Montana Slide Problems

[Ike59]

We have a 2020 Montana 3197rd. I cannot get the kitchen/dining room slide to retract. I was having this problem the end of last season and the slide would come in after several try. Not now, all I can hear is the motor running (hydraulic). When I push the button to take it out it moves a little then push again to bring it in the slide moves little then just the motor is running and nothing. I tried the manual retract by putting a drill in the motor but nothing happened. Maybe I'm doing it wrong? My other 3 slides are electric I believe. They were working but somehow they have no power now. Not sure what I did? Here is what I have tried so far, checked the inline fuses, checked fuses in RV fuse box. The manual retract. Beyond Frustrated. We bought this new and so far its been in the shop more than we use it camping. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Ike59

[DutchmenSport]

Sounds like a broken gear in the motor, a tooth sheered off, or maybe multiple teeth sheered off. That would account for some movement and then nothing, yet the motor is still running. I don't have hydraulics on my High Country, but it still sounds like a broken gear to me.

[rames14]

Ike, if you have In-Command, you can check by yourself, but if not you will need another person. The fact that you hear the motor running with no movement sounds like maybe no hydraulic fluid. The reservoir is up front by the battery. Once you are sure you have fluid, run the slide out while you are under the slide. There is a hydraulic cylinder that pushes the slide out, a pinion gear that moves with the rack and a square tube that transfers torque to the back of the slide to another pinion gear. There are two shear pins on that square tube. The other slides I wouldn’t think are electric. The two electric slide styles are cable and schwintech slides. Cable slides have cables top and bottom while the schwintech has a serpentine gear track. Usually on Montana’s, the bedroom is a cable or schwintech, bu5 not sure about your other slides on a 3791. Best of luck.

[Daryles]

If the slides are hydraulic, check the valves in the level-up control panel to be sure they are not closed (off).

[dhuhn]

Did you check your batteries make sure they are charged? If your batteries are low you may not be getting enough power to operate your slides.

[RMcNeal]

Ike59, I have a 2019 3791RD. Make sure the two bypass valves in the level up panel are both open as well. There are 2 knobs on mine just below the level up panel that you can use to bypass one slide or the other. I have had 2 problems with my unit. The first was the 50 amp self resetting breaker was cutting out and causing intermittent stops and starts. The second one turned out to be the rocker switch in the panel inside. It has 6 pins in the back that operate the hydraulic slides. Make sure you have 12v + and - on either side of the switch. I found a replacement at CW for less than $10. You might also make sure you don't have any hydraulic leaks, especially at the ram seals on the slide rams and around the hydraulic hose connections.

[Todd727]

I had a similar problem. You are going to have to cut the coroplast under the camper and look at the attachment point for the cylinder. The nut had fallen off the end of the ram, so that it wasn't attached to the frame and couldn't pull the slide in or fully extend it. The slide will move a little when the ram extends and contacts the frame of the trailer.

[Gary F.]

Agree if cable system gear box mounted on wall, center area inside above slide, replaced mine on living room slide, working now

[Brian S]

Originally Posted by Daryles

If the slides are hydraulic, check the valves in the level-up control panel to be sure they are not closed (off).

What is/where is the level-up control panel?

[rames14]

Brian, the Level Up Control panel is on the driver side. It is the locking door where your jacks are controlled.

[mhs4771]

Has Keystone started putting Hydraulics into the High Countries?? Thought they were all electric.

[dfb]

Nothing but problems with our big slide. Plus the bedroom slide broke too.. Spent over 6000 so far in slide repairs... Our other, SOB used electric motors for the slides and zero issues..

[wed]

The post that Ron Ames posted is right on try to follow that

[Buckaroo]

Someone could make a lot of $$ on YouTube posting detailed videos on how to repair/fix the slideout for a Montana or High Country and other little problems/fixes/updates.

[dfb]

Our Hydraulic slide ram had the nut become loose. To get to it I had to cut the cloroplast. It's a fairly large nut.. 7/8 .. I think.