Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-15-2017, 12:33 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Penfield, NY
Posts: 15
Leaks When Towing in the Rain

We have a 2015 Freedom Express Liberty Edition 298REDS, with 3 slides. Recently when towing in the driving rain we have noticed water leaking in by our front slide - the dinette table/couch slide - only on the front part. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen and if there was a fix for it. This has happened twice when towing when the rain is heavy and windy. This is the only slide with this issue. We have no leaks at all when it is raining and we are
stationary. And none of the other slides leak when towing in the rain. Just this one. Any suggestions? Thank you!
bkjones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2017, 02:22 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 128
I'll wait for someone else to ring in for confirmation as I am by no means on the same level as most of these guys but I would think it's your leading slide seal. It's either gone, not sealing properly or needs to be conditioned/cleaned.

Maybe you could add a strip of that squishable "bulb seal" (I think it's called) just behind your slide seal to bolster it up.
Gsxrgrizz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2017, 08:26 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Thurman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Albany, GA.
Posts: 1,359
Maybe this will help: I have a '15 Freedom Express 310BHDS with the living room/dinette slide. Approximately a year after purchase (Jan. '15) I noticed that the living room/dinette slide was not closing at the bottom, about 1 1/4" or so. Although I have not experienced any water getting in that was my first thought, water entering through the seal on the front of the slide. On my unit I have noticed that the seals which contact the outside walls of the slides tend to "flip" as the slide moves either in or out. With the slide in the seal is turned in towards the living area. With the slide not closing all the way I can see how easily it would be for water to enter into the living area while going down a road in the rain. I had to spend some time to teach myself which bolt to turn to get the living room/dinette slide to come all the way in at the bottom and stay there. After getting that slide to close properly I checked the bunk slide and it was staying out about 1/2"-3/4" so I made a small adjustment to that one. There will be some on this forum that will state that by going down a road the slides will tend to bounce and that gap at the bottom will open again. Probably will, but I will keep an eye on this area. There devices for sale which you place on top of the slide when closed to keep it from opening while traveling. All of these seem to work at the top of the slides which would still allow the bottom of the slides to creep out while traveling. I've thought about making up "sticks/braces", if you can call them that, to place at the bottom of the slides to prevent the bottom from traveling out when being towed but I have some concern as to these wooden braces ripping off the wooden trim around the slides on the inside. The bunk slide does not have much room for me to be in there when closed and the space between the slide wall and the TT wall is very narrow so I'm not sure I could even get my hand in there.
Thurman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2017, 09:02 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 2,024
Slides are a popular option to increase useable interior space in an RV but, slides will always be a source of water intrusion. Why my unit has no slides. If I need more room, I go outside.

The older a unit gets and the more brittle the slide seals get, the more chance of leaks.

Other places for the unit to leak as well, roof caulk points, nose and around any interruption in the outer skin, like shower ports, HWH panels, even the door mouldings. I often wonder just how many RV owners ever check their caulking or doo a blower door test to see where a unit is actually leaking, instead of guessing.... Not many I bet.
SidecarFlip is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2017, 11:33 PM   #5
Junior Member
 
Squirrelcop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by SidecarFlip View Post
Slides are a popular option to increase useable interior space in an RV but, slides will always be a source of water intrusion. Why my unit has no slides. If I need more room, I go outside.

The older a unit gets and the more brittle the slide seals get, the more chance of leaks.

Other places for the unit to leak as well, roof caulk points, nose and around any interruption in the outer skin, like shower ports, HWH panels, even the door mouldings. I often wonder just how many RV owners ever check their caulking or doo a blower door test to see where a unit is actually leaking, instead of guessing.... Not many I bet.

You're comment has really served as no help to this person that is trying to find a cure to a problematic issue with their trailer... congrats on owning a trailer with no slides and blower door testing your unit for leaks.
Squirrelcop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2017, 07:35 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 180
Try this; Service Manual
__________________
Coachman Freedom Express 320BHDS
Super 8 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-11-2017, 12:09 AM   #7
Crookedread
 
crookedread's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Hillsboro
Posts: 118
I pull my slide in tight but not before using the slide dryer from RoundButte. Com to get rid of all the water on my slide out roof.
crookedread is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2018, 11:51 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1
If you haven't found the fix yet, I know this was posted a while back, but, we bought a '13 292bhds freedom express, and after our first trip in the rain, the carpet in the rear end of the slide was wet, found that with the slide out, the bottom seal above the tires made a good seal, but when the slide was in, it left at least a 1/2" gap in the back end between the slide floor and the seal. Take slide out and lowered the back adjuster bolt, haven't had any more leaks since then. On another note, one would think one would check this before leaving the warehouse or even the sales lot. Hope this still helps!!!
crswrd1976 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2018, 11:28 PM   #9
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Mass
Posts: 68
To help diagnose the location of the leak try using a garden hose and an adjustable nozzle. Spray the suspected area while an observe looks for water leaking in. Once you can pinpoint where the water is leaking in at you should be able to find the issue. As said earlier the rubber seal that should compress when the slide is in is most likely the culprit, but you have to recreate the issue before finding a resolution.
__________________
2017 Coachmen 312BHDS Liberty Edition
2005 Ford Excursion 6.0L Turbo Diesel
https://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ers+group.html
d50erock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2018, 11:53 PM   #10
Novice Travel Trailer Guy
 
benchmarks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 795
Really crswrd1976......your series "one would think people would check that before buying" .....😉 nah most would not think of
__________________


2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BRDS Travel Trailer
2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 LTZ
benchmarks is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
leak, towing

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:29 AM.