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Old 03-15-2021, 06:50 AM   #1
Skippy38
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Slide Motor Replacement?

Put the main slide in today for a move and heard a very loud CRACK, but the slide retracted fully. Got to new site and tried to put the slide out and it moved maybe 1" then another loud CRACK then it would not move and just went crack, crack, crack. I am guessing that the slide motor has sheared its gear teeth and needs to be replaced. I know that I can do it but anything that I should look for before I do it?
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Old 03-15-2021, 07:24 AM   #2
JRTJH
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Crawl under your trailer on the side where that slide extends. You will find, coming through the frame rail, two "rams with gear teeth" and one "pipe with a brass bell on the end". Inspect the two rams and you'll find, mounted "at the frame rail" two roller assemblies with a single "gear tooth and two plastic rollers". I'd almost bet that one or both of the plastic rollers are cracked/broken and that's what's causing your "crack, crack, crack" noise. They are "field replaceable" and available on Amazon for about $45 per set.
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Old 03-15-2021, 07:49 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Crawl under your trailer on the side where that slide extends. You will find, coming through the frame rail, two "rams with gear teeth" and one "pipe with a brass bell on the end". Inspect the two rams and you'll find, mounted "at the frame rail" two roller assemblies with a single "gear tooth and two plastic rollers". I'd almost bet that one or both of the plastic rollers are cracked/broken and that's what's causing your "crack, crack, crack" noise. They are "field replaceable" and available on Amazon for about $45 per set.
Thanks John. However my slides are cable slides and the motor is mounted on the inside at the top of the slide and I have no apparatus that you have described.
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Old 03-15-2021, 08:22 AM   #4
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Ahhh, I thought your main slide would be the same as mine. If you've got cable slides, get an inspection mirror and a flashlight, crawl into the space above the slide and look carefully at the pulleys on each side of the slide. I've seen more than a few where a pulley will come off the wall just enough for the cable to slip off the pulley and wrap around the axle.

Take a look at this BAL manual. I have this system in the bedroom slide on my fifth wheel. https://www.nexusrv.com/fckimages/pd...ice-manual.pdf
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Old 03-15-2021, 08:56 AM   #5
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Ahhh, I thought your main slide would be the same as mine. If you've got cable slides, get an inspection mirror and a flashlight, crawl into the space above the slide and look carefully at the pulleys on each side of the slide. I've seen more than a few where a pulley will come off the wall just enough for the cable to slip off the pulley and wrap around the axle.

Take a look at this BAL manual. I have this system in the bedroom slide on my fifth wheel. https://www.nexusrv.com/fckimages/pd...ice-manual.pdf
All cables are engaged in the proper pulleys. I am almost certain that it has sheared a gear in the gearbox (see pics). Good thing is that I can get a new one from Amazon for $87. Might as well get 2 because the other slide is making the same noise. Anything special that I should be careful about when changing the gearbox?
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Old 03-15-2021, 10:56 AM   #6
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Just make sure that when you put things back together that you adjust the slide so it's centered in the opening. There is "no physical support" for the slide, it hangs by the cables, centered in the opening, so if you adjust it "just a bit crooked" you can destroy your slide seals and/or bend the slide flanges that are mounted on the slide box. Other than that, on your 2016, there was no issue with oil leakage onto the roof. Depending on when Amazon bought/stored/warehoused the gearboxes you're buying, they may be a part of the "silent recall" for oil leaking onto the TPO roof membrane and damaging it. So, look for a MFG date on the package and/or the gearbox itself. If it was manufactured in 2018/19, I'd consider installing the drip pans. It wouldn't hurt to install them anyway, but the earlier gearboxes and the more recent ones don't have the "oil leak" that caused so much trouble. With replacements, it's more about when they were built as to whether you'll open the risk of a leak.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW THE CABLES ARE ROUTED !!!!! Take photos with your phone so you can refer back to "the right way to string this one".... It does get confusing with all the cables once they're all laying on the slide roof and you're "almost upside down" trying to fit your arms in that small space.
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Old 03-15-2021, 11:01 AM   #7
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One suggestion I would make, and you may already realize this but, when you get ready to remove the gearbox, if there is any way to tie something to the chains to keep them from getting slack in them, I would advise you to do it. It's not the chains so much as it is the cables getting slack in them and then the cable falling off of the pulleys. It they do that, they can be kind of hard to reach and get back on the pulley on some models.
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Old 03-15-2021, 11:49 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Just make sure that when you put things back together that you adjust the slide so it's centered in the opening. There is "no physical support" for the slide, it hangs by the cables, centered in the opening, so if you adjust it "just a bit crooked" you can destroy your slide seals and/or bend the slide flanges that are mounted on the slide box. Other than that, on your 2016, there was no issue with oil leakage onto the roof. Depending on when Amazon bought/stored/warehoused the gearboxes you're buying, they may be a part of the "silent recall" for oil leaking onto the TPO roof membrane and damaging it. So, look for a MFG date on the package and/or the gearbox itself. If it was manufactured in 2018/19, I'd consider installing the drip pans. It wouldn't hurt to install them anyway, but the earlier gearboxes and the more recent ones don't have the "oil leak" that caused so much trouble. With replacements, it's more about when they were built as to whether you'll open the risk of a leak.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HOW THE CABLES ARE ROUTED !!!!! Take photos with your phone so you can refer back to "the right way to string this one".... It does get confusing with all the cables once they're all laying on the slide roof and you're "almost upside down" trying to fit your arms in that small space.
Great advice! Luckily (I think) the slide is all the way in so I think if I just mark the chain and all of the cables and put them back together where they started then I should be OK. Great advice on the mfg date, I will have to remember to check that...
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Old 03-15-2021, 11:51 AM   #9
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One suggestion I would make, and you may already realize this but, when you get ready to remove the gearbox, if there is any way to tie something to the chains to keep them from getting slack in them, I would advise you to do it. It's not the chains so much as it is the cables getting slack in them and then the cable falling off of the pulleys. It they do that, they can be kind of hard to reach and get back on the pulley on some models.
That is an excellent suggestion and I am already thinking of a way to do what you suggested...thanks!
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Old 03-17-2021, 10:43 AM   #10
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I would put nail polish on the chain and gear before unassembly so you know exactly the space and tension of the chain and sprocket...
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Old 03-17-2021, 11:22 AM   #11
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I would put nail polish on the chain and gear before unassembly so you know exactly the space and tension of the chain and sprocket...
That’s what we do.
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Old 03-17-2021, 12:38 PM   #12
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If it is simply the gearbox shouldn't you be able to push it out of someone else it pushing the button to activate the motor? It would make getting the motor and gearbox out so much easier. I had to work on mine with it in and that was not fun. I had to work on mine that way because the shaft between the gear box and motor sheared.
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Old 03-17-2021, 12:58 PM   #13
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That’s what we do.
I went to the Dollar Tree and got some white out. Marked the chain and the slide adjusters and it worked great.
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Old 03-17-2021, 12:59 PM   #14
Skippy38
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If it is simply the gearbox shouldn't you be able to push it out of someone else it pushing the button to activate the motor? It would make getting the motor and gearbox out so much easier. I had to work on mine with it in and that was not fun. I had to work on mine that way because the shaft between the gear box and motor sheared.
It was actually easier to work on it with the slide in because I could get on top of the slide and lay there and change the parts. But I am 5'8" and 190lb, if you are any bigger you would not fit up there as I barely did...
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Old 03-17-2021, 01:06 PM   #15
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SUCCESS!! I got the parts from Amazon in 48hrs and it only took me about 1.5hrs to replace the gearbox. A few takeaways from the installation:

1. They send you a gearbox with a bracket attached which you have to use. The new motor has a flange under the gears that the old motor does not have so you cannot use the old bracket and just change the gearbox. You have to switch the motor over to the new gearbox/bracket assembly then install it.

2. MARK YOUR PARTS. I used white out and marked the chain and was able to only take off 1 adjustment bracket from each side and get the chain back exactly lined up. I still need a little adjustment in one side of the cable but it seems to work well.

3. I think this whole thing was caused by the slide jerking coming in and out. I think that the jerking put too much pressure on the gears and they skipped/sheared. I need to lube the slide rail and clean the underside of the slides to prevent jerking.
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