Bedroom Slide

[Steven Harper]

We are having a problem with a bedroom slide (the one with the bed).  Occassionally when we retract or extend it will not always work.  If we wait a few minutes it will work (so far). About a year ago or so we had a new switch put on at the dealer.  We continued to have the problem.  After reading the manual (In case we have to manually bring slide in/out) I discovered the motor is under the bed.  The board under the bed that I need to remove to get to motor is impossible to remove plus it is not even square.  I am considering sawing the board in half lengthwise so it will be easier to remove board in two pieces instead of one to get to motor if we should ever have the need.  Does anybody have any other ideas before I bring out the saw.  Also, can someone help me as to ideas for the switch not working???  Has anybody ever had to bring slide in manually and is it difficult?

Thanks Again for all the help.

Karen
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[Joel Ashley]

Karen-

If you go up to the "Search" tab and click it, then enter "bedroom slide" in the search box, and choose threads more than 30 days old, you will get a myriad of discussions about it.  Gerald has experience with that slide, and may have commentary for you, so don't get too impatient with the saw yet .

-Joel

[Gerald Farris]

Karen,
You did not say what coach you had, and we will need that information to help you since there are several types of slides that vary with different years and models.

Gerald

[Steven Harper]

Sorry.  I have a 2008 Beaver Contessa.  I did read the threads suggested.  Unfortunately, some of it is a little confusing to me.  Thanks again.

Karen
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[George Harwell]

Karen, I have experienced the same symptoms on my 03 Monterey and each time I remove the switch, disconnect the wires then scuff the switch terminal blades with a small file and it works for another 6 months or so. I can't be sure but I suspect inferior materials used in the switches. Another possibility could be low battery voltage. Hope this helps.

[Dennis Raffelson]

We have a 2008 Contessa  and have had the motor, motor and gear drive replaced on our bedroom slide.  After five cycles it has failed again for the 3rd time.  We are returning to RNR RV in Spokane to have it worked on again.   The first time it failed it sounded like the clutch would slip.  This time the motor runs but the slide wouldn't move.  Pushed it in by hand and put some blocks in to prevent it from extending while we drove back to Spokane.  Have about reached the point of getting some good glue and glue it shut.  Anyone else having this much problem with the bed slideout on the 2008 Contessa?  

[Dick Simonis]

I had a similar problem but my older coach may not translate well.  In our case it was the relay that disables the slides when the key is on.  Since it also affected the front slide it was easy to track down.

[Bruce Sieloff]

We had a similar issue with the bedroom slide on our 2003 Marquis.
The slide frame was the issue here, and remains an issue until I can get it realigned in Bend. The bolts that attach the frame to the floor via four upright posts and hold it into position have loosened allowing the frame to have an uneven alignment. This is literally where the slide attaches to the coach, so if there is any wobble or sideplay the slide with work against this as it extends and retracts.
The upshot was that the slide remains flush with the coach body when retracted, but it works hard coming in or out, think of pushing on one corner instead of in the middle of the slide. So all the slow groaning and creaking was lessened with tightening the bolts. Beaver also did a halfazzed job of attaching the four uprights to the floor, with different hex screw diameters used to tie everything down.
To be fair, I am the 4 owner of this coach and have no idea if I'm looking a previous repair, although it looked untampered with since the carpet on top of the trap door allowing access to the aft end of the slide frame was uncut, meaning you couldn't open the access door if you wanted to.
So evidence is that one hole on the side with the most force on it is oblong from being worked by the loose frame/slide until it worked itself a half inch from where it ought to be. So, bottom line, look at any bolts in the slide mech for slop and tighten them up, check the motor mount bolts too, they worked loose. It appears the only way to square the slide is to loosen all bolts, support it on the outside and square it up, then tighten up the fasteners. There should by all rights the a pair of adustment screws on each leg of the frame to allow this to be done on the inside; a useful modification. As it is, it will have to wait for a shop to fix it better.

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

As George noted above, it is probably a poor connection. The motor brake, attached to the motor to prevent slide creep when the coach is moving, requires a full 12+ volts to release. That is probably why you have problems only the fully extended or fully retraced mode. If the lights dim when you have the problem and the slide doesn't move this is almost assuredly the issue.Having the generator running or being on shore power can help ensure you have a full 12V when operating the slide. If it acts up, remove the switch from the wall and move the wires around a bit. This will sometime give you a better connection. If this helps, you can clean the spade lug connections but this will only give you a temporary fix. Either remove the spade lugs completely and replace with wire nuts or, for a permanent fix, remove the lugs and solder the wires together, using shrink tubing as insulation. If you want a block diagram/schematic of the slide circuit, let me know. Also, the slide will not operate if the ignition key is on.
Steve

[Edward Buker]

Do a search on bedroom slide and Edward Buker. My bedroom slide had those intermittent symptoms and it required that the brake mechanism be cleaned and freed up before it would work right. If you remove the brake and the switch works the slide freely that is very possibly the problem. There is a description of the cleaning and a photo of the brake in my post. It may not be your problem but it is very possible from what I went through with mine that it could be. Mine worked poorly for a long time before it locked up and the brake had been dragging.

Later Ed