DX3 Main Slide inop

KRedburn · 11-24-2017, 07:01 PM

Have a 2018 37TS went to move unit out of shop. Rear slide good, kitchen slide good, main slide would not come in get a alternate blink from fault and green in motion lights. I believe this is major fault no stop positions. slides worked fine before and unit is plugged into 50amp shore power. Tried the override procedure but the aft motor would not move front does. Tried manual release of aft brake and see if slide would even move with the 3/4 inch drive. Could not move it at all.

Anyone have a suggestion. Fortunately this happened in my shop but did not make DW very happy. Messed up our Thanksgiving weekend. We only have 3000 miles on this and are still having issues.

joet19711 · 11-24-2017, 07:36 PM

Is it a Power Gear Slide?

joet19711 · 11-24-2017, 07:42 PM

I assume it is. Are you sure that you released the brake? Mine was rusted in the brake on position, and had to remove the brake from the motor. Then I was able to crank in by hand. Be thankful that you are at home base. I was on the road when mine went. Was able to get it in and made it home. It took a couple of days to get new motor.
You may not have the same problem that I had.

KRedburn · 11-24-2017, 08:32 PM

Yes a power gear slide.

Took motor off. Son was over and we were able to move it in with him pushing on the aft side of the slide and using the emergency override on the front motor bumping it as the slide would move. Thankfully son is a big farm boy!

Put motor on bench and tried to move it manually. No joy. Not absolutely sure that brake was released but we were able to move the brake lever a bit.

How far does that lever need to move to release brake?

Tomorrow I will dig deeper but we tried motor using the override method with it mechanically disconnected and it would not turn. We could hear a click which I assume was the brake release actuating.

At least the slide is in. Will be contacting Dynamax on Monday.

joet19711 · 11-24-2017, 08:48 PM

The brake release lever has to be squeezed together with the brake lever and then pushed to the unlock position. My brake would not release. So as you see in the picture, I took off the brake and then was able to manually crank. When you get the assembly, its a matter of removing those (4) 3/8 bolts and remove the whole gear box, motor, brake. You can test that motor on a bench and see if it motor or brake.

Make sure you re program the in/out stops, the instructions are pretty clear on how to do it.

My problem actually came from rear tire spray up on the aft motor, don't know if your model is like that. Wish I could have helped more

tedelman · 11-25-2017, 03:02 PM

You may want to check my issues with this problem.
T Edelman - slide

Thebackpacker · 11-25-2017, 05:53 PM

A few months after purchase, the left aft motor failed on the main, left slide on my 2016 DX 35 DS. The motor looked like it suffered from too much water and debris thrown up by the left rear wheel.

A forward mud guard was added to the left rear wheel to try to protect the slide motor and generator.

Gerard
2016 DX 35 DS

KRedburn · 11-25-2017, 06:31 PM

When we got the motor disconnected from the slide rail I reconnected the motor electrically. Using the override from the control panel I could move the front motor but aft motor would not turn while it was resting on the Onan generator.

I switched the cables from the front motor to the aft connections on the controller (in the electrical bay) same issue aft motor won't move but front motor does. Seems to me motor assembly for the aft position is kaput!

When I got it out of the unit and on the bench the rubber boot was torn on the top of the motor so I peeked in to see if brake was release and lever was against the "release stop screw" I was still unable to turn the motor/gear assembly with the 3/4 hex drive. BTW according to the Lippert web site documents for Power Gear motor, the release lever moves approx. 30 degrees to disengage

Mr. teldelman I did check your issue with the slide prior to "digging in" on this issue. Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I live Washington State so factory service would be a major trip.

joet1971 Thanks for your help also

joet19711 · 11-25-2017, 07:25 PM

I was able to remove brake from motor and then I manually cranked in.

Did you remove brake from motor? you could put motor on bench and put

12v to motor and see if it is kaput. Both my motor and brake were kaput.

Got whole new assembly in about two days or so...

good luck.

shultz01 · 11-26-2017, 08:52 AM

I also had this issue while 2,000 from home. I bought two ratchet wrenches at the local Ace Hardware. With help we were able to crank it out for the week and back in to head home.

We stopped at Dynamax service on the way home and they had us fixed in less than a day. Lippert Components is right down the road from Dynamax.

That being said, this is the third post, including mine, I've seen with this issue on new units. Mine was less than two months old.

I've seen this with 2 TS and 1 RB model, right?

Both motors are exposed to the elements--one in the battery bay and the other in generator bay. Is there something we can do proactively to keep this from happening again or at all for those who haven't experienced it?

KRedburn · 11-26-2017, 10:12 AM

I was thinking that a spray shield would be a wise addition for the aft motor over the generator bay. It seems that all of the slide issues are with that aft motor which is exposed.
Another addition would be an extension rod from the aft motor to the next bay with a water seal for the bay wall. This would make it a whole lot easier to hand crank the back rail. Working over the generator is not very pleasant. I can just barely get my arm in there to use a ratchet.

IMHO a solenoid lock pin that is spring loaded to lock the slide retracted and at the extension would be a better solution and eliminate the current motor brake. I tried moving the brake on two other motors (right front and left front) both were very difficult to move the lever.

I was thinking of getting a spare motor assembly but they are spendy!

halla · 11-26-2017, 10:33 AM

I wonder if we screwed a heavy piece of rubber etc... over the motor in the battery compartment. My only concern would be the rubber trapping moisture and rusting even quicker.

Not sure what the answer is, but I do plan on adding the spray shield by the generator compartment.

How much are the motors?

KRedburn · 11-26-2017, 05:05 PM

closest that may be a direct replacement is around $800

not sure until tomorrow when I can make some phone calls

joet19711 · 11-26-2017, 05:58 PM

So here is what I did, I covered it in sheet alum. Some other did theirs with mud flap material. Think at the factory on the new ones, they are running
the rear mud flap all the way up to prevent rear tire spray. I am also adding one in front of the generator between the compartment and the leveling stuff to help keep road spray from the generator switch, and the main breaker. I am doing that with mud flap, and I will post picture of that when I get to it before next trip.

New motor is $740.00, (direct from Lippert) but yours will be covered under warranty. High price for a spare.

joet19711 · 11-30-2017, 08:21 AM

kredburn: Any follow up with the slide motor problem yet?

KRedburn · 11-30-2017, 07:18 PM

I contacted Lippert directly. They said they are sending me a new motor which I will install.

So, until motor is here and control reprogrammed issue is on hold.

thanks for checking

KRedburn · 12-13-2017, 05:50 PM

finally got new motor installed and programmed today. All is better now. Will be adding spray shields front and back of generator bay for sure.

CSWVK · 12-13-2017, 08:35 PM

That is good news. We have installed the wheel well shield on our 2018 DX3. Our motor/brake was showing rust already.

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