Problem in Junction, TX!

[markcee]

Just arrived at Tree Cabins campground in Junction and upon deploying the dinette slide observed one of the upper cables is hanging on by a thread.

Have several calls in to mobile repair types, but so far no luck. Any suggestions, recommendations?

[jasin1]

That looks like the very end of the cable from the picture.. I would see if you could make a splice temporarily as long as it didn’t interfere with the slide seals…any hardware store would have the supply’s
May be able to leave the old cable intact and piggyback or saddle a new one next to it..just a small length to the bracket and back to a good section of cable

[chuckster57]

That cable is going to need replacing obviously, question is can you get a new one in the next day or two and get it installed. You might be able to tape the frays tightly. I dunno just throwing it out there.

[wiredgeorge]

Did you ask the office at the park you are staying? They often will have numbers of local mobile RV techs. Failing to find one, what is the other end of the slide connection look like? Looks like pretty much just like a stranded cable and should not be hard to replace yourself. I might temporarily support the slide and when fully extended, can you see the connection point on the trailer side? I have never had a cable actuated slide so just spit balling.

[wiredgeorge]

Another thought. I know Kerrville and Ingram are about 40-45 minutes from Junction and they have more mobile RV techs services.

CG & Company (Moble RV Repair)
(830) 792-3646
1600 Sidney Baker St,
Kerrville, TX 78028

Mobile RV Solutions
832-309-4141

BJ's RV and Custom Car Hauler Repair Service
150 JJ Lane Center Point, Texas
(main) 580-247-0073

Mobile RV Repair
Phone number
(830) 367-3318
3367 Junction Hwy
Ingram, TX 78025

[markcee]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Did you ask the office at the park you are staying? They often will have numbers of local mobile RV techs. Failing to find one, what is the other end of the slide connection look like? Looks like pretty much just like a stranded cable and should not be hard to replace yourself. I might temporarily support the slide and when fully extended, can you see the connection point on the trailer side? I have never had a cable actuated slide so just spit balling.

Tried that and park has no repair tech recommendations….on a side note, staff isn’t even on site, had to call the number posted on the ‘welcome board’ repeatedly for 20 minutes until someone answered and provided us with our site number…but I digress…..

Not sure how a splice would hold as there is like a strand or two of cable left connected to the slide end, I may not understand what the splice would do, but seems like I’d need solid source material on either side for it to provide any strength.

We will be en route to N Mexico tomorrow to visit my stepdaughter….going to see if I can get a cable overnighted to her house and the wife and I will try and affect a repair.

So question:

Any special tips for getting the slide back in? Like, should I help push even if the cable is still intact?

Edit: Amazon ….’this product ships in 1-2 months’….oy vay

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by markcee

Tried that and park has no repair tech recommendations….on a side note, staff isn’t even on site, had to call the number posted on the ‘welcome board’ repeatedly for 20 minutes until someone answered and provided us with our site number…but I digress…..

Not sure how a splice would hold as there is like a strand or two of cable left connected to the slide end, I may not understand what the splice would do, but seems like I’d need solid source material on either side for it to provide any strength.

We will be en route to N Mexico tomorrow to visit my stepdaughter….going to see if I can get a cable overnighted to her house and the wife and I will try and affect a repair.

So question:

Any special tips for getting the slide back in? Like, should I help push even if the cable is still intact?

My thought was just loosen the bracket and thread a new piece of cable thru the hole.. loop it back ( maybe 1 ft) and use a cable connector to secure it to the old cable at a good section of it. Obviously not to use more then the trip your on but I don’t think there is a awful lot of tension on it or it would break right now…this would help support the slide while it’s extended…then when you retract you may need to ease the connector under the seal carefully…replace when you get home…hold the old cable with vise grips to something so it doesn’t unravel while repairing

[markcee]

Originally Posted by jasin1

My thought was just loosen the bracket and thread a new piece of cable thru the hole.. loop it back ( maybe 1 ft) and use a cable connector to secure it to the old cable at a good section of it. Obviously not to use more then the trip your on but I don’t think there is a awful lot of tension on it or it would break right now…this would help support the slide while it’s extended…then when you retract you may need to ease the connector under the seal carefully…replace when you get home…hold the old cable with vise grips to something so it doesn’t unravel while repairing

Ahhh, OK got it now, thanks for the clarification. Have a line on a replacement cable at a semi local RV store. If that doesn’t pan out, Home Depot here I come.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by markcee

Ahhh, OK got it now, thanks for the clarification. Have a line on a replacement cable at a semi local RV store. If that doesn’t pan out, Home Depot here I come.

Yeah it was just a thought…it may not work but just brainstorming

[notanlines]

Jasin, that is precisely what I would do. And yes, I would give the slide a hand also.

[markcee]

Repair update….I’ve had no luck with repair service but did locate the BAL Accuslide replacement cable kit down the road. Plan is to pick it up in the morning and then forge ahead to Carlsbad. No luck with an available mobile tech there either so we will attempt to replace ourselves, with the help of the fine folks here and YouTube.

Question one - as this is a universal kit, it’s my understanding I will need to cut to size….would these cutters be appropriate for cutting a slide cable? HF is right down the street from the RV store and it is in stock.

https://www.harborfreight.com/28-inc...BoCeUoQAvD_BwE

Note, I do have a Porter Cable oscillating multi tool with me in my in my drill bag, would this serve the purpose for cutting stranded cable? If so, is a specific attachment required?

[Javi]

If you wrap the cable with a good tape you can cut it with a set of bolt cutters or a Dremel, the trick is the cable clamp.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by markcee

Repair update….I’ve had no luck with repair service but did locate the BAL Accuslide replacement cable kit down the road. Plan is to pick it up in the morning and then forge ahead to Carlsbad. No luck with an available mobile tech there either so we will attempt to replace ourselves, with the help of the fine folks here and YouTube.

Question one - as this is a universal kit, it’s my understanding I will need to cut to size….would these cutters be appropriate for cutting a slide cable? HF is right down the street from the RV store and it is in stock.

https://www.harborfreight.com/28-inc...BoCeUoQAvD_BwE

Note, I do have a Porter Cable oscillating multi tool with me in my in my drill bag, would this serve the purpose for cutting stranded cable? If so, is a specific attachment required?

Make sure you read the instructions twice before you start. I have replaced a few, and the hardest part is keeping the old and new cable attached to each other as you thread it in.

[markcee]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Make sure you read the instructions twice before you start. I have replaced a few, and the hardest part is keeping the old and new cable attached to each other as you thread it in.

Thanks….same advice from one of the techs that called me back. Said the project becomes much more difficult if you can’t connect the two. Crossing my fingers I can get the slide in and back out again once ready to do the install, without it snapping.

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Make sure you read the instructions twice before you start. I have replaced a few, and the hardest part is keeping the old and new cable attached to each other as you thread it in.

I agree Chuck . The roving tech and I lost a cable because it stuck between the roller. I ordered a spare cable kit that came with what I will call the Chinese finger trap for joining the 2 cables.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by roadglide

I agree Chuck . The roving tech and I lost a cable because it stuck between the roller. I ordered a spare cable kit that came with what I will call the Chinese finger trap for joining the 2 cables.

We used that and some electrical tape. Problem is the diameter has to be small enough to thread through the pulley bracket.

[markcee]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

We used that and some electrical tape. Problem is the diameter has to be small enough to thread through the pulley bracket.

Haha….oh boy, can almost guarantee this ain’t gonna end well. I see the remnants of one cable kit gleefully tossed in the Carlsbad KOA dumpster, a shortened trip, and a 6 week trailer time-out, plus $600 bill at the repair shop in my future. Good times…lol.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by markcee

would these cutters be appropriate for cutting a slide cable? HF is right down the street from the RV store and it is in stock.

https://www.harborfreight.com/28-inc...BoCeUoQAvD_BwE

No. I own one of these dudes, picked it up for $1 at a HF tent sale. It's made for cutting thick outdoor electrical cable (the round rubberized stuff), not steel. You may get by using aviation snips, they're pretty tough. A bolt cutter would definitely work.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by markcee

Haha….oh boy, can almost guarantee this ain’t gonna end well. I see the remnants of one cable kit gleefully tossed in the Carlsbad KOA dumpster, a shortened trip, and a 6 week trailer time-out, plus $600 bill at the repair shop in my future. Good times…lol.

It’s not that bad. If it comes apart before it goes through the first cable you can just push/pull it back out and start over. We had to re try like 3 times once.

[LHaven]

One side note, since you're probably going to be avoiding extending that slide out for a day or two: Keystone cautions owners NOT to inhabit the slide out unless it's fully extended, because the floor is unsupported. So no meals at the dinette, etc. until you can get the slide back out.