Rear Kitchen Slide Wiring Support Strap

[terry and jo]

OK, guys. I know this topic has been discussed before, but there are new owners on here occasionally (as if I wasn't new myself) and they may not have seen the discussions involving broken support straps.

Anyway, ours broke a while back and I just finished fixing it this evening. Since the break was right at the frame, I chose to use a hinge as a base point for attaching the strap. I picked up 4 1/2" door hinge at Lowes along with four 5/16th inch by 3/4 inch long bolts with flat and lock washers.

To match the hinge to the original frame holes, I had to drill out a center hole in the size of the self-tapping screw that was used for attaching the strap to the frame. With the holes in the hinge being bigger, I used flat washers on those two screws.

Then I cut off part of the broken strap to make it even for attaching to the hinge. That took me the longest since I didn't unhook everything before doing this job. Also, I was using an old hacksaw with what I think is an even OLDER hacksaw blade.

I clamped the strap to the free part of the hinge with two small vice grip plyers and drilled out new holes to match the hinge holes.

So, now if you are really bored, enjoy the pictures.

Terry

EDIT: I found a better picture of the broken strap and replaced one with crappy resolution with one that is better.

[terry and jo]

One more photo. Had to put it in a separate post due to the number of pictures per post limit.

Terry

[golf_bears]

Nice job Terry!

My 2008 MS has not had this problem yet but I'm sure it's just a matter of time. Your explanation of how to fix is great and I have booked marked it for future reference.

Thanks for posting solution with pictures.

[Carny Bill]

Yes, unfortunely the day will come. I have had to do same on on 04,06,& 09. An easy fix, but a pain.

[terry and jo]

Here is something that I didn't notice before. In that first picture showing the break, it appears that when they attached the strap to the frame, it was attached in the reverse direction of what the other end of the strap has been attached.

I may need to look things over again under there. Does anyone know why DRV would attach the support strap so that it formed an "S" instead of bowing in the form of a "C"? With the "S" configuration, it is easy to see why the strap broke at the frame. It was being forced into an unnatural shape.

On my other straps, they are all attached in a way that the strap forms a "C". But with this one, it appears that the frame connection was configured with the end facing the rear of the coach, while the other end at the exterior of the slide would be facing forward.

Or, am I seeing things wrong?

Terry

[dalehandsome]

Hi Terry and Jo,
We noticed that your unit is #5332 and our 38TKSB3 is #5334. We have enjoyed your posts and wanted to say Hi. Right now we are living full time in Forsyth, Georgia doing missionary work for our Church. We will be here about 18 months and then we hope to get on the road and meet some of the good people on this site. We also had the same strap break on our unit. We took it back to the dealer and they were about to install the new one just as the old one had been installed. The new one actually came with a swivel type hinge and they cut it off. Fortunately, we caught them before it was installed and they brought out another new one, with the hinge, and installed it. So far we have been very happy with our unit with few problems. Perhaps we are just too new and dumb to know that we have problems. There has been some talk about seamless windows. How do you know if you have seamless windows? We haven’t had any problems but would like to know what we do have. Take care and have a blessed day!

[rotaxman]

Hi Marion and Dale

You have the framless windows if you look at the windows on the ends of your door side slide you will see what the framed windows looked like.

All of the windows on the units before the 09's had that type of windows all the way around.

So far the windows are the only thing that I have not had problems with. ( except for the fact that all of the knobs on the inside were about to fall off) But I am concerned that the framless windows might be more prone to leaking than the old frame type. I noticed on the tops of all the framless windows that the Amish craftsman have smeared a large amount of clear silicon sealant and in most cases they don't do a very good job at sealing things.

Hope things are going well for you two looking forward to seeing you again when you get back.

As always good camping

Joyce and Jerry

[wingnut60]

Terry,
You may have the world record for a support strap lasting the shortest period of time--I got my trailer used in '07 and it took almost a year more before one broke. Since then all have broken, including a replacement piece. Did the hinge trick and now seems all is well. Was at the factory last month and they installed the hinges where still needed.
As to the 'S' bend, take a look at it when closed to be certain it is actually doubling back on itself--should just be in a long curve in one direction.

Besides being a bad design, I suspect cold weather slide operation hastens the break quite a bit.

Joe

[mcfarlak]

Can't see the pictures of the fix.

[RonS]

Ken - You need to log in to see pictures.

[terry and jo]

Ken,

The photos take a bit of time to load up, so if you log in, go to the thread, and immediately go down to the bottom, you may miss seeing them.

Because you had obviously logged in to post your comment, they might not have come up fast enough. If you still can't see them, there is a link to a Photobucket account at the bottom of my posts, under my signature. You can click on that link to go to that account. The pictures are in a folder entitled "RV Repair Photos" (or something like that) in the "Our New Home" folder.

Terry

[sje]

terry , I looked at your pics and it shows that the wires are covered by some kind of corrugated plastic to protect them. my wires and propane lines were completely destroyed by a chinese blowout. did not do any damage except for the wires , propne line and strap support. I cant remember if mine had that or was it something only on newer modesl mine is a 2007. sje

[RickandJanice]

Our 2006 has the corrugated wire loom. I have also done the same repair to the support straps. Even used a hinge for one that broke in the middle of the strap. Mounted the one in the middle of the strap "backward" so it would not close tight and pinch the wires in the middle of the strap.

[Red Ram]

I have done the hinges on mine also, but I think if it happens again I will go to a mill supply store and buy some conveyor belting that is made out of rubber. It is stiff enough but is flexiable enough that it should last forever. However I would still use the hinges, just makes it easier on the stress point.

[ponch]

piano hinges work very well also.

[jdwilson3]

Just make sure the piano is no longer attached!