condition" of the table when in the "slide out" configuration. That's the configuration that "matters" (since you're not supposed to sit at the table or place weight in the slide area when the slide is "in"...)

As for warranty work, if you insist on a "slide adjustment" that is (by the warranty information in the owner's manual) only covered during the initial 90 days of ownership. (Page 8, 7th bullet statement in the exclusions). If you push for slide adjustment, Keystone will probably deny the warranty claim. If you push for table adjustment/repair so it sits level when in the "ready to use" position of the slide, you'll probably have better success.

Remember, your dealer's report and explanation to Keystone is the key to whether or not the factory approves or denies your warranty request. Be sure you know how they report the problem. If they "blow it off" with a short, inaccurate complaint, Keystone will not "see the whole picture" and will probably not respond appropriately. That's not Keystone's fault, it's the fault of the dealership who didn't report the problem accurately.

Good Luck.

[BrentH]

***UPDATE***

I had emailed the pictures to Keystone on 8/18, and they told me they would be reviewed and I would receive a response in 24-72 hours. Just got off the phone with Keystone because I still had not heard anything back from them. The woman I spoke to said the pictures still had not been reviewed and she would send them over again. She claimed she would get back to me today or tomorrow, but I probably won't hold my breath.

[dcg9381]

JRTJH,
Wow.. That sure seems like great advice on how to go about getting "warranty" work done and certainly illuminates an example of why a dealer might have trouble getting an approval.

BrentH,
Good luck... If they won't take care of, my guess is that someone here can walk you through doing it.

[esmoglo]

So what wound up happening? Did it get repaired?