Manual slide retraction

SVTotem · 05-31-2011, 10:09 AM

We have an 05 Journey 39K. The HWH manual describes how to retract the slides manually. The driver and passenger side slides have a different procedure. The tools for the driver side slide are present and the connection points for the retraction are readily evident. The passenger side is another matter. A winch is described in the manual, but can not be found anywhere. Also, I can not find a place where the winch cable would attach to the slide even if I could find the winch.

Anyone with a 39K ever manually retracted the passenger side slide or know specifically how it is done with the winch if I had one? The HWH manual leaves that part to the coach manufacturer and the Journey manual does not address this.

The slide is working ok right now, but I want to be prepared for the future.

smlranger · 05-31-2011, 10:20 AM

My '02 36' Journey has the winch (it is bascially a boat trailer winch with a nylon strap attached to a plate that hooks into one of the floor heat vent openings). The hook on the end of the winch strap hooks into a metal eye bolt that is behind the rest easy sofa. I hope to never have to use this contraption. There was a thread a couple of years ago where someone had to use the winch to retract the big slide. I believe it took over 2 hrs and required the use of jacks to slightly lift the slide on the outside to take some pressure off.

SVTotem · 05-31-2011, 06:56 PM

Thanks.

Knowing the connection with the floor vent I had looked around under the sofa and did not see anything resembling an attachment. Could have missed it, so I will go look closer tomorrow.

I know there are changes from model to model and year to year, but where is your winch meant to be stored? Perhaps I can find a clue there.

Martind4 · 05-31-2011, 07:26 PM

On our Horizon, the winch and some associated hardware are stored loosely in the compartment just in front of the LP tank. It didn't appear to me there was any specific place or brackets to store it. We've hauled it for 60K miles and haven't needed it.

I did meet a guy at a rally with an '04 Horizon that had a slide failure trying to retract. He didn't find any interior brackets to attach the winch (Winne later admitted they didn't have any installed) so he carefully backed his rig next to a sturdy structure and used a bottle jack and blocking to gently push in the slide, first one end, then the other a little at a time. Said it took him literally all day to get it stowed.

Incidently, I've heard the bedroom (wardrobe) slide can be stowed with 2 or 3 men pushing from the outside, provided the proper solenoid valve is opened.

SVTotem · 05-31-2011, 09:50 PM

There are some tools for the awning and driver side slide clipped to the. Wall of the first compartment aft of the LF wheel, but no evidence of a jack mount anywhere.

I can try calling Winnebago when I get a chance.

DAN L · 06-01-2011, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTotem

There are some tools for the awning and driver side slide clipped to the. Wall of the first compartment aft of the LF wheel, but no evidence of a jack mount anywhere.

I can try calling Winnebago when I get a chance.

there is an extra strap that looks like half of a seat belt under the sofa on my moho to use when manually retracting the front slide.
make sure you loosen the slide solenoid valves release ims about 3 turns before attempting to move either slide manually. there are 2 solenoid release valves for each slide.
i installed a fitting between the bed and closet near the floor on my rear slide and used a 3' 2X4 outside the emergency exit window across the side wall and studs for the other end. i used a small come along and 2 ratchet tiedown straps to retract the rear slide.

SVTotem · 06-01-2011, 10:58 AM

You might be on to something Dan. I saw belts under the sofa and assumed they were seat belts. Perhaps there is another one for the winch. Still no winch evident though.

As I read your description of your bedroom slide rig it appears it would be off center on my configuration. The window is even with the aft side of the bed on a 39K.

We got rain today so we moved the trip to the coach for washing to tomorrow. I will check this out then.

Thanks for the info.

slick60 · 06-01-2011, 11:25 AM

I have a 2004 39K and I was told by Winnebago the Passenger sid slide has no manual method of retraction. You need to open the cylinder on the hydralic system (owners guide tells which one to open) and get "several" strong men to push it back in. I am serious this is what I was told by winnebago.

Navy Flier · 06-01-2011, 02:56 PM

Since this coach is six years old and you are now looking for the winch I am assuming you bought it used. If that is the case the previous owner probably removed the winch after getting tired of carrying it. He then probably completely forgot it when selling it. My 03 Horizon had a winch stored in a bracket in one of the right compartments. The whole thing struck me as a cruel joke. If I ever had a slide that would not retract I planned on fixing the problem with my cell phone. That is the same place I keep my spare tire.

SVTotem · 06-01-2011, 04:59 PM

Ah yes, the cell phone. I understand the approach, particularly with the spare tire. Yes, it is a used coach and there is no evidence of a storage place for the winch so I think that Winnebago has gone to the approach that Slick60 described earlier.

We experienced a problem with this slide extending while driving on the interstate in Arizona. It came out at an angle and wedged itself in place allowing us to continue to a repair facility. There was a pin hole leak in a hydraulic line to the rear servo allowing a loss of pressure that would have held the slide in place. The technicians said they had no trouble getting the slide back in, but I did not think to ask how they got the slide back in at that time. Now they are many states away.

I am interested in being a little more independent, and would like to be better prepared for another issue. That goes for the bedroom slide, too, which tends to creep back in.

I will continue to work on a solution because pushing the slide in just does not sit well with me. Too many ways to screw that up.

Thanks again for the help. I appreciate it.

DAN L · 06-01-2011, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTotem

You might be on to something Dan. I saw belts under the sofa and assumed they were seat belts. Perhaps there is another one for the winch. Still no winch evident though.

As I read your description of your bedroom slide rig it appears it would be off center on my configuration. The window is even with the aft side of the bed on a 39K.

We got rain today so we moved the trip to the coach for washing to tomorrow. I will check this out then.

Thanks for the info.

you are welcome,

my bedroom window is off center, but it still works. my come along sits on top of the bed at an angle. the bedroom slide is not hard to move with the come along. i think it would move with just the ratchet strap tiedowns.
i don't carry the boat strap winch anymore for the front slide. the first time i used the boat strap winch, it bent so bad it was unusable. i had to put it in a vice and hammer it straight.

i will use the come along and and the easy chair mount or the board outside the front door for the front slide too when necessary.