Slide alignment problem after awning hangs

bearsnob wrote:
This does help a lot. We got another big snow storm and I've been thinking it through with the info here. I don't really see how it could jump the track for the reasons you mention. More likely would be a problem in the gear. I had figured out I can turn it with a wrench and watch what happens. If I see anything suspicious, once I know it closes right, I'll just buy the new part. It's only about $30. Do you think I need to replace both if I replace one?

There are two adjustments on the end of each arm. One is the one you showed but without the markings. I checked that as soon as it happened and I could find no evidence of it sliding. It's painted and dirty, so you would think I'd see something if it did move and it would have had to move nearly three inches. The other adjustment seems to be tilt. The only way that can move is by turning a bolt. There was no way for that to happen. I will take the measurement you mentioned. I'm sure it's off but it wont hurt to know exactly how much. Then I'll try to run it out with a wrench. I should probably remove both sheer bolts first. Maybe it sheered in a strange way and it just looks like they are intact. I was certain one had sheered because that's what's supposed to happen. They look good but you can't see inside obviously.

Hi again,

I'm not following what gear you are referring too in the first paragraph in blue. Do you mean the pinion? I'm assuming so, just look at the teeth and if all is good, then OK. If damaged then yes change.

You mentioned just turning the slide out with the wrench. Maybe a clarification here. On mine, and maybe yours, if both square shaft bolts are installed on the ends of the square shaft, you cannot use a wrench to crank out the slide. On mine, the motor ACME screw drive will prevent this. It locks the master rack/arm from moving. And the master arm/rack only moves if the electric actuator and the ACME screw drive runs. For me, I have to insert a hand crank on the actual ACME screw to move the slide manually in or out.

Your hydraulic slide. I "think" yours shows up on page 28 of this user manual. You confirm. LCI hydraulic slide manual

If that is the one, yours master rack is locked in place by the cylinder where in my case the ACME screw drive and motor.

Point being. Wrenching the square shaft with both square shaft drive bolts in will not allow the slide to move unless something is sheared off or partly sheared.

Basic operation is, hydraulic cylinder moves the master slide arm. The master arm has a gear rack welded on the bottom of it and that rack drives a master rack pinion that then turns square shaft when the master arm moves. Then the square shaft drives the pinion of the slave rack and pushes/pulls the slave arm in or out.

Now that said, if you are out of time and the slave rack is not compressing the slide totally upon retraction, then unbolting the master rack end drive bolt from the square shaft will allow you to turn the sq shaft with a wrench and push/pull the slave rack in or out. This is only due to the master pinion being unbolted. But the master rack never moves in this case. You can only turn by hand a short distance as the one end of the slide is moving and the other is not.

You can also test if one of the square shaft bolts is partly sheared. Take each out and look at it.

If you half sheared a square shaft drive bolt, that could be the bang. Then the slide is out of mechanical time due to the play in the drive bolt. Now the slide will not compress correctly against the camper and may not extend out equally either.

Hope this helps and when the weather cooperates let us know how you made out. It is snowing here tonight too in Ohio...

John