Slide out rollers

[tallen]

Hello all, I have search the forums all day, looking to see if someone had already ask and got answers on slide out rollers, but I am not finding what I am looking for.

I have the 2022 24RDS half ton cougar, and it has one large slide out that has the theater seating and fridge in it, also with the great bal cable system. I want to add rollers to the slide out to now and not when the wear bar is wore out, but, what i have read is the roller can not be used on the flush floor slide out system. I think (but not sure) I have the flash floor slides.

I watched the slide floor while putting the slide out and right at the end before it makes contact with the seals etc on the wall, the floor drops down. Does this mean flush floor system? In my head (scary place to be ) it seems that if I put the rollers on while slide is out just half way, it would not allow the slide to drop down at the end of the process.

Any thought out there on this? If I am able to do the rollers I am getting uhmw strips for them to ride on. Oh, all the searches came up on older units so I was not sure if they had the same type slides.

Thanks everyone ahead of time.

[jxnbbl]

You have to start with what type of wear bar you have. For my large slider I found out that the 'changed' the normal wear bar to a flat wear "plate" as they found the extra weight was deforming the raised wear bars. I suspect that is part of the problem with a recent post about a twisted wear bar. I didn't get this from Keystone, but through the service people at BAL. Once you know that I would call them and get the recommendations (or someone from the forum that has performed the work). I have a pile of parts ready to go on this project, but never got to it this fall.

[tallen]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

You have to start with what type of wear bar you have. For my large slider I found out that the 'changed' the normal wear bar to a flat wear "plate" as they found the extra weight was deforming the raised wear bars. I suspect that is part of the problem with a recent post about a twisted wear bar. I didn't get this from Keystone, but through the service people at BAL. Once you know that I would call them and get the recommendations (or someone from the forum that has performed the work). I have a pile of parts ready to go on this project, but never got to it this fall.

Thanks Jay, I checked and it looks to be a wide flat bar, but still is about 1/2” tall. I think I will calling BAL and see what they say.

[tallen]

Here are some picture of what looks to be a wear bar maybe, but i can not see any rollers, that I would think would come with the flush floor system.


Also added what I found on the BAL site for a flush floor system.


It also seems I need to get to cleaning too, wow the things you don't think about sometimes.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by tallen

Thanks Jay, I checked and it looks to be a wide flat bar, but still is about 1/2” tall. I think I will calling BAL and see what they say.

I found it best to take pictures they seemed to easily identify the different configurations.

[tallen]

I agree to Jay, I sent them photos to BAL this morning, and they ask me to go back out there and get under the slide and pull down the weather seal and take photos of the compression rollers that should be about 1 to 2 inches from the edges.

So I did, and there are no rollers at all. Waiting to hear back from them on that.

[tallen]

BAL just emailed me back and said that this was not one of their wear bar systems and to contact Keystone to find out what they used.

[Bill-2020]

I have the same slide in our 23MLE (sofa and fridge). That slide can't use rollers. It's a flush slide and if you recall, as it extends out to its limit, the floor of the slide drops down closer to the floor on its last few inches of extending. If you put rollers under it, it'll never drop down as it's designed. I picked up a set of the slide skis for the ends to protect the edges of the exterior floor and darco.

[tallen]

Bill, you are exactly right, but you would think that if this was a flush floor slide, that there would be 2 rollers under that slide. They are called compression mount rubbers on rollers. (see post #4), but when I called BAL (since i have a accu slide system) and told them there were no rollers or rubber compression blocks under there, they reply was, call Keystone, this is not a BAL slide wear bar system.

I have an email to Keystone to see if they can tell me if who's the maker of this system, so that one if I ever need a new one, I know who to go to. I had planned on getting some stainless steel skies for it. Granted all this work is being done before it becomes a problem.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by tallen

Bill, you are exactly right, but you would think that if this was a flush floor slide, that there would be 2 rollers under that slide. They are called compression mount rubbers on rollers. (see post #4), but when I called BAL (since i have a accu slide system) and told them there were no rollers or rubber compression blocks under there, they reply was, call Keystone, this is not a BAL slide wear bar system.

I have an email to Keystone to see if they can tell me if who's the maker of this system, so that one if I ever need a new one, I know who to go to. I had planned on getting some stainless steel skies for it. Granted all this work is being done before it becomes a problem.

In my past conversations with a BAL engineer it seems the fitment of these slides is sort of a random thing with Keystone.

BAL makes the basic "skeleton" for a slide box then has all the cables, motors, pulleys etc. Keystone makes the box. How the box is mounted and what it rides on are Keystone decisions. At the time I was talking to her she said BAL did not recommend darco nor the wear bar setup that Keystone was using at that time but Keystone makes that call - they provided the slide transport system. BAL makes the additional slide parts; rollers, wear bars etc. but they aren't part of the slide transport system nor is Keystone required to buy them. Good luck on getting it squared away but you may be on a proverbial "snipe hunt".

[jsb5717]

I have the same system in my rig. Cable slide, flush floor design, flat bar, and two compression rollers - one on each outer edge.

So you're saying you don't have the outer rollers? That would seem quite odd to me. You might also contact your dealer to see what info they might have on your trailer model and slide system.

[tallen]

Originally Posted by sourdough

In my past conversations with a BAL engineer it seems the fitment of these slides is sort of a random thing with Keystone.

BAL makes the basic "skeleton" for a slide box then has all the cables, motors, pulleys etc. Keystone makes the box. How the box is mounted and what it rides on are Keystone decisions. At the time I was talking to her she said BAL did not recommend darco nor the wear bar setup that Keystone was using at that time but Keystone makes that call - they provided the slide transport system. BAL makes the additional slide parts; rollers, wear bars etc. but they aren't part of the slide transport system nor is Keystone required to buy them. Good luck on getting it squared away but you may be on a proverbial "snipe hunt".

Danny, you might be right about being a snipe hunt.

[tallen]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

I have the same system in my rig. Cable slide, flush floor design, flat bar, and two compression rollers - one on each outer edge.

So you're saying you don't have the outer rollers? That would seem quite odd to me. You might also contact our dealer to see what info they might have on our trailer model and slide system.

Jeff, I just got my email back from Keystone and they laid it all out for me.

"Good morning, Thank you for contacting Keystone RV. This is a Norco slide system, and the wear bar is either ½ to ¾ thick and this is a one-piece part installed with the slide totally out. Rollers are not standard install they are usually installed with another brand/model slide or on the large slides but the smaller ones they are only installed if there is an issue with transition other than that the slide just runs on the wear bar. Should you have further questions please let me know. "

So they are saying that my 10' slide is not large enough to warrant the 2 rollers. Which sucks b/c I know down the road, I will have the put in skies and probably rollers to combat the tearing of the underside.

Looks like you have to pull the whole slide out to do any repairs for upgrades.

[jsb5717]

Since it's a Norco system and not BAL, I wonder if the BAL rollers would even fit in the space. It might be possible since I would imagine that the tolerances would need to be similar.

I suppose you could try to get your hands on a couple of those compression rollers and try just laying them in place to see how well they fit. Mounting them could be problematic, though, without the slide being removed.

I might have pics of mine. If I do I will edit this post and add the pics so you can compare.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Since it's a Norco system and not BAL, I wonder if the BAL rollers would even fit in the space. It might be possible since I would imagine that the tolerances would need to be similar.

I suppose you could try to get your hands on a couple of those compression rollers and try just laying them in place to see how well they fit. Mounting them could be problematic, though, without the slide being removed.

I might have pics of mine. If I do I will edit this post and add the pics so you can compare.

I believe Norco is the company and BAL is the brand in the company

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Since it's a Norco system and not BAL, I wonder if the BAL rollers would even fit in the space. It might be possible since I would imagine that the tolerances would need to be similar.

I suppose you could try to get your hands on a couple of those compression rollers and try just laying them in place to see how well they fit. Mounting them could be problematic, though, without the slide being removed.

I might have pics of mine. If I do I will edit this post and add the pics so you can compare.

When you open the link to BAL look in the upper left corner; BAL by Norco Industries. They used to call them Norco/BAL slides then it sort of just got shorter to BAL.

https://balrvproducts.com/

[jsb5717]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

I believe Norco is the company and BAL is the brand in the company

Sure enough. It's still a matter of different products or applications within their product mix. Can rollers be added? Would need some research.

[jxnbbl]

I found the pics...so thought I would post them. These show the 2 types of wear bars on my trailer. One is the "hollow core" 3/4 inch wear bar and the other is a flat wear bar. (the larger slide). Where Keystone said it was a 1/2" for the application, it obviously is flat and the BAL specialist told me how the flats were being used due to the problem with the large slide.


From BAL they recommended using the 3/4 roller for my slide that has my fridge/kitchen cabinets due to the hollow wear bar and said their rollers were not meant for the flat bar application and ZEP 45 lube with the flat bar.


I have not performed the install of the rollers and intend to use a UHMW strips that I purchased to protect the darco. Last I purchased and analyzed the use of the Lippert J-1 roller as this can be installed/adjusted without the "hard measurement" of 1/2" or 3/4". When I get down to installation day I will make that call but the UHMW strip will be used to prevent future repairs of the darco

[tallen]

I am swishing my tail on if I want to buy the compression rollers and see what they look like fit or if a right angle drill and slide jacked up to the highest point without damaging anything, can work, but no matter if I do this or not, I think I will get me a set of those fine stainless steel skies and put them on anyways to protect the corners, not matter if I have rollers or not.

You would think that with my slide being 10" wide and holding the fridge, and 2 grown folks in the love set, that would warrant some rollers for backup, but guess not.

This means when this wear bar does wear out, it is going to be a job to pull out that pan/bar and put in a new one.

[Bill-2020]

For now I use the WD-40 Specialist Silicone spray. Coat the bottom of the darco while the slide is out, when wet a small towel and wipe the wear bar down. It makes the slide move much easier. Soon I’ll install the skis to prevent the darco from tearing at the corners.