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Old 09-18-2017, 11:39 AM   #1
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Damn Cable Operated Slide.....Again!

Well, all has been going so well since my initial adjustment of the sofa slide back in November last year, right after I bought the new Impact 303 and had to make some adjustments on it. So, we've had the T.H. out 6 or 7 times to the tracks that we go to, as well as having the slides in and out multiple times here at home while I've been modding and doing stuff to it. So this past weekend we travelled to Bowling Green for a weekend of trackdays and when I went to bring in the sofa slide, it got part of the way in and really started the "grunting and groaning" thing that a lot of folks have reported. Anyway, I got it in and home and this morning, while unloading the trailer, it went out just fine, but didn't want to come back in. After some head scratching and reading through the adjustment manual again to familiarize myself with the adjustment procedure, I decided that the when the slide was all the way out, there was still way too much tension on the opposing cables (the ones that pull it back in. So, I made some adjustments on them (mostly the top left and top right cables) and got them to where they have some movement up and down like the manual states. I tried bringing the slide back in and it cured the problem.

Now, the $64,000 question is how did it get out of adjustment? If y'all remember back in my original post about having to make the adjustment back in November last year, I added lock nuts on every single one of the adjusters so that they couldn't move out of adjustment.....as they were now locked down. And today, every single one of the lock nuts were still tight and had not moved.......but the opposing cables on the top left and right were extremely tight, causing the system to bind up and cause issues.

Anyone have any thoughts on this, since all the adjusters were still "locked down". Oh, and I did pull the covers loose on the pulleys that are hidden from easy view to make sure that none of the cables had slipped off of any of the operating pulleys.....all good there too.
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Old 09-18-2017, 12:23 PM   #2
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Hmmmmmm....that's a head scratcher. Maybe they shrank? Sorry, I couldn't resist. It doesn't seem like it would be possible for them to do that. Did you maybe miss an adjuster to lock down?
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Old 09-18-2017, 02:29 PM   #3
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Chip.....Nope, didn't miss one. Eight cables, 8 adjusters, 8 tight locking nuts. I did the same exact thing on the Refrigerator/Stove slide at the same time last November and no issues with it so far.....Knock on wood!
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Old 09-19-2017, 05:19 AM   #4
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Not familiar with cable slides, but, could a pulley have been pulled out of position making the cables too tight? Interested in what you find as the DW and I are talking about a new Laredo which has cable slides.

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Old 09-19-2017, 06:38 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by jsmith948 View Post
Not familiar with cable slides, but, could a pulley have been pulled out of position making the cables too tight? Interested in what you find as the DW and I are talking about a new Laredo which has cable slides.

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I had originally thought about that possibility, but two things come to mind.....
1. None of the pulleys appear damaged or having moved from their original location.
2. Each cable has it's own pulleys, although they do share a common mounting bracket for cable pairs.

The only other possibility, at least in my mind, is the "block(s)" that are attached to both ends of the chains. One on each end of the chain, and two chains....for a total of four blocks......but those seem to be locked down also and nothing loose. I almost have to be missing/overlooking something, I just haven't figured out what.

As far as the slides that are cable operated, this one is my very first camper trailer so I don't have experience with the other systems that are out there.....hydraulic, pinion/gear, whatever else. In my opinion, the cable operated system isn't horrible, but it does require that everything be adjusted almost perfectly in order to work trouble-free. The problem with that scenario, again, in my opinion, is the cable/motor/gearbox system is built a little too small or undersized for the job that it has to do, especially on larger slide rooms. In other words....like trying to tow a 12,000 lb. 5ver with a F150. Cables stretch, chains stretch/wear and so adjustments are going to be mandatory over time/use, and probably more than what needs to be if the system was built a little beefier.
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Old 09-19-2017, 09:41 AM   #6
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On the just completed trip, I found that our very long LR slide was creaking and squealing. Cables too tight. What I believe has happened to ours and a wander through other forums seems to confirms is that this slide - 12 feet - tends to sag a bit but not every time that it's extended for some reason. I readjusted and a thousand miles later the squeals have stayed away.

We had the Lippert bottom mounted rack and pinion on our last 5er and have to say that those were a nightmare to adjust and make work properly if they went out of adjustment plus replacement parts are extremely expensive if you can even find them. While never owning an RV with Schwintek or hydraulics, have listened to others tales of woe plus have seen a couple Schwinteks jammed part way open after the drive gear has 'jumped' the driven rack's track.
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Old 09-19-2017, 10:15 AM   #7
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I noticed that mine will go out of adjustment if not level or stabilizer jacks "twist" the frame.


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Old 09-19-2017, 11:25 AM   #8
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Very interesting Dave W...and.....slow. So maybe the "trick" is to retract the slide while the trailer is totally level, as in before I hook back up to the truck. My trailer tows nose down just slightly, and our paddock spot this past weekend was several inches low in the front. Hopefully, this new info will help.......thanks to both of you guys for responding. I still consider myself to be a rookie at this camping stuff.
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Old 09-19-2017, 01:44 PM   #9
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Very interesting Dave W...and.....slow. So maybe the "trick" is to retract the slide while the trailer is totally level, as in before I hook back up to the truck. My trailer tows nose down just slightly, and our paddock spot this past weekend was several inches low in the front. Hopefully, this new info will help.......thanks to both of you guys for responding. I still consider myself to be a rookie at this camping stuff.

If you are hooking up to the truck before retracting, you are putting a different bend and twist to the actual chassis then you had sitting on the landing legs - actually bowing the frame some. It doesn't take much. These TTs and 5ers are assembled while on their landing gear and are level. I notice a difference in ours when one or both of the two interior doors that closed without dragging the door frame at the last CG, drag at this one and it's because one LG leg didn't contact a wood blocks the same time as the other and caused by a slight frame twist. As far as being at a CG with the nose down, our seasonal site has enough slope that the LG only extends about 2 inches and I can't use the RVs ladder --- without a ladder to reach the first rung
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Old 09-19-2017, 02:48 PM   #10
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My 2810 has a very large cable slide too. I always make sure everything is level, chocked and stabilized before I open or close. So far so good. Of course I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.


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Old 09-19-2017, 03:23 PM   #11
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Thank you again for all the responses to this. I'm going to take this past weekend as a valuable lesson, especially after I spent a LOT of time on Monday trying to get the cables readjusted and make it work again. Live and learn and getting help/advice from you guys that are far more experienced than I am, helps tremendously. At 63 years of age, and suffering a bit of hair loss, yesterday's experience didn't help with hair conservation!
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Old 09-19-2017, 03:38 PM   #12
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Just my 2cents - I hate these damn cable slides for several reasons besides the once a year adjustment or sometimes sooner.

I have a 12' and 10' facia that must be removed when making adjustments or cable / motor replacement. The facia removal requires using the same screw holes so I had to enforce the screw holes with tooth picks "plus" I always need to enlist a neighbor to help me lower and raise the facia due to the weight and two piece construction.

My cables are exposed to the weather when the slides are out so I cover them with electrical wire wraps. I noticed that the new 2018 Cougar 30RLI has the cables covered - on my to do list to see.

Next RV will not have cable slides .... Don
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Old 09-19-2017, 06:31 PM   #13
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When I bought a Heartland TT at CW the tech told me during PDI to leave the slides alone until you are level and bring them in before hitching. When I bought the Cougar I had the same tech and he asked "remember what I said about slides as now you have one more". When doing the PDI on the Montana had a different tech and he said "Dave said to make sure to remember what he said about moving the slides as now you have four". I keep the keys until the auto-level finishes. Only then do I open the door and my wife opens the slides. At close, I take care of hoses and outside while wifey puts away all inside. When we are done slides come in, last thing before raising leveler feet and hooking up.
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Old 09-19-2017, 10:59 PM   #14
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Sounds like very good advice CaptnJohn.
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:39 AM   #15
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Darn, after reading all this I wonder how often mine will need adjusting, thought this design would be a lot less painful...but, I do only put slides out after rv is leveled and before I unlevel it to hook up. Only other time slides are out some is to access the inside...can't walk through the new ones with slides in like you could on the older ones!
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Old 09-20-2017, 04:42 AM   #16
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It's a mixed bag of adjusting/not adjusting. I have not (probably jinxing myself) had to adjust mine.
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Old 09-20-2017, 05:36 AM   #17
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Darn, after reading all this I wonder how often mine will need adjusting, thought this design would be a lot less painful...but, I do only put slides out after rv is leveled and before I unlevel it to hook up. Only other time slides are out some is to access the inside...can't walk through the new ones with slides in like you could on the older ones!
These are not too bad to adjust if you have good access, a 3/8" and a 7/16" Gear wrench - or better, two of each plus a small Crescent and an hour to do 2-3 of them. You also should keep a couple 20 buck cables on hand though one of mine dates to 2009 and our last 5er. So far, only the long LR(3 times) and small office slides(once) on our 5er have been adjusted in 4 seasons. After the fighting two Lippert rack and pinion slides also on the last 5er - easy.
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