When your RV slide-out won't extend or retract smoothly, a worn or damaged rack gear is often the culprit. The Lippert 116653 PLT rack is a direct OEM-replacement gear rack designed for Lippert electric rack-and-pinion slide-out drive systems. At 16 inches long with a 1.25-inch tooth pitch, this rack restores proper slide function and protects your drive motor from the extra load caused by a stripped or bent rack.
Lippert Components is the OEM supplier for slide-out systems on hundreds of RV brands including Coachmen, Forest River, Keystone, Grand Design, Heartland, and many others. The rack-and-pinion design uses a precision-cut gear rack mounted to the slide room frame, driven by a pinion gear connected to an electric motor. Over time, the rack teeth can wear, strip, or crack -- especially on heavily used or improperly lubricated slides.
Replacing just the rack -- rather than the full slide assembly -- is a cost-effective repair that most experienced DIY RVers can complete with basic hand tools. Using the correct Lippert part number (116653) ensures proper tooth engagement with the pinion gear and correct overall length for the slide travel.
Genuine Lippert replacement rack. Maintains factory tooth geometry and engagement with the original pinion gear.
16 inches of usable rack length. Sized for specific Lippert slide systems -- verify your existing rack length before ordering.
1.25 in. pitch matches the corresponding Lippert pinion gear. Mismatched pitch will cause binding and motor overload.
Used on slide systems installed across many Forest River, Keystone, Coachmen, and Heartland coach models equipped with Lippert rack-and-pinion slide drives.
"PLT" is Lippert's internal designation for the plastic or composite rack used in their rack-and-pinion slide-out mechanisms. These racks are typically molded from a glass-filled nylon or acetal-type engineering polymer, chosen for its self-lubricating properties, corrosion resistance, and ability to mesh quietly with a metal pinion gear. Unlike a steel rack, a PLT rack is designed to be the sacrificial wear component -- it protects the more expensive motor and pinion gear by wearing first.
Because the rack is the intended wear item, Lippert makes individual rack sections available for replacement. This 16 in. x 1.25 in. section is a specific length segment. Some slides use a single rack; others use multiple rack sections joined end to end. Count your existing rack sections and measure total length before ordering.
Common symptoms that point to a rack replacement rather than a motor or gear box problem:
Rack replacement on a Lippert system typically involves: