Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

July 15, 2020, 02:35:23 pm

Hello all.  It's been a while and I've forgotten more than I knew about my Train Slide.  Here is what is going on at the moment.
1.  I drove the coach 1100 miles to AZ in October and had not opened the slide since arrival.
2.  Yesterday, I decided to open it in anticipation of a trip next week. 
3.  Bladder deflates (and inflates) properly with no fault.
4.  Pressed Extend button.  Red light comes on and I can hear pump working but no slide movement, and no change in pump tone.
5.  Resealed the bladder and came inside.  It is about 100 degrees in the garage.
6.  Went out today and tried again.  Same results.
5.  I decided that I had better check to see that coach will move.  Nope.  Flashing transmission indicator indicates the slide is not locked in place and thus will not allow it to go into gear. 
6.  I visually inspected the upper locks above the header and I can see that the pins are NOT engaged.  Thus the slide should move, but does not.
7.  Now I do not know if the locks unlocked or not when I first tried unsuccessfully to extend.  I suspect they must have, but I wasn't listening for them.  Motor and Generator were on in the garage, and I was not expecting a problem so I didn't listen carefully.  I had driven it here with no problem, and I couldn't have done that with the pins unlocked.

8.  I tried both retract and extend and get no activity on the locks now. 

Since I parked it with no problem, I am not sure what is happening now.  I suspect that the locks (at least the 2 that I can see) must have unlocked when I tried to extend the slide because the coach now won't engage in gear.  (I do know how to defeat the neutral safety switch to be able to move it, but haven't done so yet.)   

There are no visible leaks anywhere, and since this is a 2002, I cannot check the fluid level with the slide in.
Any ideas where to start troubleshooting?  Thanks!
 

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #1 – July 15, 2020, 07:51:37 pm

Try the bypass switch first on the side and see if that fixes the problem?

Does the light on the dash stay off or on?

In the basement (on mine) on the left facing the passenger side and looking through the pass through basement.. You will see the HWH control boards.. check all the fuses on the board.. They are double stacked or even triple stacked (in my case). I little 2 or 3 amp fuse was popped on the rear (deepest board).. This communicates with the in and out function ( wire shorted on mine and blew it.. Made all the noises just didnt do any movement.. That would be to get you started.. (guessing).

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #2 – July 15, 2020, 08:15:46 pm

Do you have the manual?  If not, I can send it to you.  It will show the status lights for the locks and room position sensors.

Rich

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #3 – July 16, 2020, 08:58:18 pm

Brad
Any update on slide?

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #4 – July 10, 2021, 02:15:16 pm

Sorry I did not finish this thread.  I think the magnetic switches that tell the system to go ahead and engage the locks just weren't aligned properly.  I drove the coach (after changing the 110/220 switch) to Oregon and back...and then tried again to fully retract the slide and engage the pins.  Worked.  Since then, I've opened and closed the slide a couple of times as we have been using the coach as a moving van from AZ to WY and next week is a trip from WY to OR and back to empty a storage unit there.

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #5 – July 10, 2021, 04:27:09 pm

Just to add a few comments about the 2002 slide mechanism...

About a year ago we had the exact same problem as Brad described. In fact Brad, Ron (redtractor), and Rich Bowman were really, really helpful in assisting us with great documentation and answers to the many questions we had. We were frustrated! Our problem was highly intermittent. Did find that the hydraulic fluid was low, and added 3/4 of a bottle of synthetic power steering oil. HWH suspected the sync cylinder and suggested a visit... As Brad commented, check only with slide OUT, it's a 2002 thing.

We took a trip to HWH, (it was on our way to Zip Dee, another 2002 thing) to have a look, "no problems found"... Slide went in and out multiple times, they checked everything. We were dumbfounded... Drove 600 miles South to Kentucky. First try the slide would not go out. Reset, tried again. Second try slide went out, slide went in. Moved once within the campground, slide went out, but would not close! We were now stuck. Called HWH.

I spent a day following the troubleshooting guides, verifying locking pin positions, etc. Found that one of the magnetic switches on the top locks was falsely indicating. Pulled off the headboard, got to the switch, checked, switch worked by moving a magnet across. Then checked all the wiring and connections up to the board, loose, frayed? All were good! Suspected the board... At about 3 PM, HWH called back and confirmed what I THOUGHT... The Reed relay on the board was defective, they are not plug-ins! They recommended sending in the board or driving back... I'm driving back, see in the morning!!!

So, looked up the procedures to disable the locks and manually pulled the slide in. I was actually surprised how easy it was... Did that and started driving North to Iowa again at 6 PM. We got there around 10 AM, after a night in the rest area. HWH took a quick look, and again, everything checked out. The next day it was in the bay by 6:45 am, and all day they checked stuff out. They pulled all four HWH boards around 9 AM and sent them down the street to be bench checked. About 4PM, they came back with three new boards and one original. We had the coach back by 5:30, unfortunately it was a Friday, and we had to move across the street. They lock the place down for the weekend. We left a second time the next morning for Kentucky...

Good news is, slide now works like it should...

So, learned more than I ever wanted to know about slides, (thanks again to the forum plus Brad, Rich and Ron)... My advice to folks with Slide issues-  is to make a trip to Iowa!

HWH REALLY is a good company, they literally went over every air line in the coach that is their responsibility. Fixed a couple minor issues. Flagged some air brake leaks. Suggested a few items that should be replaced as "preventative maintenance" due to age, aux air compressor motor mounts cracked, plastic bowl and desiccant, check valves, protection valves, change some plastic PTF fittings to brass, etc... Great discussion about "six-packs" either me or Ron will be rebuilding them when I get back to Florida this year).

The service charges were very reasonable for the effort they expended! They stand behind their products, and think about it- we brought in an 18 year old product of theirs! And they diagnosed and fixed the issues. Not to many companies "support" or stand behind their engineering or products like that. Amazing...

Just my 2 cents...

Best, Jeff

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #6 – July 10, 2021, 08:17:21 pm

Jeff nice post.    would you be willing to talk about my slide issue? 9723107955

Quote Selected

Re: 2002 Slide locking pins problem (Train system)

Reply #7 – July 10, 2021, 10:41:01 pm

Absolutely! Will call you in the morning.

Quote Selected