Opening a slide in winter

[wbdvt]

Hello,
I just read a post about leaving slides open all winter particularly at a dealership.

Here is a question on the flip side of that. Suppose a slide has been closed all winter (sometime with subzero temps), and you want to open the slide to fully look at the TT. Is this safe? Is there the possibility of seals tearing?

[tdawg]

Rubber is not as pliable in freezing temps. I would not open if i didnt have to

[hankpage]

My Cougar is stored in my back yard. My slide is out most of the winter, but I bring it in before a predicted heavy snowfall. Mainly because it is a good excuse to exercise the slide. Been doing it for seven winters with this trailer and no problems. I think letting them sit with the seals compressed in one place is worse than operating them in cold weather. After the storm I spray the seals and mechanism with silicone and bring the slide back out. JM2¢, Hank

[GaryWT]

Mine are closed and the battery is in the basement so it would take some to open it so it is not going to happen.

As the weather warms, I don't see a problem.

[rwmurphy15]

Well I just bought a new 2013 fuzion 301 leftover that the slide was left open for over a year. Dealership claims it will be ok. Will see I did not bring it home yet to much snow at my house.

[Steve S]

My slide is open all the time, I live in my trailer.
I close it and open it twice a month in any weather and I have no problems with leaks or seals.

[JRTJH]

Well I just bought a new 2013 fuzion 301 leftover that the slide was left open for over a year. Dealership claims it will be ok. Will see I did not bring it home yet to much snow at my house.

rumurphy15,

If your new RV has been sitting on the lot with the slide open for over a year, you might want to buy a can of RV Slide Seal Conditioner and when you get it home, clean the slide seals, spray them and wipe the conditioner into the seals. That will help protect them and also give them a "head start" after what was probably no maintenance by the dealer during the lot time.

Enjoy your new Fuzion !!!

[Ken / Claudia]

A co-worker told me afew years ago that in freezeing conditions in Eastern Or, they where ripping the rubber door seals apart opening the doors after they sat for a day. I guess that during use the moisture could build up and freeze the rubber seal after patrol.

[JRTJH]

A co-worker told me afew years ago that in freezeing conditions in Eastern Or, they where ripping the rubber door seals apart opening the doors after they sat for a day. I guess that during use the moisture could build up and freeze the rubber seal after patrol.

Ken,

That happens in Michigan when it's really REALLY cold. It's not because the door seals are "frozen" or "not pliable" rather it's because they actually freeze to the door and when you pull to open it, a part of the seal stays on the door and the rest stays on the frame. It's actually tearing the door seal in two. We spray all of our pole barn door seals and the garage door seals with silicone to prevent that from happening. The house doors are warm enough on the inside that the seals won't freeze to the door. I think making sure there's a good coat of seal conditioner on all the slide seals would do the same thing for an RV.

On some RV's, the slide seals are taped on (or held on with adhesive) and there's a possibility that the seal will stay with the slide if it's frozen to it. That could pull the seal away from the frame. If you think about the action of how a moving a slide causes the seal to "curl inward or outward" there's little pulling force on a slide seal. It will "fold in" when the slide is pulled in and "fold out" when the slide is deployed. That "curling motion" will most likely twist the ice off the seal rather than allow it to be pulled away from the frame. Keystone, on almost all of its RV's with slides has gone to a track type seal. The seals slide into a track on the frame and are much more secure. I suppose it's possible to tear a slide seal, but I've not seen one torn. I have seen lots of the old "taped on seals" come loose and fall off the frame. That happens as much in hot weather as it does in cold.

[Ken / Claudia]

That explains that problem, I never had it happen to me but, wondered if armor all or slide spray would help.

[JRTJH]

That explains that problem, I never had it happen to me but, wondered if armor all or slide spray would help.

I wouldn't use Armor-all or spray silicone on my slides. They tend to remain wet or sticky and can attract dirt/sand/dust and make things dirty and sticky. Seal spray is a "dry silicone" that keeps the seals slick and pliable. I've used CAMCO slide seal conditioner for several years and have never had any problems with my seals. They stay clean, slick and don't stick or chatter when the slide is in motion. I'm sure there are a number of other brand names that are just as good or maybe even better, but once I find something that works, I tend to stick with it rather than keep looking for something better.

The cheapest place I've found to buy the spray CAMCO slide seal conditioner is WalMart.

[cc53fd]

i use a dry silicone on my seals never had a problem

[cabinfever]

I use Dicor rubber roof protectant on all the rubber seals.