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Old 07-28-2016, 07:35 AM   #1
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Slides... The love hate relationship..??

Slides, probably one of the most common, costly and frustrating issues in the RV game from what I can tell. Yet, a feature that really adds to the comfort and functionality of a coach. Hence, the "love-hate" nature of these problematic push-outs.

I'm making the jump into a brand new Sunseeker 3170DS after considering the 3050 but going another way because I think that having such a huge slide (basically the entire wall) is a problem waiting to happen. (Now I have two slides instead of one, lol!) Especially if you're the type of camper that's more mobile than fixed to a seasonal site or two, thereby requiring more frequent slide deployment.
That said, I'm aware that slides in general could be viewed as "problems waiting to happen". There are certainly enough people out there dealing with issues on slides of all sizes and designs to justify that point of view. So much so that I think they give most buyers pause as to having them and an uneasy feeling every time they reach for the switch when they do have them.
Nonetheless, when all is well with the slides there is no denying the comfort and practicality they add to today's coaches. They really do make the coach more like a home and a place where you can spend some time without feeling so boxed in.

What if anything are you doing to protect the integrity of your slide(s)?
Is there anything you can do beyond the basic application of lithium grease According to OEM instructions?
Has anyone found that bracing slides while extended, or any other technique has helped keep them from being among the ranks of frustrated slide owners? If there is something that can help then I'd like to start a good practice from day one.
I appreciate the feedback from anyone that can share their experiences on what to do...or what NOT to do, in regard to good slide use and maintenance.
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Old 07-28-2016, 07:44 AM   #2
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I don't think bracing after extending is recommended.

I wish I had a trailer with 8 slides. Heck, I don't know why they can't extend the top, bottom, front, back, sides........... heck of a concept! Slides make me laugh at the "tiny house" people.
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Old 07-28-2016, 08:06 AM   #3
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BandJCarm is right- slide supports are not recommended. If I hadn't thrown it away, I could have posted the excerpt from my owner's manual where it said they were not recommended.
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Old 07-28-2016, 11:16 AM   #4
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Thanks for the responses.
Do you mean to tell me that there are people selling these products even though using them isn't a good idea?? The nerve! ;-)

Yeah, unless somebody could give me a good reference point as to the recommended us of supports I wasn't going to employ them. You start making pressure/load bearing points where they were not designed to be then you're introducing a potentially new set of problems.
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Old 07-28-2016, 11:50 AM   #5
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I don't think you should use lithium grease on your slides as this will hold dirt and debris. There are several products that are recommended that dry but also lubricate as discussed in the attached article..

Also, you want to treat your rubber seals periodically.

RV Clinic: Slide Lubrication
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Old 07-28-2016, 11:57 AM   #6
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I don't think you should use lithium grease on your slides as this will hold dirt and debris. There are several products that are recommended that dry but also lubricate as discussed in the attached article..



Also, you want to treat your rubber seals periodically.



RV Clinic: Slide Lubrication

Thanks. Based on some of what I've found that is why they recommend white lithium spray grease ...it won't hold, or hold as much perhaps, potentially abrasive particles/debris. Clearly I'll need to look at this again and to the manufacturers for more specifics.
Thanks again.
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Old 07-28-2016, 12:37 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigPoppy View Post
Thanks. Based on some of what I've found that is why they recommend white lithium spray grease ...it won't hold, or hold as much perhaps, potentially abrasive particles/debris. Clearly I'll need to look at this again and to the manufacturers for more specifics.
Thanks again.
X2. I only use the spray slide lube you can get at wally world. It cleans and lubricates but is a 'dry' lube that doesn't attract dust. Been using it for many years with good results. I use it often before I bring in the slides... Especially if they have been out a few days.
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Old 07-28-2016, 01:02 PM   #8
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I am actually pleased to hear that I am not the only one with the "jitters" at switch time when opening and closing the slides. So many horror stories. I always have a big, big sigh of relief when everything is tucked away again. That said, my first C class had no slides back in the 1980's. I would never buy an RV without them.
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Old 07-28-2016, 01:18 PM   #9
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Our slides are hydraulic so another thing I do is spray the hydraulic rams with a silicon spray. Do not use WD-40 or any petroleum based product as this is ruinous on the seals.
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Old 07-28-2016, 01:30 PM   #10
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I use a spray slide lubricant that Camping World carries. So far in 19,000 miles and mostly quick in and out camping stays, not a problem yet with my Solera's slide.
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Old 07-28-2016, 02:26 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigPoppy View Post
Thanks for the responses.
Do you mean to tell me that there are people selling these products even though using them isn't a good idea?? The nerve! ;-)
.
These are holdovers from the early days of slideouts, when the slide technology was new and there were lots of issues.

Modern slideouts are better engineered and don't need these old school supports.
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Old 07-28-2016, 03:46 PM   #12
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. I'm making the jump into a brand new Sunseeker 3170DS after considering the 3050 but going another way because I think that having such a huge slide (basically the entire wall) is a problem waiting to happen.
That was exactly my thought process when I read the sad stories of 3050/3051 being in the repair shop for extended periods of time to repair
the full wall slides. The Schwintec slide system seems to still need some improvement to be able to call it a trouble free system. The older generation Lipert slides with a basic motor and rod design has been around for a very long time with a good history. I opted for the 3100 with only one slide and a huge amount of storage area. Our last C class (29 Coach. Leprauchaun) did not even have a slide and the extra area of a living room slide makes a huge difference.
Good luck with your new Sunseeker!!
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Old 07-28-2016, 05:26 PM   #13
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Good luck with your new Sunseeker!!

Thank you! It comes home tomorrow. Family is so excited it's crazy!
Almost makes it worth it already.
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Old 07-28-2016, 08:56 PM   #14
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Right now we are having the "hate" part of our slide relationship. It's raining and we have water coming in the sofa side slide of our Lexington B+ motorhome. We maintain our slides, are parked level and yet the last few rains we have a leak. Getting really tired of wet carpet, wood and now a rusting seat bracket.
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Old 07-28-2016, 09:46 PM   #15
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Right now we are having the "hate" part of our slide relationship. It's raining and we have water coming in the sofa side slide of our Lexington B+ motorhome. We maintain our slides, are parked level and yet the last few rains we have a leak. Getting really tired of wet carpet, wood and now a rusting seat bracket.
Sounds like this has been an ongoing problem for you. Sorry to hear. If you can, I would get a ladder and inspect your rubber seals around the slide and inspect all the seams around the edge of your slides. You may find a rip or tear in the bonding tape or the rubber...
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Old 07-28-2016, 10:44 PM   #16
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brandon 2

I agree slides are great. We have 3 of them on our 2014 Sun Seeker 2500.
Two are Swinteck and the other is the standard Lippert make. WD 40 is the worst thing one can use on slides , or much else for that matter like a garage door. and white lithium grease is ok for latches and garage doors and other items but not the tracks for the slides. Dry lube is the way to go and as we all know dirt is the worst enemy of anything that moves. We treat our slides with the dry lube and keep the rubber fins/ tracks as clean as possible and well treated with the proper product made to keep them soft and pliable.
One of the best things for slides is to make sure the RV is level before deploying them . This puts away less stress on the motors and tracks.
Don't leave them our for extended periods of time when the RV is stored. When they are in UV rays are not deteriorating the rubber fins.
Lastly put them in all the way and all the way out in one movement. not part way . With the schwintek ones this may result in one having to re program the motors. Stopping and starting is not recommended.


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Old 07-29-2016, 12:30 AM   #17
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In agreement with many others. Like most things slides need regular PM. That includes regular lubrication of the tracks/rails with a proper dry lubricant. I do hours probably every twenty cycles or so. We have 2011 Wildcat 28RKS that , although I have never counted must have a couple hundred cycles on the slide with no ussues ( touch wood). Also lube the seals maybe three times a season. Also try to be nice to the mechanism at the end of travel both in and out and once it gets there, just a little touch to finalize the travel cycle.
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Old 07-29-2016, 01:04 AM   #18
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I also make sure to put "Slide Brace" on my pre-trip checklist. By that I mean the adjustable rod that goes inside the trailer when the slide is retracted. It goes between the slide and the trailer wall and takes road forces off the retract mechanism while towing. Must be important because it came with the trailer and even has labels on where to put it.
My slide also has the single central retractor which causes quite the dance while extending/retracting. My fingers and toes are always crossed while that thing is moving!
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Old 07-29-2016, 12:09 PM   #19
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I have a 2008 Puma 29FQS with two slides on the left side. When I purchased the unit 2 yrs ago I had slide toppers installed. I check them every time I use them about 10-12/year. I use the dry slide lube on the rubber seals and on the rack and pinion gears I use a dry gear lube that you can get from Camping World or Amazon. My slides have worked great and do not leak. I do not use slide supports. I have found that when I level the trailer from side to side that if I leave the left side up about 1/2 a degree when I put the slides out it will level it to zero degrees. I then put my stabilization jacks and JR strong Arm system down and it is rock solid.
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Old 07-31-2016, 02:46 PM   #20
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Current Slide-Out Designs Are Problematic

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigPoppy View Post
Slides, probably one of the most common, costly and frustrating issues in the RV game from what I can tell. Yet, a feature that really adds to the comfort and functionality of a coach. Hence, the "love-hate" nature of these problematic push-outs.

I'm making the jump into a brand new Sunseeker 3170DS after considering the 3050 but going another way because I think that having such a huge slide (basically the entire wall) is a problem waiting to happen. (Now I have two slides instead of one, lol!) Especially if you're the type of camper that's more mobile than fixed to a seasonal site or two, thereby requiring more frequent slide deployment.
That said, I'm aware that slides in general could be viewed as "problems waiting to happen". There are certainly enough people out there dealing with issues on slides of all sizes and designs to justify that point of view. So much so that I think they give most buyers pause as to having them and an uneasy feeling every time they reach for the switch when they do have them.
Nonetheless, when all is well with the slides there is no denying the comfort and practicality they add to today's coaches. They really do make the coach more like a home and a place where you can spend some time without feeling so boxed in.

What if anything are you doing to protect the integrity of your slide(s)?
Is there anything you can do beyond the basic application of lithium grease According to OEM instructions?
Has anyone found that bracing slides while extended, or any other technique has helped keep them from being among the ranks of frustrated slide owners? If there is something that can help then I'd like to start a good practice from day one.
I appreciate the feedback from anyone that can share their experiences on what to do...or what NOT to do, in regard to good slide use and maintenance.
I too hold my breath every time I push my Georgetown slide-out extend and retract buttons; especially the retract. I have not had one fail yet but I have heard many actual accounts from RV owners having problems with them. They give trouble even in expensive rigs like Winnebagos and the problems occur whether they are cable, rack or hydraulic driven.

I am wondering when the RV manufactures will learn the lessons from the makers of kitchen cabinets. The problem with slide-outs is the roller systems they employ are crude and require a lot of force to move the heavy slides-out structures causing the actuation systems to be heavily loaded.

One solution would be to make the roller systems require less force. If they rolled as smoothly as a modern kitchen drawers, it might solve a lot of problems. You might even be able to move them in an out by hand your actuation system failed.

Modern kitchen drawers use precision metal ball bearing systems which are very reliable and can transfer large loads with little friction. Maybe, one of these days some RV manufacturer might try getting a kitchen drawer ball bearing slider manufacturer to produce their ball bearing assemblies big enough for heavy RV slide-outs. It could be just a matter of scaling up their designs.
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