The Gear Slide Is Stuck or Is Not Sliding Smoothly
Confirmed Issue:
The gear slide is not sliding smoothly, does not stop at the proper intervals, has unusual resistance or rubbing, or does not slide out at all.
Affected Units:
Any Vandoit LIV van or any Vandoit DO van with an optional gear slide installed
Issue Explanation:
Parts in the gear slide's construction--specifically the release pin mechanism, roller bearings, or weldment cross bars--can move, bend, or twist in such a way that the gear slide no longer operates as intended.
Resolution:
View this video for a demonstration of the resolution steps below.
Note: The gear slide is heavy and requires two people to safely remove and reinstall.
1. To remove the gear slide, open the rear doors, and one person stands on either side of the gear slide just outside the van.
2. Pull the red knob and pull the gear slide until it arrives at the last stop.
3. Tilt the gear slide up at about a 20 to 30 degree angle.
4. Lift the front end of the gear slide over the last stop and remove it completely from the van. Rest the gear slide securely against a vertical surface outside the van so that the underside of the gear slide can be easily viewed.
5. With the underside of the gear slide in view, pull the red knob to see if it also pulls on the gold pin. If the knob and/or pin do not move freely, this may indicate that the silicone lubricant is no longer keeping the mechanism lubricated. If you believe this may be the case, submit a ticket through the Customer Support portal or email support@vandoit.com with a video of your attempt to move the knob and gold pin.
6. Check the gold pin to see if it has rotated. If an angled side of the nut on the pin is facing down instead of a flat side, this may be rubbing on the weldment underneath the gear slide. Rotate the nut so that a flat side is facing the van floor.
7. Check the tension of the red knob by pulling it and seeing if it retracts/snaps back. If it does not, the tension can be adjusted by moving the entire black cable slightly closer to the outside (passenger's side) of the gear slide.
8. Check the roller bearings on the gear slide itself to make sure they are not bent. If they appear bent, send a photo of them to the Customer Support team by submitting a ticket through the Customer Support portal or emailing support@vandoit.com.
9. Inspect the black weldment (the structure the gear slide moves on top of) on the inside of the van. On the driver's side of the weldment, you should be able to see a line where the pin has been wearing on the inside of the weldment as it passes by the open stops. This line should be just below center. If the line is too low, this indicates that the pin is too low and is not properly catching on each stop. If you see a low line on the weldment of your gear slide, send a photo to the Customer Support team by submitting a ticket through the Customer Support portal or emailing support@vandoit.com.
10. Inspect the weldment crossbars to see if the gear slide--specifically the gold pin--has rubbed them. Because the Ford factory floor and insulation underneath the weldment is flexible, it can move and settle over time. If the crossbars appear to be rubbed, try tightening the bolts that hold the crossbars down so that they are more tightly affixed to the floor.
11. If the weldment crossbars appear to be bowing up, hammer them down so that they are out of the way of the gold pin.
12. Check the silver roller bearings on the left and right at the rear of the weldment to make sure they are not bent. If they appear to be bent, send a photo to the Customer Support team by submitting a ticket through the Customer Support portal or emailing support@vandoit.com.
13. To reinstall the gear slide, two people pick up the gear slide and hold it at about a 20 to 30 degree angle to lift it over the rear stop.
14. Once the gear slide is over the rear stop, hold the red handle and slide the gear slide in horizontally.
If these troubleshooting steps and the video above do not help resolve the issue you are encountering, submit a ticket through the Customer Support portal or email support@vandoit.com with a description of how your gear slide is operating and the troubleshooting steps you have tried.
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