Replacing Slide Bolts - Montana Owners Club

worknomore · 08-20-2006, 06:29 AM

Has anyone found an easy way to remove & replace the 1/4-20 slide bolts that hold the square tube to the gear mechanisms (the ones that keep breaking)? I removed the nuts, & the bolts feel like they are almost pressed in.

Didn't want to start beating on them & screwing up the threads before finding out I couldn't get 'em out...

Jim & Bev
'05 2955RL
'04 Duramax
Retired & Lovin' it!
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sreigle · 08-20-2006, 10:08 AM

I had to unscrew mine all the way out, except the one that broke and fell out. A crescent on the square tube to move it just a little to remove some pressure seemed to help a little bit. I put the nut on the very end and lightly hammered it as far as I could, then screwed it out. The hole is not threaded so all you are doing is working it out by turning it. As you are finding, it's not as easy as I thought it would be.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

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worknomore · 08-20-2006, 01:25 PM

Steve,

Thanks! - Thought that was what I was going to have to do. If you replaced them with 2" bolts, did you use washers to take up the gap between the tube & the threads...?

Jim & Bev
'05 2955RL
'04 Duramax
Retired & Lovin' it!
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sreigle · 08-20-2006, 02:54 PM

Yes, I did. I only did one slide because it was not as easy as I expected. Naturally, just a few months later I broke one on the slide I didn't change them out.

Maybe MIMF will come along and enlighten us all as to an easier way to get those old bolts out.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

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Hemlockusa · 08-20-2006, 04:46 PM

Steve - sounds like you the expert,, what size bolt is it. I want to know and I will carry extra's - the size and length would be appreciate if anyone can help.
thank you John H

2005 Dodge 3500 4x2 Dually Cummins Diesel, Line X /2005 Montana/""MOC TRAVEL ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEER"" ""TOPEKA, KANSAS AREA"" 3650RK

worknomore · 08-20-2006, 05:19 PM

John,

They are 1/4-20 x 2" hex head Grade 8 bolts (per Lippert). The Grade 8 bolts have a higher tensile & shear strength than the run of the mill Grades 3 & 5 you find. Got mine at ACE hardware; HD may have them also. They have a copper/bronze color, rather than the zinc plated variety you usually see.

Jim & Bev
'05 2955RL
'04 Duramax
Retired & Lovin' it!
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Bill and Ann · 08-21-2006, 03:01 AM

I purchased Stainless steel bolts. No chance of them rusting.

If you can't play a sport....Be one.

Bill and Ann
Napanee, Ontario, Canada
2004 3670RL Big Sky
2003 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab 4x4 Short Bed
20K.Reece Hitch
Duramax/Allison
Prodigy Controller

Hemlockusa · 08-21-2006, 03:50 AM

I have a question, are these bolts ment to '''SHEAR''' prior to damageing the motor or rack???? If so Bill and Ann purchased stainless steel bolts... I don't think they would shear if that was the design..

John

2005 Dodge 3500 4x2 Dually Cummins Diesel, Line X /2005 Montana/""MOC TRAVEL ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEER"" ""TOPEKA, KANSAS AREA"" 3650RK

Ozz · 08-21-2006, 04:22 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Hemlockusa

I have a question, are these bolts ment to '''SHEAR''' prior to damageing the motor or rack???? If so Bill and Ann purchased stainless steel bolts... I don't think they would shear if that was the design..

John

John,
I agree, we have to be careful when replacing design items, it is best to replace in kind, until we can get an answer from a slide engineer, from the 'Horses mouth' as it were.
Ozz

2005 Dodge 3500 4x2 Dually Cummins Diesel, Line X /2005 Montana/""MOC TRAVEL ASSISTANCE VOLUNTEER"" ""TOPEKA, KANSAS AREA"" 3650RK

'07 3400RL 2nd RTU
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sreigle · 08-21-2006, 05:14 AM

I got mine at Lowe's in Carson City, NV. HD did not have them when I was there. Same city.

My understanding is they are shear bolts. Someone said the stainless are not quite as strong as the grade 8. I'm not an expert. I'm just repeating what has been said in MOC on this in the past.

There are several posts from the Lippert expert, MIMF, about this and those are the bolts he says to get. So I think we already have the expert opinion.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

campbud · 08-21-2006, 04:03 PM

Does anyone have pics of this? Where are on the slide are they located? Trying to tell dh were to look..

2005 2955RL Montana
2002 Chevy 2500HD 8.1 Ext Cab 4x4
Bob and Kathy

Wrenchtraveller · 08-21-2006, 04:19 PM

I think it would be prudent to stick with the Grade 8 bolts. 1/4 inch bolts take a 7/16th wrench so maybe a little ratchet and 7/16th socket may be a good thing to have. I have a full tool set with me as I work on the road so I also have a small pin punch as well. Campbud, if no one puts in a pic by tomorrow I will.
Grade 8 is identified by the 6 slashes and a little triangle that you see on the OEM bolt. They can come in black iron or plated in silver or bronze color. I would suggest if you start breaking these on a regular basis you are putting your slide out while too far out of level or your slide needs adjustment. I am no expert on slideouts but as a millwright I work on all types of equipement.

Don & Donna
Vancouver Island
2005 Ford F350 V10 Lariat CC 4x4 LB SRW 11200 GVWR
2006 Montana 2955RL

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MAMalody · 08-21-2006, 08:16 PM

>>>My understanding is they are shear bolts. Someone said the stainless are not quite as strong as the grade 8. I'm not an expert. I'm just repeating what has been said in MOC on this in the past.

There are several posts from the Lippert expert, MIMF, about this and those are the bolts he says to get. So I think we already have the expert opinion.

jrgwdenner · 08-22-2006, 02:36 AM

Glen's becoming an expert at replacing these bolts. When we parked last Wednesday, the first one broke. Yesterday when we tried to bring the slides in, the other end, same slide, broke. It probably took some stress when the first one broke. Anyway, we now have one slide completely replaced, just not of our choice but of necessity.

Judy
http://spaces.msn.com/bamatravelers/
http://bamatravelers.blogspot.com
Traveling with Glen and Greta in our 2004 Dodge dually and Montana 3380 RL

sreigle · 08-22-2006, 07:09 AM

Judy, does Glen have any tips he'd like to pass on?

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

worknomore · 08-23-2006, 06:25 AM

Got 'em changed out w/the 2" Grade 8's. The only thing I did differently from what MIMF suggested was to use a bunch of Grade 8 washers as spacers on the unthreaded portion of the bolt, between the shaft & the nut. Thought that maybe, over time, the bolts may work themselves back out of the hole up to the threads & snap off again. Also used a jam nut on top of the nylok nut, & re-painted everything with Rustoleum...

An easy way of removing the old bolts (as Steve & MIMF suggested, if they haven't already snapped off) is to use a nut on the very end of the bolt & hammer on that to drive the bolt back out of the hole. I then used a drift pin punch to knock it the rest of the way out, & tapped in the new one. If its already busted, use the punch...

Jim & Bev
'05 2955RL
'04 Duramax
Retired & Lovin' it!
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sreigle · 08-23-2006, 05:26 PM

I'm not sure what MIMF said in this thread but at the rally he said to use washers as spacers, as you said, Jim. That's what I did, too. I used enough to allow the nut to tighten against them. I assume you did the same.

Dale, are the new Montanas coming with the longer bolt or will I need to swap these out on the new one? Thanks.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'03 3295RK
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

Outahere · 09-07-2006, 04:53 AM

Ok, I don't get to get on the forum as much as I would like and when I do I always seem to see something new I didn't know was happening with out Monty's. Sreigle, Please explain to me or someone post a picture of just what you all are talking about on these bolts, that are breaking off.

Thanks, Mike

Mike, Karen and Bella (Our sweet/Loving/Protective German Shepard

Fulltiming with 2003/3655FL/Very Modifide 96Ram w/DTT Trans/all the goodies.

richfaa · 09-07-2006, 05:24 AM

MIMF looked at mine at the GL regional rally In Aug (late 06 3400 build date of April 18,06) and we had all of the longer bolts (shear pins)

Rich& Helen N.Ridgeville,Ohio.

F-350SD, Lariat, V-10,4:30 Diff, tow command Long bed, Crew Cab Dually, 06 3400RL
Mor-Ryde Pin Box

sreigle · 09-07-2006, 12:12 PM

Mike, it's the small bolt at each end of the square tube that runs parallel to the coach under the slide. The bolts function as shear bolts. The originals in the older models were too short, so the threads were taking some of the turning force. That's a weak point and they'd shear off. It happened to us this past year in Utah. MIMF, a Lippert employee, recommends having replacements at hand. He recommends using a bolt that's a bit longer. Grade 8, 1/4 inch, 2 inches long, nylock nut, and several washers since the shoulder is long enough to need the spacers to tighten up against the nut.

Good to hear from you again. Tell Karen hi for us. Bella, too.

See another Montana or Mountaineer on the road? Flash lights twice, it might be one of us!
Steve Reigle (pronounced Regal)
Fulltiming since 3/21/03
'07 3400RL
'05 Ford F250 SD Lariat CC SB 6.0L PSD/TS FX4 4x4

Our RV Travels (now Firefox-compatible)

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