Sunday, January 19, 2014

PAUL ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE DOING SOMETHING!

Friday, January 17, 2014 – One of the recurring issues with the Cameo 5th wheel is the tendency for the curbside-slide motor to loosen and not function properly. It never fails that when you want to “hit-the-road” early in the morning, the slide doesn't come in properly.

paul under 5er

There is a fix to this problem Paul found on the Cameo Forum. Use locktite on the motor mount bolts and install bearings on the motor shaft and gear shaft. That is the job Paul decided to tackle this morning.

There is an access panel to the motor via a zippered opening in the 5th wheel under covering. After opening the area, Paul was able to stick his head up in the motor area .

DSC06007

He removed the motor bolts, applied the locktite, then re-installed the bolts. This acts almost like glue to keep the bolts from vibrating loose over time. It's not permanent, the bolts can be removed if necessary.

The roller bearings were ordered over the internet (about $30 for both). Paul installed the bearings on the motor shaft and gear shaft. He then used washers to fill the gaps between the bearing bases for a snug fit. Not too tight. You don't want the motor to be under pressure when opening or closing the slide.

DSC08620

Marsha was inside to operate the slide for testing. All seemed to work smoothly. But there was another issue Paul was trying to find a solution to. There was something that has been tearing the under cover that seals the bottom of the slideout.

tear in slidout

Paul posted pictures along with questions concerning this problem on the Cameo forum. Fortunately, another Cameo owner experienced a similar problem and directed Paul to a solution. It seems a screw in the floor under the slide has a tendency to work loose and raise up. This then tears the under-covering as the slide moves in and out.

It’s difficult, but can you see the screw head protruding above the carpet in the above picture?  The problem is how to reach under the slide to tighten the screw. Impossible!

screw-with-arrow 

So Paul got out his trusty Moto-tool and ground the sucker off. That did it – no more tearing!

paul removing screw

Marsha has been watching the Egrets flying around the bayou behind our campsite. She patiently waited for one to land nearby so she could get a picture. One finally decided to fulfill her wish and posed on the fence behind our RV. Judy, Travels With Emma, would be proud of her :-)

egret

egret 

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!

21 comments:

  1. You can't fool us! Paul's under there taking a nap. He probably took all those photos yesterday.

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  2. I love Russ' comment!!

    I just told John that the Weaver's have a man blog today!! Glad you threw in the photos of the egret for those of us uninterested in the mechanical things:) I like the way you captures those feathers in the breeze...good job!!

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  3. Leave it to our guys to find a solution one way or another! :-)

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  4. Nice to get those issues resolves, before bigger issues arrive.

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  5. Marsha is sure lucky to have such a handy man on board.

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  6. Definitely good to be handy when you have a RV:)

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  7. Having an RV means you almost have something to continually repair. It's just like owning a house. Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  8. Never a moment to rest when you've got a rig to maintain!

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  9. Send Paul this way. I have things to keep him busy.

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  10. Great shot of the egret. I love taking pictures of birds, or any wildlife.

    Yes, Russ would know about sleeping on the job LOL!!

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  11. Our kids question why we are always doing some kind of maintenance on our moho -Dusty. We tell them, put wheels under your home and drive it around for 25,000 mile and see what happens. They now have a little better understanding. Isn't it nice to have a handy guy along for the ride? Becki

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  12. Way to go Paul. We are heading to Freeport on Wednesday. Will give you a call when we get settled in.

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  13. It seems that if Paul does not have something to do, he will start manufacturing a task. Can anyone say type A?

    Marsha I like your Egret! Looking forward to seeing a live one.

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  14. The good thing is there always seems to be something to work on when you own an RV, so Paul will never get bored!

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  15. Great fixes, Paul. I don't think I would have tackled that slide job but you sure did a nice job on it.

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  16. I always enjoy these posts. You do such an awesome job of explaining and sharing photos. You just never know when we'll need one of your handy fixes because yes there's always something needing attention.
    Congrats on the egret photo - nice job!

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  17. I have noticed that Paul always seems to be a busy guy. These repairs are not for the faint of heart! You are lucky to have such a handyman.

    Love the egret feathers blowing in the breeze.

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  18. So Paul did all that from the zippered panel? Slide out? So many questions :-)

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  19. Terry wishes he were as handy as you are Paul. He lives in fear of having a slide problem when we are trying to leave a campground. If we are on the road long enough, he feels it is bound to happen.

    Great job with the egret shot Marsha! It is so tough to get those guys to stand still for you. :)

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