Slide out Cable cage

[GrumpyBoss]

My wife and I had to take our motorhome back to the dealership to get some issues resolved. We stayed in their campground overnight to test the resolutions. The next morning as we were pulling the slides in we found a real problem. Dynamax DX3 34KD. The slide with the theater seating and dinnette slid in fine. Then I went out to ensure everything was ready to get on the road home and saw something that was gut wrenching. The wiring cage for the slide out had gotten stuck and was bent in two still sticking out under the edge of the slide out in a loop about 10 inches long. We called for mechanic and he came to see what he could do. He said there were several of those that happened recently. He took pictures to report to the manufacturer so when they get a resolution to fix this problem we will also get a notice. I have not heard anything but each time we have to bring the slide in I have to manually stuff the wiring and the broken cage back in the square hole in the side of the RV. I also think I found the reason that they fail so quickly. If you have this issue on your RV stop the slideout witnin a foot of the wall. Look at the square hole and where the cage was mounted. I believe you may find the same thing I did and that is the mount on the lower edge of the slide where the cage was attached to the slide out lip is not close to being a perfect streight 90 degree angle. Mine is at least one inch off and maybe more. I have not used a square to verify the distance and I doubt the installer didn't bother either. Has anyone heard of a resolution for this issue and when repair will begin.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by GrumpyBoss

My wife and I had to take our motorhome back to the dealership to get some issues resolved. We stayed in their campground overnight to test the resolutions. The next morning as we were pulling the slides in we found a real problem. Dynamax DX3 34KD. The slide with the theater seating and dinnette slid in fine. Then I went out to ensure everything was ready to get on the road home and saw something that was gut wrenching. The wiring cage for the slide out had gotten stuck and was bent in two still sticking out under the edge of the slide out in a loop about 10 inches long. We called for mechanic and he came to see what he could do. He said there were several of those that happened recently. He took pictures to report to the manufacturer so when they get a resolution to fix this problem we will also get a notice. I have not heard anything but each time we have to bring the slide in I have to manually stuff the wiring and the broken cage back in the square hole in the side of the RV. I also think I found the reason that they fail so quickly. If you have this issue on your RV stop the slideout witnin a foot of the wall. Look at the square hole and where the cage was mounted. I believe you may find the same thing I did and that is the mount on the lower edge of the slide where the cage was attached to the slide out lip is not close to being a perfect streight 90 degree angle. Mine is at least one inch off and maybe more. I have not used a square to verify the distance and I doubt the installer didn't bother either. Has anyone heard of a resolution for this issue and when repair will begin.

Posting a picture would be helpful, not only for other owners, but also for Dynamax staff who follow this forum.

[halla]

There is a long thread on here about that same issue.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...de-261498.html

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by halla

There is a long thread on here about that same issue.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...de-261498.html

Yes, but in that thread Dynamax seems to think that it's a product fault and will be solved with a different product.

The OP in this thread seems to think the problem is caused by an installation fault that I can't quite visualize. If the OP is onto something, he could save Dynamax and the other owners a lot of trouble--if they could visualize the fault he has described.

[halla]

I was just letting the OP know this thread is already on here, so he could read up on that one.

[bclemens]

Actually, a new product is being used, but I am not 100% convinced it was the root cause.

I think the one we were using (more expensive by the way) was just popping open the links easier. So either it was happening just while bending, or it was snagging on the tube. One of the changes for the new material is it is not as flexible and requires a new larger tube.

So just correcting the tube could be the root cause fix...but someone seeing it first hand would have to make that call...which is why I have told people that don't feel comfortable correcting, to take to a dealer for proper identification and repair.

Also, there are some pictures of what the OP is describing (the white PVC tube), and descriptions of they think, which sound the same.

[GrumpyBoss]

While I think the issue I described in my first post may contribute to the cause, but I agree with BC that the cage catching on the square pvc pipe is also contributing. My description was noy that clear. For a correct connection to the slide out bottom edge the cage should be exactly 90 degrees from the center of the pvc opening. hope that clears it up. however i seriously do not believe anyone with any mechanical education would believe this cage was going to last. Basically I wiould compare this to pushing a piece of spaghetti into a straw. Without anything connected to the other end of the cage pulling at the same time this issue will continue regardless of the thickness of the cage walls. My mind says that the best fix is a u-shaped tray holding the cage just long enough to bolt to the lower edge of the slide and extend into the square PCV pipe by an inch. I have not tried yet to see where the cable cage goes behind the side wall where it enters.

[bclemens]

Interestingly enough, we've been using this energy chain, as has the industry for the 20 years I have been in it. I think I can count failures on one hand, prior to it cropping up this year in a very limited time period. Both ends are connected.