Community Forums

hawgguy · 06-12-2016, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealth01

Background: On the first stop of our current trip, I went to retract the kitchen slide-out for departure. There was a LOUD bang and the slide stopped! I opened the lower bays and found all four mount bolts of the kitchen slide-out motor broken out of the motor casting!!

Question. Can you buy just the transmission, or do you have to get the whole shebang? I'm sure it's not cheap, seems manufacturers are very proud of their spar parts.

Lloydu · 06-12-2016, 05:09 PM

Thank you Ken and Don for making us aware of this problem. You probably saved us tons of aggravation and $$$

Vettesniper · 06-12-2016, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer2

Anyone willing to describe exactly where to look and what to look for? I have no idea where my slide motors are or what they look like. '06 Essex with 4 slides. Any help would be welcome.

On a 2006 Essex the accessible motors are located under the coach, inside the bays, between the first and second bay doors (counting from the front tires). You can access the bolts on the ODS (off door side) with a 9/16" box end wrench, but you will need a 9/16" socket, a swivel, a long extension, and a 3/8" drive ratchet to tighten the bolts on the DS (door side). See attached pictures.

Patti Brown · 06-12-2016, 07:26 PM

Please clarify: are you tightening the bolts with the slides open or closed? Or does it matter? Our slides are closed right now and I'm wondering if we have to open them to check the bolts.

PDR John · 06-12-2016, 07:37 PM

Makes no difference Patti.

Sky_Boss · 06-12-2016, 07:39 PM

I went through the checking process last week after Dutch Star Don's post. On our 4 slide model:

1. DS Front - all 4 bolts were in need of 1/2 to 3/4 turn.
2. PS Front - Pretty much the same or maybe a bit more.
3. DS Rear - that motor mounts entirely different and can be accessed easily with the bed raised. The motor mounts down towards the floor on 4 rubber protected pads. No problem there.
4. PS rear - That is the dresser side and I haven't figured out how to access the motor yet.

I need to go back and check the 2 motor end bolts. Didn't know about those.

I also checked all the support bracket bolts along the shafts and found a few that needed some tightening.

hawgguy · 06-12-2016, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

3. DS Rear - that motor mounts entirely different and can be accessed easily with the bed raised. The motor mounts down towards the floor on 4 rubber protected pads. No problem there.

4. PS rear - That is the dresser side and I haven't figured out how to access the motor yet.

Here is what I found. Like yours, my DS rear slide motor was easy to access - just flip up the bed. Nice & clean.

The PS rear slid (AKA Vanity Slide) was a bear.

I found that if I used the jacks to maximally raise that corner of the coach, there was then enough space to stick my head into the drive axle wheel well and reach the access panel for the slide motor. The panel came off easily, the compartment was foamed. With some difficulty, I was able to tighten the motor mounting bolts and then re-foam and re-seal the compartment. I wish they had put an access panel under the dresser drawer.

CJ7365 · 06-12-2016, 08:00 PM

I would at least take one bolt out at a time, apply some red Loctite, then torque the bolt back in, and as others have said, apply a strip crossing the bolt head to the mount with paint marker so you can do a visual check.

BPoland · 06-13-2016, 04:54 AM

Does anybody know the proper torque setting for these bolts? How tight is tight?

Archer2 · 06-13-2016, 07:43 AM

Thanks a million 'Sniper. Now it all makes sense. I appreciate you taking the time to take the pictures and post them!

Sky_Boss · 06-13-2016, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawgguy

Here is what I found. Like yours, my DS rear slide motor was easy to access - just flip up the bed. Nice & clean.

The PS rear slid (AKA Vanity Slide) was a bear. ...

Was that motor mounted like the bed side on 4 feed attached directly upward or was it mounted to a plate like the 2 front slides?

I found the bed side mounting solid and didn't require any tightening. I'm hoping the you found it was like the bed side. The bed mounting can't slip and slide around like the front slides.

Zephyr08Bill · 06-13-2016, 08:35 AM

Same problem on our Zephyr, two slides electric, two hydraulic.
Last year had to replace one motor because bolts worked loose, motor and gear box twisted and broke. Expensive parts.

SubVet · 06-13-2016, 09:43 AM

Back in my days working on Sprint Cars, and in the US Navy we did lock wire for any bolts that MUST remain tight. Never did have any of them come loose. I would think that if you wanted to make sure that they did not come loose replacing with bolts drilled for lock wire and doing the lock wire against the grain would solve the problems for sure.....may be over kill but it would do it.

Trapper2022 · 06-13-2016, 09:58 AM

OMG
Glad I read this post. Front motor driver side has one missing bolt and two loose. Passenger side front two loose bolts. My coach is a 2008 Essex with four slides. Under bed is ok but can anyone tell me where the passenger side back slide motor is????

Thanks for the help.