Slide cocking on rack and pinion slide

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

So I go to pull out of a campground the other day and only one side of my slide is retracting on my Arctic Fox. Hmmmm, not good.

This is the first trailer I have owned with a slide so I don't know much about them at all. My first thought was one of the motors is not working and that is why only one side is retracting.

So I crawl under the trailer and find it only has one motor that runs everything so I was wrong on the motor deal. 😞

On to plan two. Why is one side of the rack working and not the other since they are both connected with a big old shaft.

Oh I see what the deal is. They both have a rack and pinion on them and a roll pin backed out of the pinion. The only thing I had to drive it back in was a claw hammer. So I start flaying away at it and get it a little bit back in. I didn't have a punch and I didn't want to hit the gear and break some teeth off so I left it that way.

I did a little prayer and pushed the button. Wala, both sides started moving and all is well again until I have the tools to drive the pin all the way home.

Hope this helps people on the road that have the same problem in the future.

[winnietrey]

Thought I would add a comment from my cousin. He is an expert machinist and machine design guy. I know this will surprise everyone (LOL) He stated the coupling system is as cheap and cheese ball, as they could possibly make it.
And is almost guaranteed to fail with time. As the holes widen out, the roll pin is going to fall out. Big surprise right?

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Thank you. I will check into the bolt deal. From memory I have enough space to put a bolt and nut. If not I will just lock tight a roll pin in place.

You can be sure I will buy a drift punch the correct size and put it in my bag of goodies just in case this happens again so I can fix it on the road.

[mosseater]

Just be aware the mating holes between the rack trunnion and the drive shaft where the pin goes though may wear and become sloppy. Mine has lost a little space on the back end compared to the front. If you put something in there harder than the parts they connect, they will wear the holes bigger. When you put the slide out, the front side will lead the back side, and reverse will be true when going back in. Once the holes are wallowed out, the slide will rack end to end when operated, and a new bolt or pin will not solve the issue.

[wa8yxm]

I have had the quarter inch bolts (Assuming you have 'em) break.. More on that in a bit. Roll pin break. The shaft break (At one end we turned it around and all is good) and more... But they are easy to fix once you learn how.

THe bolts.. Grade 8 not grade 5 but Grade 8. Now the bolt Power Gear uses is custom made for them but you can get a LONGER bolt. make sure the SMOOTH part of the bolt goes all the way through. Then drop on some THICK washers (These can be grade 5 or 😎 and then a NYLOCK nut.. IF there is anything near the bolt it can SNAG. Cut the excess bolt off (just past the nut.. I do not cut 'em nothing nearby to snag.

Syncing the slide up when done.

I pull one of the hair poins. Drive the gear off track sync using a tape measure and drive the gear back. NOTE you may be a tooth or two off still.. Replace pin and check it out. then adjust as needed.

[bgum]

Slides create extra room when opened but also are the source of many serious problems. Leaking and rot just to mention two.

[winnietrey]

Just went through the exact same deal. Replaced the roll pin with a grade 8 bolt and nylock lock nut. As I have room to clear.

Just an FYI, which took some time for me to figure out. If you slide is now flush on both of the outside walls, great. If not it is because one of the screw jacks is now ahead of the other. And you will need to reset for the slide to flush on both sides