using handle to manually retract slide

[grege]

Hey all,

When in Florida and packing up to leave my wife and daughter were retracting the slide using the switch. As they were finishing it up before the ratcheting, it stopped. No power so I figured the fuse blew. I wasn't sure where it was and didn't have a spare so I thought, I'll use the handle. I inserted it, gave a couple of cranks and heard a pop noise followed by a ping of some metal hitting the ground. The rod the handle attaches to came right out and my first thought was it sheared off. Then I looked closer and saw the hole so checked the ground and found a hairpin cotter pin that had broken. I was amazed that is what they used to connect the rod to the motor.

So my question is, should I replace it with another hairpin cotter pin or use a regular cotter pin that you spread the ends after inserting it?

[OldCoot]

The hairpin is a hardened pin, don't know whether a regular cotter pin would work as they are soft. I would put it back and wire tie the open end so it could not come off.

[grege]

Just to clarify, it didn't come off, it broke. I was surprised at how small of a diameter it was.

OldCoot, that's interesting. I always thought a regular cotter pin would be stronger.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by grege

Just to clarify, it didn't come off, it broke. I was surprised at how small of a diameter it was.

OldCoot, that's interesting. I always thought a regular cotter pin would be stronger.

The hair pin clips are normally made of spring steel(high carbon content) and regular cotter pins are soft and malleable. Shear strength of the hair pins are greater.

[KMP44]

So my question is, should I replace it with another hairpin cotter pin or use a regular cotter pin that you spread the ends after inserting it?

I would vote for replacing it with the same type pin. This may be the weak point of the system by design. If something is putting a strain on the system, it is better to break the pin than damage the motor of other more expensive parts of the system. Buy an extra to carry and see if it breaks again. COuld have been a fluke, or if the pin breaks again, maybe something else is binding and creating higher than normal load on the mechanism.

[gscarter100]

I had the exact same problem with my 21SS after 4 trips out.. After returning last weekend I went to open the slide and nothing.. not a budge not a noise nothing.. I thought the battery died.. nope full charge. Checked the fuses inside and all perfect.. Was like what the heck.. then went to open with the manual crank.. just turned and turned and turned.. crawled under and noticed the manual crank rod was not even attached.. saw the same holes so I took one of the spring clips from my load leveler and attached the rod and opened with out a problem (manually).. then started the search on the forum about the slide not opening.. thank god for this forum.. found the fuse that controls the slide and yep.. fried.. not sure why but have no extras.. this weekend picking them up along with extra spring clips.. I love this forum .. thanks everyone..
Still wondering though why the fuse blew on the slide when it worked perfectly for the 4 trips and several times before and after... is it common for the fuse to blow every once in a while?

[CDNWhiskey]

Yup that slide fuse is a very common issue. No know explanation. Some blow the fuse during PDI on the lot. Salesmen carry spares in their pockets.

I replaced my fuse with an auto resetting fuse. If it over loads it breaks and resets without needing to be replaced. No more crawling under the trailer.

[melbornj]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

The hair pin clips are normally made of spring steel(high carbon content) and regular cotter pins are soft and malleable. Shear strength of the hair pins are greater.

If the pins have a high carbon content it makes the extremely susceptible to corrosion when wet. Carbon steel is cheap and strong but can be bad news very quickly when it is wet.

[hockeytownmom]

A little OT, anyone know of a youtube video to manually retract the slide? If this happened to me, I would be completely screwed and have no idea how to manually close the slide.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by melbornj

If the pins have a high carbon content it makes the extremely susceptible to corrosion when wet. Carbon steel is cheap and strong but can be bad news very quickly when it is wet.

All the spring pins I've come in contact with over the last 50+ yrs have been plated and will stand up to the moisture as well as a cotter pin.

[NCIC105]

As other have said the spring pins are hardened steel...Almost 5 times the strength of cotter pin....Cheap enough to get you a few extras...I keep a supply of various sizes with my spare fuses...

[Aero_Dave]

OK, Newbie here but I like to be prepared. Where would I find the slide-out fuse on my (new-to-me) 2007 ROO 21SS & what size is it? I'd like to have a spare on-hand too, just-in-case!

Thanks,
Dave...