Slide out stops working

[bigbud450]

I'm writing this to help others who might experience their slide out quits working (I have a 2002 27' 5'ver Salem LE). Mine did this last summer and I had to manually close the slide. Back home I proceeded to determine what was wrong. After testing the slide motor (which was working fine) with a battery, I checked power at the slide switch for current but none was found. Figuring that the circuit board relay fuse must be bad I searched for the board... everywhere possible, but couldn't fine it (and I mean everywhere!). I called a Forest River dealer for my Salem and talked to the service department manager. He told me that sometimes the factory has enclosed the board inside the RV walls and you would have to remove the exterior siding to trace the wires to the board. I decided not to disturb the wall, so I purchased a new slide out board and rewired it near the trailer power converter so that now it will be accessable. I can't hardly believe they would enclose a board with a replaceable fuse where it wouldn't be accessable.

[Hokiehall]

It will never cease to amaze me how engineers or designers, who should be very intelligent people, will design something that may need to be repaired or replaced at some point in time and place it in an inaccessible area. I suppose it is a lack of common sense.

[Salem32ft.]

Boy oh Boy.it never ceases to amaze me on how these RV's we pull around the country are put together And Forest River is not alone in this type of building.!!!! Keep smiling and keep on trucking.....

[welshman599]

Not that it would solve your problem, but all the slide systems are made by Lippert Components Inc. http://www.lippertcomponents.com/ They have their product manuals online, which is nice. I couldn't find the specific one for the multi slide system on my Salem, and I contacted them. They were really helpful and the manual (pdf) is full of great info.

[milzat]

welshman599,
Great info in the link. I'll bookmark it.

Thanks,

[welshman599]

You're welcome Michael, and I agree. I like having the service manuals for things like that, if only to advise the service guy on what I think the problem is. The manual I downloaded is full of great info for adjusting and maintaining slide systems. Heck it even shows you exactly how to use jumper cables on it!!! I do love a manual with lots of pictures and clear illustrations.

Lippert is located in Goshen too, and so I imagine they supply to a lot of the trailer manufacturers there. Anyone ever been to Goshen? I imagine the whole city is based on RVing, which is pretty cool.

[mn_308]

bigbud450,
Thanks for the tip!

welshman599,
I second the 'nice link' post!