Community Forums

cliffj · 08-29-2018, 08:35 PM

So my bedroom slide hesitated mid stream when extending, but kept on going thinking maybe I let off the button.
Everything came in normal until the last second and there was a pretty Big Bang. Extended fine next time, retract same Big Bang at the last instant. Everything appears aligned from outside.
Noise sounds like it is coming from floor level. 2014 DS 3736
Any thoughts? Thank you!

Peto · 08-29-2018, 08:36 PM

Something is hanging up.

**TonyDi** · 08-29-2018, 08:49 PM

Have you tried looking at it when extending the slide? That sound is not normal.

Dav L · 08-29-2018, 08:55 PM

Y, agree with TonyDi, I wouldn't cycle the slides too much until you know what's going on. Something for sure isn't right and needs to be addressed.

Bring the slide in until BEFORE you would expect to hear the pop and take a look outside and see if the gaps are aligned and that there is clearance between the edges of the slide and the RV body. If not - is the RV level? Level it then see how the gaps are. The pop might be the side of the slide "popping" into place as it retracts.

If the gaps look like there is clearance, is the slide mechanism under the bed? If so, I would raise the bed and while carefully watching the mechanism, move the slide out keeping all senses open waiting for the noise to see where it's coming from. Or, see that it is bounding up and once that is detected, stop moving the slide to minimize any damage.
Let someone look outside while you look inside while retracting.

Post back what you see / hear / feel.

Johnidaho · 08-29-2018, 09:55 PM

The motor that drives the cog wheel to extend/retract the BR slide in my New Aire was bolted down too tight (should have been shimmed to make the alignment correct), and thus put tremendous stress on the cog wheel shaft attached to the motor. After just a few cycles there was a very loud bang and the slide ceased working...took off the panels under the bed to access the slide mechanism and discovered the shaft between the motor and the cog wheel literally shattered from the out-of-alignment stress.

Newmar was great. Realizing I was adept at diagnosing the problem and upon my advising them I was mechanically inclined and had all the necessary tools, they overnighted me the shaft mechanism and then spent time on the phone to provide me some special techniques to attach the shaft to the motor. Only when I got everything reassembled and ready to re-bolt the motor to its mount did I discover there was about 3/16" space between the motor base and the mounting bracket. Bolting it down the way it had been would only have resulted in the same failure, so the fix was to add shims under the motor base when bolting it back down. All works fine now, and no more noises.

Based on my experience, maybe you should check either the motor mount alignment or if the mounting bolts are not properly tightened. Hope you can solve the problem!

Steele · 08-29-2018, 11:41 PM

Check the slide motor housing bolts. This is a known issue. Search this site for slide motor bolts.

John

cliffj · 08-30-2018, 09:07 PM

Problem solved. All 4 bolts were loose. Thanks everyone

gimlimike · 08-31-2018, 04:50 AM

After reading so many posts here about slide motor bolts tightening them every few months has become a SOP for me now and each time there is some loosening to be taken up

cliffj · 08-31-2018, 08:17 AM

Problem solved. All 4 bolts were loose. Thanks everyone

Quincy · 09-01-2018, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimlimike

After reading so many posts here about slide motor bolts tightening them every few months has become a SOP for me now and each time there is some loosening to be taken up

I have one word for you... BLUE LOCTITE

Quincy · 09-01-2018, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnidaho

The motor that drives the cog wheel to extend/retract the BR slide in my New Aire was bolted down too tight (should have been shimmed to make the alignment correct), and thus put tremendous stress on the cog wheel shaft attached to the motor. After just a few cycles there was a very loud bang and the slide ceased working...took off the panels under the bed to access the slide mechanism and discovered the shaft between the motor and the cog wheel literally shattered from the out-of-alignment stress.

Newmar was great. Realizing I was adept at diagnosing the problem and upon my advising them I was mechanically inclined and had all the necessary tools, they overnighted me the shaft mechanism and then spent time on the phone to provide me some special techniques to attach the shaft to the motor. Only when I got everything reassembled and ready to re-bolt the motor to its mount did I discover there was about 3/16" space between the motor base and the mounting bracket. Bolting it down the way it had been would only have resulted in the same failure, so the fix was to add shims under the motor base when bolting it back down. All works fine now, and no more noises.

Based on my experience, maybe you should check either the motor mount alignment or if the mounting bolts are not properly tightened. Hope you can solve the problem!

Good thing you have super hero talents in diagnosing and repairing things. Newmar was very fortunate to have you on the job.

Keep up the good work.