FWS alignment shot

[kamakalama]

Our FWS is two or three inches out of alignment front to back. I was lucky to get it closed enough to go on the road.

I think it happened one night when I hit the slide control switch when trying to turn on the outside light. I heard a clank which may have been the drive cog skipping a few holes.

Reading through posts on this subject, It looks like I release the trans-torque to isolate the two motors. Straighten the slide then tighten the trans-torque.

Is there more to it than that? How does one straighten the slide? Is there a way to jog the slide motors independently? How about a big pipe wrench on the drive shaft?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[tom chelbana]

Helped a KA owner with his 2011 FWS not closing on the back side by about 2 inches and the problem was his rear slide out electric motor was weak and needed to be replaced.

[Polyian]

Originally Posted by kamakalama

Our FWS is two or three inches out of alignment front to back. I was lucky to get it closed enough to go on the road.

I think it happened one night when I hit the slide control switch when trying to turn on the outside light. I heard a clank which may have been the drive cog skipping a few holes.

Reading through posts on this subject, It looks like I release the trans-torque to isolate the two motors. Straighten the slide then tighten the trans-torque.

Is there more to it than that? How does one straighten the slide? Is there a way to jog the slide motors independently? How about a big pipe wrench on the drive shaft?

Thanks for any suggestions.

I don't have a FWS but have large front slide that works in a similar way. After releasing the trans-torque bushing I used vice grips to turn the shaft, doesn't take much. I had no room for a pipe wrench. I was able to turn the shaft with one hand and a very small movement moves the slide a considerable distance. You will need a crows foot wrench with a long 1/2" breaker bar to release the bearing nut and to use a torque wrench to tighten it after...got mine off Amazon for a few bucks...good luck

[BBelanger]

I had that problem. Cranked it in once with the rods and it never went crooked again. For a few inches I’d try that first

[S2000Dave]

The fix seems fairly straightforward. But, what causes them to slip a cog like this in the first place? Anything that can be done to prevent it from happening?

[kamakalama]

>> Anything that can be done to prevent it from happening?

I never had a problem with the FWS before this. I (almost) always run the slide out while still aired up and after checking the gaps. I believe this is the key.

We were parked in a spot for a couple of months over the winter. I think the jacks had settled in some twisting the coach. I'd noticed some of the doors not closing properly.

Like an idiot, I hit the control switch for the FWS. I meant to be turning on the outside light. The switches are one above the other. When I did this, the coach was not aired up and was twisted as well.

I'm going to make a little cover that has to be lifted to access the slide switches. Hopefully it will remind me to pay attention when operating the slides.