Shear Bolt on Slide Breaking

August 19, 2011, 09:57:53 pm

I have had to replace all the shear bolts on the slides more than once. It is recommended to use a bolt that is grade 8. If grade 8 breaks can I find a shear bolt of grade 10 or higher ?

Stan Inspire 2005

Re: Shear Bolt on Slide Breaking

Reply #1 – August 19, 2011, 11:25:48 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 73824

The actual bolts from powergear have a long shank and a counter machined bolt. I had broke several grade 8 bolts before getting the powergear bolts and have not broke one yet. I did learn to stop the travel more acuratly.
Rod inspire

Re: Shear Bolt on Slide Breaking

Reply #2 – August 20, 2011, 12:03:42 am

Yahoo Message Number: 73825

The use of ANY bolt other than the Power Gear shear bolt desined for the purpose is asking for trouble and big repair bills. If you install grade 8 bolts the problem causing the shear bolts to fail will move on to the next weakest component. This could be the drive shafts, the transmission gears in the electric motors or even the housings of the motors or any other item. Repair of those items will be hundreds of times more expensive than replacing the shear bolts. Yes, hundreds of times more expensive as in $15 for a shear bolt versus $1500 for a major slie or body repair.
We lost about 3-4 of these bolts until we figured out what we were doing wrong which was mainly getting things caught between the wall and slide. Now we inspect every slide before opening them and haven't had a failure in over 5 years. I carry two shear bolts with me just in case.
You need to find out why the bolts are shearing and either get it fixed or modify how you extend and close your slides.
Using the grade 8 solution will likely cause a failure that will make closing the slide impossible until repaired. As slides can't usually be repaired in a campground or parking lot you are looking at a complicated, and therefore expensive, towing job and bill as well.
Don't do it. Use the parts engineered for the slide system or pay the consequences, and costs.

Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178

Re: Shear Bolt on Slide Breaking

Reply #3 – August 20, 2011, 09:54:26 am

Yahoo Message Number: 73834

This is spot on. Get to root cause, fix, and then pick up a few contingency pins for just in case...

Best of luck, have fun, be safe,
Smitty

04 Allure 31017

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