Slide will not operate

[rlchance]

Hi everyone,
I have a 2016 Montana High Country 305 that the kitchen slide will not open or close. The motor will turn, but the slide will not move. It sounds like it is in a bind. Can anyone help me with some suggestions?

[Lenny K]

Did you look on top of the slide to see if all of the cables are on the rollers? If the cables were real loose they might of caught up with each other?

[rlchance]

Yes the cables are still in the rollers. The cables on one side seem tight on the "in" and "out" cables. The other side seem to be right. If going out the "In" is loose and if coming in the "out" cables is loose. It sounds like the gearbox starts slipping.

[Lenny K]

Give the maker of who made your slide system a call and explain to the tech what is happening. If it is Accu-Slide they are very helpful.

[rlchance]

Thanks, I will give them a call.

[Lenny K]

Let us know if you were helped out by Accu-Slide.

[speedster100]

Check the spring shaft between the drive motor & the gearbox.

[rlchance]

It seems to be okay. It will turn the gearbox, but the gearbox sounds like it's slipping. I'm not sue if it's the gearbox or the slide is binding up some where.

[rlchance]

I think the slide was made by Lippert. That's the only manual that came with it.

[speedster100]

I'm guessing your gear box has a stripped gear then. I just had one replaced not too long ago as have a couple others. Seems to be a real problem with some of them, suspect a bad run of them at the Chinese plant.

If it's not under warranty you can buy on line, the number should be on the side of the gear box. Accu Slide is likely the manufacturer of the cable slide system. I bought a spare gearbox so I can change it myself if in a remote area.

Big thing to remember if you are going to tackle the job is to mark the chains where they go on the gearbox and to ensure you have some support under the slide to hold it so you can get the chains off and on...

[speedster100]

this is the one I replaced... http://www.dyersonline.com/bal-r2507...-gear-box.html

[rlchance]

Thanks, that looks like the one that I have, but mine is located on top of the slide. I will see if I can get a part number on it. Thanks again.

[speedster100]

Yes this one was on the top of the slide as well. Good luck....

[Husker92]

Did you try to manually move the slide with the drill attachment? That might help with troubleshooting.

Good Luck!

[speedster100]

If the motor is running and the flex shaft is turning (not broken) then the drill is of no point. The drill is used if the motor quits, the spring shaft drives the gear box which in their case as it was in mine sounds like it has stripped a drive gear. Mine would bring the slide in but would not take it out. I could manually push it out if someone held the out button while I pushed it.

Its a common problem in many makes & models as I found out and thus I am now carrying a spare gear box.

[mlh]

Montana isn't the only company that has these cable slides. Our neighbor just bought a new DRV $200,000 5er. It has 2 cable slides.
Lynwood

[speedster100]

It is proven technology that has been around for over 25yrs, the issue I believe is that BAL has sourced the gear boxes from China in recent years and there has been a rash of bad runs which is causing failures with every manufacturer that is using them.
When I talked to the Tech that has over 25yr experience working for various RV manufacturers he indicated that cable slides have not been something he has had to work on much other than replacing the odd cable. He did say that these gear box's are failing before the motors which used to be quite the opposite.

In any event he indicated he would take the cable slides over the new Sw..... anyday.

Given the supplier of the gear box's know they have an issue one would hope they are working on a fix... I took mine apart and quite frankly if they put steel gears in them rather than the light white metal I suspect the issues would go away immediately.

[Lenny K]

Originally Posted by speedster100

When I talked to the Tech that has over 25yr experience working for various RV manufacturers he indicated that cable slides have not been something he has had to work on much other than replacing the odd cable. He did say that these gear box's are failing before the motors which used to be quite the opposite.

Was the tech you were talking to from Accu-Slide?

[speedster100]

No he was the Tech at the RV dealership, he said he worked for Fleetwood & Glendale among others and various dealerships over his 25 plus years...

The system is a simple but proven design, the issue isn't with the system but with the hardware being sourced from China at a lower price point IMHO.

[rlchance]

Thanks for all the comments. I bought a gearbox and replaced it. I did mark the chains before I removed them, but it still seems to run a little ruff, but at lease it slides in and out without any problems. I found a few youtube vidoes, but nothing that seems to be complete. Any ideas on getting the cables adjusted to make the slide smoother?