Problem with water leak in 5th wheel.

[jtriggs]

My name is Jim and I'm new to this forum. I'm hoping someone might have an idea what might be causing a really small leak in my 95 Wildwood fifth wheel. I have been living in this trailer for 4 years in a semi-permanent situation and the slider has been extended the entire time.

It started suddenly about 3 weeks ago. The trailer is 30 feet with a rear kitchen and I have a VERY slow leak coming from one small area under the inside slider edge about 4 feet from the back end of the slider (about 6 feet from the back of the trailer). Since it's carpeted it's hard to pinpoint the exact place the water is coming in.
There is no obvious areas that water is coming in from the outside of the trailer and I have checked the entire top, bottom, and back side of the slider for possible entry points and found none.

I was told that some utilities are often run through the slider, which I thought would be a poor design, but I wanted to see if anybody knows if any water lines are ever run through the slider shell? If not, any other hints as to where the water could be coming in from?


Thanks in advance for any help that anyone can lend.

[Witch Doctor]

Jtriggs, First welcome to the forum, As far as utilities ran in the slide is true but they are under the floor area on a plastic bendable strip that will create like a half circle when pulled in and stretches out when extended you should see that by looking under the slide. If your kitchen sink is in the slide then you could have the water lines under it. There is also a sweeper at the bottom attached to the unit to keep water out. The slide edge sits in a tray to make the floor even that also prevents water from coming in you might check the conditions of that rubber strip. Bring the slide in 3" or so and see if you have anything wet it that area. I would think it has to be surface leak somewhere being the carpet is getting wet. Is your a/c above that area? Leaks travel and are hard to find period.

[jtriggs]

gljurczyk,
thanks for the help. The sink is located on the other wall opposite from this end of the slider but the slider floor doesn't actually sit flush with the main floor of the trailer. It sits above it and overlaps.
The a/c unit sits about 2/3ds the way toward the opposite wall as well. Plus it has not been used for a couple of months and this leak is far more recent. I had originally thought it must be leaking in from outside but I inspected the underside of the slider and could find no obvious water paths so I figured it had to be getting in from an edge seem or something. I don't believe it is coming from the top of the slider because the leak is coming from under the slider edge and there is no sign of water damage anywhere overhead on the sliders inside area.

Just to amend a bit...I had believed that there might have been a slight water leak IF any water tubing is routed through the slider floor but for the past several days I have used a heat gun to periodically dry the wet carpet.
It was still a bit damp last night right up at the slider floor's edge but I just checked it again for the first time today and it is pretty much entirely dry. Since it has been clear here with no rain for about a week I think I can rule out it being a water line so it may be getting past an external weather seal after all. The only one I believe it could be is the vertical edge at the back corner where the slider meets the trailer's main body.

Thanks again and let me know if you have any more suggestions.

Jim

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by jtriggs

gljurczyk,
thanks for the help. The sink is located on the other wall opposite from this end of the slider but the slider floor doesn't actually sit flush with the main floor of the trailer. It sits above it and overlaps.
The a/c unit sits about 2/3ds the way toward the opposite wall as well. Plus it has not been used for a couple of months and this leak is far more recent. I had originally thought it must be leaking in from outside but I inspected the underside of the slider and could find no obvious water paths so I figured it had to be getting in from an edge seem or something. I don't believe it is coming from the top of the slider because the leak is coming from under the slider edge and there is no sign of water damage anywhere overhead on the sliders inside area.

Just to amend a bit...I had believed that there might have been a slight water leak IF any water tubing is routed through the slider floor but for the past several days I have used a heat gun to periodically dry the wet carpet.
It was still a bit damp last night right up at the slider floor's edge but I just checked it again for the first time today and it is pretty much entirely dry. Since it has been clear here with no rain for about a week I think I can rule out it being a water line so it may be getting past an external weather seal after all. The only one I believe it could be is the vertical edge at the back corner where the slider meets the trailer's main body.

Thanks again and let me know if you have any more suggestions.

Jim

Jim, Your slider floor has to drop in that slot and be even, that is were your water is coming in at. It sounds like it is out of adjustment. Your seal can not seal on the bottom. It sounds like it is going all the way out and stopping before it gets to tilt down. There is a bell looking housing that is the stop. I will attach how to adjust it. Good luck. Also get a hold of some slide lube for the rubber sweeps and spray them.