maintaining your slide out

[blue eyes]

We are about to start camping next weekend and I have been reading that the slide out needs to be maintained with grease. Would you please tell me what type of lubricant you all recommend and have had success with,,also is there anything that needs special attention when doing this..thanks for all your help. I am so excited to finally be opening and I sure would hate to have a slide failure...

[chevy02]

They make a spray lube designed for slide outs that isnt real tacky so it doeant pick up crap blowing around and stick to your gears and a seal lube to be applied every so often sorry not sure on how often . One thing i know for sure is to stop the slide when you hear the motor starting to blog down and not to let go click click, as i have had several bolt shear off in mine, also if you don`t have a slide topper make sure there is no debris on top of your slide when you bring it back in

[NDJollyMon]

chevy gives great advice here, I agree with his recommendations.

[NWJeeper]

The manufacturer of our slide mechanism as well as our hydraulic levelers (Lippert) recommended a silicone spray lubricant. As others state here it doesn't attract or hold onto dirt like other oils or grease would. Look at Camping World for slide lubricants. I think some of them are also made with graphite as well.

[rockwood06]

I use Dupont Teflon Multi-Use Dry, Wax Lubricant It works great. Here is a link. www.PerformanceLubricant.DuPont.com This good to do PM on your locks as well.

[NWJeeper]

Originally Posted by rockwood06

I use Dupont Teflon Multi-Use Dry, Wax Lubricant It works great. Here is a link. www.PerformanceLubricant.DuPont.com This good to do PM on your locks as well.

My friend (A locksmith by trade) swears by Tri-Flow for locks. The teflon lubricants are great for that and would probably be good for the slides too. See if you can find what the manufacturer recomends.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by NWJeeper

My friend (A locksmith by trade) swears by Tri-Flow for locks. The teflon lubricants are great for that and would probably be good for the slides too. See if you can find what the manufacturer recomends.

NWJeeper, here is recommendations for Dupont Teflon Multi-Use
1. Hinges 7. Factory Equipment
2. Locks 8. Farm Equipment
3.Garage Doors 9. Marine Equipment
4.Chains 10. Motorcycles
5.Cable 11. Firearms
6.Hand Tools 12. Hobbies
And it is "O" Ring Safe
Will not attract grit or grime, It also prevents rust, eliminates squeaking and binding on metal, plastic and wood.

[08flagvlite]

Another closely related slide out maintenance item is an extra 30 amp fuse or 2- as I found out this weekend! If any of you have the electric motor slide outs, then you need to be aware that there is a set of fuses under the tongue area of the trailer that are in a green sealed from dirt case. These are for the slide motors. I installed a 12v cigar lighter style plug for an air bed pump and/or a fan hook up, and I got my 12v power from the slide out switch located right next to the install. I reasoned that I would not be using the slide power and the 12v outlet at the same time, so it should be fine. BUT after installation, I touched the 2 cigar lighter wires together apparently, and blew one of these fuses. There was nothing in the wfco converter box, and only after climbing around under the unit , did I discover the fuses. This could have been disasterous- out camping somewhere and the slide out not work !! Now I carry spare fuses for this, too. Hope this helps! Randy

[naganthunter]

Originally Posted by chevy02

One thing i know for sure is to stop the slide when you hear the motor starting to blog down and not to let go click click, as i have had several bolt shear off in mine, also if you don`t have a slide topper make sure there is no debris on top of your slide when you bring it back in

Good to know - that's the opposite of what the dealer told me when I did my walk-thru. Thank you!!!!

[redtang02]

I saw at Walmart in the camping section that they sold a graphite lubricant that was specifically labeled for camper slide outs. I believe it was around $4 to $5.

[Radio]

There has been some debate on the forum over the use of safety braces on the top of the slide out, and whether or not they actually prevent the slide from sliding out a bit on its own while towing.

In the end the consensus was they probably don't help prevent the slide from sliding out while towing.

However, I have come to believe they DO prevent excess stresses placed on the slide out mechanism from rocking and flexing while towing. So I will continue to use my safety braces for that reason.

[08flagvlite]

Radio, mine won't physically fit! There are stickers placed above the spots that they recommend placement of the slide out braces, but lo and behold; I can't for the life of me see how they could possibly do any earthly good! When tightened against a piece of wooden trim that has been stapled in place, the only thing accomplished is the premature removal of said trim piece; and the brace then falls to the floor!!! Pretty good product, HA! If placed on the seal area, the 45 degree angle prevents tightening that way, too. Randy

[Radio]

Oh well...mine seem to do just fine!

[blue eyes]

thanks so much for all the info, we will look into the suggested ideas and are sure to find one that is intended for slide outs...thanks again