Slide won't come in or out, can hear motor running. Manual cranks with ease.

[Timmer]

Hello all,

We have a 2020 Grand Design Reflection 312BHTS. We were packing up camp this last week and one of our slides stopped about an inch and a half short of coming in all of the way. The motor just made a whirring noise. The sides of the slide appeared even so I didn't think it was bound up. We drove it home since it was almost closed. When we were home we grabbled a couple of my son's buddies and tried to push and pull it while working the motor and it wouldn't move. I dug and found my manual crank and when using that it goes in and out with surprising ease. The motor sounds like it is running without any resistance, like it's got no gears to turn. I don't know the brand or model of slide system. I'm going to try to find my documentation. From online videos, I believe it's a rack and pinion style slide system.

Any thoughts?

[howson]

Timmer

The slide is an electric through frame. LCI's documentation is here: https://support.lci1.com/through-frame-selections/ Look for the Electric Through Frame Slide-Out System Service Manual ( Here's a shortcut: https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd-0001614.pdf )

According to the Service Manual (troubleshooting section) ...



I think what you'll find is the "transmission" between the motor and actuator has broken since the Hex Head Crank Extension (at the top of the actuator) works. Pull down the applicable section of coroplast underneath and you'll see the assembly.



Howard

[Timmer]

Timmer

The slide is an electric through frame. LCI's documentation is here: https://support.lci1.com/through-frame-selections/ Look for the Electric Through Frame Slide-Out System Service Manual ( Here's a shortcut: https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd-0001614.pdf )


Howard

Thank you! Looks like I'll be dropping my chloroplast and taking a look.

[Timmer]

I realized I never followed up on this. The problem is resolved. The first problem was that the motor was connected to the gear assembly by 2 tiny bolts, and one of the bolts was missing the head. I'm guessing it was overtightened out of the factory. The bolt on the other side was loose and bent, and therefore the motor was hanging off the gear assembly at an angle. The shaft was barely making contact inside the gear housing. I was able to just hold the motor to the gear assembly and have one of the kids work the slide, and sure enough, it went out just fine. So, I run to the hardware store and get 2 new bolts, get it all reconnected, and all is good, right? Well, that is until you try sliding it in and out 3 times and on the third try it goes back to making the whirring noise with no slide movement. Back under the camper I go (at least I'm smart enough to not hang the chloroplast back up before giving it a thorough test). This time I took off the gear assembly and opened it up. One gear is metal and the other is nylon. The teeth on the nylon one were wore down to about 25% remaining, with the wear being on the motor side where the shaft had been connecting at an angle. I had to purchase both the metal and nylon gear set together, but that gave me the key part I needed. I put it all back together and now it's been working fine. It's survived about 10 in and outs at my house and we went camping last weekend. So far so good!

[Cate&Rob]

Timmer

Thanks for the follow up . . . this will help others. What this forum is all about.

Rob