Slide mechanism failure

nfisherman · 07-14-2022, 09:33 PM

My brand new Jayco White Hawk 26 RK has a new issue. The slide mechanism doesn’t work. The slide has only been in and out maybe 10 times. It worked fine when I closed it yesterday. I tried to extend it today and nothing moved. I just heard the gear by the motor clicking. I hear the same sound when I try to move it in or out.

I suspect that something is just jammed or not aligned properly, but I don’t know where to look. Going back to the selling dealer for warranty service isn’t an option. I can’t wait 6 months to get an appointment at another Jayco dealer. I’m going to see if a local dealer will handle it on a non-warranty basis, but I’d appreciate any suggestions for simple fixes that I could try first.

Thanks!

Parrott · 07-15-2022, 05:57 AM

Which slide mechanism do you have?

Cincinnati Kid · 07-15-2022, 06:16 AM

Check the battery.

GTS225 · 07-15-2022, 06:26 AM

Do you have manual capability? If so, you might be able to crank it out a few inches, then it'll power out.
Cincinnati Kid's right, though. Check the battery voltage first.

Roger

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 07:13 AM

I don’t know the brand of the mechanism but here’s a picture of the motor. I’ll figure out the brand after work today. I think you may be on to something about the battery. It’s fully charged. The voltage is 13.1 volts, but I’ve noticed that the stabilizers and even the awning stop sometimes when extending or closing. They pause and I have to release the button for a few seconds and then press it again. Perhaps the battery is just weak. I’ll take the battery to a parts store and have them test it before I mess with anything else. Thanks for the replies so far.

TWP723 · 07-15-2022, 07:34 AM

The batteries are bad. Hook the tow vehicle to the trailer and wait a few minutes then try while still hooked up.

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 07:55 AM

I don’t think charging any more will help. It was charging from the trailer’s converter overnight. I tried it with my separate battery charger/booster. No luck. I’m going to take the battery for a load test after work. I hope the fix is as simple as installing a new battery. The dealer installed a Group 24 battery which seems small to me. We always have power when we camp but I’m going to upgrade to a Group 27 or 29 anyway.

TWP723 · 07-15-2022, 07:59 AM

Not to charge them, just to see if the TV can support the batteries to make them come out. If it needs that to operate, then you know it's the batteries and not the slide motor.

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 08:04 AM

OK. I’ll give that a try before I take the battery off. Thanks

Grumpy · 07-15-2022, 08:05 AM

Check the stop can, they have been known to jam in the hole in the frame. It's usually on the left side as your looking at the slide out.

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 11:42 AM

To answer an earlier question, it’s a Lippert slide mechanism. The motor model is a Lippert Tuson. I found it on Amazon. I had the battery tested. It’s good. I can’t see anything that is obviously jammed.

**norty1** · 07-15-2022, 12:13 PM

I recently had a slide motor that could not overcome the starting / stopping torque. Ran good at both ends, in and out. I could give it an assist starting and stopping and it was fine.
New slide motor fixed it.

I still have the old one and wish I knew what could be wrong with it.

TWP723 · 07-15-2022, 12:15 PM

Motor is your next choice. Should be under warranty but honestly, if you think you can handle it..it might be worth your while just to replace it and count your losses. Better than the haul to the dealer and 6 week wait to repair it.

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 02:45 PM

I fixed it. I couldn’t see anything wrong but I followed the instructions in the manual for manually opening the slide. I turned the hex head about 1 turn and I heard the mechanism engage. I tried the button again and it all works fine now. Perhaps I held the retract button a second too long when I closed it. I’ll be more careful about that.

It was a good exercise, though. I found a couple of loose electrical connections and tightened them and now I know how to manually operate the slide if necessary.

I still think the battery is too small. I will upgrade when this one goes bad.

Thanks for all of the help.

Parrott · 07-15-2022, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nfisherman

I fixed it. I couldn’t see anything wrong but I followed the instructions in the manual for manually opening the slide. I turned the hex head about 1 turn and I heard the mechanism engage. I tried the button again and it all works fine now. Perhaps I held the retract button a second too long when I closed it. I’ll be more careful about that.

It was a good exercise, though. I found a couple of loose electrical connections and tightened them and now I know how to manually operate the slide if necessary.

I still think the battery is too small. I will upgrade when this one goes bad.

Thanks for all of the help.

It’s a good idea to have dual batteries if you have room. The extra amps help the motor overcome starting and the motor will last longer.

TCNashville · 07-15-2022, 08:18 PM

I really don't think it's the battery. If hooked to shore power, the converter will supply power to all 12V systems regardless if a battery is present or not.

nfisherman · 07-15-2022, 08:27 PM

Agreed. It wasn’t the battery. I apparently jammed the mechanism and I got it loose by manually cranking it a little. I just think the battery is too small for the camper in general. I’d like to have one with more reserve capacity in case I need to get by without an electric hookup for a bit. I will upgrade when the present battery fails.

**norty1** · 07-16-2022, 07:50 AM

Well it was frustrating but you did learn more about your rig. If it ever happens, you will know where to go without as much frustration.

If new owners could get that information somewhere it would relieve a lot of frustration!

Learjet · 07-16-2022, 08:16 AM

my old trailer had a slide that would do the same thing every once in a while. I turn of the manual crank would free it and then all was fine for a while

nfisherman · 07-16-2022, 09:03 AM

I guess I’m not finished yet. I retracted the slide this morning. It works fine unless I hold the retract button down for even a half second too long. One click of the gear box at the end of travel and it jams. I think it’s just a simple matter of adjusting the travel on the drive rod but I don’t know how to do it. I’m going to take it to a local RV dealer and see if they can have a look and make some adjustments. If they can’t get to it any time soon, at least I know how to make it work for our next trip.

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