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Old 10-26-2015, 05:16 PM   #1
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My Final Solution to the Bed Slide Motor Problem

I designed this many months ago, but just got around to implementing the idea.

If interested, there is another thread with my original design drawings. Hopefully with the attached picture that drawing won't be needed.

Anyhow, as the pic shows, I fabricated two strips of aluminum about 6 inches long and about 1.25 inches wide. Bored holes in each one exactly in alignment with the holes in the motor. Those are the upper 4 bolts in the pic.

These new holes are round, NOT slots as in the original support piece. Next install the motor in the proper position (all the way up with the pinion engaging the rack as much as possible) and then add the new pieces. Then tighten those four bolts; no need to overdo the torque now.

Finally, drill the two lower holes thru BOTH the new aluminum "straps" and also the original plate that holds the motor. These two new holes are perfectly round (no slots). Then pass a bolt (I used 1 inch long) thru the new hole and put on a nut and tighten well. Voila!! The motor should be completely unable to ever drop again. If mine does, I'm going to push the slide out until it falls on the ground and sleep on the kitchen floor from now on.

Boowho??
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Old 10-26-2015, 05:50 PM   #2
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Another way would be to cut an insert matching the slot with rounded ends to go in the slot.
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Old 10-26-2015, 05:57 PM   #3
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Another way would be to cut an insert matching the slot with rounded ends to go in the slot.
Absolutely, but I didn't want to go to THAT much trouble since no one will ever see it anyhow.

This was the easiest and quickest.

Boowho??
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Old 10-26-2015, 06:34 PM   #4
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Absolutely, but I didn't want to go to THAT much trouble since no one will ever see it anyhow.

This was the easiest and quickest.

Boowho??
Wouldn't really of had to have rounded ends, just fit the slot side to side.
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:02 PM   #5
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Boo,

That is a great and simple solution. My hat is off to you.
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:14 PM   #6
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Boo,

That is a great and simple solution. My hat is off to you.
Thank you. As my old daddy would have said "Every now and then even a blind hog will find an acorn".

Boowho??
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Old 10-26-2015, 10:29 PM   #7
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Boo good fix to a issue that has been a big problem. I should really check mine sometime. I've never looked at it. Just darn lucky I guess. Thanks for sharing.



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Old 10-27-2015, 06:24 PM   #8
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Another comment to which I have to say "Huh??" I'm starting to feel sorry that I shared my idea.

Do I have spinach stuck in my teeth??

Boowho??

Boo if you had spinach in your teeth we would eventually tell you. After of coarse a bit of laughing at your expense.
I didn't get either comment and really thought your fix was a good simple and very expensive solution. It can be difficult to communicate on a forum sometimes.



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Old 10-27-2015, 06:37 PM   #9
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Boo -Fantastic idea and mod. It should do the job. On older threads, I believe silver made a support for the motor and I used a block of wood to support the motor.

The designers of that bed mechanism did not take into account that road bumps would hammer the cantilevered motor up and down; which loosens the bolts.
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Old 10-27-2015, 07:44 PM   #10
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Boo....I have never experienced this problem in my Berk, however, looking at the replies, I am guessing I am extremely lucky.

Is the purpose of the supports that you fabricated to stop the pictured motor shaft from dropping down to the bottom of the slot?
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Old 10-27-2015, 07:49 PM   #11
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Boo....I have never experienced this problem in my Berk, however, looking at the replies, I am guessing I am extremely lucky.

Is the purpose of the supports that you fabricated to stop the pictured motor shaft from dropping down to the bottom of the slot?
Exactly. Some coaches seem to be affected, other do not. Mine has fallen about 4 times before I got it right. In reality it only drops about 1/4 inch (not to the bottom of the slot), but just enough to disengage the pinion from the rack.

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Old 10-27-2015, 08:25 PM   #12
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Ours also but hasn't dropped since we were at the factory.
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Old 10-28-2015, 12:05 AM   #13
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I just push the slide out and push it back in! Have not had to push it back in while raining yet! I attempted to fix it and after two hours figured pushing it in and out is easier and cheaper.


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Old 10-28-2015, 05:51 AM   #14
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Off topic posts deleted by site team. Please keep this thread on track.
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Old 10-28-2015, 06:07 AM   #15
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Off topic posts deleted by site team. Please keep this thread on track.
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Old 10-29-2015, 11:55 AM   #16
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Boo
I studied your mod. picture for the second time and I see bolt studs coming out of the gear box, with nuts on them. The original attachment was with bolts. Can you explain?
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Old 10-29-2015, 12:21 PM   #17
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Boo
I studied your mod. picture for the second time and I see bolt studs coming out of the gear box, with nuts on them. The original attachment was with bolts. Can you explain?
Hank
Hank
I am responding on BooWho's behalf because he no longer wants to be on the forums. BooWho says you are very observant and the reason that it looks different is: In an attempt to fix this a year ago I bored out the bolt holes in the motor and replaced the bolt that screwed in with bolts that went all the way through. Therefore, what you are seeing is the threaded end of those through bolts with the nuts on them. I did this because I felt I could put a lot more torque on the bolts so as to keep the motor from dropping; that did not work.

BooWho's DW
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Old 10-29-2015, 12:46 PM   #18
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Hank
I am responding on BooWho's behalf because he no longer wants to be on the forums. BooWho says you are very observant and the reason that it looks different is: In an attempt to fix this a year ago I bored out the bolt holes in the motor and replaced the bolt that screwed in with bolts that went all the way through. Therefore, what you are seeing is the threaded end of those through bolts with the nuts on them. I did this because I felt I could put a lot more torque on the bolts so as to keep the motor from dropping; that did not work.

BooWho's DW
Kay
Thanks for the answer, but now I am so sad that Boo has taken time off from the forum. I will certainly miss him. He has always had great insight. I look forward to see Boo come back soon.
Hank
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Old 10-29-2015, 12:52 PM   #19
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Kay
Thanks for the answer, but now I am so sad that Boo has taken time off from the forum. I will certainly miss him. He has always had great insight. I look forward to see Boo come back soon.
Hank
X2 Don't really know Boo well at all but was just starting to feel comfortable giving him a hard time. Hope he changes his mind and is back on soon. He brings a lot to the table.
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