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Old 06-18-2012, 12:31 PM   #1
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slide out question

On our 2011 378, there is a persistant loud rattle near the front of the right slideout. In looking under the slide, I notice the two hydraulic rams have a considerable amount of play between the adjusting bolts. ( 3 or 4 inches) On ours there are 2 nuts on the inside of the attachment bracket and and one nut on the outside end. I wonder if these should be tight against the retaining bracket when the slide is in.

As it is now, the front hydraulic rod is loose when the slide is in, and rattles when I shake it. I suspect this is the noise I hear.

Have any other 378 owners noticed this? Should these be tight on the bracket?
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Old 06-18-2012, 01:46 PM   #2
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On my 370 there is a small gap less than an inch. I too hear a little rattle when closing it. I would think there would always be some play. I'm sure some 378 owners will tune in with their findings. it will interesting to see how many different answers you get.
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Old 06-18-2012, 01:52 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by ohiobill View Post
On our 2011 378, there is a persistant loud rattle near the front of the right slideout. In looking under the slide, I notice the two hydraulic rams have a considerable amount of play between the adjusting bolts. ( 3 or 4 inches) On ours there are 2 nuts on the inside of the attachment bracket and and one nut on the outside end. I wonder if these should be tight against the retaining bracket when the slide is in.

As it is now, the front hydraulic rod is loose when the slide is in, and rattles when I shake it. I suspect this is the noise I hear.

Have any other 378 owners noticed this? Should these be tight on the bracket?

That is normal. See attached document and page 9 and 10 for pictures and how to adjust if needed.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Lippert_Hydraulic_Slideout-Info.pdf (846.4 KB, 139 views)
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Old 06-18-2012, 03:13 PM   #4
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Your attached files are corupted and will not open
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Old 06-18-2012, 03:54 PM   #5
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Your attached files are corupted and will not open
Hi George
I just opened it and can read it. It is in Acrobat format and you must have Acrobat Reader to open it.
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Old 06-18-2012, 04:17 PM   #6
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I also opened it. It works.
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Old 06-18-2012, 05:01 PM   #7
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I have Acrobat and is up to date version, I tried in two different browsers and the same result
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Old 06-18-2012, 05:02 PM   #8
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Try deleting your temporary files and reboot.
That might help.
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Old 06-18-2012, 05:36 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ohiobill View Post
On our 2011 378, there is a persistant loud rattle near the front of the right slideout. In looking under the slide, I notice the two hydraulic rams have a considerable amount of play between the adjusting bolts. ( 3 or 4 inches) On ours there are 2 nuts on the inside of the attachment bracket and and one nut on the outside end. I wonder if these should be tight against the retaining bracket when the slide is in.

As it is now, the front hydraulic rod is loose when the slide is in, and rattles when I shake it. I suspect this is the noise I hear.

Have any other 378 owners noticed this? Should these be tight on the bracket?
I also have 378 but I think any Lippert or hydrau slide is similar. The reason for the "lost motion" of the rams or slack is to allow the pump to come to speed before real work must be done. As you push the button the pump starts, the room solonoid opens and the pump directs fluid to the correct side of the piston. By having the rod with a few inches of free motion, it does not force the pump to overcome a "dead head". Without it, the motor may stall and cause the breaker to open. It also allows for a minor misalignment in the length of the slide when extending or retracting.
If a room is loose the length of the rods are not adjusted properly but the lost motion must be as original. Mine are also 3" slack.
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Old 06-18-2012, 09:26 PM   #10
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From looking at the Lippert documentation, it appears the adjustment on mine is correct. The ram seems to work out about 1/2" while traveling. The rear ram remains tight, so the slide stays put, but the front one can rattle enough to be annoying on concrete highways. If I push the Slide in button it tightens up, for awhile.
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Old 06-19-2012, 10:13 AM   #11
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From looking at the Lippert documentation, it appears the adjustment on mine is correct. The ram seems to work out about 1/2" while traveling. The rear ram remains tight, so the slide stays put, but the front one can rattle enough to be annoying on concrete highways. If I push the Slide in button it tightens up, for awhile.
Strange, both rams work on the same pump pressure and manifold back pressure. The rods always have locking pressure on both sides of the piston except when the valve opens and unbalances the circuit. You can try to move the nylok nut tighter on the outboard bracket to move the room in a bit closer in the front. The way the piston rods float on brackets it may hold. The rattle won't go away unless you put thin bushings over the piston rods threads where passing through the rough cut guides. There's lots of slack in there, again part of which will allow for misalingment when the room is in motion. You may be able to stop the creep by checking and tightening the valve on the pump manifold for the slide. In this case its closest to the front on the outboard side
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Old 06-19-2012, 10:33 AM   #12
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....... The rear ram remains tight, so the slide stays put, but the front one can rattle enough to be annoying on concrete highways. If I push the Slide in button it tightens up, for awhile.
Sounds like maybe that particular piston is leaking around inside and reducing the pressure on one side. I have heard of pistons doing this.
In this cae no adjustment can correct and you need to see a dealer and have that piston check.
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Old 06-19-2012, 12:31 PM   #13
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Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll try tightening the nylock nut a little and checking the manifold valve. The only downside seems to be the rattle.

Does anyone else notice a sharp metallic rattle on rough roads? Or, are there too may other rattles to notice?
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Old 06-19-2012, 01:01 PM   #14
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Just a thought. You have a fireplace don't you.
I had a rattle when driving and it was the glass front that was rattling in the frame. My DW put q-tips between the glass and frame until we got home.
Then I removed the glass and put rubber electric tape all around the glass edge and reinstalled and no more rattle.

Maybe that is your rattle? Go and push the front glass around and see.
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Old 06-19-2012, 01:44 PM   #15
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We had that kind of rattle and it was driving me nuts. One day asked DW to go back to the kitchen when we were on a somewhat bumpy road. It was the lid of a china tea pot. We never heard that in the fifth wheel. Just one of the new thinks going from a fifth wheel to a motorcoach.
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Old 06-19-2012, 04:00 PM   #16
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Iggy - Thanks for the suggestion, but we had to have the dealer fix that one before we would take delivery! Current rattle sounds different, but from about the same location.

The shower door is pretty noisy too, sounds like the city bus. Don't think there is a way to quiet it down.
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Old 06-19-2012, 05:28 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Iggy View Post
Sounds like maybe that particular piston is leaking around inside and reducing the pressure on one side. I have heard of pistons doing this.
In this cae no adjustment can correct and you need to see a dealer and have that piston check.
Yes -some people don't realize it, but a hydraulic cylinder can and sometimes does leaks internally. The seal (s) on the inner cylinder will leak and by pass fluid from one side to the other. If you can get close enought to listen (not sure if you can do that here) and there is enought pump pressure you can sometimes hear the fluid by passing. If the other seals are tight enought, you will not usually have any external fluid leakage.

As stated by Iggy, a dealer or repair shop shoukd be able to bench check the cylinder for internal fluid by passing.
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