DaGirls Rv Travels: Live Edge Table or Last Days in Friend

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Live Edge Table or Last Days in Friend

Wednesday, 6/26, after another night of lightning, storms, rain and the thunder that comes with the lightning. Jeff has permission to head out to Omaha, to see the SAC museum. The museum is located just west, so it will be about an hour drive from our location. But, I don't think that will happen today. Why, you might ask. Well, the farm roads get a little muddy when it rains this hard, and there car is a low riding one. But, hey stranger things have happened. So, we'll see.

What else has been going on ? Well for one, Jeff and Linda's slide went kaput on the way back out.

Notice the 2 holes. This is a common failure mode.

So, what to do, leave slide in and as in, and they take off for Utah and Charlie's service and switch to a center slide system or ? They don't know.

First off, let me state, there really is nothing wrong with the system design. The main issue for failures are operator usage and after-marker repair.

One of the biggest issue is the way we retract and extend the slide (living room). Whether it is a End or Center slide, the slide motor produces a lot of power, when operating.

Another reason, improper lock washers, used on the bolts to mount the motor and the side cover (support plate, right side in above drawing) installation.

With 2 of the 5 casting mounts sheard off, I still had 3, in a triangle to work with. So, with what I had to work with, I made a rough template of the 3 mounting casting, and transfer it to the motor plate. Not an easy task, but with a dremel and small grinding stone, and a Smartphone on selfie mode, taking many photos I was able to remount the motor to operate the slide.

Even though I completed this task, there is still the underlying issue of why it failed. It required about 4 hours to complete the first task, getting the motor mounted and allowing the slide to come out.

Since this would have been the 4th time for motor replacement, I can only surmised what could have happened. Upon first placement, incorrect lock washers were used on the motor bolts (qty 3). Next, some people may think the plate on the opposite side of the motor is a cover, it is really a support plate. This plates keep the motor mounting plate steady. However, when bolts (qty 4) are left out or just not tighten, the motor will vibrate thereby breaking the casting motor mounting studs.

Finally, to ensure the motor will not vibrate, I installed a brace (angle iron) from the motor support plate to a section of metal underneath or adjoining to the motor bracket of the frame. Now with the improved brace, this should provide longer lasting motor.

And finally, the River Edge Table was completed enough to install inside our home.