slideout bolt

[ray/wendy]

Discovered broken bolt in slideout where ram plate attaches to wall. I know I have seen post on this but can't seem to find. Can anyone help?
Thanks Ray

[rockintom]

Ray,
You may want to put your rig info in your sig to help folks help you. I went to your profile and found out you have a 2007 Excel. They have both electric and hyd. slide systems. Let us know which you have. I'm surprised Bruce and Jenna haven't responded yet. He has a 2007 with hyd slide and is a SME when it comes to slides. He has something break on his every other week. He is the expert!!! If yours has hyd the photo doesn't show the updated slide wall plates. rockin'

[ray/wendy]

Hi Tom,
I browsed Bruces threads and didn't see it. We have 2007 RSO Limited w/ hyd slideouts.

[rockintom]

Here some conversation I found that Bruce posted. Broken hydraulic kitchen slide

See post # 1 second paragraph.......I know he posted pix with the old slide wall anchor plate and the updated one....just can't find it now. rockin'

[wa8yxm]

In the picture I see no evidence of a broken bolt.

[rockintom]

wa, You don't see the empty bolt hole in the plate at the bottom of the slideroom anchor plate? Time for a eye checkup!!!

[wa8yxm]

I see the empty hole, but no evidence it had a bolt in it. And no logical reason for there to be a bolt there. Went back and double checked, No evidence of a bolt ever being there.. Looks like the hole was cut for a different reason.

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm I see the empty hole, but no evidence it had a bolt in it. And no logical reason for there to be a bolt there. Went back and double checked, No evidence of a bolt ever being there.. Looks like the hole was cut for a different reason.

Apparently you aren't used to viewing this area since you may not own a Excel trailer. I see the hole in the lower part of the anchor plate. There is rust all around the hole which are witness marks from the flat washer. That hole normally has a stud, flat washer, lockwasher and nut there. On 2007 models with hyd slides (first year for Excel) that slide plate was a flat plate with no side supports and the plate would bend/distort slightly in the center and when the slide was commended to retract and this distortion would fatigue that bolt in question. If not caught at this point and continued to be used the plate would bend badly and ultimately the ram cylinder would bend and cause a need for replacement. Excel started adding a side reinforcement to the plate to increase the rigidity in that piece thus fixing that issue. rockin'

[Bruce and Jenna]

Bruce here.

Yes, there is a bolt there, just as Rockin' says. You can reach the nut by pulling off the reflector. As I recall, it didn't break, but did work loose by pulling thru the wood, probably from the flexing plate. Which allowed the rams of two different hyd cylinders to bend in ways they should not. I now watch the ram and plate every time each slide moves in or out.

I can't find my additional post. Should tell you tho that late last year the Lippert slide frame on my big slide failed. Not stout enough for the job. Which might have contributed to the failure of the plate and ram. I took the trailer to Lippert in Rialto CA. Where I spent three days camping outside the factory and they took 30 hours to weld a new reinforced frame into place.

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce and Jenna Bruce here. Yes, there is a bolt there, just as Rockin' says. You can reach the nut by pulling off the reflector. As I recall, it didn't break, but did work loose by pulling thru the wood, probably from the flexing plate. Which allowed the rams of two different hyd cylinders to bend in ways they should not. I now watch the ram and plate every time each slide moves in or out. I can't find my additional post. Should tell you tho that late last year the Lippert slide frame on my big slide failed. Not stout enough for the job. Which might have contributed to the failure of the plate and ram. I took the trailer to Lippert in Rialto CA. Where I spent three days camping outside the factory and they took 30 hours to weld a new reinforced frame into place.

Thanks Brucie.......oh master-mind of the slides. What say you wa? Got kinda quiet lately. rockin'

[Bruce and Jenna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockintom Thanks Brucie.......oh master-mind of the slides. What say you wa? Got kinda quiet lately. rockin'

You think it's quiet? Shoot, we're working on an island on the NW US border! A passing Orca whale qualifies as BIG NEWS!!

It's quiet here, but coooool. Like me!

[jack1851]

After 4 years of ownership I discovered my slide bolt was missing...never had one. On the advice from RV Sales I removed the reflector and drilled a hole thru the wall and added a nut and bolt. Make sure to use a large fender washer on the outside. I don't know if this is an oversight from Petersons... but I was surprised to see it was never installed and lucky I didn't bust the ram plate.

[ray/wendy]

OK, thanks for chiming in. thought I'd post my fix. Took deflector off and drilled through siding w/ 1" hole saw- then drilled through w/ 1/4" and inserted 1/4 x 3" stainless steel bolts. Old hole was so far to bottom, would have to remove all bottom trim and made much more work. I did put in 2 bolts as the way I see it that bolt is the only one pulling the wall in. I think I will be proactive and do the others before waiting for a failure. I had DW put slideout out some to ease repair.To finish I caulked over bolt heads and reinstalled deflector with stainless screws.

[rockintom]

Thanks Ray for the follow up....Are you sure those are 1/4" bolts?......they look like 5/16" at the angle I'm looking at them. Just wonderin' why you didn't do 2 - 3/8" bolts as the original was 3/8". Are you still thinking of updating the plates with the side supports welded to the plate? Sho makes that plate more robust and would reduce flex which adds stress to the anchor plate.