McGyver stories

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ON our returning trip from Alaska, our slide room no longer operated via the motor. The problem with a deep slide is that when it's CLOSED, it takes up MOST of the room inside the RV. We found that it took 200 revolutions when hand cranking the slide open or closed so getting it to work as it was supposed to was high on my list. We had been hand cranking it since leaving Tok a couple of days earlier. Stayed in our overnight boondocking site north of Whitehorse on the Klondyke highway, for a couple of extra hours the next morning, to try and solve the problem but there was NOWHERE to get any help or even purchase parts. Pulled the inspection opening in the belly pan down and found that the top of the motor operating the slide room had simply vibrated loose and was lying inside the belly pan. With the help of a magnet on a stick, lots of stretching and muttering some bad words, I was able to retrieve MOST of the parts. The one thing I was missing was the little springs that hold the brushes in contact with the armature of the motor and without those springs it wasn't going to work. After searching through all of the misc. stuff that accumulates in the bottom of my tool box and parts drawer in the pass through, I found nothing that looked like it would work.

Finally I found an old ball point pen and took it apart to find that the spring was pretty close to the right size. It was also long enough that I could cut it in half and make a spring for the other set of brushes. Put it all back together and the motor worked perfectly (and still does today after three more years of use).

Best thing of all was that DW gave me some "points" as she was both impressed (and relieved) that she didn't have to take her turn at cranking the slide in or out. Not exactly a McGyver story but about as close as I can come.

skipnchar wrote:
ON our returning trip from Alaska, our slide room no longer operated via the motor. The problem with a deep slide is that when it's CLOSED, it takes up MOST of the room inside the RV. We found that it took 200 revolutions when hand cranking the slide open or closed so getting it to work as it was supposed to was high on my list. We had been hand cranking it since leaving Tok a couple of days earlier. Stayed in our overnight boondocking site north of Whitehorse on the Klondyke highway, for a couple of extra hours the next morning, to try and solve the problem but there was NOWHERE to get any help or even purchase parts. Pulled the inspection opening in the belly pan down and found that the top of the motor operating the slide room had simply vibrated loose and was lying inside the belly pan. With the help of a magnet on a stick, lots of stretching and muttering some bad words, I was able to retrieve MOST of the parts. The one thing I was missing was the little springs that hold the brushes in contact with the armature of the motor and without those springs it wasn't going to work. After searching through all of the misc. stuff that accumulates in the bottom of my tool box and parts drawer in the pass through, I found nothing that looked like it would work.

Finally I found an old ball point pen and took it apart to find that the spring was pretty close to the right size. It was also long enough that I could cut it in half and make a spring for the other set of brushes. Put it all back together and the motor worked perfectly (and still does today after three more years of use).

Best thing of all was that DW gave me some "points" as she was both impressed (and relieved) that she didn't have to take her turn at cranking the slide in or out. Not exactly a McGyver story but about as close as I can come.

All I can say is that's using your head. Good job. :)

Good thing you are "good with your hands",just think,if you were also smart the things you could do!

CAmping trip with buddy in his chevy powered class c. Pulled over to take some photos, rv would not restart. After some searching found the fuse link wire burned through. Some speaker wire got us home.

None of the daughter's insulin pump syringes packed in 3 locations were to be found. Sterilized worn one and retracted plunger and reused with a cork screw and duct tape. Never camp without duct tape.

Jim

HiTech wrote:
None of the daughter's insulin pump syringes packed in 3 locations were to be found. Sterilized worn one and retracted plunger and reused with a cork screw and duct tape. Never camp without duct tape.

Jim

X2

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And eternabond will repair radiator hose.

Ok that is great to know. I have heard of using duct tape, but gorilla tape or eternabond are probably much stronger.

Jim

tratterboy1 wrote:
Good thing you are "good with your hands",just think,if you were also smart the things you could do!

Half of a Govt. Ball Point Pen Spring also works on the return for the Directional Signals on a 1956 Triumph TR-3 automobile - yes they had directionals... one brake light only, but yes directionals.

Well likely nobody will believe it, but here's mine anyway.

Took a very nice lady for a drive to see New England foliage. Coming back late I blew a driveshaft U-joint in the middle of nowhere. Hadn't seen a car or house in a long time. Fortunately it was the rear U-joint, so the dtriveshaft beat up floor under the back seat/trunk, but did no real damage. No way the U-joint could be reassembled, it was toast.

I had a Bowie knife, so I found two limbs that look straight, and cut them to a bit over two feet. I also had a coil of nylon rope. Jacked the car up, put the spare under one wheel, rock under the other, let the jack down, and tried rocking the car. It stayed, one problem solved. Young lady and I crawled under from opposite sides. I put the limbs on either side of the driveshaft, covering the U-Joint. She held limbs while I wrapped the rope around limbs and shaft as tight as I could get it. Then had her start car and gentle try to move while I lay on ground and watched. Rope unwound of course, but car was still up. Grrr. Back under we go, and rewrap rope other direction. Jacked up car, remove rock, remove spare and put in trunk. Both of us were pretty dirty, but were hopeful. Got in car and drove to nearest town. Anything over about 5 mph was not possible cause the vibration got REALLY bad, but it beat walking.

Finally hit a town, stopped in gas station (that was back when gas stations all did repairs, for you youngsters). Asked if they could replace a U-joint. They said pull it on the lift and they'd look. I laughed and said see if you can get the part first. Turned out NAPA had one, so I pulled it on lift. You should have seen their faces, LOL.

We called her folks and mine so they wouldn't worry, as it was nearly 11:00 by the time the car was ready. I gave the repair people a nice tip for staying after closing to fix the car. We then drove back. I dropped her off, then headed home myself. Cleaned myself up, and made it in bed not much before dawn.

Funny thing was she still went out with me quite a few times after that. She was a special lady.