Slide-out won't extend

[Maverick491]

OK hive mind, We need a little help,

Luckily the campground we were going to for the week is 7 miles from home.

We got there this afternoon situated and leveled and went to deploy the slide. Motor runs slide starts then there is a bunch of shaking and the sound I would describe as stripped gears turning against each other.

I can then hit the in button and it pulls back in the 1/4" it moved out and pulls up tight and stops like normal, no grinding, no bucking.

So i got disgusted and hitched back up and came home as it will be easier to figure this out in my own driveway where all my tools are.

The trailer in question is a 2015 Bullet 272BHS

The slide type in question is a cable driven BAL accuslide

The slide has been slow going out the last couple of trips, and on coming back in it has stopped and we've had to wait usually 2 times to get it all the way in. I have been chalking it up to the batteries being old and in need of replacement but I thought we could get one more trip out of them. But I am not sure that was/is my problem.

I've looked at a couple of videos but need some help as to what to tackle first in the morning and how.

I know I need to pull off the interior cable covers and look for obstructions or the cable being out of the pulleys. Which I can see and access so that's not a big deal.

I know that I need to check the set screw that holds the gears onto the motor shaft.

My question for the techs that participate or those of you who have done this, how do I get to the motor, (I know that it is in the center of the wall above the slide-out but the slide is 3/4 the length of the trailer so I can't get to it from the sides where I have access) I do not see how to remove the upper facia from the slide room, and not seeing any screw heads I don't want to just start yanking on it without some direction to go in for how to disassemble it.

Thanks for you time

[chuckster57]

Look for brad heads, the facia front is usually brad nailer to the “horseshoe”. Once the “face” is off then the horseshoe is screwed to the frame. Take the center piece off first and then make a note of the placement.

[Maverick491]

Thank you for that information.

It was in fact secured by a bunch of brads. I removed all the trim and labeled where each piece goes when it comes time to put it back together.

I pulled the covers off the cable and pulley runs on the sides and I can find nothing amiss there.

Have the facia off and the DW came out to operate the switch while i watched the motor and gear box.

Motor turns, but the gearbox seems to be slipping while attempting to extend (yet it still maintains positive engagement when we bring it back in the 1/4" it goes out before it starts slipping)

I can't see the set screw on the shaft going to the drive chains and even if i could we are stuck in the retracted position so I am not sure how I could reach it effectively anyway since the retracted slide is keeping me 34" away from the motor and gearbox.

I feel like I am in over my head and it's probably time to call a professional.

In this case the correct tool for the job might be the checkbook.

Thanks

[chuckster57]

You could lay on the slide out roof and replace the gearbox. I understand your reluctance and wouldn’t blame you if you called a tech.

[Maverick491]

I've watched a bunch more videos this afternoon and the job of replacing the gearbox does not look terrible and is within my level of ability. It is accessing the assembly I now struggle with.

The distance between the exterior roof of the slide and the interior roof of the coach is 7 inches. (I am more than 7 inches laying on my stomach)

The distance from the rear of the slide to the motor is 6 feet (my arms are not 6 feet long)

The distance from the front of the slide to the motor is just shy of 7 feet (same problem as above)

The distance from the front inside edge of the fully retracted slide to the motor on the wall of the coach is 34 inches (Closer but still don't have long enough arms)

So while i wait for a call back from a tech who makes house calls or I wait for the dealer to be open on Tuesday morning.

Is there a way that I can manually move a slide with a completely stripped gearbox half to 3/4 of the way out so that I can reach the motor assembly to replace the gearbox. I"ve tried pushing while the DW hits the out button thinking if we got past the bad section of teeth it might catch and go, but that came to no avail, do I need 3 people? 1 on each side of the slide pushing together plus a button operator?

While I have it this far apart, the structure under the facia is one solid run of 5/4" particle board. When I put it back together can I cut an appropriate sized access panel in that particle board so that it would limit how far apart I would need to take things if I ever had this problem again?

Thanks again for your help.

[chuckster57]

You can try pushing on the room while someone operates the switch. We push slides in/out all the time.

[Maverick491]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

You can try pushing on the room while someone operates the switch. We push slides in/out all the time.

OK, Once I have the gearbox in hand i'll gather another person or two and try moving it to a point I can access it.

One more stupid question, even though the motor seems fine for another $90 or so it seems I can get a new motor also, does it make sense to replace the motor as well?

If so I found two compatible part numbers:

R25074 is 12V 14A 36W 12r/min

R25075 is 12V 16A 43W 12r/min

all of the fuses on the 12 volt side of the power center are 15A fuses so I expect I can not use the more powerful motor as the 16A motor on a 15A circuit would create a new and different problem if it really does pull 16A correct?

Thanks again

[chuckster57]

If the slide is the only 12V item on that circuit, I would get the 16A and if it does blow the fuse, I would replace the fuse with a 20A fuse.