Community Forums

Mike&Chris · 05-22-2016, 01:20 PM

OK, another newbie question here. Today is the first day I've had to explore the coach and all its features at home, thus all the questions. I opened the engine door but I can get it to close. Hit the button and it will move a fraction but stops; however it will go up. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks again

brobox · 05-22-2016, 03:01 PM

Check if anything may not be secure interfering with the slide mechanism. My coach when it was new had wires hanging everywhere. I know the new ones are better.....but it doesn't hurt to look. I also spray my tracks twice a year with silicone spray. The generator track is right down there where it catches all of the road dirt, wet or dry.

edgray · 05-22-2016, 04:01 PM

Mike. Look for a loose ground wire at the switch. That is where Justin found my same problem.

hawgguy · 05-22-2016, 04:43 PM

Must be nice to have a switch. I have to use muscle power. More reliable, but more effort.

Mike&Chris · 05-22-2016, 07:49 PM

We got it up finally. The better half pressed the button while I pushed again. Had already tried that but must not have used enough force. I'm guessing it needs an alignment. Thanks.

brobox · 05-23-2016, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawgguy

Must be nice to have a switch. I have to use muscle power. More reliable, but more effort.

Us "Classic" owners are also saving on monthly gym memberships.

Grower15 · 05-23-2016, 06:47 AM

As an aside, I asked CS if there was a way to manually open the engine hatch if a motor ever failed or for some other reason since I didn't want to figure it out on the side of the road. The answer was, "no" but they were aware of the issue. The motor(s) are probably fairly bullet proof, but since it is mechanical there is always the possibility of a failure. As stated above, check the wiring to ensure good connections as you need power to open the hatch.

weirba · 05-23-2016, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grower15

As an aside, I asked CS if there was a way to manually open the engine hatch if a motor ever failed or for some other reason since I didn't want to figure it out on the side of the road. The answer was, "no" but they were aware of the issue. The motor(s) are probably fairly bullet proof, but since it is mechanical there is always the possibility of a failure. As stated above, check the wiring to ensure good connections as you need power to open the hatch.

I asked our service tech at the plant that same question, after he stopped laughing, he told me if the motors fail the only way to access them to fix them, is to physically rip/pull the door off. It is fibreglass and aluminum and supposedly is "easy" to pull apart? A bit of a design SNAFU IMHO!

Gasman 2 · 05-23-2016, 09:12 AM

I don't see the advantage of the electric door. It operates pretty slow.

The old door opening wasn't bad once you figure out where and how to grip it.

FreshAir · 05-23-2016, 09:16 AM

I had same problem last year , wouldn't close when part way up. After checking connectors wiggling wires, etc, I opened it all the way then it closed ok and has worked ever since

When that happened I thought about same question of how to open if major failure occurred.

There is a way. Get familiar with the lift bracket. The center pivot arms connect to the motor drive arms and lifts the cover. If you could remove the pivot bolts where they connect to the cover then you should be able to manually lift or close the cover.

Look up the 3rd slat from the cover bottom and the pivot drive bolts are barely visible. With the right 7/16 wrench you can probably, slowly remove them from the outside. Won't be easy and you'll need the right wrench.

I think a 7/16 coupler shaft with a pin instead of a bolt and nut would be the way to go. That way should you need to, you could reach in and just pull the pins, remove the coupler shaft and release the drive arms. This has been on my back burner to do list.

pat

FreshAir · 05-23-2016, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshAir

Look up the 3rd slat from the cover bottom and the pivot drive bolts are barely visible. With the right 7/16 wrench you can probably, slowly remove them from the outside. Won't be easy and you'll need the right wrench.

pat

I just took another look at the engine cover and I think to open manually is much simpler than I previously thought. On my 2016.

From outside the cover and looking up thru the 3rd louver from the bottom, remove the 7/16" bolts from each side of the door that attach the mtr. drive arms to the cover. Now you can raise the cover still attached to the upper free pivoting arms.

Tools required. Long 7/16" wrench.
1/4" flexible drive socket extension bar. Apx. 12" long.
1/4" socket and socket wrench.

PS, untried but can't see any reason it won't work.

hobart22 · 05-23-2016, 05:54 PM

my 2016 Cornerstone engine cover went up and would not come down, messed with and played with it and kept trying and finally the top of the motor broke out and went up and down with motor. the very top black plastic piece that alignes the cylinder. so wonder if you need to lube it, because it may be miss aligned.

FreshAir · 05-23-2016, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobart22

my 2016 Cornerstone engine cover went up and would not come down, messed with and played with it and kept trying and finally the top of the motor broke out and went up and down with motor. the very top black plastic piece that alignes the cylinder. so wonder if you need to lube it, because it may be miss aligned.

While checking my cover lift mechanism this AM in response to this thread I noticed some very serious wear on the passenger side lift arm due to it rubbing against the frame asy. while moving up and down. It is serious rubbing and am sure it is causing an extra load on the motor gearing. The Driver side lift arm is unscratched. The entire lift asy. must not be aligned properly. Problem lurking and waiting to happen.

Cruzer · 06-04-2016, 11:16 AM

I just modified my engine hatch cover. I replaced the two bolts that mount the linear actuators in place with clevis pins and hairpin clips. Now I can go in through one of the grill slots and easily remove the pins with a stiff wire hook if I ever need to. Photos of before and after are attached.