Disclaimer: In general, this forum is intended to be a place for Grand Design owners to gather and exchange ideas regarding their use of and experiences with Grand Design products. Any information contained in the forum should be independently verified by checking with Grand Design, one of its authorized dealers, or reviewing your owner’s manual.
If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will need to to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Thanks for visiting and your interest in Grand Design!
Dave27 you are in to it for a motor by the sounds of it. i would pull that motor apart and see whats inside. no reason to pay $400 for something a $10 bottle of rubbing compound can fix. Worst case you cant fix the motor so you still need to buy one.
What I am considering now is replacing just the actuator, not the motor. I think the problem may be different than a weak motor. There are clicking sounds that are different than the clutch clanking sound. The gears aren't making it, they would strip out if they were the source of the sound. I don't see how the motor would make the sound. It makes sense to me that there is a mechanism trying to drive another part and is not able to fully engage. I don't fully understand how the actuator works, but it seems to be the most likely source of the problem. This is my current thinking, I haven't ordered it yet, I am open to testing or looking at something else. The motor is pretty expensive. If I could convince myself it was the problem, I would be willing to take it apart to try a simple solution you suggest. But I don't want to take it apart and take a chance of not getting it back together again (and work properly) if it's not the problem. I really appreciate your input, it has helped me think through this.
Dave
Dave27 Let me appoligise for the long post in advance, as I am typing out the various things it's getting a bit long winded. Hope the below explanations help you to understand how things work, and where else to look for things that may be causing your issues.
I think we posted before how the actuator works, but I will recap it for you.
The actuator consist of 1 very long threaded rod (hopefully supported on the non motor end), 2 tubes that slide inside each other and a "fixed" nut on the inner tube.
The motor and gearbox together turn the long threaded rod (think mechanical trailer jack, the handle turns something to make the jack extend), this threaded rod runs inside both of the tubes and mates with the fixed nut on the inner tube (and is hopefully supported on the non motor end by something). The inner tube is fixed from turning but not sliding by some mechanical means, therefore as the threaded rod turns, it pushes or pulls on the fixed nut which in turn causes the inner tube to move out or in.
If there were a problem in the rod / nut combination the inner tube would most likely not move at a consistent rate (thread pitch). You should be able to make any number of turns (complete turns are best) and get a drive length per revolution. This should be repeatable at any location in the travel of the actuator. If you are hearing noises from inside the tubes there may be a bearing, drive pin, or other mechanical component making the noise. It should be extremely rhythmic repeating at the same point on the manual drive.
Depending on how the slide works (my sofa slide on the 303 drops at full extension) you may find that the actuator is having to overcome some other force at both ends. With the slide fully extended check the edges at the outside wall to see if there are any abnormalities like humps or divots in the flooring where rollers or slides may ride as this may be an indication as to why there is a hard start on the extend stroke. Pay attention to how the beginning of the in stroke starts for any thing like the inner edge lifting during the initial start (ground to bottom of slide measurement will verify this if no assistant is available).
One other thing to watch and check is the gear rack system which synchronizes the movement of the slide from end to end. look for and measure to see that the slide is at the same extension when motion starts at either end of the stroke.
Joseph
Tow Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
South of Houston Texas
Here is a drawing of a typical landing leg. It works the same as the slide actuator. Instead of the miter gears shown for the landing leg, the slide actuator screw is driven by the motor gearbox. There is probably no support at the far end of the screw. It would be supported by the nut in the inner tube.
Well this is interesting. Found on Venture site. They, and I presume LCI, use a ball screw type actuator rather than an acme screw as in the landing leg.
Well, it was the actuator. I went back over all the ideas from everyone, watched how it moved and listened to it carefully. There were rhythmic taps when the slide was operating. I decided to try the actuator, and the new one works! It is quiet and responds promptly to the switch. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful advice. This was difficult to work through, and I appreciate all of your help.
All the best - Dave
That is great to hear that you got this sorted out.
Did you have to order the actuator from your dealer or could you get one on line somewhere?
Did you save the old actuator? , if so it might be nice to see if it is able to be torn down ( I like to tear things apart).
Brian
Brian & Michelle
2018 Reflection 29RS
2022 Chevy 3500HD
That is great to hear that you got this sorted out.
Did you have to order the actuator from your dealer or could you get one on line somewhere?
Did you save the old actuator? , if so it might be nice to see if it is able to be torn down ( I like to tear things apart).
Brian
I ordered it on line, Amazon had it readily available and free shipping. I kept the old one, I'm not sure how to take it apart.
I ordered it on line, Amazon had it readily available and free shipping. I kept the old one, I'm not sure how to take it apart.
If you go to the Rally or if we by chance meet some where in the camping world I sure would like to get a look at the old one , please do not throw it away.
Brian
Brian & Michelle
2018 Reflection 29RS
2022 Chevy 3500HD
Dave27 since you know its bad, there is no real wrong way to disassemble it unless you take a hammer to it. Look for pins and hints of treading along with set screws.
If you don't mind posting pictures of the gearbox end, as a group we may be able to figure out how to get it apart.
Joseph
Tow Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
South of Houston Texas
I suspect disassembly of the actuator will require some cutting and prying. It looks like swaging was involved in the final assembly. Get out the gas wrench.😁
TedS Gas Axe might be a bit overkill (thinking there are plastic parts in there). Grinder or hacksaw yes, possibly even a whole saw if its dimpled not ring rolled.
Joseph
Tow Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
South of Houston Texas
Dave27 since you know its bad, there is no real wrong way to disassemble it unless you take a hammer to it. Look for pins and hints of treading along with set screws.
If you don't mind posting pictures of the gearbox end, as a group we may be able to figure out how to get it apart.
Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. There is one set screw.
The inside tube in the first picture is what moves the slide in and out. I wonder if you could turn the part that the motor engages and the whole inner tube will come out of the outer tube. If this could happen it might be possible to lubricate the threaded rod that moves inside. I also see that the drive end mechanism looks like it is crimped inside the tube , second picture horizontal lines below the holes.
Brian
Brian & Michelle
2018 Reflection 29RS
2022 Chevy 3500HD
I'm going to dive off into the realm of speculation (might be a little bit of knowledge buried in here also), but the drive mechanism should be a threaded nut on the inner most end of the inside tube. That setscrew in the outermost section of the tube looks to fix the extension in place.
The area crimped in the second picture is most likely where a set of thrust washers reside on each side to minimize friction during the pulling and pushing of the inner portion.
If either of the 2 exposed crimp area's were the drive nut, the threaded drive shaft would be exposed and a lot longer than the actuator. The threaded shaft may or may not have a stop at the full extension end. if there is no stop, you should be able to run the inner section out off the drive nut and pull the assembly apart.
Joseph
Tow Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
South of Houston Texas
Look at the pdf in my response #94. The spacer that the thrust bearings push against is held to the outer tube by upset spots in the outer tube.
There is a stop attached the the outboard end of the screw to stop the inner tube.
Grind away what looks like four dimples, depressions, in the outer tube, upper end. That should release the thrust spacer and the guts.
Comment