Kitchen Slide Heads Up

Mons02035 · 08-25-2015, 05:28 PM

Today I was removing one of the benches for my dinette to make more room and I found that my floor under the table is completely rotted out. I should have put 2 and 2 together the last time I took out the coach because I noticed some "bubbles" in the black weather barrier that is on the bottom of the slide out. I also kind of had a bad feeling before this because a couple days ago I took my coach into the dealer to get an oil change on the generator and noticed another Legacy 340BH in their garage with the slide out and all the black weather barrier pulled off and that coach also had a rotted out floor (at the time I said to myself, poor bastard). So I would recommend that you all check your slide floors.

Another issue I found out with the kitchen slide is that the wire that goes from the slide control box in the basement to the motors is run in the weather stripping on the bottom of the slide opening. All they did to hold it in place was use what appears to be black electrical tape. Well in the summer heat of Florida the tape has failed and the wire now comes out with the slide, the worst part is that it ends up going between the slide and the rollers.

Now to figure out how to make a warranty claim and what to do about all the trips I currently have planned, no telling what the time frame for this repair is going to be.

captnrick3 · 08-26-2015, 09:10 PM

Where do you think the water came from that rotted it out?

Mons02035 · 08-26-2015, 09:58 PM

I have no idea. I have not contacted the dealer yet about this to ask them what caused it in the one they are currently fixing. I did email my forest river rep about this and he also had mentioned that my local dealer was fixing one with the same issue but he did not tell me what caused it. When I finally get it in the dealer to get fixed I will try and get pictures and post an update to this. I will say though that the first obvious sign something was wrong was the bubbles in that black weather barrier on the bottom of the slide, it's pooled water that got stuck.

dmwoody · 08-28-2015, 12:03 AM

I'm getting that same bad news from my dealer.

I've had the 340KP since May of this year. There's a list of twenty items including the delaminating of the back splash and wall board in the kitchen slide. Well, the tech got to looking around at how to take this thing apart and replace that whole wall, and he called with the bad news - the slide floor is rotting. I ran up there (Camping World Burlington, WA) about 70 minutes away to take a look. I've attached the pics. wrinkling/bubbling membrane & roller grooves. Not to mention the schwintek gear track is chewing up from the drag being caused when extending and retracting. The warranty work estimate is in and I'm waiting. The dealer states he has no hope FR will let them perform the repair. He believes they will want it back at the factory. That's an additional 6,000 miles on my now 4,000 mile rig. I'm going to contact them tomorrow to try and push back to having it done here. Let me know what any of you find out on your deal.

captnrick3 · 08-28-2015, 07:52 AM

I am really interested in where all that water came from. My Schwintek gears are wearing pretty quickly as well, just keeping my eye on that issue as the slide seems to work OK at the moment.

aeroshots · 08-28-2015, 09:22 PM

Hopefully we can find a way of being proactive and preventing this rather than reactive. FR, tell us what to do before damage is done.

dmwoody · 08-28-2015, 11:23 PM

Another pic of the indent put into the slide bottom from one of the rollers. The ripples in the membrane isn't water - it's the wood - assuming caused by dampness exposure from ?? Possibly no sealant on the skin screw strip allowing small amounts of water in while traveling down the road in rainy conditions?? Possibly leaking in from around the windows?? Don't know. I don't see water or trails above the false floor in the kitchen base. I'm just a bit PO'd. Owned three and half months, four trips out, my lengthy pick up list still not fixed, and now this. Where's the quality.

Additionally, I took the washer and dryer out the week after buying it because I needed the space for dog crates. I found the washer drain down pipe where it connects to the horizontal drain pipe headed forward to the kitchen, wasn't glued in. Yes, correct, no PVC glue at the junction. And no, we hadn't used the washer. Thank goodness. Where's the quality.

Witch Doctor · 08-29-2015, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captnrick3

I am really interested in where all that water came from. My Schwintek gears are wearing pretty quickly as well, just keeping my eye on that issue as the slide seems to work OK at the moment.

The water might be coming in at the side edges, and getting trapped and rotting the wood. I don't see any protection along the sides. As far as the slide, how could FR think that the Schwintek system could be used on such a heavy slide? I looked up the unit and MSRP was 230,000 dollars. I would be very upset with things like that happening. Hope they will take care of all your problems with the legacy and a good fix.. Good Luck....very nice looking MH.

aeroshots · 08-29-2015, 07:40 AM

MONS and DM,
This seriously sucks. I'm sure many others besides myself are sorry to see you guys going through this. I'm also sure many others including myself are very nervously inspecting our Legacy's.

Let us hope FR steps up and repairs your campers and informs the rest of us how to prevent this horrible issue.

VinceU · 08-29-2015, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmwoody

Another pic of the indent put into the slide bottom from one of the rollers. The ripples in the membrane isn't water - it's the wood - assuming caused by dampness exposure from ?? Possibly no sealant on the skin screw strip allowing small amounts of water in while traveling down the road in rainy conditions?? Possibly leaking in from around the windows?? Don't know. I don't see water or trails above the false floor in the kitchen base. I'm just a bit PO'd. Owned three and half months, four trips out, my lengthy pick up list still not fixed, and now this. Where's the quality.

Additionally, I took the washer and dryer out the week after buying it because I needed the space for dog crates. I found the washer drain down pipe where it connects to the horizontal drain pipe headed forward to the kitchen, wasn't glued in. Yes, correct, no PVC glue at the junction. And no, we hadn't used the washer. Thank goodness. Where's the quality.

I MO you really have no choice besides taking it back to the factory. The leak could be from the roof and has affected more than the slide alone. If not fixed soon and properly you'll allow your unit to devalue dramatically account water damage and internal rotting. If the sidewall is comromised the entire side must be changed. Warranty isn't forever.

Mons02035 · 08-29-2015, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceU

I MO you really have no choice besides taking it back to the factory. The leak could be from the roof and has affected more than the slide alone. If not fixed soon and properly you'll allow your unit to devalue dramatically account water damage and internal rotting. If the sidewall is comromised the entire side must be changed. Warranty isn't forever.

This is very true but if you catch this issue and get it documented with forest river than the warranty will be forever for this issue or lemon lawed and replaced depending on your state. The important thing here is to get this all documented and reported to Forest River before the 1 year warranty does expire.

Aeroshots,

Yes it does suck. I have already had to cancel a trip in October to Dollywood, Thanksgiving in Kentucky with family (we will hotel it now) and Christmas in Gatlinburg, TN....... I am taking my chances with 2 trips I have scheduled in September, hopefully I don't fall through the floor and slide can handle the weight and work just a couple more times.... I also feel like I'm getting a little push back from my local dealer because I did not buy the coach from them, hopefully I'm wrong about that but that's what it feels like. I called yesterday to schedule it and the second question they ask is did you buy it here. Then the conversation kind of went to the service manager is not in the office right now can he call you back. No call back yet.... I'll try one more time then I'll email my forest river rep.

captnrick3 · 08-31-2015, 06:17 PM

So sorry you are dealing with this. Don't hesitate to email and\or call the forest river guys. They are great in my opinion and will Work for you. Very good advise above to get it documented. Appreciate your posts and watching closely. We use our Legacy constantly and any such down time is a NOT.

dmwoody · 09-01-2015, 01:22 PM

Spoke with Mitch Wirt at FR yesterday. They did refuse the Camping World estimate (4 weeks of labor) for the fix. He understands the trepidation I have at putting 6K miles on my rig for a defect fix. He recognizes they've had a few rigs with this same problem, and accept they have to fix mine. He is happy to have someone local to me repair it if the price is reasonable. Otherwise it has to go back to the factory. He said they new what the cause is (I'll see if I can get that from him and post) and there is a temp fix by putting 1/8" aluminum screwed to the bottom of the slide in the roller paths. If it needs to be in use before it can get to the factory for the fix. I have two trips in September and Two in October. I have a couple of local shops going to look at it. Of course I got the well, we didn't sell it to you routine. Luckily one I bought my previous rig from (really nice 31' Gulf Stream gasser), and the other the nearest FR authorized service center. I'll keep all posted with cause and fix info when I get it. FR seems to be stepping up.

VinceU · 09-01-2015, 01:33 PM

Seems the alum strip will do two things. It won't allow the rollers to shear through the slide bottom! And just as important it will realign the swinteck gears to center preventing motor failure.

aeroshots · 09-01-2015, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinceU

Seems the alum strip will do two things. It won't allow the rollers to shear through the slide bottom! And just as important it will realign the swinteck gears to center preventing motor failure.

Yes, but as he said it is a temporary fix while waiting repairs. The root cause needs to be corrected.

As good of news as you could expect though considering the extreme water damage. Thank you for keeping us informed.

dmwoody · 09-05-2015, 11:42 PM

Got my rig back from CW this morning and going to drop it at the local dealer Tuesday I mentioned before. I also called the Florida dealer referred to earlier in this thread to see how the fix to that rig was going, and what their estimate to fix was. Since it was being fixed I assumed it was approved warranty work. The tech there was really cooperative. She stated they were in the middle of it and just had the slide out and the membrane removed. She also told me their just under 40 hour estimate was approved, and they will finish in that time. They will seal the front edge corner of the slide as part of the work. I'll let all know what the local shop says as far as hours. I'm really PO'd at CW - where I bought my rig - for the 160 hour estimate. Proves to me they simply don't want to perform the work. Maybe because I bought it from a different CW. Don't know. Just seeing red.

aeroshots · 09-06-2015, 06:41 AM

Does them sealing the front edge corner imply that they determined that to be the root cause?
Happy you are making some progress.

psw757 · 09-06-2015, 09:26 AM

We had a issue with kitchen slide where we had excessive wear on front rails and an impression from a roller on bottom but wasn't a soft floor water issue.

Somehow the slide was slightly out of alignment and was binding a bit and created some sagging in area of cooktop to sink.

Coach had to go back to Forest river they pulled slide and installed to spec installed new rails and add two additional rollers underneath slide. That slide is way too heavy for the way they have it engineered. Needs more rollers or a more robust operating system(hydraulic).

Works great now.

captnrick3 · 09-06-2015, 10:49 PM

Our slide is working fine at the moment but I agree it is quite under engineered. I have been watching this post closely.

BigJohnD · 09-06-2015, 11:07 PM

I thought FR had learned their lesson from the Thor Palazzo on the heavy slide vs. Schwintek deal. I guess maybe not. I little off of the Legacy subject, but there were several Cedar Creeks, including ours, that they didn't seal the bottom T-moulding on the bedroom slide. Had a soaked floor pretty quick, which ended up with a whole slide floor replacement.

Either way, something's leaking, and bad. I think it'll take a little more than a touch up of sealant to fix.

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