Community Forums

tom chelbana · 02-28-2019, 06:05 PM

We have owned Newmar motor homes for 22 years and you would have to search for quite a time to find someone more out spoken about how good Newmar motor homes are. Very surprised this afternoon when I went to check the slide out motor bolts on our 18 LA on passengers side and found all the bolts loss and 2 taking a turn and half to tighten. Had problems on our Essex and shared the fix we found that stopped the problem that being blue lock tight. With the new LA the motor assembly is different but the problem is still there. Our model is the 4531 with the big HWH slide and would recommend all Newmar owners check their slide out motor bolts to see if any are loss. I will be tomorrow removing each bolt and putting lock tight on the bolts and replacing them back and some other owners might choice to do so also. On the Essex the 4 bolts had a 9/16 head but the LA now has 1/2 headed bolts. There have been many owners who have had major slide out problems just because the 4 bolts came loss and let the motor jam up and damage the slide out assembly. Do check your slide out motor bolts or have someone else check them for you. If you want to use a torque wrench to check tightness it's 35 ft. pounds. These bolts are accessed in your outside cabinet.
Newmar Man

MikeGriffin · 02-28-2019, 07:57 PM

Wow, Tom! Your timing is impeccable.

I just posted about an issued I had today with my slide motor mounts. The whole story is over on my thread.

You're so right. CHECK 'EM!

If you need to know how, please take a look at my article from June 2017, "Electric slide out motor mounts: check the bolts!"

wagonmaster2 · 02-28-2019, 08:18 PM

I try to check them on my 2015 DS seveeral times a year, at least the Kitchen and FWS which are reasonable easy to reach. It's the bed room slide motor that's really a nuisance to reach. Couldn't reach one of the bolts at all and a couple of the others turned hard enough I was afraid to completely remove it to use Locktite on the threads. So the ones I could reach run out I loosened them somewhat and blue Locktited them.

It's amazing how lax Newmar is with owner problems that have been going on for years yet nothing is done to ease the owner's headaches.

spsm · 03-01-2019, 04:30 AM

First thing to check, is to see if you have any blue loc-tight. ( I had some, but where did it go?) Then do as Tom mentioned, but don't stop there. The way these roads are today, alot of things come loose, not to mention some drivers out there.

Ramjet · 03-01-2019, 06:03 AM

One extra step on the slide out motor problems. On our 2015 DS the kitchen slide motor brackett failed after 2 years and was rebuilt by Newmar. After the Loc-tight bulletin came out, I put blue Loc-tight on all of the bolts and retorqued them. I went one step further and used red fingernail polish to put a vertical line on each bolt head. I now check all motor mount bolts about every couple of months to verify that the line is still vertical. Takes very little time and no tools. Two years later, so far, so good.

richpatty · 03-01-2019, 06:22 AM

Apologies for what may be a dumb question, but is this only on the HWH systems? The Ventana has the electric motors...would I check for the same thing?

Thanks.

NWIP · 03-01-2019, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richpatty

Apologies for what may be a dumb question, but is this only on the HWH systems? The Ventana has the electric motors...would I check for the same thing?

Thanks.

I believe this applies to all that have electric slides and does not apply to the FWS if it is hydraulic.

I have checked the electric in about a year ago and will be rechecking this weekend again. Someone please correct me if there is something I should be checking on the HWH FWS.

harleyjt · 03-01-2019, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richpatty

Apologies for what may be a dumb question, but is this only on the HWH systems? The Ventana has the electric motors...would I check for the same thing?

Thanks.

Actually, just the reverse. Does not apply to the HWH hydraulic system, does apply to the electric motor system. Each motor has 4 bolts holding it to a bracket. Those are the bolts we are talking about.
jt

richpatty · 03-01-2019, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harleyjt

Actually, just the reverse. Does not apply to the HWH hydraulic system, does apply to the electric motor system. Each motor has 4 bolts holding it to a bracket. Those are the bolts we are talking about.
jt

Ahhhh..Gotcha. Sorry for getting that backwards...

Need to check myself.
Thanks

Greenbarn1 · 03-01-2019, 08:50 AM

Bought my 2014 dutchstar 4364 in July of this year. I could see we're the kitchen slide motor and bracket had been previously repaired. Then I read about the bolts loosing and that made sense to what had happened. In august I checked all four motors and sure enough all 16 bolts were loose. I admittedly did not use blue loctite! Well this morning after reading this thread I rechecked bolts and you guessed it all were loose again. Plus coach was a NORTHTRAIL for a bedroom slide roller replacement in 12/5/2018. I built 1100 h.p. Drag race engines and can't believe those bolts loosened so quick. When those slides operate they must be putting a lot of torsional load and actually flexing the bracket and motor! Anyway off to get some loctite!! Thanks group

Carl 2014 dutchstar 4363
2004 American tradition 40w (sold)

tom chelbana · 03-01-2019, 09:49 AM

If you are having trouble knowing were to look for these slide out motor bolts Mike Griffin post on his problem with his slide out bolts. This is a good post with details on these 4 bolts to hold the slide out motor to the slide out assembly. Still surprised how just a hour or two after I posted what I found on our 18 LA Mike posts his major problem on his DS. "Electric slide out motor mounts:check the bolts!" is the title and can be click on the view by visit his post.
Newmar Man

"007" · 03-01-2019, 10:00 AM

ARR Yes spring maybe coming people getting out the check lists for the bolt problems.
We have a member SLS that has come up with another way to solve his bolt problem that gives us feed back as to how his studs not bolts are working out.
Here is his thread on his studs for motor and gear housings working out for him.
Which ever way you go, do not over look, for a trouble free summer of travel.

lce3 · 03-01-2019, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NWIP

I believe this applies to all that have electric slides and does not apply to the FWS if it is hydraulic.

I have checked the electric in about a year ago and will be rechecking this weekend again. Someone please correct me if there is something I should be checking on the HWH FWS.

We were told this had been addressed and was no longer a probleem on the newer models. Is that incorrect?

Winepress · 03-01-2019, 10:08 AM

Checked my bolts on my 18 DS 4369. This is production date with the bolts treated with Loctite at the factory. All are loose.

Question- How do you go about checking the bedroom slide?

Thanks Tom for keeping this issue alive.