Slide gearbox toast

bill-e · 10-04-2021, 11:08 AM

Hi all
So my big slide's gearbox will only pull the slide in...which is the position it is now but will not extend it. The gear(s) used for that direction must have lost some teeth.

I would try to replace it myself but with the slid in, my hands are a good 6" short of reaching it and the cables. If this had happened in the out position it would have been a different story....of course then i would have been stuck in the woods 200 miles from home.

I've called 4 places and awaiting on call backs but nobody's website actually says that they work on cable slides.

Can these slides be moved without the motor? Anyone know of any videos that show the motor/gearbox being replaced with the slide in?

Thanks

Kojac · 10-04-2021, 11:21 AM

Have you tried taking off the front facing board at the top of slide? It should have 3 or 4 screws holding it on, and would open up the gear box and wires, for maintenance without opening the slide. I had to replace both slide gear boxes this summer.

bill-e · 10-04-2021, 11:39 AM

Oh yea, the facia is open. My slide is about 3' deep and I cant reach back to the motor. Maybe if I was younger and skinny I could lay up there.

Kojac · 10-04-2021, 11:57 AM

Can you post a photo of cable box location? My slide-out was in when gear box went out and I was able to push on the corners of the slide and it moved out a couple of feet, depends on how tight the cable are!

bill-e · 10-04-2021, 01:34 PM

Here it is

Campermike · 10-04-2021, 05:09 PM

Did it break all at once? If so it might not be the gearbox but instead the drive shaft between the motor and gears... that happened to mine. If the driveshaft isn't broken you should be able to push it out while someone presses the button if you just have worn gears. I managed to get the motor and box out of mine with if stuck in but it wasn't fun. I have reasonable long arms which helped.

bill-e · 10-04-2021, 06:25 PM

No, I think the shaft is good and it will turn the gears clockwise but not in the other direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j79tkKZSVGg

Campermike · 10-04-2021, 06:29 PM

Have you tried pushing the slide or while someone pushed the button to extend it? It should move if the gearbox isn't bound up...

bill-e · 10-04-2021, 06:40 PM

I briefly tried it but I'm old and I don't have the strength I used to have plus I bet you need two to push each side. Plus before I do anything drastic which will limit it's mobility I need to go dump my tanks before the campgrounds close.

Then I'll get help and try that. If I do get it to move I'll have to prop the slide up right?...before I disconnect the chains.

bill-e · 10-05-2021, 09:15 AM

Some of you guys will get a chuckle out of this.. With the large slide closed on a 26RBI you cannot get into the bathroom. I was coming back from a shooting match and I always travel with my ammo and pistols and shooting boxes in the bathroom for exactly this reason. No MA or NY cop will be able to get me for not having my guns locked up.

Anyway, I get home and this happens. The door will open out about 4" or just enough to get my hand in. What I did was make up a hook and I've dragged every ammo box and gun case to the door and opened it up and was able to remove all the contents. So I have my guns.

The next issue is that I need to dump the camper from 2 dry camping weekends and because I thought I was going to have 3 weekends, I was conserving the water I put into the black tank so I would have enough room.

So now before I can dump, I will need to make something to push down the foot flush valve so I can add more water...and of course I wont be able to see what's in there now how much to add...this should be fun.

Still waiting call backs from 4 places and I did try this morning to push it again and it absolutely wouldn't budge.

Kojac · 10-05-2021, 10:25 AM

Is it possible to go outside and use a pry bar and lift the slide a little to see if it will move out?

**chuckster57** · 10-05-2021, 10:44 AM

Maybe push while someone else is pushing the button?

MCBadgett · 10-05-2021, 04:32 PM

Double check that something hasn't fallen on the sides of the slide out. I had a cabinet door pop open, and get caught in the slide. the slide wouldn't move out any more, as the cabinet door was holding the edge of the slide out in the closed position. Took me a few minutes before I realized what had happened.

bill-e · 10-05-2021, 05:04 PM

Thanks all.

I have a remote so I pushed while operating the slide and I checked the sides, clear and all cables tight. I'm going to have to wait for some help or a skinny repairman

.

jasin1 · 10-05-2021, 05:55 PM

This is probably a stupid question but does the motor make any noise when you try to extend it out?
Could you take a video of what it looks and sounds like when you try it?
I seem to recall another member about 6 months ago posting a video about slide trouble with his motor or the gear

bill-e · 10-05-2021, 06:18 PM

The video was posted yesterday in this thread.

roadglide · 10-05-2021, 07:40 PM

I would try Cordless drill with the the flex extender with 1/2 deep socket find the out cables and remove the cable nuts allowing you to push it out where you can remove the gear box .take pictures and note where the cables are located . I agree something sheared in the gear box .

jasin1 · 10-06-2021, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill-e

The video was posted yesterday in this thread.

Yep I completely missed it… it looked like an advertisement to me as I was scrolling down

Retired Topkick · 10-10-2021, 07:40 AM

Your slide looks like mine on my 2016 Keystone Passport Ultralight. I have been dealing with a sluggish retract system for the last 2 months. I cancelled my last camping trip of this year due to fear of being stuck at a campsite with a slide that won't retract. I have been working with the manufacturer, BAL AccuSlide and they have been helpful. Unfortunately, I will probably have to take it to the dealer which I try to avoid at all cost. Anyway, if it is an AccuSlide, I strongly suggest you e-mail them today. Send plenty of pics. You will get an immediate auto-response that your e-mail was received. You can follow up with a call the next day. You can actually speak to a tech rep. Bal Accu-Slide #: (574) 262-3400. https://www.balrvproducts.com/produc...de/index.shtml
[email protected]

This will be my last camper with a chain and cable slide. They are cheap and prone to issues. Its my understanding that if the gearbox goes and you are in the open position you have to disconnect the cables, push in the slide and block it with wood to make it road-worthy enough to get home. Good luck!!

Maverick491 · 10-10-2021, 12:27 PM

So I just went through this on our 2015 Bullet.

The gearbox for the slide-out is a weak link, the gearbox was re-designed to beef up the weak part in 2017. Make sure you order it with the new wall bracket as the pre 2017 wall bracket does not fit the re-designed gear box. I also ordered a new driveshaft with the new gearbox and bracket as it was only $4 more.

All told I fixed it myself for $116 and about 6 hours, but that was learning all about it and doing it for the first time, but now I could probably do it in 3.

Make sure that the gearbox you get has a serial number that starts with 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21.

Now to get to it required 3 people. One person pushing the button and one person on each end of the slide inside pushing (HARD) while the out switch is operated.

I recommend going 3/4 of the way out before performing the repair.

This is the video I used to figure this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDm-ZyUpOGQ

I waited 10 days for the gearbox to come in, and then it was another 2 after that when I was off and could do the work. The mobil RV tech I called returned my call 3 days after I was done

Let me know if I can help more.

You may also like: