SLIDE ROOMS – Preventative Maintenance and Troubleshooting:
Slide will not move in or out: Ignition switch not in run position; Start engine to provide power; Transmission not in neutral; Parking brake not set; Low 12 volt power; Blown 12 volt fuse; Slides not fully in or out; or maybe a faulty slide mechanism.
Concerns – Electric Slide Outs:
Motor/gear box can go bad. It can shear drive pins in main gear drive mechanism. Motor can become overloaded (excessive amp draw) from the dragging of the slides.
Concerns – Hydraulic Systems:
Possible failures of the pump, valve or hydraulic lines. Hydraulic lines are particularly susceptible to wear, friction, heat etc. Lines can develop leaks or breaks themselves. Relays can fail or trip out.
Leaks of dust or water around your slides:
When opening or closing a slide out room, check the floor. Sand, grit, or other “foreign” substances can get under the slide out and scratch the flooring. Check the topside. Branches, leaves, bird nests, and all manner of things can land on the outside of your slide out, even if you have a retracting slide out awning. These items get trapped in the retraction process, Read and follow the instructions provided with your rig. Do not change the room movement midstream, unless the slide has gone full cycle.
Periodic maintenance: Seals can dry out, what does your manufacturer recommend? , Silicone can dry rubber out. Slides should be lubricated regularly; we should never use a lube like WD-40. Be careful of a lubricant that contains silicone. Hydraulic reservoir levels should be checked regularly. Use what the Hydraulic fluids the factory specifies. Keep your coach batteries charged. Cranking that slide in and out by hand is a long, arduous task. Look at the vertical position of the slide as it moves in and out. All slides move on some type of roller assembly; the outer wall should maintain its stability (with little uneven movement) as it moves in and out. The floor and seals can be damaged if the slide does not move in and out evenly.
Contact the factory or go to their website for a remedy.
Happy Camping,
Fred b.
rv101byfred.com
Don
You say not to use silicone. I was always advised to use silicone on all the rubber gaskets around the doors etc…Also you did not say what to use.
Roger Knighten
Most slides that I have worked on have an ignition lock out on them. If the ignition switch is in the on position the slide motor will NOT operate.