Community Forums

National 350 · 05-03-2022, 02:43 PM

Other slides still work. I checked the fuse and it looks OK. Replaced it anyway; still does not work.

mbrandt1402 · 05-10-2022, 03:50 PM

We need more information, such as do you hear the motor running?

I'll jump to the most likely problem: there is a brass gear in the gear box between the motor and the track that makes the slide move. All of this is under the bed - tilt it and prop it up with a 2x4 or similar. If you hear the motor run, or make any sound at all, the problem is most likely this gear. Where to buy a replacement and how to replace it has been written up very thoroughly, so do a search on the National forum. The gear will arrive with too small a hole, so you will need to drill it out. If you don't think you are equipped to do this, you'll have to find an RV repair tech that does more than just swap parts, or take the gear to a machine shop that can drill it for you. Off the top of my head, I don't remember what size the hole needs to be, but it is in the 5/8" neighborhood.

mbrandt1402 · 05-10-2022, 03:52 PM

Also, if you don't hear the motor run, or grunt, or the lights don't dim due to the motor being jammed, then it is most likely an electrical problem. Those are pretty hard to diagnose from a distance!

mbrandt1402 · 05-10-2022, 05:22 PM

One more thing: if it is the brass worm gear, that is what holds your slide in place. If it is completely stripped, with some effort you can push the slide in and out.

If you take a righthand corner fast enough, centrifugal force can open the slide a few inches. BDTD on an I-90 on-ramp that is so short you have to attack the right turn that leads to it in order to merge safely. I carry a couple of sticks to lodge in the slide frame at the foot of the bed, just in case we need to hit the road before I have a chance to repair the gear.

National 350 · 05-16-2022, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbrandt1402

We need more information, such as do you hear the motor running?

I'll jump to the most likely problem: there is a brass gear in the gear box between the motor and the track that makes the slide move. All of this is under the bed - tilt it and prop it up with a 2x4 or similar. If you hear the motor run, or make any sound at all, the problem is most likely this gear. Where to buy a replacement and how to replace it has been written up very thoroughly, so do a search on the National forum. The gear will arrive with too small a hole, so you will need to drill it out. If you don't think you are equipped to do this, you'll have to find an RV repair tech that does more than just swap parts, or take the gear to a machine shop that can drill it for you. Off the top of my head, I don't remember what size the hole needs to be, but it is in the 5/8" neighborhood.

Not the gear............I can use a ratchet and socket and move the slide in or out.

CamJam1 · 05-16-2022, 06:01 PM

National slide units were made by either RBW or PowerGear during that period. The former is the more problematic one with the brass gear. Hopefully you have the latter. This earlier thread might shed some light on the differences for you:

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f105/rbw...sm-524733.html

darnold9999 · 05-17-2022, 09:32 AM

If it is Power Gear have a look at the controller. Mine is similar vintage and the controller was slightly corroded inside and a bit of sand paper on the two small switches inside the controller fixed the problem. Not the switch that chooses in or out, but the controller - mine was in the compartment under the slide.