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Rolfsted · 03-13-2015, 06:37 PM

Well, as I have posted previously, I own a 1994 Tourmaster Gulfstream 5th wheel. So it's 21 years old but still very good condition. Last camping trip the slide got off about 3 inches. I had to slide it back out then have the wife operate it while I pushed from outside. It's been too cold this winter to mess with it until the other day. It always was off an inch when going out or in. So I bought a 1 7/8 inch wrench and a huge crescent wrench to loosen the adjustment nuts on the hydraulic rams. I moved each side a half inch the opposite direction. So now measuring from the frame to the slide it's the same. But....when I brought back in I immediately noticed it was off again. I crawled back under and found the problem. The forward bracket that holds the ram and the square tube that runs on the roller is bolted to the floor with two small bolts. They are letting the bracket flex forward about two to three inches. I can push on the slide to get it back where it should be. Going out is fine...the bracket pushes against the bottom of the slide. Pulling it in is when the stress is almost to pull the bracket out of the floor.

So....I have 3 options. 1 Leave it alone and go out and push on the slide when we bring it in. 2 tear up the floor and redo the two bolts. (There goes camping this spring) or 3 I can drill two holes through the upper side of the bracket out through the side of the slide and install a stainless steel plate about 4 by 6 inches with 2 good sized stainless steel bolts and washers so the bracket will stay against the slide and not pull out. If I do that, I'm going to do both ram brackets so it looks symmetrical. It will be opposite to the door so we will not see it sitting under the awning.

I watched a YouTube video on rebuilding a slide and I can do it and will have too down the road. ...but I'm not looking forward to it. Plus camping season is upon us!

Sorry for the long post.

wingnut60 · 03-13-2015, 08:12 PM

Interesting, hope you get it operational as designed. Take some pics, it will probably help someone else later on.
Joe

Rolfsted · 03-14-2015, 06:48 AM

Yes...I'll take a few and post them

Rolfsted · 03-15-2015, 03:23 PM

Top picture shows how the bracket works...bottom two show the movement when going out then pulling in.

Rolfsted · 03-15-2015, 03:35 PM

Well now I'm thinking too much. Is it supposed to flex like that? When it flexes coming in would that allow the outside slide of the slide to drop a little to let the floor clear the carpet in the 5th wheel? I don't think the opposite end bracket of the slide is moving like this though. More checking to do.

Brentw · 03-15-2015, 07:20 PM

I had to adjust my slide when I brought it home,so I spent a bit of time watching it go in and out. I don't think they should be flexing. I think you are on the right track with your supports, odds are your wood may be getting a bit soft and the holes loosening up.

Rolfsted · 03-16-2015, 07:06 PM

Yes Brent I think the same thing. The bracket that's worse is under the sofa. I'm wondering if I pull up the carpet I can get to the bolts and maybe take them out and for now install a 1X4 along the wall and put back longer bolts.

Appy · 03-17-2015, 07:52 PM

You may have the bolts working loose or the floor may not be strong enough to support it anymore. Maybe you could drop both brackets and lag a piece of angle iron or aluminum angle across the entire length to help speak the stress. Of course you would have to readjust the slide brackets but I think that would solve you slide problem permanently.

Rolfsted · 03-18-2015, 05:10 PM

That's what I need to do is fix it once and be done. I'll be looking more closely at options available. We hope to be camping May 1st.

skyking421 · 03-22-2015, 08:31 AM

FWIW
It looks like that bracket is designed to only take a downward force (weight).
If it's not meant to be pushed/pulled in or out, is there something binding causing that to happen?

Rolfsted · 03-22-2015, 03:02 PM

The two small bolts go up into the floor. So 4 total pull/push the slide out/in. The main problem started when we camped two weeks last fall and when breaking camp the seals on the inside stuck to the wall. One side broke loose first and got it out of alignment. It took several times in and out to get it even close.

Rolfsted · 03-29-2015, 03:48 PM

An update.....I pulled the couch away from the wall and pulled up the carpet. They used stove bolts that can't use washers so after all these years they worked into the floor. The flooring...OSB....is not rotted so I plan to replace with bolts and large washers. Then drill two more larger holes for bigger bolts. That way there will be four on each bracket instead of two.

09 harley · 04-04-2015, 10:53 PM

Another example of poor engineering by RV or component manufacturers. Why can't they design and build products that function and last? They build as cheaply as possible so we will be able to afford them. Still costs us in the end.

drfife · 04-05-2015, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 09 harley

Another example of poor engineering by RV or component manufacturers. Why can't they design and build products that function and last? They build as cheaply as possible so we will be able to afford them. Still costs us in the end.

The companies that practice great engineering go out of business because consumers choose the poorly engineered RV based solely on price. The list includes Teton, Travel Supreme, Carriage, NuWa, Excel and many others.