Accu BAL Slide cable broken - Repair questions

[Guest Dive Dive]

I have a 07 Cayman Xl and one of the upper slide cables has broken right where it attaches to the slide on the outside and subsequently disappeared.     Is there a procedure and acceptable replacement part available so I can fix this.   I usually like to familiarize myself with the process before I start doing exploratory surgery.  
Thanks

[Capt Mike]

Just went through this for the second time. Sure is easier if caught early and using old cable to route new cable through. Attached is the direct replacement cable kit on Amazon. Got mine in two days.

 I’m sure you will need to disassemble the wood trim around the interior of the slide and hopefully see how it was routed. YouTube is helpful also.

Good luck!

[Tom Cherry]

Been there....done that.  You will need, or at least I did, a CRIMPER if you want the repair to last.  Some folks have reported failures in the ferrell that holds the repaired cable in place.

You can go to BAL and see the videos and also download the instruction for replacing it.  I found this in my files.  

I ordered the kit and also this crimper....from Amzaon

IWISS Wire Rope Crimping Tool for Aluminum Crimping Loop Sleeve, Two Barrel Ferrule, Oval Sleeves, 3/64 in to 1/8 in, Wire Rope Swaging Tool Kit with Wire Rope Cutter

I also ordered spare ferrules since I wanted it done right.....

uxcell Aluminum Crimping Loop Sleeve Double Barrel for 1/8" - 5/32" Wire Rope Pack of 25

Bottom Line.  There are 8 cables on the slide.  Four on the INSIDE and FOUR on the outside.  There are 4 per side....two top and two bottom.  The motor has a spider that when it moves one way, it pulls the FOUR that retract the slide.  When you reverse it, then the motor turns the other way and pulls the spiders that extend it.  Obviously the other four cables go OUT when the other four cables comes in.

There are YouTube Videos of how to do this and the manual is pretty straight forward.  BUT, the real trick....getting the header off so you can see the motor.  There are TWO (on mine....similar on all) large wooden vertical "boards" or trim pieces.  You have to start with a thin putty knife at the bottom of each vertical board and carefully pry it from the wall.  It has "Pins" or semi headless finishing nails (pins) when you pull it up....sometimes the nails stay in place....other times they come out with the board.  

You WILL need a finishing nail gun to reattach it.  You take a pin or nail to Lowes or HD or wherever and match it up with their stock.  THEN, you buy the gun that fires these.  You will need to do some testing to get the air pressure and the depth and force controls set right.

Once you have the sides off, then the top header comes off and exposes the motor and the 8 cables and the spider that holds them.  You use the OLD cable as a "Fish wire" and pull back in the new cable.  You then get it installed and the cable loop ferrule crimped....

Mine was a PITA....I had the lower left cable inside that was frayed.  I tried and gave up.  The CW dealer, where I knew exactly WHO to ask for as the tech, took over a day to totally disassemble and move out the cabinets and the TV and such.  All I saw was the BARE SLIDE WALL.  It was totally stripped.  He replaced the frayed cable and also inspected the others....which I had done.  Mine was caused by adding Guardian plates and raising the slide slightly so the upper header of the slide interfered with the lower header on the wall.  It would POP.  I made field repairs and relieved it and waxed it...but the damage was done.  Mine did NOT Break, but was going to as it frayed at the end or where the "T Fitting" goes on.  Inspect all the INSIDE Cables as well as the outside cables for fraying.....

Good Luck....

accuslide_service-manual.pdf

[strangebird]

 There are quite few videos on slide cable replacement on youtube

[Guest Dive Dive]

I will keep looking.  So far the only ones I have seen talk about optimal circumstances.   My cable is broken and the end is gone somewhere into the frame on the side of the slide.   

[Tom Cherry]

30 minutes ago, Dive Dive said:

I will keep looking.  So far the only ones I have seen talk about optimal circumstances.   My cable is broken and the end is gone somewhere into the frame on the side of the slide.   

Maybe a picture would help.  There are 4 cables on each side. There is a bracket on the outside (MEMORY).  The bracket has a slot in it so that the swagged "T" fitting on the replacement cable drops into it.  You are going to have to remove the two vertical trim (wide) pieces as well as the TOP header.  I would probably, if you can get someone to push, move the slide in about halfway.  Then you can see where the other three exterior cables come in.  If you look on the OPPOSITE side of the slide, you said TOP, I believe, you will see how the cable comes through and where the pulley for that cable is.  You will also see the "broken" piece.  Now, I can't tell you exactly what you are going to see.  SOME of the failures are where the cable starts to fray and several strands will break and eventually the twisted cable will pop off.  SO, you see a frayed end.  However, IF the original Swagged (a form of crimping, but all sides are peened or hammered in place so that the entire inner diameter of the fitting is compressed and locked onto the cable)....This is how a Parachute D or PULL ring is fastened to the rip cord....and you want that to WORK.  SO, if the swagged fitting was improperly installed or corrosion or whatever, then the fitting it self might be gone. 

EITHER WAY....you have to attached the new end to the OUTSIDE of the Frame....thread it THROUGH the hole in the frane.....and maybe into the Pulley....depending on where it broke and is hanging how....then you tape it to the end of the frayed cable and use the frayed cable to pull it through the rest of the maze until you get to where it attached to the chain or spider. 

You can't do anything until you expose the motor and the cables....which will be visible when the slide is partly in.  That is it.  

Go to about 11:20 into the video.  YES....there is the bracket and the broken cable.  You aren't that lucky...but until you strip out the interior pieces....you can't see it.  NOW, if you only had one broken cable and could use it as a FISH LINE....then pull off that side.  BUT, you need to see the threaded route so you can duplicate it.  The only way is to remove the vertical trim board on the GOOD side and use a mirror or flashlight or phone camera and trace the path of the GOOD cable....then....make the broken side like the good side.

Hope this helps....

[Happycarz]

Tom, 

My trim board for the Accuslide motor was pin nailed like yours. After seeing that some coaches that used Southco latches to secure the trim board in place, Bill Willard and I installed Southco latches on mine, in case I needed to revisit motor/cables without prying out all those pin nails. Now it pops off and snaps right back into place.  Thanks, Bill.

The reason to gain entry the first time was to crimp the motor wire butt connector that Monaco failed to do, giving me an intermittent slide operation. Since then, I have replaced one cable that had one strand frayed, using the Chinese handcuff that comes in the cable kit. Very easy to thread through, not the hours involved once the cable snaps.

[Tom Cherry]

3 minutes ago, Happycarz said:

Tom, 

My trim board for the Accuslide motor was pin nailed like yours. After seeing that some coaches that used Southco latches to secure the trim board in place, Bill Willard and I installed Southco latches on mine, in case I needed to revisit motor/cables without prying out all those pin nails. Now it pops off and snaps right back into place.  Thanks, Bill.

The reason to gain entry the first time was to crimp the motor wire butt connector that Monaco failed to do, giving me an intermittent slide operation. Since then, I have replaced one cable that had one strand frayed, using the Chinese handcuff that comes in the cable kit. Very easy to thread through, not the hours involved once the cable snaps.

Great...that was my intent...but I chickened out once saw (suspected) that my entire wardrobe assembly had to come out.  You and Bill are to be commended.  I did order some additional Ferrules  or the Chinese Handcuffs and had the tech DOUBLE crimp it.  Too many years of fixing industrial equipment and worrying.  I assumed Monaco used a pneumatic crimper.  

BUT, in their defense....Monaco MAY (based on what I was told and my Hydraulic issues, ORDERED the entire assembly from BAL.  If they were installing, based on my quick observation....and NOT your "had to fixt it", they may have been able to have the pulleys already on and then just put in the motor and attached the pulleys and such.  Whether it was Monaco or BAL that did the poor crimp job....it matters not.  You are 100% correct that the only way to fix it is to start from the T fitting end and use the old cable as a fish....or do some "restringing" up to the point where the old cable CAN be used as a fish.

THANKS A BUNCH.  Always good to get feedback from one that DID fix it themselves.