Bedroom Slide Moans No More

[BryanValRox]

Our bedroom BAL slide started moaning and groaning during operation and I lost all confidence in it and resorted to pushing on it during operation and keeping my fingers crossed that we could get it in and out on our trips.

My suspicions were correct after investigating my issue on Saturday. Both of my slide motors were suffering from deflection, it appears both the housing and gear is too weak for the application. The gear was found to be digging into the rail, milling it away, causing extra friction.

I spent most of Saturday removing and replacing both of the motors. The good news is that BAL has added additional ribs to the new motors for added strength.
The slides now works easily without any moaning and groaning .




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[TG74]

Thanks for sharing this! I'm glad you were able to address it before it became a real problem for you.

 

[M and E]

Our bedroom BAL slide started moaning and groaning during operation and I lost all confidence in it and resorted to pushing on it during operation and keeping my fingers crossed that we could get it in and out on our trips.

My suspicions were correct after investigating my issue on Saturday. Both of my slide motors were suffering from deflection, it appears both the housing and gear is too weak for the application. The gear was found to be digging into the rail, milling it away, causing extra friction.

I spent most of Saturday removing and replacing both of the motors. The good news is that BAL has added additional ribs to the new motors for added strength.
The slides now works easily without any moaning and groaning .
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Nice job Bryan! Just time consuming or was it challenging?

 

[Midnight Rider]

Our bedroom BAL slide started moaning and groaning during operation and I lost all confidence in it and resorted to pushing on it during operation and keeping my fingers crossed that we could get it in and out on our trips.

My suspicions were correct after investigating my issue on Saturday. Both of my slide motors were suffering from deflection, it appears both the housing and gear is too weak for the application. The gear was found to be digging into the rail, milling it away, causing extra friction.

I spent most of Saturday removing and replacing both of the motors. The good news is that BAL has added additional ribs to the new motors for added strength.
The slides now works easily without any moaning and groaning .
View attachment 4075

View attachment 4076
View attachment 4077
View attachment 40750

Bry,
Where are those motors located at on the slide? I cant find them?
thanks

 

[BryanValRox]

Nice job Bryan! Just time consuming or was it challenging?

Thanks Mike, honestly it was more of a time consuming job than a challenging one. Spent a fair amount of time cleaning the old sealant off of the jam and the side of the coach. Inside access was a bit snug, removing the closet door and the vertical trim pieces on the bed slide made all the difference in the world. Other than that, it is pretty much just removing the cables, then screws inside and out and breaking the old seal and twisting the jam out.
It took me about 3 1/2 - 4 hours per side, now that I am experienced 😂, I think I could do it in about 3.

 

[BryanValRox]

Bry,
Where are those motors located at on the slide? I cant find them?
thanks

Rider, they are located inside the jam bracket, you can’t see them unless you remove the inside jam support. If you look behind your bed slide trim work, you will see wires sticking out the top of your jam brackets.

I knew something was wrong because the tone of the motors changed drastically from when the coach was new. They were really groaning to move the slide.

Obviously, this was because the housing had distorted, binding the internal gears and the deflection was causing the gear to drive the chain into the jam bracket and mill it away during operation.

Now, they don’t sound challenged at all and my confidence is fully restored in the slide operation.

 

[M and E]

Thanks Mike, honestly it was more of a time consuming job than a challenging one. Spent a fair amount of time cleaning the old sealant off of the jam and the side of the coach. Inside access was a bit snug, removing the closet door and the vertical trim pieces on the bed slide made all the difference in the world. Other than that, it is pretty much just removing the cables, then screws inside and out and breaking the old seal and twisting the jam out.
It took me about 3 1/2 - 4 hours per side, now that I am experienced 😂, I think I could do it in about 3.

Thanks for that! I may just replace the motors. I enjoy projects like that and the cooler weather is on its way to SW Florida; I prefer projects like that when it’s cooler.

 

[Lantley]

I had BAL slides on my last rig. I found they were OK overall but they required constant maintenance.
Adjusting/replacing cables was at least and annual event. My prior unit had 5 cable slides which required me to become very familiar with there operation. In hindsight I believe cable slides should only be used on smaller slides vs. larger kitchen appliance or living room sofa slides.
It seems Alliance has learned this lesson as well. Cable slides require regular adjustments /maintenance. On the flip side they are somewhat DIY friendly once you get pass the initial learning curve.
My Swintek bedroom slide has been problem free so far, but Swintek does not have the best reputation so I'm keeping my fingers crossed .

 

[BryanValRox]

Thanks for that! I may just replace the motors. I enjoy projects like that and the cooler weather is on its way to SW Florida; I prefer projects like that when it’s cooler.

Your welcome, you do you, but I would run your original motors until they started to cause you concerns.
One other comment, I don’t know the change over date of when they added the ribs, so it could be possiable that you already have the newer design. It might take a call to BAL to determine the change over date.
I would hate to see you remove a jam bracket only to find you have the improved part.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[Midnight Rider]

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Your welcome, you do you, but I would run your original motors until they started to cause you concerns.
One other comment, I don’t know the change over date of when they added the ribs, so it could be possiable that you already have the newer design. It might take a call to BAL to determine the change over date.
I would hate to see you remove a jam bracket only to find you have the improved part.
Enjoy your trip!

If it ain’t broke don’t Fix it!