User Tag List

Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Long Hauler
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    All over - Full-timing
    Posts
    2,557
    Mentioned
    46 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Electric Through Frame Rack and Pinion Issue

    The problem:
    My dining slide on my 320MKS (not that that info matters) does not move out. It sounds like the clutch slipping, like it does when it reaches the end, going either in or out, but it makes a quieter sound than that. The slide does not move. The clutch makes the normal sound when the IN side of the button is pushed. I contacted Lippert directly and spoke with someone who sent me a PDF of electric rack and pinion slide measurements. The only thing I can measure with the slide in is the inside rack distance to the bottom of the floor. This is 3 1/32" on both racks on this slide so, spot on for tolerances. I dropped the coroplast and, from a distance, inspected the motor. I checked voltage at the switch, which is < 12vdc. I was not able to actually reach the motor to check the voltage at the motor (I will need to remove more of the screws that hold the coroplast and remove the spare tire to get to the motor). That is my next step, tomorrow morning when it is a bit cooler.

    The other electric rack and pinion slide (kitchen) works just fine, as does the bedroom slide (Schwintek), so I know it's not a low battery or voltage problem. I'm starting to suspect the motor right now. I need to buy about 50' of 12ga wire to directly hook the motor to the battery to see if it works from there. (Actually, I might use my battery jump box to do that!)

    Now, has anyone else (on any other RV with electric rack and pinion) ever experienced this issue? If so, what fixed it?

    I'm trying not to spend more money than I have to but, just in case, I have a call out to a mobile tech to see if they can come out. I will also be calling Grand Design tomorrow morning to see if they might pay for a mobile tech.

    The biggest problem, kind of, is that we move into the 5ver, full time, this coming Saturday. We will be in an RV Park about 5 minutes away for 3 weeks, so I can manually run that slide out, but really would like to get it fixed sooner than later. I know I can replace parts and perform any calibration needed, I just need somewhere to look to determine what is wrong with the electric rack and pinion.

    Thanks to everyone!
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  2. #2
    Long Hauler
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    All over - Full-timing
    Posts
    2,557
    Mentioned
    46 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    ARGH! Or, YAY! It's fixed. I manually moved the slide, using the crank, and decided to try it. It worked. In and out several times and it works.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper 17george's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    W VA
    Posts
    185
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Great you got it fixed. I was going to suggest moving it manually
    NAVY 1980-1984
    2022 Reflection 337 RLS
    2023 GMC SierraDenali 2500 HD
    Anderson ultimate hitch

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Posts
    492
    Mentioned
    7 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by MoonShadow_1911 View Post
    ARGH! Or, YAY! It's fixed. I manually moved the slide, using the crank, and decided to try it. It worked. In and out several times and it works.
    That is great news but you still need to try and figure out what is going on. I guess the motor works. From my research there are multiple things that go wrong with electric thru frame slides. It amazes me that they work as well as they do. The first thing I would do is verify that the slide box is square and that it is square in the hole and adjusted properly. Lippert training videos show you how to make adjustments. My slides on my 2020 337 were not installed correctly or changed after the trailer starting moving. The kitchen slide was out over an inch along the length. The misalignment was causing a wear mark on the inside rail tube. Run the slide out and measure from the side of the trailer to the outside of the wide trim piece. Both ends of the slide should be the same. Run the slide in and check seal compression from top to bottom, should be 50% compressed. Check seal compression on the inside of trailer when slide is out. In addition to alignment there is a gear pack, and a clutch that may not be right. After having a problem like you had don’t assume that it fixed itself.

    I read your fix again. Could be a bad motor.
    Last edited by Always Learning; 07-25-2022 at 10:24 PM.
    2020 Reflection 337RLS
    2020 F350 Dually

  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    San Antonio
    Posts
    175
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Great that it is working. Lippert has some good online video training videos including the through frame slide. Worth going through it.

    https://lippert.thinkific.com/

  6. #6
    Long Hauler
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    All over - Full-timing
    Posts
    2,557
    Mentioned
    46 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I've gone through the videos. Most of them really didn't help much.

    The slide is square and the deflection angles are well within tolerances. There only thing I can think of is something stuck. What exactly, I don't know. If it happens again, all the Lippert trouble shooting documents point to the motor being the culprit. I haven't priced them out yet, but now that I know it has a through frame manual rod, I'm not as worried. At least if it gets stuck again, I can crank it.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  7. #7
    Long Hauler
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    All over - Full-timing
    Posts
    2,557
    Mentioned
    46 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    To possibly help others, the problem is not the motor. The problem is the slide "sticks". I can use the manual crank to move the slide, even a quarter of an inch, and it works as expected.

    Monday, we pulled the slides in (they both worked then), traveled from Albuquerque, NM, to Colorado City, CO, and the dining slide did the same thing. We left it in, slept in the coach then traveled to Golden, CO, where I set about dropping the coroplast and looked to troubleshoot the motor. After 30 minutes of messing around and working in the street side coroplast (because the dining slide is on the street side), I finally got to a point where I could physically observe the motor. (Wait for it...). I pulled out my phone, opened the One Control app, and tried to activate the dining slide. The clutch immediately slipped, but the noise wasn't coming from the motor I was looking at! I then realized I was attempting to futz with the wrong motor!

    I went to the curb side, with my socket, turned the manual control rod 1 turn, heard the slide "un-stick", then used the One Control app to see if the slide would move. BINGO!

    The two lessons I learned.

    1. Don't try to diagnose an issue when you've driven 5 hours.

    2. The manual slide control is ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE COACH! That lesson, I won't forget.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

  8. #8
    Rolling Along
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    The Thumb of Michigan
    Posts
    728
    Mentioned
    11 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I had similar symptoms with my heavy kitchen slide last year. After storing the rv for a couple of months, I extended all the slides, loaded up, retracted all the slides and drove 300 miles. At the campsite, the kitchen slide would not extend but made the clutch sound. It was stuck much like you have described. From inside, I grabbed the top of the slide and rocked in in and out a bit. Then tried the switch and it extended normally.

    I figured it was a little bit stuck.

    I think it may have been retracting just a bit too far. I adjusted the stop can to stop the slide about 1/8” sooner. And when I retract it, I often stand outside using One Control and retract until it hits the seal and stop. I don’t let the motor clutch at all. I’m not sure if this really matters but I’ve had no sticking since.
    2021 Reflection 312 BHTS, Silverado 2500 Duramax

  9. #9
    Long Hauler
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    All over - Full-timing
    Posts
    2,557
    Mentioned
    46 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by FlyStar View Post
    I had similar symptoms with my heavy kitchen slide last year. After storing the rv for a couple of months, I extended all the slides, loaded up, retracted all the slides and drove 300 miles. At the campsite, the kitchen slide would not extend but made the clutch sound. It was stuck much like you have described. From inside, I grabbed the top of the slide and rocked in in and out a bit. Then tried the switch and it extended normally.

    I figured it was a little bit stuck.

    I think it may have been retracting just a bit too far. I adjusted the stop can to stop the slide about 1/8” sooner. And when I retract it, I often stand outside using One Control and retract until it hits the seal and stop. I don’t let the motor clutch at all. I’m not sure if this really matters but I’ve had no sticking since.
    That probably would help, however, it's my wife that is extending it reacting the slides as I'm doing the other setup or teardown stuff.
    Mark & Mary. Full-timing across the USA (and Canada)!
    Current Coach: 2021 Grand Design Reflection 320MKS
    Current Rig: 2019 Ford F350 SD Crew Cab, w/8' box, Lariat, SRW, 6.7l Diesel

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.