50 amp Electric Power Cord Reel (LM Key Largo)

MandA

Member
I have a 2014 Key Largo and my electric reel for the 50amp cord is acting like it is in a bine or the motor is shot. Have to pull on the cord while holding in the retract button to get it started. then it is slow and if drag on core is present it will stop. I think the motor is bad. Looking for instructions on replacing. I have removed the door and retract button to see inside. motor seems to be on the left side and attached with four screws with nuts.Question, can the motor be repaired. where can a new one be purchased. If anyone has done this I would like to hear from you.
Thanks, Mike
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Electric real for 50amp cord on key largo

I have a 2014 Key Largo and my electric reel for the 50amp cord is acting like it is in a bine or the motor is shot. Have to pull on the cord while holding in the retract button to get it started. then it is slow and if drag on core is present it will stop. I think the motor is bad. Looking for instructions on replacing. I have removed the door and retract button to see inside. motor seems to be on the left side and attached with four screws with nuts.Question, can the motor be repaired. where can a new one be purchased. If anyone has done this I would like to hear from you.
Thanks, Mike

You might want to check out "Similar Threads" below.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Mike,

My guess is the motor is fine but that the motor shaft is out of place, causing the sprocket on it to be out of alignment with the sprocket on the shaft of the reel hub. A chain connects these 2 sprockets

Removing the nuts on the case on the left side of the reel will expose the 2 shafts and sprockets as well as the chain. By running the switch while observing all of that, you may draw some conclusions.

Here's a link to some pics: https://beletti.smugmug.com/RV/RV-Repairs/Shoreline-Power-Cord-Reel-Replacement/
 

MandA

Member
jbeletti, thanks for the pics. I assume this has to be done from underneath. how is the sprocket held on the shaft? I assume friction if you can just hammer it back in place. If ;I take out the screws on the sheet metal on the underneath side will it give me access.?
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
jbeletti, thanks for the pics. I assume this has to be done from underneath. how is the sprocket held on the shaft? I assume friction if you can just hammer it back in place. If ;I take out the screws on the sheet metal on the underneath side will it give me access.?

When we (Don S and Kevin W while I watched) removed mine, Frank B noticed the sprockets were not aligned due to one shaft being longer. He then tapped the longer shaft in with a hammer to realign the sprockets. We put the chain back on, powered it up and it worked! It's in storage at my house now and the new reel is installed in the unit by my the same pals.

How to remove the cord reel to service it:
  1. First, remove the plastic panel in the j-wrap to the left of the reel
  2. Remove the nuts on the bolts that hold the left cover onto the end of the reel
  3. Inspect and if the sprockets are out of alignment, attempt to tap the longer shaft into alignment
  4. If that's not it, time to remove the whole reel. Start by unplugging the coach from AC power (shore)
  5. Have a pal to help you too. Remove the plastic door from the j-wrap where the cord comes in/out of the coach
  6. Remove any screws that hold the return section of the j-wrap to the frame
  7. Disconnect the DC power wires coming out of the reel at the back of the switch
  8. Pull down on the end (next to the frame) of the j-wrap a bit and get your head up in there to see the bottom 2 screws, one on each side of the reel. Use a socket to remove those
  9. The top 2 screws are different than the bottom 2. I think the bottom 2 were drill-point Tek screws and the top 2 were machine thread screws with a bit of a tapered end to cut threads into the frame in a pre-drilled hole. Anyway, the bolt head size if different. I think we use a couple of socket wrench extensions to reach in through the reel hole in the face of the j-wrap. Your pal needs to support/catch the reel from the bottom.
  10. You'll really need to stress the j-wrap a bit to allow it to birth/free the reel through the bottom
  11. Once down enough, remove the protective cover on the right side of the reel and remove the 4 AC power conductors.
  12. Put it on the bench, connect 12 VDC to is and test. Reverse DC polarity to change reel direction
Good luck
 

MandA

Member
Just wanted to say THANKS for all the help. tore into the reel today. checked batteries 13,05 volts. checked the power wire at the reel 13.02 removed the motor and hooked up direct to battery, just a grunt. so pretty sure the motor is shot. it is made or marketed by REX Engineering, Titusville, Florida. Too late to call anyone today. any suggestions where to find a replacement?
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Just wanted to say THANKS for all the help. tore into the reel today. checked batteries 13,05 volts. checked the power wire at the reel 13.02 removed the motor and hooked up direct to battery, just a grunt. so pretty sure the motor is shot. it is made or marketed by REX Engineering, Titusville, Florida. Too late to call anyone today. any suggestions where to find a replacement?

You're getting somewhere at least :)
 

CDN

B and B
Hello,

I would pull the motor and see if maybe a local auotmotive electric shop can look at it. I have successfully on my own cleaned the armature on 12 v motors and put brushes in and have them work for a long time.
 

MandA

Member
Re: 50 amp Electric Power Cord Reel (LM Key Largo)or from Rex Engineering

Just an update. ordered a new motor from Rex Engineering . it arrived late last ;night. installed it today and everything is working as new. to all those who offered helpful information I want to say thank you. glad to be up and running. happy camping to all and safe travels.
m
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Re: 50 amp Electric Power Cord Reel (LM Key Largo)or from Rex Engineering

Just an update. ordered a new motor from Rex Engineering . it arrived late last ;night. installed it today and everything is working as new. to all those who offered helpful information I want to say thank you. glad to be up and running. happy camping to all and safe travels.
m

Great outcome! Curious - what did the new motor cost with shipping?
 

carl.swoyer

Well-known member
New Motor was $115. shipping was $22.99. I thought shipping was a little pricy. for a 2 lb ground ups.
Did you consider bringing it to an alternator shop and having the brushes replaced?

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
Part way out my cord started free wheeling. When I tried to power back in, the motor turns but the reel does not. (2015 Bighorn) what is the likely cause? Chain come off or what? Is the 2015 power cord reel similar to the pictures attached to this thread. Do I need to remove the whole unit to get to the chain cover?
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Part way out my cord started free wheeling. When I tried to power back in, the motor turns but the reel does not. (2015 Bighorn) what is the likely cause? Chain come off or what? Is the 2015 power cord reel similar to the pictures attached to this thread. Do I need to remove the whole unit to get to the chain cover?

Probably the chain.

Do not need to remove reel to get to chain.
1. Remove plastic end cap to the left of reel inside j-wrap
2. Remove nuts from studs around a cover over the sprocket/chain assembly
3. Remove cover and inspect

If the chain has come off, there's a reason. Simply putting it back on may not be a long term solution. Look at shaft projection and sprocket alignment (to each other - there's 2 of them).
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
There is a spring clip on the shaft to keep the gear in proper alignment with sprocket. It might have moved You can tell by looking at the chain on sprocket alignment and see if it is straight. I had this happen. Easy to correct.
 
Well, thanks to you guys I managed to gain access to mine and take the cover off. The chain was off. The sprockets were misaligned and the spool sprocket has a play in it that I still need to know if it is fixable. The sprockets are misaligned by at least 1/8".
 
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