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Slide Problem
In my 2004 XL2DS, the front slide has been exhibiting a problem for the past year.
Since I’ve owned the bus for the past couple of years, I’ve noticed that when the (front) slide moves, it vibrates slowly with a sort of “chuff-chuff-chuff” noise but otherwise seems to work well. Last summer, however, it started shutting down on retraction after the first or second “chuff”. When this happens, the control light blinks rapidly (error) and the slide stops, usually after it has traveled about 6 to 10 inches inward.
I have found that if I simply wait a moment and press Slide-In again that it restarts, and chuff-chuff-chuff, it retracts and locks fully, as always.
I took it in to the shop last November to Taylor Tours, and they worked on it. They are a highly respected and experienced group. Their diagnosis came down to a “Yo-Yo” sensor which is essentially a rotary position indicator having a long nylon cord that tracks the position of the slide as it moves. The sensor, only available from Prevost, was over $1000 in parts cost. Taylor replaced it and tested the slide – all was well.
I drove the coach home where it sat in my garage until New Years and when I started up and began to retract the slides, it happend again. Same as before, chuff-chuff-STOP. Needless to say I’m disappointed.
I tried the slide again after I pulled it out of the garage and it did the same thing. Luckily, pressing Slide-In a second time restarts the sequence and it runs to completion. It was a short trip and two days later, upon leaving our campground, it retracted normally with no hesitation.
At this point I’m worried that I’ll get stuck in some overnight campground, or heaven’s forbid, a WalMart parking lot, unable to retract my slide. My observation is that the chuffing is some sort of mechanical imbalance or torque issue between the motor(s) and gears. The bummer here is that in the Phoenix area is that the nearest Prevost facility is hundreds of miles away (in Mira Loma, CA) and I’m hoping I don’t have to go there. I will, however, as a last resort.
So, mighty Prevost Oracle, what say you? 🙂
-fred
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10 Replies
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I have a couple of comments and I hope you don’t get pissed.
First, if something has changed and there is a new noise or some other unusual characteristic the immediate reaction likely should have been to contact Prevost and at the very least try to determine during the conversation what they suggest as trhe next step.
So far none of my coaches has repaired itself, and usually when something begins to act different than normal it is the first signal something has changed and may need a repair or adjustment.
But then I read you entrusted your coach to a seated coach company. Surely you did not expect them to be experienced with slides? Just curious, when they worked on the slides did they have the servicde manual, slide room pneumatics, and the slide specific technical information or did the mechanics just start their on the job training with your coach?
All the above is harsh, but we have preached for years about who should be working on our coaches and when.
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Sounds like your missing some teeth on the belt drive.
Later
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Jon,
You Might be being a bit harsh on Fred on where he took his bus. Taylor tours is anything but a seated coach company. They manage a very large fleet of entertainer and star coaches. Chris weaver one of their Sr. Techs is a former Marathon Employee who really knows is stuff. I had my PDI and all my zero work done there and was very impressed. I am assuming based on Fred’s reference to Prevost that his slides are prevost. Mine are Valid.
Fred if getting to Ca isn’t possible give Leon at Marathon a call he might have some suggestions. Good luck -
My bad. And I apologize. I just drove 1000 miles and when I typed that I was worn out. I still stand by my comments relative to who to take the bus to for service, but in this particular instance my brain had completely forgotten Marathon did not only use Prevost slides. Conversion issues, go to the converter, Chassis issues go to Prevost.
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Jon, no offense taken, and Bill, thanks for pointing out about Taylor Tours. They have impressed me several times with their expertise.
I will call Leon.
Thanks,
-fred
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I hope you realize how bad you have screwed up my mental image of you, ever since you and Will showed up with full heads of hair.
Branson I think.
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Fred,
No problem and hope you get it all worked out. I rarely disagree with Jon but on this one I felt pretty confident I wouldn’t get my dues raised or kicked out. I don’t have any hair left either and I am much younger than Jon 🙂
Bill
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Why not take it back to Taylor? Do they stand behind their work?
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Bill…..we are all younger then Jon
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sounds like a burr–dirt–old grease—loose teflon strip or mis alignment of jackshaft/equalizing mechanasim. Causing a bind and a overide situation. I build my own—not as good as factory!!!! but that is where I start when I have a travel problem. the basic function is same just a little more complicated on factory ones. Bob
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