Slide mechanism 2021 2922KS- Problem ahead?

markozip · 02-20-2022, 05:23 PM

We have a new 2922KS with slide. It has been in used 4 trips last year and we will depart this weekend. I got underneath to look around and saw a 'groove' in the slide floor. I do not know if it was like this when we picked it up new in FL, or if it was during use. I never hear any binding, noise, 'grab' as the slide unit moves in/out. We are level before we engage the slide. The groove is <1/4 inch, but I was surprised to see this. We do not pack any heavy weights on the moving section of the floor. I see two rollers holding the floor and there may be 2 more on the outsides. Has anyone seen this before? The pictures are from the tank side back and from the motor forward. If this tears the skin, I think this will not be good. Any experiences are appreciated. Hope not to expect a problem.

**Bill** · 02-20-2022, 09:07 PM

The motorized slide is relatively new, and our membership doesn't have much accumulated experience with it. It may be best to ask someone at the factory about it. I would send an email to [email protected], with your pictures attached. Jacob is the head of production, very helpful, and very knowledgeable. Mention that you queried the TM Owners Forum.

Please let us know what you find. Other owners with motorized slides (like me) will want to know.

Bill

**ShrimpBurrito** · 02-20-2022, 09:57 PM

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the motorized slide, but if I am picturing it correctly, that scape could only happen if the chain and slide were moving at different speeds (or one was even stopped). Is slippage possible?

Dave

**Bill** · 02-21-2022, 11:32 AM

Is it a scrape in the aluminum, or a pressure-formed indentation? It is hard to tell, but the first pic makes it look like the latter, as if the weight of the slide itself was bearing down on a rolling (not scraping) surface, like one of the wheels.

From my early experience on my 2002 TM, I'm thinking there should be more than two wheels. At that time, there were two wheels mounted in cutouts in the floor at the very front edge of the TM floor, and two more wheels mounted to the underside of the slide, at the edge that moves out into the room. At some point, the factory found that two wheels wasn't quite enough, and added a third one.

I'll see if I can dig up the thread that described it. This was long before the power slide was available, of course.
Boy, is this an oldie, and the photos are missing. But maybe there is some helpful info here.
https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...read.php?t=340

Marko, if you run the slide all the way out, you should be able to lift the front edge of the slide enough to peer under it a bit better.

Bill

**Kidkraz** · 02-21-2022, 07:28 PM

I don't have a slide, but in that first pic, it looks like the skin is broken. If, I'm wrong, forgive me. I just would hate to see moisture getting to the substructure causing worse problems.

**Bill** · 02-21-2022, 09:19 PM

Kidkraz -

You may very well be right, I can't quite tell., although the skin does appear to be punctured at the end of the groove. If the skin is indeed broken, you certainly do not want water to get in, or lose the strength that the unbroken panel provides. I wish my TM were out and open - I would have some more coherent thoughts to offer.

Marko, can you tell specifically what part of the mechanism is making the groove? Whatever it is, I don't think the floor of the slide should be riding on it.

Bill

markozip · 02-22-2022, 08:00 AM

I emailed TM with pictures and they suggested I go to my dealer [500 miles one way]. But they suspected a roller. I went inside the trailer to look underneath from that end. Under the rubber sweep were metal shavings. I took my camera and then boroscope, to look around. Pictures are attached. The bolt that secures the motor drive was too long and etched into the skin. I backed it off a few turns in one of the pictures. TM said the wrong bolt was installed. I have to remove the bolt, add to nuts to act a spacer to prevent the stud from sticking out so much. TM said the wrong bolt was used. Others have seen the tear in the skin, and I am worried about moisture.
1) If I drop the bolt, will the drive go back in easily or should I support the drive?
2) TM said to go to dealer to discuss the need for an 'overlay'. What is an overlay? Adding a large plate/patch? Using JBWeld or ??. Fiberglass or some super sticky tape? A 1000 mile trip is a long way to go - even if it is FL.
[COLOR="Black"]I will repost this on the Facebook site, as if the wrong bolt was used in Feb 2021, others may have been just as lucky.
The entire gouge is inside the trailer during transport but humidity never stops.

Shane826 · 02-22-2022, 12:20 PM

Good find. I can’t speak for the drive/bolt part of the question but as for the overlay I would just put a length of Eternabond tape over the scratch and be done with it. That will seal it against humidity and moisture. Nobody will ever see it so not being pretty doesn’t matter.

**Bill** · 02-22-2022, 02:19 PM

Ouch! Tell me again how you happened to discover this? The slide was extended, and you were crawling around underneath? No other symptoms? Now I gotta check mine.

Bill

markozip · 02-22-2022, 05:07 PM

I was just underneath looking around, we've had the trailer almost a year. I was looking to see what needed cable ties or if anything was loose. The slide moves in/out easily, nothing to make me suspect anything. Just upset when I saw it. I suspect it was there when they tested it at TM after assembly and maybe decided not to do anything? QC may not mean going under the unit. I did not go underneath when we picked it up in FL last May.

Paul at TM was helpful and replied quickly. I have added pics of the bolt, 'spacers' and the new position of the bolt. I posted this 'experience' on the FB site just now with all pics.

The next step is to repair the groove. I think some Eternabond tape is in order.