Hyd lippert slides won't retract (sometimes) without toggling switch

[2flyingclouds]

My lippert hyd slides (3) will randomly not retract. Auto level works fine. Slides extend fine, no hesitation

1. No see-able hydraulic leaks externally. The fluid stays at the full level
2. The randomness of the slides in/out happens only with the slides coming back in and specifically starts with the dining slide. (First in)
3. Sometimes they come in just fine!
4. All level jacks work seamlessly up and down
5. When putting in the slides, the pump runs, the hyd rams try to push the slides in with very little movement. I must then toggle the in/out switch and the slides will start to come in at some point.
6. I have tightened all hyd fittings on all legs and slide rams. None were loose.
7. I have changed out the rocker switch with another to see of the switch was defective. Same results.
8. I ran the slides in/out yesterday 5-6 times and they worked great, no problems.......until I tried it one last time.....then I had to toggle the switch to retract
9. I have taken the solenoid valve out of the valve body thinking maybe a bit of crud in the valve? Worked and then same issue arose. Also adjust the hex screw to seat closed.
10. I have changed out the hyd solenoid valve and the trombetta. No change
11. I had a mobile tech out in Tulsa and he was stumped
12. I have taken it to Camping World and they could not duplicate the issue....of course!
13. I have talked to lippert on the phone multiple times. Started with house battery replacement (done) and then discussed:
External leaks?
Solenoid valve bad?
Bad pump? No, works and sounds great when running
Internal hyd bypass leak?
So....I am really chasing who knows what at this point.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

2017 Forest River Sierra 377flik 5er

[pojp58]

Change the switch. Acting intermittent. Most likely bad.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by pojp58

Change the switch. Acting intermittent. Most likely bad.

You need to read what has taken place for the fix of the issue by the OP before responding with an input.

[pojp58]

Missed it. Sorry.

7. I have changed out the rocker switch with another to see of the switch was defective. Same results.

Still think its a switch, bad wire, bad connection, bad ground or something like that. Done many.

[2flyingclouds]

Just had an rv guy passing by and he helped the initial slide to start in by pushing on the slide to go in. He's thinking its a bad cylinder....
Thoughts?

[Bama Rambler]

It sounds like air in the system. Hydraulic systems act funny when there's a little air in the circuit. Have you made sure the fluid level is to the full mark?

It's possible that an internal rod seal is leaking, but that wouldn't be something that would be intermittent. That is also something that may be quite expensive to find as you could possibly have to pull all the cylinders and have them pressure tested and/or dismantled to find it.

[bubbles]

Sounds like your system is of the single control switch variety for all slides extend/retract.

[dalford]

Have you tried to isolate which slide might be the issue? I’m sure your 5ver has IRC (Individual Room Control) manifold. Mine looks like the one in the pic and is in the basement by the wet bay.

Close each room one at a time and see if you can determine which room may be giving you the problem. I think the main fluid run is to the IRC and then to each slide.

[2flyingclouds]

Fluid level is at the full line. Doesn't vary from full. Our slides are 3 controlled off on one single switch with no way to isolate each slide. This has been off and on for about a month on travel from Minnesota to now south of Phoenix. I like the air idea, but after that amount of time still an thought?
Thanks to all

[dalford]

Originally Posted by 2flyingclouds

Fluid level is at the full line. Doesn't vary from full. Our slides are 3 controlled off on one single switch with no way to isolate each slide. This has been off and on for about a month on travel from Minnesota to now south of Phoenix. I like the air idea, but after that amount of time still an thought?
Thanks to all

The objects in the pic are not switches, they are valves that open and close like a water spigot.

I also, as do most RV’s, have a single toggle switch to run the slides in or out. See switch just below my hand in pic. My rv is a 2016 33IK so I was assuming yours, being newer would also have the IRC valves mounted in the basement area.

[2flyingclouds]

Heres my setp

[onetonford]

You say the fluid level never changes but it should albeit a little as cylinders use more fluid to extend than retract due to the displacement of the rod. So my bet would be a internal bypassing of a cylinder somewhere. they do have a test for that and it is on the lippert web site on how to do it.

[mbtelguy]

Not familiar with your Hyd system but could the trouble be with the Hyd pressure switch ?

[NMWildcat]

I had the same type of hydraulic slide problem, but not exact. Our slides would start to come in, then stop, sometimes multiple times. After a few seconds (10-30), and messing with the switch, they would resume. Problem was worse if batteries were a little low.
Turned out replacing the auto reset fuse associated with the hydraulic system fixed the problem. Guess it was just tired.
Liz just reminded me, we also changed the 50amp block to an 80amp block, suggested by Lippert. The following article talks about it.
Hopefully, this helps, as it is an easy fix. No problems at all since changing the auto reset fuse.
Good luck!!

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...print/true.cfm

[magi]

I have had a similar problem on Cedar Creek 38el with 3 slides. Got to the point on order to get the dining room in I had to go outside and pull.-push it to get it started. To it into a specialty repair shop that had a lippert tech there. They tried all the troubleshooting stuff and could not get it to work consistently. The told me on of the slideout cylinders was bypassing, but the could not isolate which one, so they replaced all three under warranty. (I have had the unit two years now). Everything works great now. They even come I'm faster than they ever had before.

[2flyingclouds]

After another mobile repair who couldn't find the problem after multiple trys, I was reading about the 3 year hydraulic fluid change as recommended by Lippert. I also saw the level up issue with popping in the level up system with temperature changes night to daytime. What the heck. I changed the hyd fluid and added 1 liter of Maxima Fork Oil Grade 15 as specified in the bulletin.
https://manuals.heartlandowners.org/...%20Systems.pdf

GUESS WHAT??? The fluid change fixed the level up popping AND the slides now work seamlessly the last dozen times! Contaminated fluid? I don't know, really don't care, just happy that mystery has been solved!

[NMWildcat]

I hope your mystery is solved permanently, but it just doesn't make sense to me that the fluid would cause the intermittent function problem.
But stranger things have occured.
The demands on the fluid in these RV systems are minimal. Mine is 8 years old and never changed. Even in our high demand hydraulics on the farm, the fluid only gets changed when a motor failing necessitates it. Otherwise, it's never touched for, in some instances, decades
Thanks for sharing and I hope it is really fixed. These type of problems are frustrating.
Happy Camping!

[Nightshifter]

I think that one of the cylinders has an internal leak in the piston. I had three leaking cylinders on my Heartland Landmark. Lippert sent me three new cylinders and I replaced them all. They are nonrebuildable and I was told to dispose of them.

[Nightshifter]

Sorry I missed your post on the hydraulic stitchon. I also added Cat oil to my Lippert system and that stopped the creeping. I hope it works for you now.

[ES_FR]

2flyingclouds,

We would be happy to assist you with your 2017 Sierra. Because your ongoing satisfaction is very important to us, we invite you to contact Lisa Goodwin in our Customer service department through the following personalized and direct link: http://www.forestriverinc.com/Direct...51313603634613.

This direct link is provided for your convenience in order that we may resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. We will strive to respond to you within 24 hours of receiving your correspondence.

Respectfully,
Forest River