Main Slider Sticking - Cardinal 5th wheel

[TexasBBQ]

Hello All. I'm Bill and a Newbie on the forum. Just posted in the Welcome Mat thread.

There I indicated I'm currently looking to upgrade to a 5th wheel with slides. May past two capers have not had any slides hence my need for some schooling.

My wife and I are about to close (99% done) on a 2004 Cradinal 33CKT 5th wheel from an individual. I've checked everything (I can think of) but the last slide which happens to be the largest of the three barely limps along when it's going in. It comes out just fine and there's not any odd noises. When it's time for this silde to go in the pump cycles on and off while holding the switch. It takes several minutes for it to come in.

I've looked at the hyd pump and there's plenty of oil. The camper is level very well.

I told the guy that I don't think that's normal but he indicated since it's plugged into 110v (as his place) the supplier current is not enough. There is nothig else turned on in the unit while we're testing the slides.

Do you agree? Someone else said that the batter must also be connected for the slides to work properly. I know the battery is dead. The odd thing for me is that they all go out just fine and the other two retract.

The underside is sealed so I can't see if anything is binding.

You're advice on what to look for and test would be appreciated.

Bill

[Boyd]

You're right to question the action of the slide. My slide runs off the coach battery. If the battery is not turned on, slide will not move, in or out, regardless of whether or not it is plugged into shore power. Charge or replace the battery you believe to be dead and then give it another go. "Trust but verify." A little sticking now could turn into a major jam-up later. Good luck and welcome.

[donn]

Dead battery will slow or prevent the slides from working. Also lack of lubricant on the slide mechanism and or slide seals can cause problems. When the large slide goes out/in is if fairly even or is one side or another going out first (cocking).

[St1tcher]

Yes for the slides use white lithium grease. Just grease the gears no need to do the entire slide. As for it limping in sometimes with a dead battery it might go slow. I would do what Boyd says and just hook up a battery that you know is good and give it a shot.

[TexasBBQ]

Thanks for the ideas. Sounds like I need to get a good battery (there's only one) in there and try it again. Since it's not my camper I'll offer to connectec it to my truck. It's a diesel so it has two batteries and I've got 6 gauge jumper cables. I think that should be sufficient.

St1tcher - the slide gear is fairly dry. The owner said it's been sitting for about 1.5 years.

I assume there is a small hydraulic motor under the follor that turns a gear that's connected to the slide mounted gear. I can't look under it because of the metal enclosure (winter and artic package). Is there a seperate motor for each of the rear two slides?

If it's sticking what's the most common root cause?

Thanks
Bill

[jimh]

the slides are hydrolic. (the 2002 33ts used hydrolic rams) the slide guides require no lubrication.
my large one goes in a few inches then pops as the slide rises up. it seems to move at the same rate the other two do.
an important thing to check on the cardinal is the frame behind the wheels. look abt an inch and a half above the lower part of the "I" directly behind the tire. ur looking for rust lines or lines. check and see if pads have been welded to the web in those areas. cardinal had problems with cracks in the frame up till around 2006 (don't know the beginning problem year but 2002 was one yr).
the fix was the pads in the web and braces bolted to the spring hangers going to the other side. 3 for 2 axles. they will be below the underbelly cover.
i developed the cracks on my 2002 this past summer. apparently, i haven't put the trailer in much of bind sense buying it.

[jimh]

i don't have a good answer on the slow movement. i would try an earlier suggestion and change out the bat and give it a try. even paralleling it, if the bat is bad, u may not show improvement.
i don't think there are any gears on it. 2002 was hydrolic. they use a ram. u should be able lift the plywood under the bed and see how they did it. the others are basically the same. they may have reverted back to gears but they seemed to be proud of their hydrolic slides when we visited the factory a couple yrs after buying ours.
if the oil was added just before u got there, there may be air in the system. go in and out three or four times should take care of any air. the large one seems to take the blunt of that problem.

[donn]

Originally Posted by St1tcher

Yes for the slides use white lithium grease. Just grease the gears no need to do the entire slide. As for it limping in sometimes with a dead battery it might go slow. I would do what Boyd says and just hook up a battery that you know is good and give it a shot.

Sorry, you NEVER want to use any sort of grease. Use only dry lube. If anything else has ever been used on the slide mechanism that could be your problem. Grease of any sort will attract and trap dirt/sand/crud of all sorts causing no end of problems.

[donn]

Originally Posted by jimh

i don't have a good answer on the slow movement. i would try an earlier suggestion and change out the bat and give it a try. even paralleling it, if the bat is bad, u may not show improvement.
i don't think there are any gears on it. 2002 was hydrolic. they use a ram. u should be able lift the plywood under the bed and see how they did it. the others are basically the same. they may have reverted back to gears but they seemed to be proud of their hydrolic slides when we visited the factory a couple yrs after buying ours.
if the oil was added just before u got there, there may be air in the system. go in and out three or four times should take care of any air. the large one seems to take the blunt of that problem.

Although there is a hydraulic ram for the slides there is still a rack under there that is used to drive the slide in/out in a balanced condition.

[jimh]

ur talking abt the two telescoping tubes on each side of the ram. i asked abt lube for that and they finally sold me a dry lube but was told it wasn't needed. (i asked those questions when i bought and when i visited the factory a couple yrs later. it made me feel better to spray the tubes. i really think they were right though). ur looking at a tube sliding into another with lots of play.
i suspect he is going to find those tubes aren't the problem. most likely the dead bat. or air.
it moving in one direction tells me the pump is fine. another area would be the valving. i believe if it was a internal leak on the ram, it would be in both directions. just an opinion. the bat and air problem are the only two i have actually encountered.