Roadside Slide Failed

StoneyG · 11-22-2015, 08:46 PM

We bought a new 2015 Dynamax Trilogy 38WT in February and love everything about it except the apparent negligence that went into building it. Its almost as if Dynamax told the engineers and craftsmen that after they built my unit they were going to b fired and then Dynamax burnt the build sheets. But I won't bore you with the past.

A week or so ago the long roadside slide, maybe about 20' long, started making lots of noise. I called a local dealer to come out and check it and made an appointment to get the RV in and repaired. Long story short, after about a week of seeing what the next failed part was going to be it turned out that one gear pack was completely stripped with the other two damaged. The weld on the middle rail had broken and one of the three rails had twisted. For those who don't know the way this works is that there are three rails with three gear packs that are tied together so that when one is pushed (or pulled) the other two turn with it. The push (and pull) is performed by a hydraulic cylinder.

For all you engineers out there, where would you put the hydraulic cylinder on a slide that is maybe 20' long with a French Door domestic refrigerator and a floor to ceiling pantry next to it and a TV on the other end? If you said that the hydraulic cylinder would be placed at a point determined to be the center of the weight on the slide you would be wrong. If you said that the hydraulic cylinder would be placed at the center of the slide you would be wrong. The hydraulic cylinder was placed about halfway between the rail at the opposite end of the slide from the refrigerator and pantry and the end of the slide. Its not even between the rails.

Now am I crazy or would just about any reasonable person think that putting the hydraulic cylinder at the opposite end of the weight is a prescription for problems? Has anyone else had problems with a set up like this? Has anyone else have a similar system that works for them?

Thanks,

CC38EL · 11-23-2015, 09:31 AM

Makes you wonder what kind of engineer works at an RV factory.

What's the forecast on your repair? Doesn't seem like it's going to be quick.

I hope the new parts are strong enough to withstand future extensions and retractions.

Do you have to take it to the factory?

StoneyG · 11-23-2015, 07:50 PM

Thankfully it failed near D & N RV Service in Guntersville, AL where Brandon took the time to check carefully the extent of damage to associated parts and has recommended a correction by re positioning the hydraulic cylinder to a more reasonable place near the center of the slide. We're still working with Dynamax and Lippert to get approval for the repairs and re positioning of the hydraulic cylinder but they say the configuration used in our Trilogy has been used in many 5th wheels with no problems. For peace of mind we may have the cyclinder moved.

Thanks,

nosaint3 · 12-18-2015, 08:50 AM

My 2013 Trilogy 38RE has been leaking since the dealer tried to adjust the slideouts to prevent them from rubbing against the center island and gouging out the wood. It got so bad he sent me to the factory who sent me to a repair shop. A temporary fix stopped the gouging but started a leak and the top of the slideout started gouging the wall when going in or out. It suffered through the winter down south but come spring went back to stop the leak. The repair shop looked at it and sent me to lippert repair shop.
They welded two inch metal square bars about 20 feet under the main frame, threw away the correct track, put on new brakes, put on new 8000 lb seals vs 7000lb, and relocated some brake wires that were rubbing against the tires. Still had the leak and the wall bottom is starting to show it.

This fall the factory found that the workers had failed to seal the outside rubber seal to the camper. They sealed it but the rain ruined the seal. I couldn't stay any longer because of a factory sales promotion so I headed south and they sent more sealant and I'm doing it myself. Got it down to a trickle.

StoneyG · 12-18-2015, 09:02 AM

We haven't any problems with leaking and now have the slide repaired and seems to be working good. Now I'm trying to get paid for all of the work done.

John Hagen · 01-01-2016, 05:03 PM

For what it is worth...

I had many issues with my roadside slide. Busting gear teeth the first year was the norm. I finally had enough when the teeth broke off while in Goose Creek, SC. Had a mobile shop come out and he just made matters worse. It took a couple of hours but we finally got the slide back into the travel position.

I notified Dynamax of the issue and told Matt I was headed to Dynamax for repairs. He wasn't able to get me in but sent me to a place down the street. They were able to get the slide working again but failed during demo when I picked it up three days later.

Not satisfied, an appointment was made at the Lippert shop in Goshen. There the technician replaced three brackets with much beefier ones and all three gear assemblies. He also did a total realignment of the slideout and when it was all said and done works great. The problem was the slideout was not adjusted correctly when it was assembled at Dynamax. The slide now rides a about 1 inch lower so it sits tighter on the gears. This prevents the teeth from slipping and breaking. Been almost a year and still working nice.

John

StoneyG · 01-01-2016, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hagen

For what it is worth...

I had many issues with my roadside slide. Busting gear teeth the first year was the norm. I finally had enough when the teeth broke off while in Goose Creek, SC. Had a mobile shop come out and he just made matters worse. It took a couple of hours but we finally got the slide back into the travel position.

I notified Dynamax of the issue and told Matt I was headed to Dynamax for repairs. He wasn't able to get me in but sent me to a place down the street. They were able to get the slide working again but failed during demo when I picked it up three days later.

Not satisfied, an appointment was made at the Lippert shop in Goshen. There the technician replaced three brackets with much beefier ones and all three gear assemblies. He also did a total realignment of the slideout and when it was all said and done works great. The problem was the slideout was not adjusted correctly when it was assembled at Dynamax. The slide now rides a about 1 inch lower so it sits tighter on the gears. This prevents the teeth from slipping and breaking. Been almost a year and still working nice.

John

Your contribution is worth a lot to me. I understood that there had been no problems with slides prior to mine and now see where there might be a conflict between Lippert and Dynamax about who is responsible. I still need to get reimbursed for the repairs.

Thanks,

John Hagen · 01-01-2016, 07:51 PM

I also meant to mention my conversation with the Lippert tech. He indicated the ram/actuator is located where it is because of the chassis configuration. With the propane bottle in the center of the under carriage, there wasn't anywhere to place the ram/actuator other than at the aft end of the slide out.

With the slide as big as it is I would have liked to of seen two actuators but they didn't ask me first...

John

StoneyG · 01-01-2016, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hagen

I also meant to mention my conversation with the Lippert tech. He indicated the ram/actuator is located where it is because of the chassis configuration. With the propane bottle in the center of the under carriage, there wasn't anywhere to place the ram/actuator other than at the aft end of the slide out.

With the slide as big as it is I would have liked to of seen two actuators but they didn't ask me first...

John

Our 2015 Trilogy doesn't have the MH type large propane bottle so there's no excuse for the plunger to be offset as much as it was and it isn't now. I'm told that two hydraulic plungers won't work on a single slide because the plungers would not stay even because of the give and take of the hoses on pressure.

Thanks again,

GaryanJane · 08-07-2017, 11:08 AM

sitting here in northern Iowa with no mobile repair around and my roadside slide will not come in all the way. i know it is the gearbox again (all three have been replaced at least twice). question is where is the manual crank located so i can at least get it in enough to get back on the road.

StoneyG · 08-08-2017, 08:13 AM

I don't know about the manual box but our hydraulic plunger was way to the rear of the slide and maybe because of that the gearboxes and rails failed. We asked and Forest River paid to have the plunger moved to the center of the slide and haven't had a problem since, knock on wood.

John Hagen · 08-08-2017, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryanJane

sitting here in northern Iowa with no mobile repair around and my roadside slide will not come in all the way. i know it is the gearbox again (all three have been replaced at least twice). question is where is the manual crank located so i can at least get it in enough to get back on the road.

If the gears are stripped I don't see how you could manually crank in the slide.

If the hydraulic actuator is working, activate it so it starts to bring in the slide. Then you have to manually push in the other end by brute force. You may have to get under the belly, open an area by the gear box and using pry bars force it to come in.

Did you check to see if all three gears are stripped? Is the interconnect shaft between the gear boxes working? Did the bolt/pin connecting the shaft to the gear boxes break? If the gears are intact, you could put a wrench on the square tube that connects the gear boxes together and turn it to crank in the slide. But, that ONLY works if the gears are not stripped.

I had to do this in South Carolina. The gear pack for the rail where the actuator was located had stripped. I engaged the actuator to pull the slide in a couple of inches. Then got under the belly and manually wrenched the interconnect shaft which turned the other two gear packs. Eventually this got the slide in so we could travel.

John

Shorepower · 08-09-2017, 01:59 PM

I have a 2013 2850 trilogy had the same problem with the roadside slide I installed a hydraulic cylinder on the other end so both ends work together, also replaced plastic wheels made aluminum ones a hair bigger no more binding on track, works nice and smooth, I am the second person to do this modification, lousy design from factory, call lippert and Forrest river no one seemed to care, happy now

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