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Old 09-10-2016, 12:51 PM   #1
slow
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BAL Accu-Slide (cable slide) Modification

Part A: The Problem

I have been having an on-going issue with the rubber pads that cover the cable access holes and which the slide brackets rest against when the slide is retracted. The brackets squeeze the rubber pads so much that they get destroyed within a season and no longer stay in place. This is even after fine tuning the cable adjustments so the pads are contacted by their corresponding slide bracket at the same time.



Backside of rubber pads:


The pads are also expensive. With shipping to Canada, they have been close to $80CDN for a set of four.
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Old 09-10-2016, 01:05 PM   #2
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BAL Accu-Slide (cable slide) Modification

Part B: The Modification

I decided that I would add a "stop" so that each bracket would contact a hard stop when the rubber pad was compressed to ~70% of their original uncompressed thickness. The stops will be mounted to the slide brackets and contact the aluminum slide frame mounted to the exterior wall of the TT.

The stop is a nylatron disk .50 inches in diameter and .150 inches in height that snaps into a .187 deep (thickness of the slide bracket) by .25 inch diameter hole. I turned the stops on my mini lathe using a tool I shaped on the grinder.



Without removing the brackets from the slide, I drilled two .25 inch diameter holes in each of the exterior slide brackets near the top and bottom outer corners after marking and center punching the hole centers .270 inches in from the top/bottom and side edge of the bracket. After center punching the hole centers, I started with a 1/8" diameter bit and worked my way up in 1/16" increments in diameter until the 1/4" diameter drill. I then added a ~.025 x 45 degree chamfer to the 1/4" diameter hole on the face to which the nylatron stop would seat against using a 1/2" diameter countersink bit. Note that it is important to chamfer the hole, since the nylatron stop has a small radius under the head. I also deburred the backside of the bracket at the hole the best I could with a small file.

Before holes drilled:



Slide bracket with holes (note the chamfer):



I then painted the holes with clear touch up paint so they would not rust.

While the paint was drying, I removed the old rubber pads and cleaned up the adhesive (from the old rubber pads) from the slide frame using isopropyl alcohol and an old tooth brush.

After the clear paint dried, I applied a dab of clear silicone to the plug side of the stop before inserting the stops into all the slide brackets. I then closed the slide for a few hours so the nylatron stops would seat into the brackets.



To determine where the nylatron stops contacted the slide frame and thereby determine where to position the new rubber pads, I applied a strip of masking tape above and below each slide cable on the slide frame. I then closed the slide so the stops would make a compression mark on the masking tape. After opening the slide, I used a center punch to mark the frame at the two points of the compression marks closest to each cable.

I shortened the 4 inch long rubber pads to 2.5 inches using an exacto knife. I then punched a 1/4" diameter hole in the pad for the slide cable to pass thru after determining where the hole should be for each cable while ensuring the pad would make full contact with the frame and be centered vertically between the punch marks made earlier to define where the edge of the stops contact the slide frame. By doing so, .25 inch of clearance is achieved between the top/bottom edges of the rubber pads and the nylatron stops when the slide is retracted.

To allow the pads to be installed, the slide cable has to be disconnected from the slide bracket. The cable is disconnected by removing the grommet in the slide bracket and then sliding the slide cable end toward the slide box. The cable end is then free of the slide bracket and can be threaded thru the punched hole in the pad and then reinstalled back into the slide bracket and positioned to where it was previously. If the cable is tight and difficult to reinsert into the bracket, use needle nose pliers on the end fitting to pull the cable and engage into the slide bracket. The grommet was then reinstalled.

The red plastic liner covering the self adhesive on the back side of the rubber pad is then removed and the pad applied to the slide frame while keeping the punched hole centered on the slide cable.

With everything installed, I retracted the slide and confirmed that the slide was sealing properly.

Hopefully I will no longer have to include slide rubber pad replacement as part of my annual servicing of the TT going forward.
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Old 09-10-2016, 01:16 PM   #3
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BAL Accu-Slide (cable slide) Modification

A few more pictures:

Note the punch marks on the slide frame is approximately 1/4" above and below the shortened rubber pads. The nylatron stops contact the slide frame above and below the bunch marks.





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Old 09-10-2016, 05:03 PM   #4
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Two years in and mine look just like yours. Never considered that I should replace them to keep them looking new. Figured they were just window dressing, like the polar package.

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Old 09-11-2016, 04:55 AM   #5
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Two years in and mine look just like yours. Never considered that I should replace them to keep them looking new. Figured they were just window dressing, like the polar package.

Frank
We are averaging over 8,000 miles per season with cross country trips and that may be the reason why ours get damaged to the point of requiring replacement each year.

IMO: Once the steel slide brackets wear thru the rubber pads, it will not take much time for the steel slide brackets to wear thru the aluminum slide frame. Mine had started to wear the aluminum at one bracket location. I suggest replacing the rubber pads if the aluminum is starting to wear. Over priced rubber pads will be much cheaper than a slide frame replacement.

Also note that when the rubber pads get squeezed out, there is more force on the 4 inch trim that frames the outside edge of the slide box since it now becomes the "stop" when the slide is retracted. On our TT, the slide trim mounting screws were always loosening and some of the screws have stripped because of the overloading. Measurements and a layout suggests that the slide brackets should be spaced .150 inches from the aluminum slide frame for the slide trim to seal around the outer edge of the slide without overloading the trim. The .150 inch spacing equals the rubber pads being compressed ~70% which is a typical design intent for this type of application.
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Old 09-11-2016, 05:25 AM   #6
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Great job. You may have started a business when the mod becomes well known.
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Old 09-11-2016, 11:30 AM   #7
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Slow, What do you use to clean the old adhesive from the frame? What adhesive do use use to attach the new pads? Mine have a tendency to want to come out when I extend the slide.


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Old 09-11-2016, 12:30 PM   #8
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I clean the old adhesive off with isopropyl alcohol. The Accu-slide tech claims super glue works to reglue the pads but I have never been able to get it to work. New pads which come with pre applied adhesive tape stick well to the aluminum. At least until they get squished.


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Old 09-11-2016, 02:45 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by CaptnJohn View Post
Great job. You may have started a business when the mod becomes well known.
I sent the BAL engineers an email referencing this thread.Hopefully, they will review it and address this issue for future builds and as a retrofit/upgrade kit.
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Old 09-17-2016, 10:08 AM   #10
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Hello "slow":

I really like what you have done but I have several questions that hopefully you can answer:

1. Who did you order the "rubber pads" from and what was the part number?

2. Since I don't have the tools required to make the "nylatron stops", would you be willing to make me some and if so, what would the cost be (2 slide outs = 8 brackets = 24 stops (8 x 3 stops per bracket)?

We average 5 months per year on the road using our 2015 Cougar 30RLI so your rubber pads solution is perfect.

Thanks for posting and looking forward to your response ..... Don
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Old 09-17-2016, 10:58 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by theallde View Post
Hello "slow":



I really like what you have done but I have several questions that hopefully you can answer:



1. Who did you order the "rubber pads" from and what was the part number?



2. Since I don't have the tools required to make the "nylatron stops", would you be willing to make me some and if so, what would the cost be (2 slide outs = 8 brackets = 24 stops (8 x 3 stops per bracket)?



We average 5 months per year on the road using our 2015 Cougar 30RLI so your rubber pads solution is perfect.



Thanks for posting and looking forward to your response ..... Don

Don,

1. Here is the part list. http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/ac...erial-list.pdf

It is the 25041 pad that you probably need.

I tried Trekwood but they kept sending me the wrong rubber pad that was smaller and thinner which I believe is the 25040 pad.

I had a local dealer order the 25041 pad from their distributor called Atlas. Keep in mind that I am in Canada. I am sure the 25041 pad can be ordered in the USA through a dealer.

2. If you have four brackets per slide, you will require 8 stops per slide since 2 (not 3) stops are used per bracket. I suspect you need 16 stops.

I will check on what I have for material and will pm you when I get back home.


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Old 09-25-2016, 02:00 PM   #12
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I added additional details to the first three posts in this thread to aid those that are making this modification on their TTs.
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Old 09-25-2016, 06:48 PM   #13
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Thank you for the updated posts, they are very helpful.

Keystone should hire you !!!!!

Thanks again ..... Don
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Old 09-26-2016, 10:46 AM   #14
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BAL Accu-Slide (cable slide) Modification

This is one of the best mods I've seen. I also would like to get 16 of those of those nylatron stops. Did you make them or buy them. If you made them I also like to buy some. You probably could have a side business with these. I prefer to do things right the first time. My pads need replacing but I'd wait to get parts to do it right the first time.


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Old 09-26-2016, 05:32 PM   #15
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I noticed the bumpers on the big doors at work would work in a similar manner. They are pressure fit into holes and could work like the nylatron ones he made for his modifications.


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Old 09-27-2016, 02:51 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carwheel_09 View Post
This is one of the best mods I've seen. I also would like to get 16 of those of those nylatron stops. Did you make them or buy them. If you made them I also like to buy some. You probably could have a side business with these. I prefer to do things right the first time. My pads need replacing but I'd wait to get parts to do it right the first time.


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Old 09-27-2016, 02:54 AM   #17
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I noticed the bumpers on the big doors at work would work in a similar manner. They are pressure fit into holes and could work like the nylatron ones he made for his modifications.


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Tom, are the bumpers you see on the large doors rubber or some type of hard plastic? The bumpers would need to be a hard plastic to work with the slide.

If they are a hard plastic, that would be the bumper to find a source for.
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Old 09-27-2016, 08:40 AM   #18
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Slow, they are rubber. If they need to be nylon they won't work.
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Old 09-27-2016, 11:03 AM   #19
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Tom, your observation got me thinking about a potential commercially available stop. Goggling "plastic stem bumpers" turned up similar components and a few have a height close to what is needed.

I am going to do more research and see if I can get my hands on some samples.
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Old 10-21-2016, 07:02 PM   #20
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Re: BAL Accu-Slide (cable slide) Modification

Quote:
Originally Posted by slow View Post
Tom, your observation got me thinking about a potential commercially available stop. Goggling "plastic stem bumpers" turned up similar components and a few have a height close to what is needed.



I am going to do more research and see if I can get my hands on some samples.


Slow,
Have you had any luck finding suitable substitutes to your nylock bumpers? I had the pads replaced under warranty and the dealer did a terrible job. The pads aren't as thick as the original and don't have round holes in them. Instead they have slits in them. The first time the slide was extended several of the pads came with it. That was at the dealer. They added some double stick tape that didn't work. I ended up using gorilla tape across the pads to hole them in place. I need to buy pads and do your mod.
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