Slide out not working, only clicking

[Dave27]

The slide out with the dining table and entertainment center (not Schwintek) will not open. When it is closed all the way, there will be loud clicking, this is normal (at least I think so, since it has always done this). Tonight, when I went to open it there was a clicking noise, not as loud as the closing sound. My wife said this has been coming, several times it did that to her once, but always opened on the second try. Any idea what this might be?
thanks,
Dave

[Country Campers]

Dave

Under the slide against the frame rail there is a square shaft that drives the slide in and out , with help from the motor mounted under the middle. There are sprockets on that shaft , have a look at those while the wife tries to operate the slide , try moving out. There is a "clutch" type mechanism that operates this shaft that may have broken or similar. There also is a roll pin that may have become broken.

Brian

[TucsonJim]

Dave,

In addition to what Brian mentions, the slide can hang up from time to time when trying to deploy it. This may cause the clutch to employ and cause the clicking sound. Try pulling out on the slide while your wife operates the switch. Sometimes, that little extra "oomph" can set things in motion.

Also, make sure your battery is fully charged. A low battery can cause excessive current flow and prevent the slide from starting out.

Jim

[Dave27]

Thank you Brian Country Campers and Jim TucsonJim for the suggestions. The battery is full. It doesn't even start to move when the switch is pushed. I can't move it at all by trying to push on it. The small gears don't seem to be under tension or locked in place. I can't see where the motor is, do you have to take down the coroplast to get to it?

I just tried the manual override. It felt like something "broke loose" when I started to turn it. It operated fine with the switch, opening and closing normally. But when I tried to open it again, just clicking. What would cause this in the closed position?

[TucsonJim]

Dave - It just dawned on me that I had the exact same thing happen to me a few years ago. Mine was stuck and would not move. I used the handle that was supplied with the coach to manually move the slide an inch or two, and it worked perfectly after that and never hung up again. The manual access for the dining/entertainment slide will be on the opposite side of the coach along the frame. There is probably a hole in one of the fenders that you can stick the handle through.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

Dave27

The motor is above the coroplast, close to the frame rail on the opposite side from the slide. Sticking through the frame rail on that side is the drive nut for the manual over ride. See arrow in attached picture. The drive motor and gearbox are just to the right of the arrow in the picture. This is a 3/4" drive that turns the threaded screw drive that moves the slide in and out. Try turning this (gently) to see if the main threaded rod is jammed or the problem is with the motor. The motor clutch might be releasing too easily or could be releasing properly if something else is jamming the drive mechanism. Unfortunately . . . to get at this mechanism requires dropping at least part of the coroplast.

Rob

[Dave27]

[QUOTE=Cate&Rob;n46215]Dave27

The motor is above the coroplast, close to the frame rail on the opposite side from the slide. Sticking through the frame rail on that side is the drive nut for the manual over ride. See arrow in attached picture. The drive motor and gearbox are just to the right of the arrow in the picture. This is a 3/4" drive that turns the threaded screw drive that moves the slide in and out. Try turning this (gently) to see if the main threaded rod is jammed or the problem is with the motor. The motor clutch might be releasing too easily or could be releasing properly if something else is jamming the drive mechanism. Unfortunately . . . to get at this mechanism requires dropping at least part of the coroplast.

Rob QUOTE]

TucsonJim Cate&Rob
I tried the manual over ride. There was a little resistance at first that was overcome without too much effort. After moving the slide easily a couple inches, I then used the switch, and it opened all the way and retracted all the way very smoothly. But when I tried to start opening it again with the switch, it just made clicking sounds again and no movement at all. I am not sure what to look for now. Is the slide coming in "too" far, and it needs an adjustment to stop it a little sooner? If the clutch is the problem, is there an adjustment, or does it need to be replaced? Is the clutch built into the motor? Any advice is welcome.
thanks, Dave

[Country Campers]

Try to not bring the slide in the whole way , stop about an inch or so and then slide back out. You may be on to something here with you thinking. You may need to drop the coroplast to see exactly what is going on in the tracks inside the frame if there is not real evidence of a problem on the outside of the frame.

Brian

[Dave27]

Try to not bring the slide in the whole way , stop about an inch or so and then slide back out. You may be on to something here with you thinking. You may need to drop the coroplast to see exactly what is going on in the tracks inside the frame if there is not real evidence of a problem on the outside of the frame.

Brian

It's jammed now. I manually cranked it out a little, apparently not enough. When I hit the switch, it tried to move, the slide kind of wriggled around, but wouldn't go out, I hit the switch to retract it. The slide came in and rose up and settled into the travel position. It won't move at all now with the switch. It clicks in both directions. I tried the manual over ride and it doesn't want to move either. So what ever the problem is, it is in that last bit of travel.
Dave

[Dave27]

I called Lippert, he said it is probably the gears in the gear box. I opened up the coroplast (what a pain). The manual over ride looks like it is held in place by a cotter clip, and it looks like one bolt holds the motor and gear assembly in place. Does anyone know if that is right? I can't see in there very well and don't want any surprises. Thanks, Dave

[Dave27]

There was a bolt on top, a pain to get out, but I did it. It looked like shavings wore off the gear. I ordered new gears from Lippert, hope to get them in a couple days.
Dave

[Country Campers]

Dave27

Dave

I am guessing that you have the motor/gearbox out and on the bench , Did you test run this to see what is going on? If you try this hold on to the motor it has some torque to it , I just went down and looked at the one I have and ran it off of a battery and learned that. It does look like you have some wear on the plastic gears and I hope that is the issue.

Brian

[Dave27]

Dave27

Dave

I am guessing that you have the motor/gearbox out and on the bench , Did you test run this to see what is going on? If you try this hold on to the motor it has some torque to it , I just went down and looked at the one I have and ran it off of a battery and learned that. It does look like you have some wear on the plastic gears and I hope that is the issue.

Brian

I ran it, and it does have a lot of torque. It ran freely. I think what is happening is the teeth are worn enough that the motor will just spin, it doesn't have enough grip to initially move the slide. The spinning and lack of grip is what is causing the clicking sound. At least that is what I hope is the problem. The one thing I don't understand is why the over ride wouldn't easily move the last time.

One question for you Brian Country Campers , what kind of grease should I use with the new gears? The same red grease I use with the wheel bearings?

Thanks, Dave

[Country Campers]

Dave

I would think the wheel bearing grease would be fine , there is not a lot in there so I would keep it about the same , not add too much. I do not know why the manual override did not work. When you replace the gears check that the manual override gear turns freely with out the others attached. It should be just a straight thru shaft but I did not tear into that end I just took the cover off as you did.

Brian

[Jlawles2]

Dave27 The more I look at those gears, being a plastic and metallic interface at the motor, I would suspect there would be a notch cut in the teeth if the motor were spinning. Have you looked at that drive clutch on the left side of the picture? When you describe the clicking, is it the same clicking noise you get when extending or retracting when you let go of the button too late after the slide races full travel? The clicking at all positions would seem to point toward the drive clutch vs the drive gears. Also if it were drive gears, you should be able to move the slide ever so slightly and get it to grab another set of teeth and start moving.

You may want to inspect the guides, tracks, and rollers (if present) for binding. You mentioned that the override only worked 1 time, then it got hard. This might point to a different problem than just the motor.