How to Reach Top Seal on Slide Out?

[ScenicView]

I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks for putting seal conditioner on the top seal of slide outs that are under slide out toppers?

Even if I had no toppers, I wouldn't be able to reach the top seal to spread the seal conditioner on top of it with a rag.

On a 7 - 8 foot ladder I'm high enough to see what's up there and blow it off if necessary before retracting, but no way can I reach across and clean / condition the seal by hand.

[007matman]

Could you use a painters pole? Spray some in a small roller and attach to the end of the pole.

Honestly, I've never done mine along the top.. don't call the camper maintenance cop on me please.. LOL.

[jeff64]

You have to have a long pole. Have seen where some tie old sock to the end, spray heavily with the 303 conditioner and run along the outside and underneath. If you need to, repeat the proceedure from opposite side.

[5picker]

From the inside.

Put the slide out, to about 1' of totally out.
Get a step stool or small ladder and from the inside you can wipe the entire seal (inside and outside) by sliding a rag with conditioner through (towards the outside) and along the seal. The seal will lift up enough to get your fingers through.

I've done this on all our R/Vs that have had slides.

[ScenicView]

Originally Posted by 5picker

From the inside.

Put the slide out, to about 1' of totally out.
Get a step stool or small ladder and from the inside you can wipe the entire seal (inside and outside) by sliding a rag with conditioner through (towards the outside) and along the seal. The seal will lift up enough to get your fingers through.

I've done this on all our R/Vs that have had slides.

I’m going to give this a shot.

[mbbutler]

Originally Posted by 5picker

From the inside.

Put the slide out, to about 1' of totally out.
Get a step stool or small ladder and from the inside you can wipe the entire seal (inside and outside) by sliding a rag with conditioner through (towards the outside) and along the seal. The seal will lift up enough to get your fingers through.

I've done this on all our R/Vs that have had slides.

Originally Posted by tyler811

These Goodyear Endurance tires are just about brand new. I bought them about a year ago and they have about 4500-5000 miles on them. You can see how much tread is left compared to the wear bar. Each tire is showing these "cracks". Attachment 204670Attachment 204671Attachment 204672

Yep, this is the correct answer

[KEN9XL]

Originally Posted by 5picker

From the inside.

Put the slide out, to about 1' of totally out.
Get a step stool or small ladder and from the inside you can wipe the entire seal (inside and outside) by sliding a rag with conditioner through (towards the outside) and along the seal. The seal will lift up enough to get your fingers through.

I've done this on all our R/Vs that have had slides.

That is a great idea 5picker. Thank you!
I may try that rather than reaching from a ladder with a pole.

[poppytoymaker]

Walmart sells a seal spray that has a fold down spray tube and it shoots a staight line pretty far, that's what I use

[LandKKnight]

Originally Posted by 5picker

From the inside.

Put the slide out, to about 1' of totally out.
Get a step stool or small ladder and from the inside you can wipe the entire seal (inside and outside) by sliding a rag with conditioner through (towards the outside) and along the seal. The seal will lift up enough to get your fingers through.

I've done this on all our R/Vs that have had slides.

Thank you so much for this question and this answer. I was just doing all my seals and could not figure out how to do the top of the slide, so, gonna try this!

[JJaxon]

How often do you do this clean and condition on slide seals? Im new to slide outs and mine is new, so I haven't thought about that, til now.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by JJaxon

How often do you do this clean and condition on slide seals? Im new to slide outs and mine is new, so I haven't thought about that, til now.

Depends on how much you use the slides and what kind of weather you experience.

Norm for me is twice a year.

[Larry-NC]

I haven't put anything on the seals but today I noticed today that the former owner had left me an aerosol can of "Thetford Premium Slide Out Rubber Seal Conditioner."

Looking at the contents, it contains only Mineral Oil and Liquified Petroleum Gas. The latter is obviously the propellant.

I am not convinced that mineral oil is beneficial to the seals. If they were natural rubber, it would probably accelerate cracking. If they were Neoprene, it would only serve to make them shiny. I'm not rushing to use it, even though access is easy--no toppers; I can just sit on the slideout roof.

Are there any polymer experts who can tell us what the seals are likely made of and why we would want to spray them with mineral oil?

Larry

[walaby]

Do it from on top of the roof.

Works for me. And I take opportunity to inspect the roof

Mike

[valleyduo]

Originally Posted by JJaxon

How often do you do this clean and condition on slide seals? Im new to slide outs and mine is new, so I haven't thought about that, til now.

I agree with 5picker on twice a year. Start of the season and end for us. I'm also going to try his hack of conditioning from the inside this fall. Thanks for the idea 5picker.