Slideout Problems

[mrmurph]

We have a 2011 Salem 26 TBUD. It's been a great camper and we all love it. We just started experiencing a problem and I bet someone here has had the same problem. Anyway...

The slideout moves great coming in and going out. The problem is that when you try to extend the room from the fully closed position, the motor makes a ratcheting sound. When that happens, you crawl under the thing and turn the crank about a quarter turn and then the room will run out using the switch with no problems. I've spoke with a variety of people ad have heard everything from you need to replace the motor to you need to replace the actuator. The motor and actuator are the 40" Lippert Venture 18:1.

Please offer your input, I'm getting tired of crawling under the camper.

[ependydad]

Have you tried calling Lippert? Supposedly once you get one of their engineers on the phone- they're suber helpful.

[mrmurph]

I did call their service line. I was less than impressed with the service I received.

[meck51]

I have the same problem, unit is only three months old. I'm going to have it serviced under warranty when the season is over. I feel that it is the seal holding too strongly and the clutch engaging to protect the motor. Basically I think the seal may be too tight to the slide and it is having a hard time flipping it over in the reverse direction. I'm heading out this weekend and plan on lubing the seals to see if it helps any. Should be able to see if this solves it as I have a few more trips planned this season.

[mrmurph]

Meck51, did you have any luck with your slide?

[meck51]

Had to use the crank to start it out and than used the electric motor to send it out all the way. I did lube the seal but am not really certain that it will help any, won't know for sure until the next time I take it out which isn't for about a month unfortunately.

[mrmurph]

Well, I am tired of crawling under the thing so I took it all apart. It is simply that the dogs in the clutch are slipping during extension. For a spring, they use two concave washers and honestly it does not take much to collapse the washers and engage the clutch. I turned the dogs over and tried it again and it still slips. I'm thinking about modifying with a heavy spring or another washer to see if that will let her run. It's really kind of a cheesy arrangement and they want $60 on line for a new clutch.

[VinceU]

Not sure of the retract/extend mechanism, but sounds as though its mal adjusted in the retract operation. The torque setting should release the motor at x force but it is overdriven not releasing soon enough. By then the mechanism is bound up. Does your book show adjustments for this? I had slides that had torque settings for both extend and retract using a screw/motor drive.

[mrmurph]

Thanks to the web, I was able to find the exploded view drawing of the clutch mechanism. Basically, all this clutch is is a set of Belleville washers facing each other that compress when the clutch is under load. The clutch consists of those two washers, factory shim (varies from unit to unit), clutch plate, cup washer, and a snap ring. The drawing I have shows to "shim to suit", my clutch had a 0.005" shim installed so I made a new shim (~0.015")to add to the mix. Once that was installed, everything works as it should. The clutch will engage when retracting and extending if you attempt to go beyond the stops so all is well.