Gears out of alignment

jbusch · 06-07-2016, 10:04 PM

Our slide out qlwas hitting something and so I was able to isolate the problem. Here's is a pic with the issue circled. Basically the gear is out of aligment and needs to be realigned. Anybody know how to do this?

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**Bama Rambler** · 06-08-2016, 08:23 AM

It would help a lot to know what model slide that is. Or at least which RV you have.

However, It looks like a sofa slide. If it is, then that spur gear is held onto the shaft with set screw and square key. You can loosen the set screw and slide the gear over to mate with the rack teeth and retighten the set screw.

Here's the website for the slide, but it doesn't tell you much.

jbusch · 06-08-2016, 09:03 AM

It's a 2011 forrest river sunseeker and it is a sofa slide out. The problem is access. The teeth are out of alignment and you can easily slide them back in without lifting the front of the slideout

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OldCoot · 06-08-2016, 09:08 AM

Block it up and take the welded plate assy out for access to the gear.

jbusch · 06-08-2016, 09:46 AM

Thought about that

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jbusch · 06-08-2016, 09:59 AM

I also thought about trying to take out the upper cam followers on both sides and pry it up enough to slip the gear back in

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**Bama Rambler** · 06-08-2016, 10:27 AM

Since you say that the gear will easily slide back in place, you also may be able to manually turn the gear to where you can get a hex wrench in the set screw and tighten it down. Even if you have to use some kind of an extension tube on the wrench. Or even a small ratchet with a hex adapter.

billb800si · 06-08-2016, 01:32 PM

Looks like a "rack & pinion" drive. I remember with our
Jayco Eagle the mfg'r said when extending or retracting the slide make sure you run it all the way and listen for the loud clicking sound. That sound is the gear skipping over the track at the end of travel. This is normal and it also realigns the drive gears with the track.

Happy trails,

jbusch · 06-08-2016, 02:59 PM

That's easy to try so I'll try it. Wouldn't that be great if it worked.

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Sagecoachdriver · 06-08-2016, 03:52 PM

I believe you have the Lippert Above Floor Slide out and the crown gear has moved on the shaft. It doesn't show in the blow up, but there may be an allen wrench screw holding it in place.
http://www.lci1.com/assets/content/s...ly_Webpage.pdf

jbusch · 06-08-2016, 04:01 PM

There is an Allen screw holding it. It must have come loose and the gear moved. It was preventing me from opening the slide out as it was hitting a bolt that was holding the metal t to the floor. I was able to slip it back towards the center with a long screwdriver and thank goodness I have long arms. The problem now is getting the 2 gears to mate up. I was able to get the slide out so the gear is closer it's just a very short work space and I assume there's a flatspot on the axle for the Allen screw to flatten against. If that's the case lots of trial and error

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Sagecoachdriver · 06-08-2016, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbusch

There is an Allen screw holding it. It must have come loose and the gear moved. It was preventing me from opening the slide out as it was hitting a bolt that was holding the metal t to the floor. I was able to slip it back towards the center with a long screwdriver and thank goodness I have long arms. The problem now is getting the 2 gears to mate up. I was able to get the slide out so the gear is closer it's just a very short work space and I assume there's a flatspot on the axle for the Allen screw to flatten against. If that's the case lots of trial and error

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Did the diagram help? So now it's out of sync with the other side?

jbusch · 06-08-2016, 04:47 PM

The diagram did help. Talked to the dealer and he said there is roll pins on either side of the gears to keep this from happening. However, the diagram doesn't show that. He said the mechanism is easy to remove and reinstall when the slide is out. Only a couple of bolts. Thankfully I have air tools. It's probably out of sink as only 1 side is driving right now

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Sagecoachdriver · 06-09-2016, 10:29 AM

Jbusch, are your sides still in sync or did this throw it off and cause one side to stick out more than the other when retracted? We have another thread http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...on-109713.html where we are trying to figure out the adjustment. Have you seen anything under there where it can be made, just one cog on the gear?

**Bama Rambler** · 06-09-2016, 11:00 AM

That gear is kept from spinning on the shaft by a square key and slotted keyway. If it'll spin on the shaft then the key is missing. You'll need to replace the key and then align the sides of the slide and turn the gear until it will slid onto the key and finally tighten it down.

The roll pins the dealer is talking about are probably the ones on the side of the drive box assembly. They keep the shaft from moving, but not the gear itself.

jbusch · 06-09-2016, 11:09 AM

Right now the aligment seems within specs. However once I pull the mechanism I'm sure I will have to realign it. My plan is to count the number of teeth on the gear as contacts the slide mechanism and hopefully since I'll be pulling the entire mechanism which includes both gears fore and aft the motor and shaft I can realign it.

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**Bama Rambler** · 06-09-2016, 11:56 AM

Since you're pulling the entire mechanism it shouldn't be much of a problem to get it aligned properly when putting it back.

jbusch · 06-09-2016, 07:57 PM

Ok, maybe im missing something but this entire mechanism looks welded together and therefore no way to take out via bolts. The base plate seems like the only way to get it out but in order to do that I have to lift the slideout Anybody?

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Sagecoachdriver · 06-09-2016, 10:31 PM

Do you see any bolts holding the slide box to the geared rail? I saw none on mine looking from your point of view, just holes with no screws or bolts.

I found them, they did not use the first 2 set of holes to fasten the mechanism to the actual slide out. Found bolts in the third set half way down the track.

**Bama Rambler** · 06-10-2016, 10:12 AM

In order to remove the entire mechanism, you're going to have to run the slide most of the way out and jack it up slightly and block it up so you can get the mechanism from under it.

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