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Bedroom Slide problems

Yahoo Message Number: 70584
The bedroom slide on the PS continues to shear off "grade 8 bolts". The bolts secure a rectangular rod that attaches to the metal axle on the rubbler wheels under the slide and the other end of the rod attaches to the slide motor. There is evidence the bolt does make contact with the bottom of the slide. After replacing the 2nd bolt I watched the slide from below close and no contact was made. Did not watch it open so it could be making contact then. On the 4th bolt in less than a year Anyone have this problem?

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70632
I have had the same problem on my 2007 Tribute. My slides are Power Gear and on the same slide I have gone through 8 bolts. What I have learned is that CC used a different, shorter lenght bolt than recommended by Power Gear because there wasn't enought clearance for the standard bolt because it rubbed the bottom of the silver foil and bottom of the slide. On my slide the bolt would shear off in the threaded area which is weaker than the shoulder area which normally go through the entire square shaft. I think I have solved the problem by using a hex head grade 8 bolt that has a shoulder that is longer that the square motor driven shaft. The bolt I purchase is longer than what will fit so I thread a nut on the bolt, using a hack saw I cut off the extra threads, remove the nut and use a file to touch up the threads. Remember, you still need a washer on both sides of the shaft. Since I have used this new arrangement I havn't had to replace a bolt. I found the best place to get the bolts is ACE hardware.

Cliff Malone

2007 Tribute 81082

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70636
I'll throw my two cents worth into this problem. I have had the shear bolt problem for several years. I had a repair shop in Las Vegas even drill out the shear bolt hole and used a larger grade 8 bolt. Still had problem. Finally had the shaft with the gear break. After many calls to Butch at Lakeland RV and Fred Reeves Motor Coach in GA. I was able to turn the shaft around and use the opposite end as a temp repair. After 4 month of trying to get part from Power Gear, Jim Cooley from the reopened CC was able get new parts. I was able to move the slide in and out using a large pipe wrench on the square shaft after releasing brake. Butch and his crew were able to replace all the new parts and realigned the slide side to side and top to bottom. We have opened and closed the slide about 6 to 7 times since the repair and everything seems to be working well. The slide that I had the trouble with is the DS front slide. Standard grade 8 bolts are not the correct bolt to use. They need to be made with a long shoulder that extends through the tube and shaft and are torqued correctly. The following are the specs to use to tighten. These specs are from Power Gear.

Torque Specification for Slide Out Drive shaft Bolts

For proper operation of the slide out system, the drive shaft hardware is specially designed from Grade 8 material and needs to be properly torqued. The proper torque value of the drive shaft bolts is 168±12 in-lbs. (14±1 ft-lbs). Torquing the drive shaft bolts to the proper value will ensure longer life of components and proper operation of the slide out system.
Hope this helps

Jock Vargo 2005 Inspire 51428

I really think that the realigment is the correct was to solve the problem.

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70641
I stoped shearing bolts after i purchased the correct ones from power gear. The nuts from power gear are machined out to allow the shouler of the bolt to be supported. I stll am carfull about pushing to hard when fully extended or retracted.
Rod inspire

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70642
I am seeing a lot of discussion about shear bolts on Power Gear slides and I want to offer my understanding of this issue and where to look for solutions. I also offer the caveat that I may be wrong on some of these assumptions so feel free to correct what I am saying.
First, the shear bolts are there to prevent failure of some more expensive parts - like the drive motors, the shafts themselves, etc., etc.
Second, as I understand it, shearing the bolts means that the "normal" operating limit didn't work. Although I could never get a definitive answer to this question, I believe that the normal operating limit is a current sensor which is integrated into the circuit board which controls the slide mechanism. This sensor should stop the motor when current draw changes at the end of the slide travel each way.
So, if you are continually shearing bolts, it may be that the sensor on the board has malfunctioned. It is important to replace the bolts with the correct spec new bolts but it is also important to find the real cause of the problem. Changing to stronger bolts or some other configuration of bolts will eventually lead to failure of one of those more expensive parts.

Richard Owen

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70663
Richard

Power Gear refers to the bolts as "drive shaft bolt." I am not aware of any evidence that they are intended to be shear bolts.

George Harper
04 Allure
31093

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70664
Good morning George,

Just a bit of trivia. Your coach is 31093 and I am # 31094, 2004 Allure 33' Seaside Southern California, Upland. Please to make your acquaintance Sir.

Scott Jones, 2004 Allure # 31094

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70684
George: That may be the case but there are certainly a lot of them shearing off. If they are not intended to do that, then I guess you can just keep cranking up the strength until they don't break any more. My thought, however is that something else will break instead.

Richard Owen, former owner of Inspire 51442

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70691
Thanks for all your helpful responses. After hearing about realignment of the slide from one owner, I looked closely at mine. The space between bottom of the slide and the body of the coach is not of equal distance the entire length of the slide. The decals that cross over the slide and the side of the coach are slightyly out of alignment. I took the coach to a repair facility and was told the slide must come out to replace any worn parts and then it could be realigned. Does this sound reasonable?

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70692
Scott

Thank you for replying. Pleased to make your acquaintance as well. I hope that when you came through the line behind me they had used the last PTO.

George Harper
04 Allure
31093

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70693
Richard

I broke one of the original bolts. I then replaced it with a grade 8 bolt I got at a hardware store. Then that new bolt broke. I replaced it with another bolt from the same batch. It's been over a year and this one is holding up.
Power Gear makes a big deal about proper torque for their bolt which I don't really understand.

George Harper
04 Allure
31093
 

Re: Bedroom Slide problems

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 70707
Walter

Ablolutely not. The bedroom slide can be adjusted, and the room needs only to be extended part way to access the adjusters. . Look under the bed and you will see two brackets bolted to the outer wall. The slide rails slide on a nylon pad. The pad has a vertical bolt. A nut adjustment raises and lowers that side of the room. You can adjust the nuts on each side to get the outer gap correct and parallel.
The metal piece that the nut presses on to lift the bolt can break a weld and/or the piece can bow or cup and cause you to lose adjustment travel, requiring a repair, but removing the room is not necessary.
The truck fleet operation here in Rome, GA that some of us use @ $70/hr has fixed mine and a friends. The tech is now very familiar with the repair. He will straighten the bowed piece and then reinforce it with another piece of metal, and weld them into place. He will then reinstall and readjust the gap.

George Harper
04 Allure
31093