Gaucho rail stuck

[twesslen]

Pulling the gaucho out tonight for the kids and it got stuck. One of the rails will not open all the way and will not close all the way. Super frustrating. Is there a release mechanism? Any tips?

[Rocinante]

Our 2014 has a couch with a pull-out platform to extend it into a wider bed, but I don't think it has a "gaucho." A photo might help.

[twesslen]

So maybe I'm not using the correct term. When I said gaucho, I meant the couch that pulls out into a bed.

So after further review, I found that one of the screws (the one closest to the center of the trailer, where the edge of the bed is) that holds the slider came loose. When it came loose it protruded just enough that it lodged itself in a hole in the sliding portion of the rail. It prevented the rail from continuing to open and prevented the rail from closing. I was able to wedge a screwdriver in there and get it to move past it on the way in, consequently being able to close it all the way for the time being.

To be done: Hacksaw the screw head all the way off and hopefully catch it with a magnet from the inside and behind (after removing the decking over the storage area below) I think that in the fully extended position, the original screw hole will be visible and I can likely replace the screw. In order to get the slider all the way open, I will need to remove the loose screw as it is in the way of normal operation.

I'll try to post pictures as I work through this in the next few days.

[vintagemotor]

This happens all the time, it is a lot easier if you just "pop" the top panel off of the couch thus exposing the slider mechanism. I replace the short little screws with longer ones when they fail. If you travel a lot of miles, you need to frequently tighten these screws, they come loose from regular use and also the bouncing down the highway use. Once they come out and cause difficulty opening or closing the slider, they need to be replaced.

1st. remove all cushions.
2nd. remove the base of the couch (3'x5' panel), this is stapled into place and if you whack it with a hammer rom underneath it will come up.
3rd. extend slider to gain access to the mounting screws (there are 3) on each side that you will have to move the sliders in and out until you line up the access holes.
4th. replace with longer screws where needed, tighten all others.
5th. tighten screws in wooden support blocks just beneath the slider mech.
6th. lubricate the sliders with dry silicone spray
7th. re-staple 3x5 panel back in place

Enjoy!