2016 Grey Wolf 23dbh leaky slideout

Brandon_rss18 · 06-08-2016, 06:28 AM

Hey everyone. We bought our camper back in March and have used it twice to go camping. Unfortunately, both camping trips have been very rainy. Well, last time we went camping, about 2 weeks ago, I noticed water damage on the cheap fake wood veneer on the bottom left side of the entertainment center. Also, notices some water damage on the bottom of the cabinets near the ladder for the bunks. I know that it does not leak when extended, as we were dumped on twice with no water. Now, it was pouring down rain while it was in storage and also while driving with it on the highway and for a good distance. Either way, I know it is leaking while the slide is in. We have 5 camping trips set up so I don't want to take it to the shop. Does anyone know what I can do to test to see where it is leaking or tell me what I should check? Thanks so much for any help given.

Dr-G · 06-08-2016, 07:01 AM

I have the same issue in my 2016 26DBH.

When I first investigated, I noticed a screw missing from the rain gutter right above where the leak was but that was not the cause.

At times it leaks more - only when slide is in. Seems that when it rains a lot it does not go in the rain gutter, but over spills it and land in the top of the slide and the seal must flipped to point in and the water seems to go to either the front or back of the slide and down.

I have it at the dealer now for a grey tank leak after out first outing so they are going to make sure it does not need adjustment.

I bought a cover for it to use when stored and I am thinking about getting a slide topper that should eliminate the leak.

Brandon_rss18 · 06-08-2016, 07:07 AM

Awesome, thank you.

Witch Doctor · 06-08-2016, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_rss18

Hey everyone. We bought our camper back in March and have used it twice to go camping. Unfortunately, both camping trips have been very rainy. Well, last time we went camping, about 2 weeks ago, I noticed water damage on the cheap fake wood veneer on the bottom left side of the entertainment center. Also, notices some water damage on the bottom of the cabinets near the ladder for the bunks. I know that it does not leak when extended, as we were dumped on twice with no water. Now, it was pouring down rain while it was in storage and also while driving with it on the highway and for a good distance. Either way, I know it is leaking while the slide is in. We have 5 camping trips set up so I don't want to take it to the shop. Does anyone know what I can do to test to see where it is leaking or tell me what I should check? Thanks so much for any help given.

This might help you, when your slide is in there is whole in the bottom corners that should have a piece installed to block that opening when closed and the slide is in so rain water can get in from under the slide. I have one slide that The piece fell off. FR factory will take care of that when I take my trailer in for a new roof on the 20th. When the slide is out it is covered. Now I put a plastic bag with a sponge in it for travel. I also was getting water in at that point at the bottom when I traveled down the highway....

JustB_Rad · 06-08-2016, 07:09 AM

We had a bad bulb seal on our unit that was replaced. It damaged the wood stiles by the ladder to the bunks as well as the vertical wood on the entertainment center area....all being replaced under warranty.

Brandon_rss18 · 06-08-2016, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustB_Rad

We had a bad bulb seal on our unit that was replaced. It damaged the wood stiles by the ladder to the bunks as well as the vertical wood on the entertainment center area....all being replaced under warranty.

Do you know which bulb it was? Thanks

JustB_Rad · 06-08-2016, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_rss18

Do you know which bulb it was? Thanks

As far as I was told it was the bulb seal that ran on the top of the slide.

Brandon_rss18 · 06-08-2016, 07:37 AM

Awesome, have a few things to check now. Thanks everyone! If anyone would like to add stuff to look for, please add! Thanks again.

doc73 · 06-08-2016, 08:24 AM

Mine was leaking when stowed (26DBH). DId a post on it some time ago... But the short was the sealant used to seal it to the side of the trailer did not bond to the sidewall. It looked good at face value but when I got up onto the roof and looked it was a micro thin break a few spots along the slide that let the water get behind the inter and out wiper seals. I re applied the sealant and now all is good.

doc73 · 06-08-2016, 08:31 AM

Brandon_rss18 · 06-08-2016, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

This might help you, when your slide is in there is whole in the bottom corners that should have a piece installed to block that opening when closed and the slide is in so rain water can get in from under the slide. I have one slide that The piece fell off. FR factory will take care of that when I take my trailer in for a new roof on the 20th. When the slide is out it is covered. Now I put a plastic bag with a sponge in it for travel. I also was getting water in at that point at the bottom when I traveled down the highway....

Was wondering if you could post photos of this if possible.

Witch Doctor · 06-08-2016, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_rss18

Was wondering if you could post photos of this if possible.

I'll see what I can do, but if you pull your slide in and can see day light it is missing

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

jughrad · 06-08-2016, 05:56 PM

Do you only notice it after going camping in the rain? The Cherokee/Lippert slide seals will not wipe off all of the water and you can pull water in that was on top of the slide roof. We freaked out because we thought we had a leak but figured out that the seals don't sweep all of the water off, usually only during the flip of the seal from out to in. The seal does not always flip over all at once and it pulls water in at the transition point. I watched it happen while testing with a hose.

Try a dust broom with extension handle that you use from the inside after the slide is pulled in. We can get to the top of the slide from inside when retracted on our 264L. If not you may just have to wipe up the water after pulling in the slide, it should only roll off the side in the direction of the slope and there is a lip at the front of the slide.

Brandon_rss18 · 06-09-2016, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jughrad

Do you only notice it after going camping in the rain? The Cherokee/Lippert slide seals will not wipe off all of the water and you can pull water in that was on top of the slide roof. We freaked out because we thought we had a leak but figured out that the seals don't sweep all of the water off, usually only during the flip of the seal from out to in. The seal does not always flip over all at once and it pulls water in at the transition point. I watched it happen while testing with a hose.

Try a dust broom with extension handle that you use from the inside after the slide is pulled in. We can get to the top of the slide from inside when retracted on our 264L. If not you may just have to wipe up the water after pulling in the slide, it should only roll off the side in the direction of the slope and there is a lip at the front of the slide.

Nah, I notice it after getting it home from storage. So it is either from just sitting in the rain or driving. I do not extend the slideout until I get home with it from storage before going camping.

Witch Doctor · 06-09-2016, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon_rss18

Was wondering if you could post photos of this if possible.

Here are a couple of pictures, there is denise piece of rubber with a plastic plate that screws to the frame, it fell off. I would get water everytime I drove in it

Witch Doctor · 06-09-2016, 11:24 AM

One other thing I forgot to tell you is a simple test to make sure your slide is sealing outside. Take a piece of paper and close your slide with the paper between your gasket and wall, if you can pull it easily out then you need to adjust your bell (the stop) to make it close and create pressure on the seal. Hope that helps...

Brandon_rss18 · 06-09-2016, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

One other thing I forgot to tell you is a simple test to make sure your slide is sealing outside. Take a piece of paper and close your slide with the paper between your gasket and wall, if you can pull it easily out then you need to adjust your bell (the stop) to make it close and create pressure on the seal. Hope that helps...

Thank you so much for the great info

Mowgli64 · 06-09-2016, 05:42 PM

We had a leak also when we first got our trailer. Brought it back to the dealer and they did a pressure test and found many poorly chalked seams. They said one of the windows in the slide had almost no chalk on it. It took them 4 days of sealing and testing to get them all but now we have no leaks

.
I would suggest to bring it in and get every leak fixed or it will be major problems down the road. Unfortunately the quality of workmanship has declined over the years. Even our dealer commented it must be cheaper to have dealers fix the ones that fail then do a better job to start with.

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