Rubber or plastic hoses on slide outs

[Bubbamace]

Okay, so I have two questions for you. I'm replacing a hose on one of my slide outs on my 2013 Forest River Georgetown XL, model 352 QS. It came with plastic looking lines and one already has a leak in it and the outer covering developed a bubble in it which broke. Hose Man, a company that makes all types of hoses advises me that the plastic lines are cheap and have a tendency to kink. They recommend using rubber lines. They say they do not kink and can hold more pressure than the plastic lines. Anyone else run into this problem? And what did you decide?
The second question I have is when I replace the hose, do I need to bleed the slide out ram some how or will pulling the slide out in and out put hydraulic fluid into the line? Thank you for any answers you may give me. I'm used to working on cars and not hydraulics on motor homes.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Bubbamace

Okay, so I have two questions for you. I'm replacing a hose on one of my slide outs on my 2013 Forest River Georgetown XL, model 352 QS. It came with plastic looking lines and one already has a leak in it and the outer covering developed a bubble in it which broke. Hose Man, a company that makes all types of hoses advises me that the plastic lines are cheap and have a tendency to kink. They recommend using rubber lines. They say they do not kink and can hold more pressure than the plastic lines. Anyone else run into this problem? And what did you decide?
The second question I have is when I replace the hose, do I need to bleed the slide out ram some how or will pulling the slide out in and out put hydraulic fluid into the line? Thank you for any answers you may give me. I'm used to working on cars and not hydraulics on motor homes.

The ones I've seen are plastic pipe or conduit which carry wires. They are "stiff" to enable telescoping when the slide is operated without drooping.

[bubbles]

If you are talking about one of your slide hydraulic hoses failing you need to contact Forest River before you do anything. They will advise you what to do. If it is the hydraulic hose (line) it is an on going issue on numerous Georgetown MH's and Forest River is quite familiar with the issue you describe. You probably will have more than one hose to contend with. Search this site for bubbled slide out hoses.

[Bubbamace]

Originally Posted by VinceU

The ones I've seen are plastic pipe or conduit which carry wires. They are "stiff" to enable telescoping when the slide is operated without drooping.

Thanks VinceU. It is one of my hydraulic lines that is failing, but thanks for the reply.

[gbburgess]

I have replaced all of my plastic orange hoses. Best keep an eye on them.
Glen and Barb
2007 fr georgetown 373 xl
2013 Jeep Wrangler unlimited

[Bubbamace]

Originally Posted by gbburgess

I have replaced all of my plastic orange hoses. Best keep an eye on them.
Glen and Barb
2007 fr georgetown 373 xl
2013 Jeep Wrangler unlimited

Thanks for letting me know. its going into the dealer on Tuesday to replace the orange hose that failed. I will keep an eye on the rest of them.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Bubbamace

Thanks for letting me know. its going into the dealer on Tuesday to replace the orange hose that failed. I will keep an eye on the rest of them.

You should think hard about replacing all of them while you are at the dealer.
The last thing you want or need is to have another fail while out on a trip.
Replace them with rubber.

[Bubbamace]

Well, the motor home has been at the dealer for three weeks. How long does it take to request a hose from Forest River and put it on? Anyone has have an idea?

[Ford Idaho]

Have you ask the dealer if he has the hose, but has just not done the install.

I would bet there is some place local that could make the hose/s in a couple of hours if you want to pay for them out of pocket.

[Bubbamace]

Hi Ford Idaho. Yes I asked if the dealer had the hose in stock. Of course they didn't. It has taken three weeks to write this up and present it to Forest River and wait for the hose to arrive. The motor home already has the hose removed and is ready to be reassembled according to the service adviser. I was already in contact with hose man to make a new rubber hose for me, but read the numerous complaints about the plastic hoses made in China on this forum. I decided to contact Forest River and see what they said. They told me that they had a batch of bad hoses and would send a new, improved hose and pay for the install. I thought this was a great gesture and then took the motor home to the dealer. I wasn't aware that my motor home would be inoperable for a month. So far the dealership hasn't contacted me and I wanted updates once a week. It seems they don't want to contact me that frequently. Second dealership with poor service. First Mike Thompsons RV and now McMahons RV. The area I live in has too many people and therefore the dealerships here act like you are bothering them to find out what is going on with your RV. I'm guessing you don't have that problem where you live. Anyway, just waiting...again. RV ownership sure is not fun.

[Bubbamace]

An update. I got my motor home back after one month and the hose has been replaced. Of course the hose was not routed like the stock hoses along the frame. The hose is wrapped around the frame and not secured properly. Also, the water tank was removed and when it was put back in the cover was put in inside out with the staples facing outward. The insulating foam was stuck back in the holes where the drain hoses come out of the bottom of the motor home. By the time I got the motor home the foam was hanging out of the holes.
I wouldn't have found out about the routing of the hose or the foam had I not been installing an inverter and routing wiring underneath the coach. All I can say is do not let McMahon's RV in Westminster, Ca. work on your coach. My "Tech" was Diego and I can say he did one of the sloppiest jobs on my coach I have ever seen. I have been camping since being a kid when my dad had a camper. We have had several trailers, a couple of campers, and several motor homes and never had this poor service.