Community Forums

Bruce and Jenna · 07-12-2010, 12:14 PM

What Rockin' and Book said. Yeah, one motor on each end of the slide vs. one hydraulic ram pushing/pulling one corner of the slide.

My slide is working OK right. But
1 It broke after 2.5 years of moderate use.
2 Broke a second time two months after repair, maybe due to improper installation.
3 Possibly requires regular adjustment, tho not yet confirmed.

Thus I am exploring my options. Jack at PI offered to look at it next time we pass thru Smith Center, tho he did not say who would pay for this. Two thousand miles of diesel round trip can buy a lot of modifications.

rockintom · 07-12-2010, 12:22 PM

Bruce, there is only one electric motor on each slide. One motor runs both slide rams. On hydraulic, ene cylinder of each slide and which operates both slide rams thru the pinion and gear set up.

Bruce and Jenna · 07-13-2010, 12:52 AM

How does "One motor runs both slide rams"? What transmits the movement of the motor to both rams? I was told that each of two motors drove the gear on the underside of each of the two rams. Might this bigger 33RSE slide have had two motors?

I wish you hadn't sold the older one. You could have taken pictures.

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 08:33 AM

I said it once and I'll say it one more time. Each slide has one electric motor and uses the pinion and gear system on the rams to move in and out and keep the front and rear of the slide running at the same rate or timed. Didn't you ever get under there to take a look at it?

Maybe some of the very late model electric units have more than one motor per slide.......I know PI changed vendors on the later model and I'm not familiar with that electric slide system. rockin'

Bruce and Jenna · 07-13-2010, 01:49 PM

I love when you talk in Automotive.

Here's one in Psychiatric. "Ego Dystonic." That means "Patient Doesn't Like Ginger Ale."

I didn't understand "Power is applied to both slide rams." Just wondering where they mount the motor. Meshed with large gear that drives the square timing rod connected to the other side? Or connected to the teeth at the bottom of the ram? (Actually, I thought the ram was the rod that extends from the hydraulic cylinder.)

And whether PI installed a second motor on this heavy RS slide. Which likely you would not know.

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 07:24 PM

Here's some pix to help you visualize how this the electric slide system works. See the one motor.....see the driveshafts going to each ram.......see the pinions that drive the toothed piece that is welded to the ram......which drives the ram in and out......now you SEE how it works??? Come on Bruce, I got an IQ that hovers around 14 and even I get it....As my bride would say.....you're just being obtuse!!! Puttin' all that phyco babble on me!

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 08:33 PM

Sorry for the side way pix.....I jacked with this thing for an hour and half. Must be something wrong with my photo program. Sorry.......this is better than nothin' rockin'

Workshop · 07-13-2010, 08:44 PM

I think my neck hurts from looking at those photos !!!

I like it too when you talk automotive. Must be a left coast thing.

Now I understand the one hydralic cylinder thing.

Thanks Rockin'

workhorse

Still Working "NOT" · 07-13-2010, 09:06 PM

Using Tom's photos, this motor has nothing to do with the hydraulic slides.

The only motor on a hydraulic slide is at the location of the pump. It powers the pump to push oil in and out of the cylinders to push the slides in and out.

Now, if the cylinders on each slide are not properly adjusted, they will cause damage to the slide or cylinder at it's weakest point.

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Still Working "NOT"

Using Tom's photos, this motor has nothing to do with the hydraulic slides.

The only motor on a hydraulic slide is at the location of the pump. It powers the pump to push oil in and out of the cylinders to push the slides in and out.

Now, if the cylinders on each slide are not properly adjusted, they will cause damage to the slide or cylinder at it's weakest point.

Still......cool your heels....this was a super basic operation of the ELECTRIC slide operation......some folks have a tough time grasping the basics in slide operation so we are gonna take baby steps here. Hydraulics are coming up when we are sure we are ready for them!!!

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 09:53 PM

OK times up.... Here's a few pix on the hydraulic system. The hydraulic cylinder is connected one ram per slide. I'm not discussing the bedroom slide in this post. On our floorplan the roadside slide (superslide) the cylinder is connected on the rear ram and on the curbside slide the cylinder attaches on the front ram. When the rod on the cylinder moves in or out it moves the ram that it is connected to. The power or action is transferred from one ram to the other by the pinion and gear set up. This keeps the movement of the front and rear of the room moving in or out at or very near the same rate. Simple as that. That is how you can use only one cylinder to move two rams or one slideroom.

Still Working "NOT" · 07-13-2010, 10:07 PM

For an IQ of 14, you did good! !

rockintom · 07-13-2010, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Still Working "NOT"

For an IQ of 14, you did good! !

Still...you forget where you live......it's you done good!!!

Bruce and Jenna · 07-14-2010, 12:11 PM

So you didn't sell your old trailer after all?

Thanks for the pics. I sees it all now. I like the old idea of applying power to both slides rather than power to one side and a shaft to keep the other side in time.

But I also see that fabricating the electric motor bracket and gears would not be a simple task. And driving away with Version 1 would not make me feel any more confident.

Guess I'll call PI for advise on how often to seek adjustment. I know Jack will want me to take it to SC, but hard to justify the cost of 2,300 miles RT just for that. We're Left Coast people too.

Thanks again.