Bent locking bar for slide-out

[roadstar99]

We locked the bar when we thought we were unlocking it and started putting the slideout in the out position and bent the locking bar on our large slideout before we were able to stop it. We have a Newmar Dutch Star 1999. We thought we had pulled the bar back enough to use it and it worked okay our last trip. We are camping now and when we put the slideout in the out position, the rear side did not go all the way in. Unfortunately, I had my hand over the top trim to show how much it was away from the wall when my husband hit the frame and it just popped all the way in. I thought my hand was crushed it hurt so badly. He pulled the trim away enough for me to pull my hand out. I was surprised to see all 4 fingers still attached. Luckily after lots of ice, I was able to move my fingers, nothing was broken, just some bruising and dents in my knuckles.
We had to move to another site and when pulling the slide back in, it popped and looked like it came off track but then started back in and we have not moved it since. It is in now. It looks like we could take that locking bar off, get it straightened and put back on. Anyone familiar with that. If you remove the bolts holding the front bracket to the slideout, are they attached by nuts on the other side, which is unaccessible? We'll be here another week and wish we could use our slide. How difficult would it be for Camping World to fix? Would the arm have to be ordered from Newmar? Thanks. The weather is wonderful here in north Florida and I won't be able to travel again for awhile because of cancer infusion. This has really bummed me out. Thanks for reading and look forward to hearing from all of you experts.

[SteveR161]

I have bent the mechancal lock twice on our 2002 MADP. All 8 attaching screws are sheet metal type. I removed the locking bar, straightened it and reassembled it. It works well. Good luck.

[Bill0828]

roadstar99, I had a similar problem with my '04 Kountrystar. I thought the lock arm was disengaged until I saw the driver's side slide starting to go out unevenly and stopped the slideout just before the bent arm crushed our cabinet doors. Anyway, I would suggest you contact Newmar and discuss with a tech how to properly measure and realign your slide if it's not closing properly. It is a do-it-yourself job if you have the tools. A tape measure and 1 1/2" open wrench was what fixed mine. It may seem intimidating but it is doable.

[roadstar99]

Thank you Steve and Bill. We took the locking bar off, straightened it, put it back and all is well and we were able to use our slideout. Think it is smoother now than before we bent the bar. We measured the distance and it goes in and out equally. This was an eventful trip, however, winding up in ICU, both my husband and I, with some new virus, not the flu. Our last week was spent trapped in an alarming bed if you tried to escape. We had to rest a couple of days after discharge but are now home and recovering. I so appreciate all of you knowledgeable people on this forum. You have helped us so much and it is just nice to know someone is out there who's been through it. Thanks again.

[drwls]

Thanks, I'm a newbie with a 2000 Mountain Arie and I didn't watch my bar when I tried to open the slide. Now I have posted a sequence by the switch!

[DGBPokes]

We bent one so bad it looked like a paper clip. Blew a controller all in one moment of stupidity. Long story short….that lock arm is in a trash barrel in western Kansas.
No we haven’t replaced it….4 years ago. We do still engage the front lock arm.

[RKins]

I had to work on my locks also - the OP or tech installed them wrong and the the slide wouldn't open the last inch After I figured that out and straightened the arms in a vise, it opens correctly. I also had the new type slide motors installed (Newmar started using them in 2006) and they have brakes on them that keep the slide from moving - now I don't use the locks anymore.