slide-out shear pin

[Jim McGarvie]

The wardrobe slide-out in our bedroom has a Power Gear system, which has sheared the shear pin in the spur gear (the final gear driving the track) three or four times. It hasn't happened for a couple of years until a week ago. I replaced the pin and cleaned and lubed the entire mechanism, and lubed the slide seal. I ran the slide in and out three or four times and it worked much more easily, smoothly and quietly than it has in a long time. But on the way out the new pin sheared.

My question is two-fold. First, obviously, is why? Especially today, when the slide was going in and out so easily and smoothly. I'm baffled.

My second question is, what kind of pin should I be using? I understand the fuse-type safety function of the pin, so something else doesn't break. But this system doesn't have limit switches, you just hold the switch in or out until the slide stops moving and the motor stalls. If the mechanism can withstand that much force, it seems to me I could use a stronger shear pin.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

[pulsarjab]

Our 2000 Diplomat, with two slides, use to have same problem. I discovered there is a big difference in shear pins. The ones I purchased at Ace Hardware  would fail over time. I purchased some at Fastenal, problem solved. Also, annual cleaning and lubrication helps.

[Jim McGarvie]

47 minutes ago, pulsarjab said:

Our 2000 Diplomat, with two slides, use to have same problem. I discovered there is a big difference in shear pins. The ones I purchased at Ace Hardware  would fail over time. I purchased some at Fastenal, problem solved. Also, annual cleaning and lubrication helps.

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to know what type pin you bought at Fastenal? I've learned the same thing you did, that there are several different types/hardnesses.

And admit I could have been a bit more conscientious with the maintenance, but this last failure was immediately following thorough cleaning and lubrication.

[pulsarjab]

I do not recall, they are in the RV, about 20 miles from home. I just took the slotted pin into the store and bought a package of them. I also bought a set of punches at Harbor Freight and keep them with the roll pins. I bought several different lengths as the same diameter is used in different spots.

[Jim McGarvie]

17 minutes ago, pulsarjab said:

I do not recall, they are in the RV, about 20 miles from home. I just took the slotted pin into the store and bought a package of them. I also bought a set of punches at Harbor Freight and keep them with the roll pins. I bought several different lengths as the same diameter is used in different spots.

Good ideas; I will do the same.

[Grampy OG]

Just a thought, be sure to return your coach to natural ride height/positioning before moving the slides. Many folks move their coach after leveling or while the coach is leveled.  I lost a couple of the pins on my Dynasty because I was leveling and then moving the slides. 

 

Good luck,

Ken Wilcox - 2003 The Executive

 

[Jim McGarvie]

20 minutes ago, Grampy OG said:

Just a thought, be sure to return your coach to natural ride height/positioning before moving the slides. Many folks move their coach after leveling or while the coach is leveled.  I lost a couple of the pins on my Dynasty because I was leveling and then moving the slides. 

 

Good luck,

Ken Wilcox - 2003 The Executive

 

Good point, Ken, thanks. There seems to be some controversy about this, but our owner manual states: "Perform the slide-out room operation with the air suspension
system full." I confess to violating that on occasion, because our RV garage ceiling is so low I have to air down to get the coach inside. I'll have to keep that in mind.

[dcw1965us]

our PowerGear system uses small grade 8 bolts as shear pins   

slidemanual.pdf

[Jim McGarvie]

10 hours ago, dcw1965us said:

our PowerGear system uses small grade 8 bolts as shear pins   

slidemanual.pdf 3.55 MB · 2 downloads

Thanks, Daniel, but ours uses pins rather than bolts.

And I have that manual.

 

[throgmartin]

Be sure and check the slots that the shear pin goers into. If you are shearing a lot of pins that hole could be hogged out. If so then it will continually shear pins.

We find this problem all the time at the shop.

[Jim McGarvie]

1 hour ago, throgmartin said:

Be sure and check the slots that the shear pin goers into. If you are shearing a lot of pins that hole could be hogged out. If so then it will continually shear pins.

We find this problem all the time at the shop.

Thanks Chris. The opening on one side of the hole in the shaft is a little elongated, but the rest of the hole is nice and round.

Say, you wouldn't happen to know what kind of pin is used in the spur gear of that system would you? I've been using slotted tension pins, but I noticed the two beveled gears use coiled pins, which I think would be quite a bit stronger.

Thanks.