Crescendo Slide Won't Work

[psdtime]

My 2005 Gulfstream Crescendo's has two slides. A front, large one that is hydraulic and a smaller rear one in the bedroom that contains the dresser and closets. That slide uses and electric motor. When I went camping last weekend and tried to extend the smaller slide, the motor would just run freely. There is a hole along the bottom of the slide that allows for a ratchet to fit on for manual extension, which worked to extend and retract to room just fine. I think that the problem is either a set screw or a broken key on the motor shaft. I need to get it fix ASAP since the motor is the only thing that keeps the slide from extending. Luckily the ratchet and socket I used fit snug enough to stay on while it was driving and prevented the slide from going out. I just don't know how to properly access the motor and gears. Any help would be appreciated.

[Sudsy]

OK;


Lift up the bed. My coach has a warning that the under bed area is not a storage area. My Converter is under the bed too. There is a "shear pin" in the gear that attaches to the motor. You will need to get the old one out. My coach is not here so I can't send pictures. The pin can be replaced with a brass screw or a cotter pin of the correct diameter. After you get the old one out of course. I found a cotter key in mine when I got the coach. My electric room would bind and even though it never did shear the cotter key the guy that looked at it said it should have been a brass shear pin. I am sure you will find the motor just spinning in the gear. It is not a difficult fix. I had a soft floor and had to replace a good 3/4 of the bedroom floor.



Sudsy

[psdtime]

OK;


Lift up the bed. My coach has a warning that the under bed area is not a storage area. My Converter is under the bed too. There is a "shear pin" in the gear that attaches to the motor. You will need to get the old one out. My coach is not here so I can't send pictures. The pin can be replaced with a brass screw or a cotter pin of the correct diameter. After you get the old one out of course. I found a cotter key in mine when I got the coach. My electric room would bind and even though it never did shear the cotter key the guy that looked at it said it should have been a brass shear pin. I am sure you will find the motor just spinning in the gear. It is not a difficult fix. I had a soft floor and had to replace a good 3/4 of the bedroom floor.

Sudsy

Thanks for the reply, does your bed slide out? In my RV it is just the closet and the dresser. There is access to a metal plate through the bottom of the closet. I can see 4 bolts in it, while I was camping I was afraid to pull them off, and get in over my head. I'm not sure if that those four bolts are just holding a cover plate, or a lot more. Thanks for the tip about the cotter pin, if I get it apart, I will want to have something to put in there at least temporarily. Do you know what company made that slide?
Thanks again.

[Sudsy]

Thanks for the reply, does your bed slide out? In my RV it is just the closet and the dresser. There is access to a metal plate through the bottom of the closet. I can see 4 bolts in it, while I was camping I was afraid to pull them off, and get in over my head. I'm not sure if that those four bolts are just holding a cover plate, or a lot more. Thanks for the tip about the cotter pin, if I get it apart, I will want to have something to put in there at least temporarily. Do you know what company made that slide?
Thanks again.


Yes my bed slides out. I'm sorry to say but I haven't a clue as to accessing the motor in your unit. Is it hanging from the metal plate you describe or is that just going to get you into the motor area? If the later then my instructions on the gear and pin are accurate. Hopefully the motor will be right there and the gear will be apparent. I would look under the motor and see if there are remains of whatever was in the gear for a shear pin. Now my coach was 11 years old when I got it. That area had been the focal point of some problem and it was apparent that someone else had been there before me. (I found this everywhere I found a problem) I may be that there was a set screw that stripped out and my PO had drilled it and pinned it with the cotter key. He did a lot of tinkering and had a lot of tools I think.



Sudsy

[psdtime]

Yes my bed slides out. I'm sorry to say but I haven't a clue as to accessing the motor in your unit. Is it hanging from the metal plate you describe or is that just going to get you into the motor area? If the later then my instructions on the gear and pin are accurate. Hopefully the motor will be right there and the gear will be apparent. I would look under the motor and see if there are remains of whatever was in the gear for a shear pin. Now my coach was 11 years old when I got it. That area had been the focal point of some problem and it was apparent that someone else had been there before me. (I found this everywhere I found a problem) I may be that there was a set screw that stripped out and my PO had drilled it and pinned it with the cotter key. He did a lot of tinkering and had a lot of tools I think.



Sudsy

I can see the motor, but cannot see the gears. I can reach my fingers behind the metal plate and I think I can feel a chain and maybe a sprocket, but I'm not totally sure. Manually screwing it out with a ratchet, it couldn't be any smoother, so I don't know why it broke, but it is 13 years old now. Thanks for you assistance.

[Frutza]

Intresting, my 8356 has the motor above the closet, there's 3 panels up there remove for access ?

[psdtime]

Intresting, my 8356 has the motor above the closet, there's 3 panels up there remove for access ?

That is strange! I'm sure mine is on the bottom. Do you have the little cabinets under the closet? The are like shoe storage maybe? That is where my motor is located. Possibly a mid-year design change. I'm not sure what month mine was made.

[Frutza]

Mine has 4 cables, on the outside, its called a BAL Power jamb, I do know they make it both ways, just wouldn't have thought Gulfstream would use both,

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/accuslide/accuslide_service-manual.pdf

Yes, have shoe storage under the closet, just like it shows in the brochure

I did have to replace the shear pin on a trailer before, it was no big deal, did it while installed

[Restorium]

I can see the motor, but cannot see the gears. I can reach my fingers behind the metal plate and I think I can feel a chain and maybe a sprocket, but I'm not totally sure. Manually screwing it out with a ratchet, it couldn't be any smoother, so I don't know why it broke, but it is 13 years old now. Thanks for you assistance.
Careful with your fingers in there by the chain and sprocket. They could be binding and turn any time. You can lose a finger quick on a chain and sprocket.

[psdtime]

Mine has 4 cables, on the outside, its called a BAL Power jamb, I do know they make it both ways, just wouldn't have thought Gulfstream would use both,

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/accuslide/accuslide_service-manual.pdf

Yes, have shoe storage under the closet, just like it shows in the brochure

I did have to replace the shear pin on a trailer before, it was no big deal, did it while installed

I have only owned this RV for about 2 years, and this is the first problem with the slide. Looking at the attachment that you sent, I have a feeling that mine is a older version. I do not have the spring attachment that is shown. There is place to put a socket on in a hole in the slide right below the closet. It is a little tight to get to the motor because you have to access it from that shoe closet and it is a bit of a reach to get to it.

[Sudsy]

Mine has 4 cables, on the outside, its called a BAL Power jamb, I do know they make it both ways, just wouldn't have thought Gulfstream would use both,

http://norcoind.com/bal/downloads/accuslide/accuslide_service-manual.pdf

Yes, have shoe storage under the closet, just like it shows in the brochure

I did have to replace the shear pin on a trailer before, it was no big deal, did it while installed




Mine is a simple rack and pinion. No cables. I may have the chain and sprocket for gear reduction but it's not here so I can't go look.



Sudsy

[psdtime]

Mine is a simple rack and pinion. No cables. I may have the chain and sprocket for gear reduction but it's not here so I can't go look.



Sudsy
I think mine is more like this, mine isn't stored at my house either, so I'm going to have to make it out to it and tear into it. Thanks for all the help.

[psdtime]

Well, I figured it out. I finally had time to tear into it, when I wasn't camping with two kids under 4 years old and I had my brother around to lend a helping hand. There is a dust seal under the slide that you can see when extended. It is just two pieces of rubber that come together and allow the the track to pass between. On the outer edge of the slide, I was able to see where the chain that is attached to the motor attaches to the shaft and brings the slide in and out. There is a set screw that locks into a keyway on the shaft. The set screw had backed out and that was my entire problem. One thing to note, if I had to guess, I would say that the set screw is only 3/16". That little tiny screw is the only thing that is holding that slide for moving on it own. Now I understand why I should be using those brand new (never used before) slide locks that came with my used RV.

[Sudsy]

Congratulations. And you're probably right on the slide braces. At least on the electric room. I am not so concerned about the hydraulic slide rooms. I used those travel braces faithfully on all of my travel trailers and they are all in a compartment in the original wrapper I think. I hope you put some Locktite on the set screw?


Sudsy

[psdtime]

Congratulations. And you're probably right on the slide braces. At least on the electric room. I am not so concerned about the hydraulic slide rooms. I used those travel braces faithfully on all of my travel trailers and they are all in a compartment in the original wrapper I think. I hope you put some Locktite on the set screw?


Sudsy

I agree, I'm less concerned about the hydraulic slides. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring the locktite with me, so I'm going to have to do it again, but now that I know what the issue is, we are looking at a 5 minute fix.