Kitchen slide not fully extending nor retracting

New to the forum and picked up a 2007 Cameo by carriage. New AC units, new Norcold N10 fridge, new water heater, all new lighting, new floor, and now we find previous owner used a truck to push in the kitchen slide and same to pull it out. We’ve had three good rain storms and each has let significant water inside from above and through the kitchen cabinet areas. We pulled it out to where there’s a finger width gap that I can feel on top of the inside cabinet to wall/seal. Any help greatly appreciated. Motor is engaging but no movement, obviously.

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[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 518Total - 526]

Frank,

 

what model is this?  Do you have 1, 2 or 3 slides on that side?

even if wall is not all the way out, water should not get into cabinets.  Have you looked at the roof of the slide(s)?  Any cracks in the membrane, or the caulking around the top perimeter?  Does that slide have skylights?

there should also be a large (3”) double seal around the top and both sides of the slide.  If for some reason removed that would allow splashes of water to enter the interior if slide not all the way out, but not into the cabinets.

I think leaks are entirely separate from the non movement issue.  Do you hear the motor running and a gear slipping or no noise at all just motor spinning?  Some motors are accessible from underneath zippered access panels in fabric.  Mounting bolts are known to come lose, back out or strip out.  Some mounting bolts were too long and did not seat properly without adding a second or third washer.

some big wall sections have chain drives located on street (drivers) side of  main storage area.  If that was turned manually it could have broken the gear off the armature.  Those motors also come lose.

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

[frankdgermanoParticipantParticipantTopics - 3Replies - 2Total - 5]

It’s the 2007 Cameo F35FD3. Its happened four times during hard rain and wind. The kitchen slide out (the previous owner) was pushed in manually. They used a truck I was told. We pulled it out using tow straps and got it to about 3/4” from the seals. There’s a finger width gap if you reach over the top of the cabinets to the seal gaskets. I don’t think anything is coming through the overhead kitchen skylight/fan. The water is running down the fronts of the cabinets, onto the countertop and down. Dripping from the upper trim.
the motor is definitely energized, no blown fuses or breaker, and you can hear it, but no movement. Hope that helped in diagnosis?

[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 518Total - 526]

Let’s start with where is the motor that you hear?  Does it sound like it is under the stairs to the bedroom or under the cooktop/frig area?

I am asking because there is a brake on every motor.  It is on the rear of the brake armature.  If No power, the brake holds fast.  Toggle the slide switch either way and that power  is delivered to the motor’s brake (to release it) and to the motor (to spin).   In some cases there is an “extra” toggle switch to only send power to release the brakes – all of them except chain drive slides.   This “extra” toggle switch MUST ALWAYS be in the proper position when you travel or the slides will bounce out (extend) during travel.  The purpose of that “brake” switch is to release the brake so it is easier to manually push the slide in or out or go to the motor access point and manually crank the slide in or out.  You can also have someone hold that switch while you are pushing the slide in or out.

looking at your floor plan I suspect that you have a chain drive for the kitchen slide with the motor located to the drivers side of the stairs into the bedroom.  It is accessed by removing the thin rear wall of the main belly storage area.  That panel is accessed from the access door on the drivers side of the main storage area, but you will need to loosen or remove the thin middle wall panel(s).   The brake on that motor must be physically removed or you must apply power to the leads (or have someone hold the slide button), or it will be very difficult to move the slide.

getting the wall further out. if I am correct in thinking you have that chain drive assembly to move the slide, there is a heavy 1-inch square rod running from the motor (under the bedroom stairs but behind the thin rear wall of the belly storage area) all the way back to the two teethed brackeketed rods mounted under that slide.  Once you remove the thin wall(s) and remove the motor’s brake you can use a large crescent wrench to crank out the slide.  The screws holding the brake on ar tiny!, and very easily lost.

There is also a hex head bolt head on the forward end of the motor.  My guess is that someone tried to turn that without releasing the brake and in doing so broke the armature at a critical point so the motor just spins because the gear section of the armature is broken off.  If so a new motor is needed to avoid the need to manually operate the slide.  However, the motor may simply have completely loose from its mounts.

I could be wrong and you have a motor directly under the kitchen area.  Have someone “spin” the slide motor and go outside and inside to better pinpoint where the motor noise is.  If more towards the rear, access to the motor is from a zipper panel under the 5er by the axles.  Same brake release procedure (“extra” brake toggle, someone hold the slide toggle on, apply 12 volts), then crank it out by hand wrench – way easier and much better for the slide assembly than a truck.  The motor may have come completely loose OR the shear pins on the gear on the motor or the mating gear may have sheared off.  Those pins are replaceable, but the motor needs to come out.   The gears may have broken or become separated but that usually involves grinding noises.

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

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