Pics: Slide mechansim, Winnie/ Power gear / Kwickee

[spotrot]

In case some members would like to see the guts of the FLS DigiSync slide used on many Winnie and Itasca models:

The motor (electric, 12V) is bolted to the small gear box and is sold only as an assembly for about $275.

The gear box is bolted to the outer slide tube which is bolted to the RV frame and thereby is stationary.

The short gear box shaft slides into to the long acme gear shaft and is pinned to it so that the shaft spins when the motor is turning. The far end of the acme screw shaft is held by the rectangular black plastic piece that slides into the inner slide tube.

A plastic 'nut' ($6 - but shown broken here) is threaded onto the acme screw shaft and attached the inner slide tube by two dowel pins. When the motor and acme shaft turn, it forces the nut and therefore the inner tube to move in or out within the outer tube. The slide is bolted to the inner tube, so it moves in or out when the motor turns.

[jspringator]

I just ordered 2 ACME nuts and 4 pins from Lichtsinn RV. Never can tell when I might need them. I was afraid they were going to be unavailable.

[sean_farrell]

The problem was the slide out would no longer retract(one side)The broken part is called a "acme nut". The part was no where to be found so I had to make one , If your having the same problem and have the same type of slide maybe this info might help you. I have a 2002 Minnee 31",slide type Kwikkee Dyno Sycn worm drive. Here's how you know it's the acme nut, first room starts going out crooked, and retracting room is getting worse,finaly quit retracting (one side) at all.Second clue is you get out the hand cranks and manualy cranking is not moving room in. The factory uses a plastic acme nut threaded onto a long worm screw to move room in and out,the platic nut breaks loose and spins in its location and your room is broken. I was not able to find parts for this problem, I called and looked everywhere , no parts! So I replaced the plastic nut with a bronze acme nut from Nook Ind. and a steel sleeve, yes it took some time and frabrication but my slide out is back up and working great,If you need info on parts/install,be glad to pass along.

[jspringator]

Is there a to update this slide to make it more reliable? I am very reluctant to use the slide because I'm afraid I won't be able to retract it.

[bjbear]

car54Don wrote:
greetings. I am going thru same slideout repair, kwikee FLS slideout rail. On the galley the rear arm is failing as a result of the plastic 1" acme nut. You mentioned that you bought the part for about $6. Where at? Need parts asap.
thx in advance
Don

Try https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-1612554-Inch-Plastic/dp/B00RJBTX7Y

[car54Don]

greetings. I am going thru same slideout repair, kwikee FLS slideout rail. On the galley the rear arm is failing as a result of the plastic 1" acme nut. You mentioned that you bought the part for about $6. Where at? Need parts asap.
thx in advance
Don

[spotrot]

If memory serves, if you can get to the pin that holds the worm gear shaft to the gearbox shaft, and to the two pins that connect the nut to the slide, the job is fairly easy.

The shaft and broken nut can then be pulled out after the plate on the end of the tube is removed. I had to support the slide to do that.

Email me if you'd like the couple photos and pdf files that may be of help.

[Lt46]

Jeepinjohn,
The post you responded to was made in 2013. You'll be lucky if the OP responds. You might try to private message him for answers.

[jeepinjohn]

Your picture helped a lot but I dont understand how to access the plastic nut and pins. How are the parts attached to the inner tube? I can get to the outer tube through the basement compartment and can remove the 4 bolts holding the motor and gearbox to the outer tube. Inspection plates reveal the worm shaft and it rotates so I think the problem is the plastic nut.
Thanks, jeepinjohn

[tropical36]

spotrot wrote:
If the nut is broken, the crank won't do anything. Therefore I just pushed that end of the slide in (and out when I wanted).

If the motor/gearbox is broken then the crank will work to retract the slide. I don't know if cranking the slide in just to see how the crank works will not harm anything. It might be OK, I just don't know for sure.

I'm glad this post is of use/interest to some. Other forum members have helped me a lot by their posts.

Won't hurt a thing to operate it manually with the biggest thing being how to release the brake on some systems. Our POWERGEAR is simple and has a lever on the back of the motor to release it. Reading some Lippert material today and it says to apply 12vdc to the brake and then use an adjustable wrench on the square drive bar. Other Lippert systems have a 3/4" hex drive right on the gearbox, with nothing else required, so........

[CloudDriver]

tropical36 wrote:

CloudDriver wrote:
Thanks for posting the picture. Pretty sure that we have the same system in our Minnie.

Our Minnie also came with two long crank handles that the dealer told us were to be used for emergency slide retraction if the drive mechanism failed. Fortunately, that hasn't happened. I have always wondered exactly how the crank handles were used. Since you show a broken part, did you have to crank the slide in?

We have what we need on board and have manually cranked the slide to be sure. Best to learn the manual cranking procedure in your driveway, rather than in Death Valley and the same with a fan belt.
Just sayin......and it's no fun to be towed and/or waiting, whether it might be for free or not.

A little off topic, but I do carry a spare serpentine belt and the belt tool. Agree that it's best to learn how to fix things in the driveway that might otherwise require a tow. I actually had to replace the serpentine belt once while on a trip. A ground squirrel committed suicide by hopping into the belt when I started the engine in Pebble Creek CG in Yellowstone. Tore the belt up pretty good and about as far from help as I could be.

[spotrot]

If the nut is broken, the crank won't do anything. Therefore I just pushed that end of the slide in (and out when I wanted).

If the motor/gearbox is broken then the crank will work to retract the slide. I don't know if cranking the slide in just to see how the crank works will not harm anything. It might be OK, I just don't know for sure.

I'm glad this post is of use/interest to some. Other forum members have helped me a lot by their posts.

[tropical36]

CloudDriver wrote:
Thanks for posting the picture. Pretty sure that we have the same system in our Minnie.

Our Minnie also came with two long crank handles that the dealer told us were to be used for emergency slide retraction if the drive mechanism failed. Fortunately, that hasn't happened. I have always wondered exactly how the crank handles were used. Since you show a broken part, did you have to crank the slide in?

We have what we need on board and have manually cranked the slide to be sure. Best to learn the manual cranking procedure in your driveway, rather than in Death Valley and the same with a fan belt.
Just sayin......and it's no fun to be towed and/or waiting, whether it might be for free or not.

[CloudDriver]

Thanks very much for the follow up post. Fingers crossed that I'll never hove this issue, but good to have this information just in case.

Bookmarking this thread.

[spotrot]

Job completed. Works again. If I had to replace the plastic acme nut again, it would take less than 2 hours on the rear slide. (The front silde is harder to get to.) Removing the steel spash shield was the hardest part - it was not designed to be removed when the coach is on the frame.

I clean and lubed the slide armw with silicone spray; it felt like a reasonalbe amount of friction. I don't know why the nut failed but a recent tech notice said not to stop the slide while going in or out. So I'll try that and see what happens.

The parts used were:
(1) plastic acme nut 162832-01-702 nut $6.25
(2) 5/16 clevis pins 162832-01-700 clevis pint $8.05/ea
(12) plastic rivets 162832-01-701 rivet $2.05/ea

Q&A from Power gear in case it's of interest:

1. Do the actuator sensors need to be zeroed? [The instructions suggest that
retracting the slide fully and waiting 60 seconds is all that is needed]
!A.Reset the slide out by pressing the pin hole in the center of the wall switch. both light flash , release pin hole button. use in and out buttons to retract the slide out room completely in , release the buttons. Wait 1 minute or until the lights stop flashing and operate slide out as designed.

2. Does the acme nut need to be installed at a certain place on the acme
shaft? The old one was in pieces so no measurement could be made. [I think
this is not a problem: the acme nut will naturally be in the right place
when the shaft is turned to close the slide and all parts are reassembled]
2A. no. as you will follow step one procedure to time the rails.

3, Is there a way to test the current limit sensors to make sure power to
the motor shuts off before actuator gears or acme nuts are stripped?
3A. yes, if we know the slide out control box part number we can tell you the amp max rating and stall rating of the control program.

4. Do the FLS actuators have a brake function -- or should the slide be
strapped or braced when closed?
4A. No brake is on the slide out motors or rails. the gear box of the linear actuator hold the force of the slide out in while traveling , unless the slide out manufacturer has installed room lock in the roof or sides of the slide out room. Consult the coach manufacturer for that option for room locks.