Front Slide Out Not Sealed Properly on a 2013 Sunseeker 3170ds

[fitzzy]

We purchased less than a year ago and have had problems since the beginning with the slide leaking. It runs in at the corner of the slide closet to the sink and sometimes at the front of the slide. The metal underneath the slide isn't covered like the slide on the other side that is a different type of slide. It seems to only have one "wiper seal" underneath and to me seems like there should be something else in front of this seal on the metal. You can see it hits that metal "shelf" under there and runs right in underneath the wiper seal. We know the slide has been out on more than one occasion. We have had it at the dealer multiple times and spent a good amount of money for it to not be fixed. They never can seem to get it and refused to put new seals on it. We went and looked at newer ones and they have an all in one seal that covers that shelf and acts as a wiper seal. Would it be possible to just replace with a different type of seal or add another seal?

[Splitshaft]

Originally Posted by fitzzy

We have had it at the dealer multiple times and spent a good amount of money for it to not be fixed. They never can seem to get it and refused to put new seals on it. We went and looked at newer ones and they have an all in one seal that covers that shelf and acts as a wiper seal. Would it be possible to just replace with a different type of seal or add another seal?

Owning a newer 2018, yet smaller Sunseeker model with a slide room, I actually don’t see any way to make sliding rooms water tight. None given the way they are designed with a little bit of loose fitting rubber around the opening. When my room is in, it is possible to see daylight coming around the room. I figure if I can see out, water can come in. I figure water penetration is just part of having gigantic holes cut in the side of our campers. Whether or not the seal can be doubled up or replaced with something else is a question for the person who would do that work. There is a great variation in the knowledge and abilities of folks working in the industry, to include their willingness to do anything outside their comfort range. It might be possible to find someone to make the modification desired, however doubtful they could guarantee it would be any less likely to leak. It may not always be possible to re-engineer stuff in the field that isn’t designed or built well from the get go. Yet, I like everyone else buy and own this stuff too.

[Garrette]

I have a 2014 Sunseeker. When extended, make sure the top seal end flap has not gotten behind the vertical wall seal flap. My top horizontal seal flap got tucked behind the vertical seal flap and directed water into the area you speak of.
I have slide toppers but water was still directed to the interior. Check the bottom corner as well.
You have an external bulb seal that seals when closed and an flap seal to seal when opened.
On the inside, you have the same seal configuration. A bulb seal that seals when out and a flap seal to seal when in.
Look at the flap seals and make sure they are flipped and laying flat along the slide wall. I use a yard stick to gently flip the seal if needed. Hope this helps without pictures.
I can not see top seal without a ladder so, I rely on the slide topper.
I have not looked into any other sealing options except for underneath the slide. Hope my ramblings help.

[Garrette]

Fitzzy, did you solve your sealing problem? If so, please post your solution.

[jmalanio]

I also have a 2014 3170DS with a water leak problem coming in on the front slide, back end. With the help of a ladder, I noticed the top wiper seal wasn't touching the top surface of the slide in the back when the slide is out, but at the front of the slide the wiper seal looks "normal". I took the topper off to gain access to the top seal, and from about half way across to the back of the slide I taped down some weatherstripping to the top surface of the slide just to the inside of where the wiper seal "should" be touching, acting like a diverter to get the water to NOT run into the RV, but run off the back of the slide. It seems to work for the most part but I still get some water inside. I REALLY would like to know if there is a roller under the end of the slide that either needs to be adjusted or needs some shimming to raise that end of the slide about an inch. Anyone know?

[Garrette]

I had a leak on the rear of the bedroom slide. Look at seals looked at everything. Put chalk box dust everywhere. Bought borescope and waited on rain. Still, could not see where it was coming from. If it rained, carpet got wet. Really aggravating. Finally looked on top for bad caulking. Everything looked really good but caulked everything anyway. Still a small leak.
Got to looking at the transition rolled corner piece between the top and the side just above the bottom, was a small thin line that looked like a simple pencil mark. Nah, that could not be it. Really a thin line about 4" long. If I had not had my face in it, probably would not have seen it. I placed a piece of blue painters tape over the mark and waited for rain. Leak stopped. In the first picture you can see the applied caulk (messy, I know) and the second is the area to check. I am thinking about decor tape but it will be visible so am unsure at this time. Hope this helps.

[jmalanio]

The first picture is EXACTLY what I see on my SunSeeker, but I don't have any sealer there but I also have no leak there either. It looks to be where the "corner" roof molding overlaps the side panel. I assume it is an "overlap" instead of a "butt joint". When I reseal that side of the unit, I'll run a bead along that seam anyway.

[Garrette]

Not vert good at this. Area 1 down over the topper was where the very thin crack was. Area 2 is a joint and does not leak. Hope this clarifies it a bit better. Just check the round over for any cracks. It may not even look like a crack. Like I stated, it looking like a very thin line.