What is this part? Is it important?

rockfossilman · 08-29-2016, 06:39 AM

Recently returned from a trip to Lake Chautauqua KOA

in New York, put the slide out and found this on the floor in between the dinette and the stove. It appears to be part of a broken plastic disc. It has teeth on it (which I think are visible in the attached pictures. I have a guess as to what it is, but want some more experienced TT owners to chime in before I say--I don't want to lead anyone down a rabbit-hole to nowhere like I do when I take my car to the garage for repairs.

First picture shows the part with the teeth underneath--the other two are teeth upward. Any ideas would be appreciated.

grumpy0374 · 08-29-2016, 10:21 AM

It could be...
1. Made in China...might be part of a navagation system upper rindout gear and toilet assembly from a Chinese rocket and/or from a kids stroller.

2. A part taken off the assembly floor area by a worker and left inside on purpose. They love to leave parts/pieces hidden when building these things. Their purpose is to drive us owners nuts trying to figure out what it is and where it comes from/belongs.

If you have a guess, please.....
Grumpy

Tombsy · 08-30-2016, 10:38 AM

Maybe it was a knock out for a wire pass through in something?

Brian

Teamfour · 08-30-2016, 11:03 AM

It's a quarter.

Chpusmc · 08-30-2016, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamfour

It's a quarter.

I've been up for 29 hours. That made me laugh way harder and for much longer than i should have!

Narboza · 08-30-2016, 12:14 PM

It's probably part of a wear pad that wore out. Any scuff marks on the smoother side? I can't tell from the picture.

Big Vic · 08-30-2016, 01:00 PM

Based on where you found it, I would guess it is a cover for part of the slide mechanism that broke off.

SEAYALL · 08-30-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfossilman

Recently returned from a trip to Lake Chautauqua KOA

in New York, put the slide out and found this on the floor in between the dinette and the stove. It appears to be part of a broken plastic disc. It has teeth on it (which I think are visible in the attached pictures. I have a guess as to what it is, but want some more experienced TT owners to chime in before I say--I don't want to lead anyone down a rabbit-hole to nowhere like I do when I take my car to the garage for repairs.

First picture shows the part with the teeth underneath--the other two are teeth upward. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I suggest get with your division at FR. Make contact with a person so you can send picture

Chrisc40 · 08-30-2016, 04:21 PM

I have a pretty good idea that is part of a reel that held wire/small cable that broke off one of the heads of the reel. So someone was probably running wire and dropped the reel breaking off the piece you have now. See on the left side ( picture 2) there is a formed curve? That's the hole found in wire reels so when done you can tie off the end to prevent unraveling. So I don't think it is a part for the RV.

**F.R.O.G.** · 08-31-2016, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisc40

I have a pretty good idea that is part of a reel that held wire/small cable that broke off one of the heads of the reel. So someone was probably running wire and dropped the reel breaking off the piece you have now. See on the left side ( picture 2) there is a formed curve? That's the hole found in wire reels so when done you can tie off the end to prevent unraveling. So I don't think it is a part for the RV.

I think that Chrisc40 might be right. I sent a link to this thread to Roger Beiler, one of the Service and Warranty Administrators at Rockwood. Here's his reply:

Quote:

I am not sure what that is but I don’t think that is part of the camper. I can’t think of anywhere that we use anything like that in the trailer. It seems like a piece of debris or trash that was left in the trailer.

rockfossilman · 09-03-2016, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfossilman

Recently returned from a trip to Lake Chautauqua KOA

in New York, put the slide out and found this on the floor in between the dinette and the stove. It appears to be part of a broken plastic disc. It has teeth on it (which I think are visible in the attached pictures. I have a guess as to what it is, but want some more experienced TT owners to chime in before I say--I don't want to lead anyone down a rabbit-hole to nowhere like I do when I take my car to the garage for repairs.

First picture shows the part with the teeth underneath--the other two are teeth upward. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Since the part didn't appear until our 5th trip with the camper and having put the slide-out out and in over a dozen times, it seemed to me that the part must have a purpose. My "rabbit-hole" idea was that there are a row of several complete discs located between the slide floor and the living area floor. They facilitate a lower-friction surface for the slide to travel on when being deployed or brought in--I haven't decided whether they would be mounted teeth up or teeth down. The partial disc that I found is the remnants of one that broke when the slide was deployed the time I found it. An occasional squeak/squeal has also begun to occur on occasion when putting the slide out.

RangeMaggotBob · 11-04-2016, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamfour

It's a quarter.

rockfossilman · 11-04-2016, 07:18 PM

Your response is as unhelpful as some of the responses I used to get from a smart_ _ _ science student in one of my classes. Thanks for the laugh. I'm convinced the part is related to the slide out mechanism and the tech at Campers Inn thinks it might be as well. The camper goes to the shop in December for this and some other warranty issues.

Chrisc40 · 11-07-2016, 04:30 PM

Actually, maybe you never owned an RV with a slide out? I wonder because you might remember that lots of stuff comes out from underneath the slide of a new RV when the slide is moved. That's because the workers just let stuff drop and leave it there so the slide is sweeping junk into the RV for quite a while. I worked in the wire business for many years, maybe ever since you were in diapers, and that part looks exactly like a broken piece of a plastic reel head of which I've personally seen a million times. Additionally, where that piece came from is in the very area where they would run wires making it even more likely it is a piece of reel.

I think you better hope I'm on the money because if that flimsy piece of you know what is a major part of your slide then you have problems much worse then trying to figure out what that part is. Your saying you're science teacher so I'm sure you can see clearly the logic (hopefully) behind what I just said. BTW, maybe you treat adults like you do your students and don't realize how condescending your tone is? If you need me to point out where your tone is condescending just ask and I'll be glad to point it out to you.

rockfossilman · 11-07-2016, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisc40

Actually, maybe you never owned an RV with a slide out? I wonder because you might remember that lots of stuff comes out from underneath the slide of a new RV when the slide is moved. That's because the workers just let stuff drop and leave it there so the slide is sweeping junk into the RV for quite a while. I worked in the wire business for many years, maybe ever since you were in diapers, and that part looks exactly like a broken piece of a plastic reel head of which I've personally seen a million times. Additionally, where that piece came from is in the very area where they would run wires making it even more likely it is a piece of reel.

I think you better hope I'm on the money because if that flimsy piece of you know what is a major part of your slide then you have problems much worse then trying to figure out what that part is. Your saying you're science teacher so I'm sure you can see clearly the logic (hopefully) behind what I just said. BTW, maybe you treat adults like you do your students and don't realize how condescending your tone is? If you need me to point out where your tone is condescending just ask and I'll be glad to point it out to you.

I'm sorry I upset you, Chrisc40. I goofed by not quoting who I was responding to. I was responding to the "It's a quarter" response, and I was joking. By the way, I'm retired, 68 years old and I treated my students with great respect, typically laughing WITH my smart_ _ _ students. The TT goes into the shop Dec. 5 for warranty work, including the odd noises the slide is making when deployed and retracted.

**Flybob** · 11-07-2016, 05:55 PM

I am going with something left by an assembler at the factory that just took some time to vibrate to where it could be visible. I have seen tools, wire connectors etc show up years after delivery.

Ford Idaho · 11-07-2016, 06:01 PM

Part of a plastic wire spool?

If the spool was partially full and dropped and a chunk broke off it might look like that.

rockfossilman · 11-07-2016, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Part of a plastic wire spool?

If the spool was partially full and dropped and a chunk broke off it might look like that.

I considered the possibility of a chunk of a piece of a wire spool, but partially rejected the idea because the plastic is not brittle, has a rubber-like flexible feel and is somewhat concave on the toothed side. Next month, the techs at the dealership will get to check the slide for the odd sounds it makes when deployed and retracted.

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