Stripped bolts on bedroom glide motor in Hitchhiker 5er

charlyhors · January 31, 2016

Hi All, I have a 2005 Hitchhiker Discover America 31.5 LK. The bedroom glide mechanism was making Clunk noises, So I lifted the bed and found that 2 of the 4 bolts that mounted the motor to the frame had worked their way out, and 2 other bolts were part way out and stripped. That resulted in the motor being in at an angle, and the gear sometimes missing the chain (the clunk noise) The motor is still strong, but the bolt holes in the housing are stripped. Is it possible to get a new housing for the motor, or do I need to order a whole new unit? I'm in this location for 5 more weeks, so time is of the essence to get this fixed before a move. I don't think there is enough metal in the housing to allow rethreading to bigger bolts.

Thanks so much.

I've also posted on the NuWa Owners Group and will be calling NuWa after the weekend.

Here are links to the pictures on Dropbox.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cwiedrkeeq321rn/IMG_1470.JPG?dl=0 The motor in place as I found it
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1enfss1t71tmu4u/IMG_1473.JPG?dl=0 Stripped bolt holes in housing
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l9ulv2nrowivm4n/IMG_1477.JPG?dl=0 motor model number

Bobi and Dick McKee · January 31, 2016

If you go to nuwaowners.org there has been several discussions about this issue.

Devilishjim · January 31, 2016

Is it possible to bore those holes all the way through and put a grade 8 bolt through them ?

rdickinson · January 31, 2016

I've had problems with slideout motors and Intellitec controllers. Some of it self inflicted. I'd recommend you give them a call and seek counsel. Motors like that are in the 500$ range new. There is one on eBay but gearing and speed, amps are not correct.

In looking at mine, the suggestion that J&S had would work if it was my motor. 6 smaller bolts would work.

But there is time to get one shipped depending on inventory. Maybe ship yours back and have it rebuilt. Your other slides may have motors with different specs.

This is an easy fix and time is on your side.

In looking at the first pic again, there may be a manual method of retracting the slide. In mu case the br slide is the lightest of the 3 and can be cranked in by a hex head wrench. You have a hex head in the left of the first picture.

TXiceman · January 31, 2016

Call Kansas RV Center in Chanute, KS and speak to Daryl Denis. This is the plant that used to build the NuWa trailers.

Ken

Ranger Smith · January 31, 2016

You can also put a heli coil in if the metal is thick enough

Trucken · February 1, 2016

If your only choice is to buy entirely new motor and housing. Then I agree with J&S and Rodger and see if you have clearance for the thru bolts, nothing to lose.

I have repaired wallowed out threads by good cleaning and wrapping good bolt with Teflon tape and filling damaged threads with JB weld then insert bolt.

Repaired head bolts on small engines and stripped coil threads, just be sure to let it cure.

Good luck, let us know the out come.

Trucken

charlyhors · February 5, 2016

Thank you all for your input. Very helpful. I may be back on this question in a bit. Currently having the housing drilled straight through with larger bolts. Machinist said the bolt holes were too torqued for a helicoil to go in straight. Then I'll need to address the holder bearing you're talking about.

charlyhors · February 16, 2016

As the original poster of this thread, my kind thanks again. The machinist drilled bolt holes through the casing, repacking the grease and keeping the filings out. I bolted it back on, and it seems to be working fine. Probably for as long as this 11 year old HH will last. Haven't done a bearing for the shaft, and I probably won't bother. Just take it easy careful with the ins and outs. :-)

rdickinson · February 16, 2016

Regardless, I'd explore the possibility of an alternative way of retracting the slide with an adapter and a drill. My rig came with that adapter but I didn't recognize it for what it was.

You don't need to be somewhere and not able to retract the slides. If someone says they can be pushed in manually, good luck. A 2 or 3000# slideout that has to jump up over the floor before sliding into the coach???? I don't think so, especially if the motor is still hooked up but not working.

DuffMan · February 16, 2016

Looks like enough room to put a C clamp on it next to the motor to hold it in place of the stripped bolts. May hold long enough to get the slide retracted and a new motor.

Or could you drill the hole thru and put a smaller bolt with washer and nut to hold it (A nut would have stronger holding power than that cast housing metal.)

rdickinson · February 16, 2016

Looks like enough room to put a C clamp on it next to the motor to hold it in place of the stripped bolts. May hold long enough to get the slide retracted and a new motor.

Or could you drill the hole thru and put a smaller bolt with washer and nut to hold it (A nut would have stronger holding power than that cast housing metal.)

I agree, it looks like there is some sort of hex bolt on the left end of pic #1. A C clamp holding it together and a hex socket would do the trick. The problem with this is the motor is still attached and geared so low that it will provide a lot of resistance to manual operation. In my case, the motor was removed before manually extending or retracting the slide. The good thing is the BR slide is the lightest of the 3 on my rig.

Also for everyone's benefit who may run into slideout problems. If the motor turns and the slide does not move, the problem will probably NOT be stripped gears. The problem will likely be that little key in the shaft. The system is designed to have that key break or shear before other parts get damaged. In my case the key was 3/32" x 7/16. That is for that motor only. So that problem can be fixed if it happens. Get some extras and some gasket material.

The name of that key has slipped my mind. It is a halfmoon shape.

If you start shearing those keys the problem will probably be the Intellitec control sensor may be set too high.

Unfortunately, I've had extensive experience in this area.

Why is the motor so corroded and rust on the shaft?? Does your rig have a convertible top and you forgot to close it??

charlyhors · February 17, 2016

Why is the motor so corroded and rust on the shaft?? Does your rig have a convertible top and you forgot to close it??

Excellent observation, Roger. At the same time as this little issue (now repaired) occurred, we discovered significant water damage to a 3 x 10' flooring area. Had no idea it was there, but found it in removing carpet to redo floors - we hate carpet as a choice in RV's. Guess what it was hiding? Wet moldy particle board flooring. I'm going to write about my experience (first time Rving fulltime) just to ventilate, and also for ideas.