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RVRon · 03-24-2018, 12:26 PM

We left home for Florida in December in a snow storm and traveled a couple hundred miles in salt and snow. We ran the DS through a truck wash when we got far enough south. Unfortunately, it would seem that the undercarriage wash there wasn't thorough enough.

Now, back home again, I cannot get my generator slide to unlatch. It doesn't feel like there is anything happening when I'm pulling on the under-hood handle. I went underneath and saw where the cable hooks onto a "carriage" that slides laterally to unlock the slide and I've sprayed all the attachment points liberally with WD40 and tried to work it back and forth to no avail.

Does anyone else have any experience with this problem?

Buly · 03-24-2018, 01:25 PM

I’ll go outside and see how mine works and maybe figure out how to open it. My coach is same as yours.

Buly · 03-24-2018, 01:43 PM

Hi Ron,
The cable goes to the front bottom of the hood, and is attached to a sheet metal arm about 2-3” long. A spring keeps it locked. It latches to a bolt on the center of the bumper sticking up.
You can reach from below by the windshield washer tank (or opposite side) and pull the sheet metal arm towards the driver side. That should trip the lock open. Pictures attached to help visualize the setup.
Good luck.

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RVRon · 03-24-2018, 01:51 PM

Buly. Thanks, buddy, for checking that out....but I may not have been clear, it’s the genny slide out that won’t unlatch. The hood unlatches ok. I apologize for the misunderstanding

Buly · 03-24-2018, 01:53 PM

I’ll go again[emoji23]🤣 no problem. Slow day for me anyway.

RVRon · 03-24-2018, 02:02 PM

Be careful under there!

Buly · 03-24-2018, 02:08 PM

Ron,
All I can tell you is that the latch for the genny, is center behind the exhaust pipe. Similar latch as the one on the hood, but more robust. Could not get close, since my body would not fit there with air out of the bags. Most likely if you can slide underneath, just look about 6” aft the geny exhaust pipe and you will see where the cable attaches to the latch. Maybe You can trigger it by hand?

RVRon · 03-24-2018, 02:19 PM

Buly,

I was under there (aired up with jacks out) and it was TIGHT. Glad to get out. Note to self: buy HD jack stands. I can move that carriage thing about 3/4” left and right, but not enough to unlatch it. Thinking a hammer....
Thanks for your efforts.
- Ron

Ricci · 03-24-2018, 02:25 PM

Hi Ron - Mine will take a bit of convincing from time to time. I found out that if I rock the generator fore and aft while pulling the handle the genset will release. The spring tension seems to hold tightly against the release mechanism.

Tom

Buly · 03-24-2018, 02:27 PM

I wander if salty water has rusted the bearings? Looks like they are not the sealed type? If the latch releases, than you may be able to try pushing it out by using short crowbar or something like that?

RVRon · 03-24-2018, 03:13 PM

Tomorrow’s another day. I’ll go back to the barn and see if I can figure it out then. Thanks Buly & Tom

wishalls · 03-24-2018, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVRon

We left home for Florida in December in a snow storm and traveled a couple hundred miles in salt and snow. We ran the DS through a truck wash when we got far enough south. Unfortunately, it would seem that the undercarriage wash there wasn't thorough enough.

Now, back home again, I cannot get my generator slide to unlatch. It doesn't feel like there is anything happening when I'm pulling on the under-hood handle. I went underneath and saw where the cable hooks onto a "carriage" that slides laterally to unlock the slide and I've sprayed all the attachment points liberally with WD40 and tried to work it back and forth to no avail.

Does anyone else have any experience with this problem?

I had a problem with mind that sounds very similar to your. Asked Newmar to check and the tech pushed in on the generator as he pulled the release handle. It open easily. He said the spring tension on the springs helps hold the lock in place, so when you push in slightly it releases the tension on the lock and it should release to open. No problems since he showed me

RVRon · 03-27-2018, 08:29 PM

So this was my resolution of my problem; went back underneath and worked the locking bar back and forth which did not fix the problem, so I used a hammer to “convince” it to move, while a friend pulled the handle out front. That moved the bar enough to unlatch the genset. WD40’d the mechanism up and all is back to normal.
Thanks to everyone for your input.
- Ron