Need advice - Kitchen slide won't retract - 2008 Newmar Ventana

[midwest22]

This was my very first weekend with my (new to me) 2008 Newmar Ventana 3933. I've had the slides out a handful of times at my RV storage spot and all worked well. As I was pulling in the kitchen slide it came in about a foot then something happened and it slid back out.

I went under the slide and noticed the motor was still turning but the shaft wasnt. I tightened up what I believe is the clutch nut, but it still didn't turn the shaft. In order to get it in I had my partner press the IN button while I used a pipe wrench to turn the shaft. After a few choice words, I managed to get it back in. I've included a video in this message to get a better idea of what I was looking at.

Any idea how I can solve this without taking to the dealer - Im pretty handy but this is my first motorhome and (sadly) my first weekend with it. Not fun!

edit: not sure what the deal is with videos on this site. When I press play it shows me a black window with a message at the top saying "Your Ad will close in X seconds". If you all see this, please let me know and I'll put the video on another server then link to it.

[DD788Snipe]

Not sure but it sounds like the transtorque bushing is either loose or has failed. It needs to be torqued to 145 lbs. Not easy to do btw. I use a 12" crescent wrench and equal size pipe wrench to back it up. Newmar used to supply a crows foot wrench with their coaches but stop the practice a number of years ago. That is what you really need to torque tge bushing. Good luck.

[midwest22]

Originally Posted by DD788Snipe

Not sure but it sounds like the transtorque bushing is either loose or has failed. It needs to be torqued to 145 lbs. Not easy to do btw. I use a 12" crescent wrench and equal size pipe wrench to back it up. Newmar used to supply a crows foot wrench with their coaches but stop the practice a number of years ago. That is what you really need to torque tge bushing. Good luck.

Thank you for your reply. I didn't have a crescent wrench big enough with me today so I used a good sized pipe wrench. Without knowing the torque specs or having a torque wrench handy, I just gave that nut the ole college try. Definitely wasn't 145 ft lbs but I would have thought it could have worked.

You say "either loose or has failed", would you happen to know how to tell if its failed (besides the obvious in that it doesn't work). In other words, are there any visual signs like a blown fuse that are clear indicators that its failed?

[DD788Snipe]

Originally Posted by midwest22

Thank you for your reply. I didn't have a crescent wrench big enough with me today so I used a good sized pipe wrench. Without knowing the torque specs or having a torque wrench handy, I just gave that nut the ole college try. Definitely wasn't 145 ft lbs but I would have thought it could have worked.

You say "either loose or has failed", would you happen to know how to tell if its failed (besides the obvious in that it doesn't work). In other words, are there any visual signs like a blown fuse that are clear indicators that its failed?

Well if the motor runs but doesnt turn the shaft after you've tightened it up then its slipping and the jaws are not compressing on the shaft and slot on the motor. I wouldn't use a pipe wrench on the compression nut to tighten it up. You don't want to round off the corners. Let me know how it goes.

[midwest22]

Im hoping that someone can tell me how to determine if the bushing has actually failed or just loose. As I said, I tried tightening it as best I could. I'll get a crowfoot wrench and torque it down. BUT Im a little concerned about opening up the slide to 'test' it without knowing for certain if I should replace the bushing (or not). I threw out my shoulder while using the pipe wrench to turn the bar as my partner pressed the IN button.

If anyone else has anything to offer I would greatly appreciate it!

Thx much!

[plane]

Originally Posted by midwest22

Im hoping that someone can tell me how to determine if the bushing has actually failed or just loose. As I said, I tried tightening it as best I could. I'll get a crowfoot wrench and torque it down. BUT Im a little concerned about opening up the slide to 'test' it without knowing for certain if I should replace the bushing (or not). I threw out my shoulder while using the pipe wrench to turn the bar as my partner pressed the IN button.

If anyone else has anything to offer I would greatly appreciate it!

Thx much!

Not sure how you tightened the bushing but I will say it has a very high torque maybe someone can verify but I think it is about 135 ft lbs

[midwest22]

Originally Posted by plane

Not sure how you tightened the bushing but I will say it has a very high torque maybe someone can verify but I think it is about 135 ft lbs

I looked it up and found 145 ft/lbs. I tightened it with a foot long pipe wrench, since it was the only thing I had handy. I probably only put about 60 ft/lbs of torque on it. I plan on going to the RV storage center sometime this week and will torque it down. BUT, what Im trying to figure out, with the help from those that know more about this than me, is what signs should I look for that will tell me if I should replace the bushing? I only have one shot to get this right since I wont have any help to get the slide back in and can't leave it in the open position at the storage unit. Make sense?

[plane]

Originally Posted by midwest22

I looked it up and found 145 ft/lbs. I tightened it with a foot long pipe wrench, since it was the only thing I had handy. I probably only put about 60 ft/lbs of torque on it. I plan on going to the RV storage center sometime this week and will torque it down. BUT, what Im trying to figure out, with the help from those that know more about this than me, is what signs should I look for that will tell me if I should replace the bushing? I only have one shot to get this right since I wont have any help to get the slide back in and can't leave it in the open position at the storage unit. Make sense?

You always have the option of just loosening the bushing and pushing the slide in by hand. When you loosening the bushing it appears to loosen but it still needs to go further as it tightens up some. Be sure not to loosen to far and let the liners come out. I had a similar issue on mine (head up my rear end) and I had to loosen and push the slide in. I suspect you just didn't get is tight enough, I used a 20' torque wrench and I can say 145# is really tight. Good luck

[midwest22]

Originally Posted by plane

You always have the option of just loosening the bushing and pushing the slide in by hand. When you loosening the bushing it appears to loosen but it still needs to go further as it tightens up some. Be sure not to loosen to far and let the liners come out. I had a similar issue on mine (head up my rear end) and I had to loosen and push the slide in. I suspect you just didn't get is tight enough, I used a 20' torque wrench and I can say 145# is really tight. Good luck

I tried pushing the slide in by "hand"...actually I used my whole body and that damn thing wouldn't budge. I suspect the kitchen slide is much heavier than the bedrooms. Plus it has to lift up to clear the flooring inside. It certainly was not a fun time getting that thing in, which is why I want to make sure that if I tighten the bolt that it's not going to fail again.

[plane]

Originally Posted by midwest22

I tried pushing the slide in by "hand"...actually I used my whole body and that damn thing wouldn't budge. I suspect the kitchen slide is much heavier than the bedrooms. Plus it has to lift up to clear the flooring inside. It certainly was not a fun time getting that thing in, which is why I want to make sure that if I tighten the bolt that it's not going to fail again.

Mine was also a Kitchen slide and I and one other did it with no problem. Are you sure the torque nut was loose. I don't want to get you in trouble so follow you gut.

[plane]

Originally Posted by plane

Mine was also a Kitchen slide and I and one other did it with no problem. Are you sure the torque nut was loose. I don't want to get you in trouble so follow you gut.

Just another thought but you only need to open the slide half way after you tighten it and then close from there and see if it is better and then open fully. Again follow your gut.

[Mr_D]

I suspect you just didn't get is tight enough, I used a 20' torque wrench and I can say 145# is really tight. Good luck

When I did mine on our '02 DSDP I didn't have room for a 20' torque wrench. Had to use a much shorter one.

[MarkK]

Originally Posted by midwest22

I tried pushing the slide in by "hand"...actually I used my whole body and that damn thing wouldn't budge. I suspect the kitchen slide is much heavier than the bedrooms. Plus it has to lift up to clear the flooring inside. It certainly was not a fun time getting that thing in, which is why I want to make sure that if I tighten the bolt that it's not going to fail again.

From what I have read if you can't move it by hand/body, then you've likely not backed the nut off enough as in after it seems to loosen at first theres actually a bit more to go and you have to overcome additional "tightness."

[midwest22]

I torqued the bushing to 145 ft lbs today. I opened the slide about a foot and closed it. All appears to be working. I was a bit nervous to open it all the way since I have no help to put it back in at the moment. We shall see how this works out!