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tom538

Living Room Slide ALMOST Closes

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The living room slide on my 2004 Fleetwood Expedition opens normally and will close to the point just before where the carpet on the slide drops down about an inch to mate with the carpet in the center of the coach. This leaves about a 1 inch gap.

The slide stops just before where the drop and mating should occur. I am concerned that the exterior seals are not fully meshed because the slide isn't fully retracted.

Any thoughts on what may be causing this problem?

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Tom,

When the slide stops moving in, if you try to engage the system again to completely pull the slide in, does it try to move or wiggle at all?

If it tries and stops I'm thinking you have a current limiting issue.

Now if it does not even try to move, then it might be a limit setting issue.

When the slide is pulled in is it square with the coach walls at both ends? IE. slide seals equally compressed at both ends.

Could you also supply the make and model information of your slide system.

Rich

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Hi rich

To answer your questions

1- it doesn't move or wiggle at all

2- the slide is equally compressed on both ends.

3- slide system is original equipment on the 2004 fleetwood Expedition . I don't know whose system it is.

4- interestingly enough, it appears the box portion of the slide is fully retracted but the carpet area at the bottom isn't retracted enough to allow the slide portion of the carpet drop down and "kiss" the center portion of the coaches carpet.

I hope this makes some sense and thank you for your interest and help. This IS a great organization.

Tom

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Hmm. Sounds as though either the top of the slide unit is getting hung up somehow before it's all the way in (slide topper retraction issue?) OR maybe there's something stuck under the floor of the slide that keeps it from dropping into place. In our previous coach, I found all kinds of stuff in the corners and under the sofa (kids' toys, eating utensils, coins) left by a former owner. Could some object have crept under the slide when it was extended? Or could a piece of carpet or weatherstripping have gotten crumpled up under there?

Either way, I'd guess that you can see from the outside of the coach that the bottom of the slide assembly is pulled in closer than the top and a look with a flashlight and mirror from various angles might reveal the culprit. Good luck!

--Tim

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Tom,

The system is different then my set up on our Fleetwood coach. Wish I was more familiar with your system mechanics. The drive system is most likely made by Power Gear.

One more item to consider, I think your storage pods move out with the slide, if that is the case. How much weight are you carrying in the pods. To much weight will cause this kind of problem.

Rich.

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Rich how do you analyze and deal with limit setting issues on the slide? Does that mean there is a limit switch that is compressing prematurely? I imagine such a switch would probably be hidden under the coach!

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Tom,

There are a number of different ways to limit slide travel. The newer systems tend to use current limiting circuits. That is why overloading the system can cause issues.

You did mention that everything looks square so that removers the slide rail timing or binding.

The other possibility is to have a helper or 2 push on the slide corners to see if it will fully close until you can have it checked.

If you could find out the make, model and any other information on your system, then I might have a tip sheet that covers your particular problem.

Rich.

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Tom,

A 2004 could have Kwikee, Power Gear, or one of the older providers back then.

My questions:

What does the controller look like that you actuate the slide with?

Does the controller have a small hole near the button(s)?

Are they electric or hydraulic?

Is there a 3/4" or so shaft extension on the motor?

Someone with a 2004 should be around this forum and be able to tell you what system it is, don't ya think?

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I was finally able to locate my owners manual on the living room slide system. It's a 2004 power gear system. The owners manual is useless for troubleshooting.

They slide is electric. The in/out is controlled by a rocker switch. No hole near the buttons.

The slide goes out without problem. It comes almost all the way in but not quite enough for the slide to drop down and mate with the central floor.

There is a clicking sound when the slide stops moving.

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Tom,

From your information, it sounds like a striped gear(s) on the slide rack gear assembly.

That would explain the clicking noise and also why it does not close completely. That being the case, you will need to replace the slide drive and rack units on both ends of the slide. One for each end of the slide. Small slide might have just one drive setup.

How big is the slide, length wise ?

I will look through my information and see if it includes a file on the electric drive mechanical parts.

Rich.

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Tom, this is a link to the Power Gear Electric Slideout operation and service manual.

http://support.powergearus.com/techdocs/82-S0503%20Serv_Man_Electric_Slideout_Sys.pdf

The information covers a number of systems, so look over the information and then you can make the call on how you want to proceed. One needs to be quit handy to tackle repairing things and with the information I sure hope it helps you pin down the problem.

Page 36 or 37 look like the system you have for a flat floor system. Pages 80 to 110 list the TIP Sheets that might help.

Power Gear Number 800-334-4712 .

Keep the forum informed and post any further questions.

Rich.

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Thank you very much for the information.

I will study the manual and give power gear a call tomorrow.

I will definitely post the outcome on the forum.

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Hope you get your problem fixed, remember when the only problem we had was forgetting the hammer to pound in the tent stakes. We have come a long way.

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Just one more thought. If my coach batteries were weak would the slide go out OK and not be able to retract fully?

Could it possibly be due to weak coach batteries? Also, even though I'm on shore power with the battery charger operating, would the batteries still not have enough oomph to fully retract the slide?

The clicking noise I am hearing when the slide is almost fully retracted and stops moving is similar to the stuttering relay sound you hear when a car battery is too weak to start a car.

Is it possible that there is more resistance to the slide fully closing when it is almost closed? I know I'm grasping at straws but would appreciate any thoughts out there.

I will be calling Powergear tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions so far.

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Tom,

Regarding the clicking sound, is it coming from under the slide? And yes, a relay circuit could be causing the clicking sound. Many of the slide power control modules are located close to the drive motors.

Ground connections can cause higher than normal resistance that cause a greater then normal voltage drop, so a good check of all the connections would be in order if you have not done that already.

What voltage readings do you get at the batteries ? Many of the motor circuits draw 30 to 55 plus Amps.

The control modules for the bedroom slides are often under the beds, for the dining area slides they can be in a cabinet or storage pod.

Have you contacted Fleetwood an asked for you wiring diagrams ? You will need the Coach Fin number.

Link to a Power Gear manual that pictures the typical wiring layout for an electric slide on page 9

http://support.powergearus.com/techdocs/3010000065.pdf

Rich.

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Tom,

To determine if low voltage may be the issue, while safely keeping clear of the slide mechanism, put a voltmeter on the slide motor terminals and have someone operate the slide. If voltage drops below 12.0 VDC there is an issue with battery or wiring.

Another check if it is the battery that is suspect would be to start the engine and run at high idle. Any change in symptoms. Note: if there is a loose or corroded connection, too small wire gauge, etc, this will not tell you whether it is battery or one of these items.

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We have a 2006 Expedition which may be a little different than your 2004. When we retract our slide that slides floor is about 1 inch above the floor of the coach. The slide only drops down to match the floor of the coach when it is fully extended. Based on your description and how ours does the same, I think this is the normal operation.

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mrboyer,

Good Point!

I have been of the opinion that the outside edge of the slide was also not completely closing (a wider gap outside as well).

Tom, if the outside wall is tight to the stationary wall, then that is as far as the slide can travel and as mentioned by Mrboyer. It is common to have a difference in the floor height as the slide comes into the park / in position.

Rich.

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Oh boy. This could be very embarrassing.

The slide appears to be fully retracted when observed from the outside of the coach. I am now concerned that I may have imagined that the slide dropped down and mated with the inner carpet when fully retracted. Thus the condition I described as resulting from a slide closure issue may in fact be a normal outcome when the slide is fully retracted. I will call Fleetwood tomorrow to get their input regarding my 2004 expedition's normal slide configuration when fully retracted.

I am very grateful for everyone's input to my original post and particularly mrmoyer for pointing out what may be the obvious answer.
I am very sorry if I wasted everyone's time. I have a RV tech coming out tomorrow and if he confirms mrmoyers observation I will post it.

To Rich and everyone else, thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and suggestions.

This is an awesome organization.

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Tom,

Welcome to the learning curve that we are all on. I do miss things after owning one of these coaches for a number of years and eat humble pie often ! An the learning gos on.

The Gray-matter hard drive misses a command from time to time also. LOL

Rich.

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Ok. The official word from Fleetwood is that there is a gap between the the slide and central floor when the slide is retracted on my 2004 Fleetwood Expedition.

This confirms mrmoyers observation in an earlier post . Also, I spoke to the local rv tech and he also confirmed the gap.

The key point that Rich made was that if the slide is evenly sealed all the way around on the outside of the coach when the slide is retracted, it is most likely fully retracted.

Again, thanks to everyone for your input.

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