Slide jerking

[gearhead]

After the spring wash and wax and some interior cleanup I thought I would lube the slide seals. I even climbed on the roof and hung upside down spraying the top seal. I may have sprayed them 3 or 4 times in the past 2 years. I have cable operated slides. No toppers. I had the slides out for some interior cleanup and decided to put them in today. The bedroom and dinette slides worked fine. The kitchen slide (stove, oven, refer, & TV) jerked a good bit coming in. So I put it back out and it jerked again going out and back in.
I got the DW to operate the switch while I looked underneath while being operated. They were short little 1 inch jerks with a flapping rattling noise. I sprayed some more lube on the bottom seal and the bottom of the slide with no improvement. I need to look some more but I thought I would just post and get some ideas as well. Used "search" and didn't find much.
edit: I went back to the 5th and looked it over again before the rain gets here. Operated the slide, same thing. The cables appear snug and not jumping around. Motor sounds consistent. The rattling noise is on bottom. Looking underneath from the outside I can't see anything, no rollers, etc. Can't see anything underneath from inside unless I take the bottom trim off. I sprayed some more Protectall seal lube on the seals and the floor from the exterior and the sidewalls as well. No difference. Climbed up the ladder to look at the slide roof...no dead cat or anything. And...I was hooked to 110 volts.
I'm thinking I shoulda left well enough alone. Maybe the seals are too slick! Dang if I'll try to do right again! Just drive it like you stole it.
Naaaa.

[chuckster57]

The slide floor should ride on a block or full length of plastic/silicone. Maybe you need to check them. Retract the slide about 3 inches and you should be able to inspect.

[gearhead]

The slide floor should ride on a block or full length of plastic/silicone. Maybe you need to check them. Retract the slide about 3 inches and you should be able to inspect.

Inspect from outside?

My second session of Googling "jerking RV slides" produced a post on **.net that a dealer advised to clean the slide seals with 409 and water on the same 5th, same issue. Another Laredo owner had the same issue, waited 3-5 days, all is well.
Waiting is what I do best.

[chuckster57]

Laying on the floor inside the trailer. You may need to lift the leading edge carpet if it has it, and use a flashlight.

[gearhead]

It is all vinyl. If the weather permits tomorrow I will spray with 409 and spritz it with water. Maybe it's too slick, but I can't imagine what issue that would cause. I'll dig more.

[Spring]

could be the gear box on the cable slide motor. I had two fail me and had them replaced by the dealer, out of warranty of course, this is a BAL Norco slide system on a 2014 Raptor 332ts. I think the gears are nylon and prone to strip.

[gearhead]

could be the gear box on the cable slide motor. I had two fail me and had them replaced by the dealer, out of warranty of course, this is a BAL Norco slide system on a 2014 Raptor 332ts. I think the gears are nylon and prone to strip.
Hopefully not. Motor assembly sounds and looks good during operation.
It's just such a coincidence that this occurred after I diligently sprayed the seals, exterior walls and exterior floors with Protect All slide seal lube. All I can think is it is so slick that the entire slide is jumping ahead of the motor.
The other issue is the conversation on another forum with the same 5th as mine that did the same thing after spraying the seals. His dealer said to clean with 409 and water. A Laredo owner there had the same thing happen. I couldn't find any 409 this morning so I diluted some Super Clean and cleaned the seals and walls with that. Spritzed it all down with tap water. Left the 2 big slides out. Weatherman is saying they will get a good rinsing this week.

[koko]

I fought same problem for months. Called Bal K & L manufacture tec rep. Issue was twofold. First, used a slide lube other than Slideout Rubber Seal Treatment by Protectal, Inc. made in USA (follow directions on can). Had to wash sides and rubbers thoroughly, but jumping still existed. Do not remove rubber seal flap at bottom - does not allow access to anything. Run slide fully out. Thoroughly wash black plastic bottom of slide. Purchase Zap or newly available WD40 Specialist Dirt and Dust Resistant Dry Lube PTFE spray (found mine at Home Depot). Soak bottom black plastic of slide. Run in and out a few times. Resoak. Run in and out. Should improve. Mine was so bad I had to get more aggressive. Ran slide 90% out, balanced on two large blocks and jacked up. Moved entire slide room up about 4". Reached in and cleaned hard rubber "solid rubber roll edge" (not a roller) thoroughly soaked with lube. Problem solved. Ours was so bad one of the cables jumped the roller. Be sure to check all cables and rollers. You will have to take the side plates off to do this (from the interior). Ours works perfectly now. Good luck. It is annoying when these things happen. We were on an extended trip at the time.

Edit: Positive note: Now have a real good working knowledge of our slide.

[gearhead]

^^^Great info. Thanks.
What did you wash with?
Where did you support the bottom of the slide when you jacked it up?
Are you saying to use the Protect All, or not use it?
Is Zap a lubricant like the WD40?
This is crazy. My slide bottom and sides are clean and slicker than snot. I wonder what is different about the Protect All slide lube I used and WD40?? I was trusting the Protect All name. Was.

[koko]

Use Rubberseal by Protectal, but only on sides and top. I used another brand when my problems began. Couldn't find the Zap lubricant that Bal recommended, so I got on line and was given the "special" WD40 called Specialist Dirt and Dust Resistant Dry Lube PTFE Spray - it's in a yellow, black, silver can. I cleaned the black plastic bottom with acetone. It was slick, didn't look dirty, but rag did have grease. I lifted the slide room with a long wood plank and placed hydraulic jacks on each edge of the room. Took two or three attempts to get it exactly centered where the room would balance and move up equally. That's why I used a wider plank. Had raised it about 3 inches. It looked like it could raise almost 6. I observed the top gap as I raised it. It was high enough that I could get my hand with a stiff rag and acetone to clean the black tube roll slide surface. First in and out saw definite improvement. Soaked it down with WD40. Next one better still. Third time, problem solved. If I see mud or dirt build-up now, I wipe clean with a rag and add a little WD40. I stress, my side looked clean to me, but the groove on the inside must have been where the problem really was. It was soaking down with WD40 and going in and out that finally lubricated the glide path that can't be seen.

[gearhead]

Thanks a lot, excellent info.
This really confounds me. My slides and seals weren't particularly dirty at all. I used the Protect All slide and seal lube, foamy, made in USA. I'll clean it with acetone and maybe jack it up. Did you have the slide extended when you lifted it? For whatever reason that gives me the heebie-jeebies. The cables won't jump off the pulleys? I've got about 3 weeks before a long vacation, don't want to get into major issues this close to lift off.
I found the WD40 on Amazon.,but no Prime. If it ever stops flooding I'll venture to Home Depot or Lowe's.
Thanks again.

[koko]

The lady from Bal had told me to only jack up as a last resort. We had started jerking before we left on a very long (7 week) trip, so I took it to a dealer, they worked on it and claimed it had been fixed. We left on our trip but the jerking continued. It finally got so bad that we took it to a dealer in Burlington, WA, they looked at the tune of $200 to tell us that it HAD jumped the pully and that they wouldn't be able to fix it for two weeks $1200, and we were leaving the next day. I ended up putting it back on the pully myself, we limped home, and that's when I spoke with the Bal people, and they gave me the advice I have given you, which solved a 2 month problem caused by using bad rubber seal spray in the first place. Go ahead and try everything else before jacking it up. I was just so fed up that I finally got aggressive. The jacking up was a scarey prospect!

[gearhead]

10-4. I'm on it....got my acetone and WD40 specialist. Might dive into it this afternoon. My thoughts too as far as jacking it up...last resort.
Thanks again for all the info.

[JRTJH]

If you're going to use acetone to clean the underside of your slide, make sure that you don't have the plastic "slide strips" on the floor under your slide. Acetone may "eat" the plastic !!! I'm not sure if Montana HC uses the same "friction strips" as Cougar, but if they do, they'll be plastic !!!

Caution !!!

[cant_remember_ID]

Have you tried applying baby powder to the slide seals? There are several suggestions for its use. Google baby powder for RV slides and check to see if you think it would help. I dont think it would hurt.

[gearhead]

HOT DANG.....it works. I cleaned the bottom of the kitchen slide with acetone on a microfiber cloth. I didn't overdo it, just a few tablespoons on say a 3"x3" portion of the folded cloth. Cleaned the outside vertical seals and went inside and cleaned the inside vertical seals. Then wiped down the exterior side walls. I noticed the cloth dragging on the sidewalls and found some chalky residue on the cloth. Then sprayed the exterior floor bottom with the WD40 Specialist PTFE and the seals inside and out. I tried the slide and it seemed a bit better. I could pull the little exterior floor seal down and push the spray tube in there. Sprayed some more everywhere, slide got better. Sprayed the whole dang can. I'd say it is 90% better.
The seals definitely have a different look. They are shiny and not near as slick.
I still wonder if the ProtectAll didn't make them too slick.
Further info....you cannot see any of the underside of the slide from inside or outside. My other 2 slides the rollers are visible. Not this one. Chuckster and koko were on it. The bottom of the slide is slick...nothing on it.
I'll check on it tomorrow and hopefully it is good. But I do have another can of the WD40!
Thanks a lot folks. Saved my behind.

[koko]

Glad it's working out. Feels real good, doesn't it?

[gearhead]

Glad it's working out. Feels real good, doesn't it?

Sure does. Thanks for all the help.
But...did you use the WD40 on the seals? I looked at the seals again and they were shiny and sticky. I got the acetone back out and wiped the interior and exterior seals.
Not sure if it would have made any difference but I think all is well.

[koko]

No. Don't use the WD40 on the side seals. Use the Rubberseal by Protectal. Happy camping.

[gearhead]

No. Don't use the WD40 on the side seals. Use the Rubberseal by Protectal. Happy camping.

It cleaned off pretty good! lol
I've put nothing on the seals since I cleaned the WD40 off. I'll hit them with the Protect All and probably some more WD40 behind the slide floor seal.

[mfifield01]

I just tried cleaning and using the dry lube. It kind of worked, but it's a bigger issue with mine. I found that the rubber seal (flap) on the bottom is starting to tear. The area that is tearing makes it jerk on the way back in. It goes out fine. I guess it's time for some warranty work.

[gearhead]

If the seal is like mine it should be a quick fix. Looks like it is just held on by a few small screws.
I am truly confounded how sensitive the slide is, and how bad the jerking reaction is. Mine was visibly very clean on all surfaces. When I wiped the bottom and sides down with acetone I got a little chalky residue on the cloth from the sides. Could have been some wax. I don't recall waxing the sides, but knowing me I may have used a quick detailer spray on them.

[mfifield01]

I agree, it does look like a quick fix. Only downfall is that it will probably take about 3 weeks for the dealer to get the part. I plan to use it while I wait (heading out today).

[koko]

Under warranty? Definitely make them fix it. No point in depriving yourself of some good camping time while you wait for parts!

[gearhead]

Probably take 3-6 weeks to get in the shop this time of year. I would schedule the shop work around your plans. They could change that seal in 15 minutes if they have one in stock.
Actually I would talk to a trusted repair shop, if you know one. Tell them what you have, maybe email a pic, and ask how long & how much. I think I would pay an hour labor rather than get jerked around by a dealer.

[KPeters]

Well, it is a known design/engineering issue with the slideout extending or retracting... which will result in the lower wearbar wearing and possibly create other issues. Keystone has mitigated the problem on newer 2017 models by adding 3-4 rollers under the slide out to ease operation... works great! Keystone has acknowledged the problem and has authorized service repair on one of my slides by adding the rollers to my 2016 Raptor this past year (2017), again it works great! I started having the same problem on the other slide out (same design), and it is now in for the service upgrade at present (February 2018). Good luck all. : )

[JRTJH]

Welcome to the forum. More information about your repairs would be appreciated. Who did the work, who paid for it, what process did you use to get the work approved, who is paying for this new (apparently out of warranty) repair on the current slide problem, how did you address that repair and was it approved under warranty, as a "good will repair" or part of a recall??? Inquiring minds want to know.......

[KPeters]

The corrected work on the slide out was done at the dealership and authorized through Keystone under "good will". The fix, installing rollers and re-adjusting the cabling really did the trick... thank you Keystone! Note: newer models today come with rollers under the slide. As you may be aware "good will" by a manufacturer gives them the flexibility to address the problem, or not. Recalls are generally those items deemed as mission critical or safety related. Thanks.

[JRTJH]

Since it was a "good will" repair, how did you or your dealer document it in such a manner that Keystone approved the repair? What "secret" did you (or the dealer) use that motivated Keystone to approve the work? It's been the experience of the vast majority of owners (and dealers) that after the warranty period had ended, most have been denied any approval for "factory funded repairs". Do you have any advice for others that might help them get work approved on their slides?

[gearhead]

I had my Mom & Pop RV service shop investigate a small water leak last fall. They replaced the bulb seal on the sofa/dinette slide. They apparently checked the other slides and told me the refrigerator/TV (curb) slide needed rollers. $2400. Yeah that is the jerking slide. When we get back from the April trip I guess I'll talk to the Houston mega dealer.

[sourdough]

I had my Mom & Pop RV service shop investigate a small water leak last fall. They replaced the bulb seal on the sofa/dinette slide. They apparently checked the other slides and told me the refrigerator/TV (curb) slide needed rollers. $2400. Yeah that is the jerking slide. When we get back from the April trip I guess I'll talk to the Houston mega dealer.


Brent,

When I was having my issues I looked at adding rollers as well. After talking to Bal? about how that would go and digging into alternatives on the internet I added Teflon like glides to the bottom of my slides. This is the first year but 1) there is no jerking and 2) they seem very stable. The wearing of the Darco has, as would be expected, stopped. I paid $2200 for 2 slides about 12' long or so; kitchen and dining/living room. It might be something to consider before delving into a new trailer.....although I'm working on DW to do the same.....so I can get a 1 ton diesel.....:cool:

[gearhead]

That's a pretty good idea putting Teflon on the slides. How thick and wide are the Teflon strips? Are they just screwed to the bottom of the slide? Of course I'm thinking how I could "redneck" this myself.
For the time being I'm going to clean the seals and spray some more WD40 Specialist and ProtectAll. Leaving the 1st week of April for Tennessee, N Carolina, Virginia. No time for the 5th to be sitting and waiting for repairs. We're pretty booked up until October.

[SkiSmuggs]

My cable slides were working fine until I read a recommendation to use silicon spray on the bottom. After that, I got the same jerking described by the OP. I have washed once which helped a little, but will need to get more aggressive with it and look at suggestion on first page.

[sourdough]

That's a pretty good idea putting Teflon on the slides. How thick and wide are the Teflon strips? Are they just screwed to the bottom of the slide? Of course I'm thinking how I could "redneck" this myself.
For the time being I'm going to clean the seals and spray some more WD40 Specialist and ProtectAll. Leaving the 1st week of April for Tennessee, N Carolina, Virginia. No time for the 5th to be sitting and waiting for repairs. We're pretty booked up until October.


We didn't install pure Teflon strips. I believe the cost at that time was approx. $800 lin. ft. We used a material much like it (I'll have to look it up - I've posted it before but don't remember at the moment) which was much cheaper but just as good from what we could find. It is 1/8" thick with 3 countersunk screws on the front end out far enough so that they do not cross the wear bar. They are approx. 12" wide and long enough to extend past the wear bar when the slide is extended. They are attached to the bottom of the slides with adhesive. They had to raise and hyper extend the slides to get them on and secured then kept it for about 10 days to let it cure and work the slides multiple times a day to seat the strips.

[gearhead]

Y'all know what I'm thinking don't ya?
Those Teflon strips made for boat trailer bunks. Maybe use some good double sided 3M tape.
For now, I'm thinking clean it and spray it.

[CT Wanderer]

I've had the jerking slide problem also. After much research on this and other forums I've found a solution that worked for me. Here is my post from another forum.

"I cleaned the bottom and the bearing strip with 90% alcohol. Tested and saw no noticeable improvement. I saw on another forum that after cleaning to apply WD-40 Specialist Dirt & Rust Resistant Dry Lube PTFE Spray. Don't use silicone. I immediately noticed an improvement. Except for jumping when it first started to slide in it ran smooth as new. I then sprayed behind the bottom seal, let it dry and tested. Except for sticking a little before beginning to travel it operated smoothly with absolutely no jumping. Others have said it will get better with use.
Glad to have my slide operating as new again.
__________________
2016 Montana HC 305RL
2013 GMC 3500HD Denali SRW"

My slide operates like new again.

So what I've learned is the cause of my problem was getting SILICONE on the rub strip under the slide. Mine started with using seal conditioner with silicone and then I compounded it with spraying silicone under the slide to try and help the problem. This only made it worse.


Now I'm looking for a seal conditioner without silicone to use going forward.

[travelin texans]

When I had mine at the factory the techs there recommended Pledge (I buy the imitation at the dollar store) furniture polish on all the seals, spray it on a rag & wipe them down, dirt doesn't stick & my seals all look brand new after 5+ years. Doesn't contain silicone & much cheaper than a "seal conditioner" at some rv store.

[Bingo 57]

Funny story on this topic, while cleaning my 5er today I decided to "lube" my slide seals. Mind you I was having no problems was just being proactive, and that's when my problems began..... I used the 3n1 RV Care Slide-Out silicone lube, thinking this was what it was for. To my amazement,,, this darn thing jerked, hoped, bounce, to the likes I've never seen!!! I just bout cr-p my pants!! I thought I was "helping" my unit what have I done. Now keep in mind this IS my 1st unit with a slide, and more than likely my retirement home. ( That's what I'm TOLD) Needless to say I was s--tin bricks. I knew it was something I had just done, so I checked & rechecked. All looked good, & slick. Or so I thought, the seal underneath the slide looked fine till I rolled it over, I found it to be sticky & sort-of guey. Knowing I didn't want to put anything on there that would attract dirt & grime I got on this forum, and lo and behold I'm not the 1st one with this issue. And the baby power worked like a champ, after 2 rub downs & 3 in-in-outs it's back to where it was before I my proactive treatment!
Bingo:bow:

[gearhead]

That WD40 Specialist is magic. I buy 2 at a time at Walmart.
But I do need to contact my Houston mega dealer about the repair bulletin for rollers.

[Cardcathrn]

Well, it is a known design/engineering issue with the slideout extending or retracting... which will result in the lower wearbar wearing and possibly create other issues. Keystone has mitigated the problem on newer 2017 models by adding 3-4 rollers under the slide out to ease operation... works great! Keystone has acknowledged the problem and has authorized service repair on one of my slides by adding the rollers to my 2016 Raptor this past year (2017), again it works great! I started having the same problem on the other slide out (same design), and it is now in for the service upgrade at present (February 2018). Good luck all. : )

I have a 2018 Cougar TT and this issue still remains. No roller on mine. Jerked so bad it snapped cable. I will definitely try this cleaning!

[Cardcathrn]

I cannot see from the inside or out! I read later on people used pledge furniture polish. I am leery to use this. Thinking I will find the wd40 dirt one?
Also with acetone, hardware store? not nail polish remover LOL?

[travelin texans]

I cannot see from the inside or out! I read later on people used pledge furniture polish. I am leery to use this. Thinking I will find the wd40 dirt one?
Also with acetone, hardware store? not nail polish remover LOL?

Pledge furniture polish for use on the slide seals works great.
As for the regular WD40, it's for rusted bolts ONLY or removing tar off your car paint & works great as a dust/dirt magnet, but wouldn't use it anywhere near your slides for any purpose. You can use the silicone WD40, other brands also available, to lubricate your slide mechanism.

[sourdough]

I cannot see from the inside or out! I read later on people used pledge furniture polish. I am leery to use this. Thinking I will find the wd40 dirt one?
Also with acetone, hardware store? not nail polish remover LOL?


You might try this one;

https://www.walmart.com/ip/WD-40-Specialist-Dry-Lube-11-Ounce/39954760?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227037671288&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=80432275129&wl4=pla-177674615089&wl5=9028507&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=39954760&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1-6lrtag4wIV3YKzCh0Gqg3TEAQYAiABEgKLs_D_BwE

I've used it with pretty good luck. It hasn't attracted dirt or "gunk" and smooths the slide up. I do wash it off, dry and reapply vs just keep spraying it over itself. I'm afraid it will build up on the wear bar and cause further issues...and the wear bar is difficult to get to.

As far as acetone, be careful. I've never used it on Darco and I'm afraid it would "melt" it if you did. Out of curiousity I used some to remove some duct tape residue a couple of days ago on the wood trim of my shed. It took off more paint that it did adhesive. I put 303 on my seals after I've cleaned them.

[Cardcathrn]

what would you recommend to clean first? I am ok with pledge but from an original post they recommended the wd40 specialist dirt and something dry spray

[gearhead]

WD40 SPEIALIST WITH PTFE DOES NOT ATTRACT DIRT OR DUST.
NOT regular WD40.
Get it at WalMart.

[Cardcathrn]

yep, that much I got! I knew not reg. wd40. I am just unsure about the initial cleaning. I have seen acetone and I have seen alcohol

[travelin texans]

22693
I've used numerous cans of this all around my rvs, has the same Teflon ingredients as the WD40 mentioned earlier. Used to get it Wal-Mart, but locally they don't have it any more, restocked the shelf with the WD40 stuff.

[sourdough]

what would you recommend to clean first? I am ok with pledge but from an original post they recommended the wd40 specialist dirt and something dry spray


What are you wanting to clean? Slide bottom, wear bar, seals...? Takes a bit of different things to get it all done for me.

[DOREENROSE]

Hello- We have a 2000 Keystone Montana 5th wheel. Does anyone know how to lubricate, the slide for a front bedroom? The mechanisms are all enclosed.

[CT Wanderer]

22693
I've used numerous cans of this all around my rvs, has the same Teflon ingredients as the WD40 mentioned earlier. Used to get it Wal-Mart, but locally they don't have it any more, restocked the shelf with the WD40 stuff.

That product contains Silicone and as I and others have stated if you get that on the wear bar you will get the jumping and jerking and be faced with hours of cleaning. I use only WD40 Specialist with PTFE. There are other WD40 Specialist products so make sure you get the one with PTFE.

As for the cleaning it has been recommended to use alcohol. That’s what I used and it worked great. The wear bar is difficult to get to and you have to do the whole underside of the slide as that is what is in contact with the wear bar. There are no rollers on that slide in my unit. Slides that have rollers and no wear bar can take silicone products with no problems.

[Don N.]

I had the same jerking with my living room slide. My RV tech told me to spray underneath of the slide with Zep 45, which is a lube with PTFE.....no more jerking. I spray each slide once a year in the Spring.

[DOREENROSE]

Thank you. My husband fixed the slide. Getting to the slide mechanism was not easy. But he found it, lubricated it, and the slide works perfect now!

[Cardcathrn]

What are you wanting to clean? Slide bottom, wear bar, seals...? Takes a bit of different things to get it all done for me.

sorry for late reply. bottom of slide out. some suggested acetone and some suggested alcohol. cleaning bottom prior to spraying the wd40 dirt and dust specialist spray

[Cardcathrn]

That product contains Silicone and as I and others have stated if you get that on the wear bar you will get the jumping and jerking and be faced with hours of cleaning. I use only WD40 Specialist with PTFE. There are other WD40 Specialist products so make sure you get the one with PTFE.

As for the cleaning it has been recommended to use alcohol. That’s what I used and it worked great. The wear bar is difficult to get to and you have to do the whole underside of the slide as that is what is in contact with the wear bar. There are no rollers on that slide in my unit. Slides that have rollers and no wear bar can take silicone products with no problems.

yes CT, i bought the appropriate wd. the specialist dirt and dust one.
thanks!

[DOREENROSE]

My husband figured it out. The slide works perfect.

[Mroe67]

I have a 3120 RL with three slide outs. Mine somewhat jerk when going in and out. We make sure we sweep the floors before putting the slides back in so no debris gets under the slides. Still confused as to what to lube the slide rubber seals with. Some are using WD40, is it the silicone version? Or use the Prorectal. Then there is the 3 in 1 lube. Are you using something different to lube the slotted rails with.

[travelin texans]

I have a 3120 RL with three slide outs. Mine somewhat jerk when going in and out. We make sure we sweep the floors before putting the slides back in so no debris gets under the slides. Still confused as to what to lube the slide rubber seals with. Some are using WD40, is it the silicone version? Or use the Prorectal. Then there is the 3 in 1 lube. Are you using something different to lube the slotted rails with.

DO NOT use the regular WD40 on anything rubber, seals or gaskets, it'll turn them to mush, use the silicone version on the moving parts.
Use Pledge furniture polish (I use the dollar store imitation) on the rubber slide seals & all the other rubber seals or gaskets throughout the RV, as recommended by the factory techs. From the name I'm not quite sure what the "Prorectal" should be used for, but doesn't sound like something I need.
24018
Been using this on anything that needs to move freely for years with no problems pick it up at Walmart.

[CT Wanderer]

I have a 3120 RL with three slide outs. Mine somewhat jerk when going in and out. We make sure we sweep the floors before putting the slides back in so no debris gets under the slides. Still confused as to what to lube the slide rubber seals with. Some are using WD40, is it the silicone version? Or use the Prorectal. Then there is the 3 in 1 lube. Are you using something different to lube the slotted rails with.

As I mentioned earlier in the post you can’t get silicone on the wear/bearing bar under the slide. That is what most likely is causing the jerking. Clean with alcohol and then use WD-40 Specialist with TFE (Teflon) only. I spray the entire bottom of the slide, let it dry and then run it in and out. When treating the seals be sure to protect this bottom bar from any over spray of whatever seal treatment you choose to use.

[77cruiser]

I found out not to be shy with it. I used almost a full can on mine & then it was good for most of the summer.

[gearhead]

As I mentioned earlier in the post you can’t get silicone on the wear/bearing bar under the slide. That is what most likely is causing the jerking. Clean with alcohol and then use WD-40 Specialist with TFE (Teflon) only. I spray the entire bottom of the slide, let it dry and then run it in and out. When treating the seals be sure to protect this bottom bar from any over spray of whatever seal treatment you choose to use.
^^^This. Don't use silicone.

[busterbrown]

^^^This. Don't use silicone.

Or Aerospace 303. 7 on the Richter scale after I applied it several years ago. Had to wash down the wear bar and applied baby powder. Both slides move as if they're on rails now. I use a rubber conditioner on the side/top seals.

[Deereequipment]

Anyone find out more information on a roller install fix?
I talked to the Norco rep lady, and she said there was a fix (like the Lippert Roller fix), but I had to go through Keystone.
My dealer is dragging their feet (surprise surprise, its a Camping WOrld).

[sourdough]

Anyone find out more information on a roller install fix?
I talked to the Norco rep lady, and she said there was a fix (like the Lippert Roller fix), but I had to go through Keystone.
My dealer is dragging their feet (surprise surprise, its a Camping WOrld).


I'm not sure why Camping World would be dragging their feet or why it would go through Keystone? If it is warranty Keystone is not going to install rollers if they aren't on there - they will repair/replace something if it's broken or failed. The roller add would be on your and my CW told me they would be glad to do it. Of course, dealer responses are dealer specific...good ones work with you, others not so much.

When I talked to Norco a few weeks back their slide person told me to measure the height of the wearbar, call her and she would give me the part number, order them and install them. Simple and straight forward. I'm not at that point yet with the mods I made but not sure how your issue is either a Keystone or CW issue?

[Deereequipment]

Camping World has been nothing but problems since day one, but that's a different issue.

The rep at Norco told me I had to go through Keystone to find repairs, and my Camping World dealer was my key to keystone service. But they are DRAGGING THEIR FEET. Its been two months.

Can you share that NORCO
phone number? It sounds like I need to be talking to that same person you mentioned. I am trying to find the fix, and do the repairs myself.

Thanks

[sourdough]

Camping World has been nothing but problems since day one, but that's a different issue.

The rep at Norco told me I had to go through Keystone to find repairs, and my Camping World dealer was my key to keystone service. But they are DRAGGING THEIR FEET. Its been two months.

Can you share that NORCO
phone number? It sounds like I need to be talking to that same person you mentioned. I am trying to find the fix, and do the repairs myself.

Thanks

I called and they tried to just give me generic "answers" and I escalated. I talked to a lady who was their "expert" on the slides while she was driving. Don't remember if I posted this in another thread but she said that Norco doesn't recommend using Darco on their cable slides but the manufacturers choose their own designs....Keystone chooses the Darco with the wear bar. I have shared that with Keystone upper management along with my disappointment with their choice vs the recommendations from Norco which is rollers.

I have her name and number.....somewhere. I'm in the RV and not used to "living" in a tiny box so I have stuff strewn all over. My kitchen table is my office and covered with laptop, printer, folders etc. Somewhere in all the notes and "stuff" piled behind my laptop and printer I'm sure I have those notes. I'll see if I can find them and PM you.

[Deereequipment]

]

That would be great.

Thank you!!

[mikec557]

]

That would be great.

Thank you!!

D

I'm not sure if this is helpful to you, or if it's repeated information. (we're at Quartzsite for the rv show and I'm working on my cellphone with a slooooow connection) Nonetheless, this youtube of a guy adding rollers to a slide that sounds like yours may be useful to you.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=HgGEWmeojN0#

Mike

[Skippy38]

Glad I found this thread. After lubing every cable, pulley, chain and sprocket on my slides they now work pretty well. I screwed up and sprayed lube on the slide rail and had the same jerking problem coming in and out. I used a LIBERAL amount of Totally Awesome and cleaned the outside of the rails as good as I could and the jerking was reduced by about 75%. It still hops a little but it is manageable now. I guess that i will keep putting the Totally Awesome to it until they run smoothly...

[Skippy38]

I fought same problem for months. Called Bal K & L manufacture tec rep. Issue was twofold. First, used a slide lube other than Slideout Rubber Seal Treatment by Protectal, Inc. made in USA (follow directions on can). Had to wash sides and rubbers thoroughly, but jumping still existed. Do not remove rubber seal flap at bottom - does not allow access to anything. Run slide fully out. Thoroughly wash black plastic bottom of slide. Purchase Zap or newly available WD40 Specialist Dirt and Dust Resistant Dry Lube PTFE spray (found mine at Home Depot). Soak bottom black plastic of slide. Run in and out a few times. Resoak. Run in and out. Should improve. Mine was so bad I had to get more aggressive. Ran slide 90% out, balanced on two large blocks and jacked up. Moved entire slide room up about 4". Reached in and cleaned hard rubber "solid rubber roll edge" (not a roller) thoroughly soaked with lube. Problem solved. Ours was so bad one of the cables jumped the roller. Be sure to check all cables and rollers. You will have to take the side plates off to do this (from the interior). Ours works perfectly now. Good luck. It is annoying when these things happen. We were on an extended trip at the time.

Edit: Positive note: Now have a real good working knowledge of our slide.
So did you coat the entire bottom of the slide with the WD40 Dry Lube? My slides appear to be just 3/4" plywood covered with some kind of carbon fiber material. Did you spray the dry lube on the solid rubber roll edge?

[Deereequipment]

D

I'm not sure if this is helpful to you, or if it's repeated information. (we're at Quartzsite for the rv show and I'm working on my cellphone with a slooooow connection) Nonetheless, this youtube of a guy adding rollers to a slide that sounds like yours may be useful to you.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=HgGEWmeojN0#

Mike


Yes Mike.
That's the video I have seen. That particular slide is a Lippert, and they have that fix. Norco "supposedly" has that fix too, but I can't get the part numbers.

[Deereequipment]

I called and they tried to just give me generic "answers" and I escalated. I talked to a lady who was their "expert" on the slides while she was driving. Don't remember if I posted this in another thread but she said that Norco doesn't recommend using Darco on their cable slides but the manufacturers choose their own designs....Keystone chooses the Darco with the wear bar. I have shared that with Keystone upper management along with my disappointment with their choice vs the recommendations from Norco which is rollers.

I have her name and number.....somewhere. I'm in the RV and not used to "living" in a tiny box so I have stuff strewn all over. My kitchen table is my office and covered with laptop, printer, folders etc. Somewhere in all the notes and "stuff" piled behind my laptop and printer I'm sure I have those notes. I'll see if I can find them and PM you.


I'm supposed to take my camper back to my dealer next week. They haven't been able to find any information.

Did you have a chance to find that phone number? I'd like to be able to have all this figured out before I go there, since its a normal occurance for me to be the one to tell them how to fix things.

[Deereequipment]

So did you coat the entire bottom of the slide with the WD40 Dry Lube? My slides appear to be just 3/4" plywood covered with some kind of carbon fiber material. Did you spray the dry lube on the solid rubber roll edge?


make sure you are using the wd40 with the ptfe. Its not just dry lube.
The Zep or WD40 both are with the PTFE

[sourdough]

I'm supposed to take my camper back to my dealer next week. They haven't been able to find any information.

Did you have a chance to find that phone number? I'd like to be able to have all this figured out before I go there, since its a normal occurance for me to be the one to tell them how to fix things.


I will send you a PM.

[mikec557]

Yes Mike.
That's the video I have seen. That particular slide is a Lippert, and they have that fix. Norco "supposedly" has that fix too, but I can't get the part numbers.

I would have guessed the rollers were generic, that is, like 3/4 or 1 inch tall (diameter). I hope you find your solution. We have 3 slides, 2 Schwintek and 1 heavy duty electric drive rack and pinion. Every time we run them in or out I have my fingers crossed. Some days I miss the simplicity of 1 slide or no slides.

Good luck.

[Skippy38]

make sure you are using the wd40 with the ptfe. Its not just dry lube.
The Zep or WD40 both are with the PTFE

Yep, that's what I got. I degreased the slide bar as good as I could with Totally Awesome and sprayed the WD40 PTFE on the bottom of the slide and let it dry. Ran the slide in and out and absolutely no hopping. Runs as smooth as new. I thought about the roller fix but it is working great now so I will just monitor it...

[Deereequipment]

How did you reach the slide/wear bar to clean it?
Did you have to raise the slide to reach under?

Where is that bar located? Is it right at the outer edge of the camper floor, or is it in further?

Thanks.

[sourdough]

How did you reach the slide/wear bar to clean it?
Did you have to raise the slide to reach under?

Where is that bar located? Is it right at the outer edge of the camper floor, or is it in further?

Thanks.


The wear bar is directly under the slide box behind the outer seal. Open the slide, pull down the seal and you will see a polymer "bar" running the length of the slide a few inches inside the seal. You can pull the slide in a few inches from the fully extended position and see the wear bar inside on mine.

For cleaning you could raise the slide I suppose but that can be a lot of work and possibly lead to issues with the cable system.

[Gobirds38]

Maybe this will help?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgGEWmeojN0

[Rocketsled]

My experiences: Silicone BAD. 3-in-1 RV slide lubricant VERY BAD. The rubber weather seal quite possibly grips and jumps rather than slides. (Ended up ripping the weather stripping while troubleshooting. That's a repair I'm not looking forward to.

The WD 40 Pro PTFE dry lube appears to have resolved the lubrication issues. Bought it at Walmart.

[brodavefla]

I had a similar problem with my Accuslide kitchen slide. Based on ideas from this thread and others I jacked up the extended slideout a good 4" or so, so that I could access the wear bar--both from outside and inside :cool:
I used WD-40 Specialist Dry Lube with PTFE and liberally sprayed both sides of the wear bar. Waited an hour or two for it to dry, let down the jacks, and voila! It works again. For now. BAL fixed this design flaw on their later models by applying roller bars to help the slideouts to, well, slide better. I've got them on back order and will install as soon as I can get my hands on them.



Many thanks to Sourdough and others who have posted about this issue!--BD

[LHaven]

I applied ZEP 45 for the first time today. It was fruitless to attempt to view anything past the rubber wiper (without unscrewing and removing the entire wiper, which I wasn't up for), so I just stuck the straw in the joint at intervals and let fly. The straw itself was a joke as it kept spitting out (plastic to plastic lube, duh). I was so displeased by the process that I did the meat axe thing and finished up by just blowing lube all over the Dicor and the bottom rubber wiper, then cycling the slide a couple times. It did some humping that it never did before, but then the motor increased in pitch (speed) considerably; and the humping seemed to be going away on the final cycle, so I suspect I did more good than harm.

I have a matchbook-sized piece of Gorilla Tape on the Dicor, where I had a lag bolt pierce it from inside during one of our initial modifications. I had no idea the Dicor was a bearing surface until a few weeks ago. The tape is a bit worn and smeary, but seems to be holding up well. Is there anything like a thinner iron-on adhesive patch that works better on Dicor?

[sourdough]

I applied ZEP 45 for the first time today. It was fruitless to attempt to view anything past the rubber wiper (without unscrewing and removing the entire wiper, which I wasn't up for), so I just stuck the straw in the joint at intervals and let fly. The straw itself was a joke as it kept spitting out (plastic to plastic lube, duh). I was so displeased by the process that I did the meat axe thing and finished up by just blowing lube all over the Dicor and the bottom rubber wiper, then cycling the slide a couple times. It did some humping that it never did before, but then the motor increased in pitch (speed) considerably; and the humping seemed to be going away on the final cycle, so I suspect I did more good than harm.

I have a matchbook-sized piece of Gorilla Tape on the Dicor, where I had a lag bolt pierce it from inside during one of our initial modifications. I had no idea the Dicor was a bearing surface until a few weeks ago. The tape is a bit worn and smeary, but seems to be holding up well. Is there anything like a thinner iron-on adhesive patch that works better on Dicor?



CD, what exactly happened with the piercing of the dicor and how/where exactly did you place the gorilla tape? If just a stand alone, in the middle of the dircor kind of fix....ain't good. The wear bar will take it off. If the darco has actually been perforated the good remedies are few, far between and can be expensive. PM me if you want to.

[LHaven]

I had no idea how thick (rather, thin) the slide floor was. The first lag bolt I used was too long and the tip punched a very small hole (icepick-sized) in the Dicor. I computed the proper lag length from that and finished the job with no more protrusions. I slapped a small patch of Gorilla Tape on the puncture just to prevent fraying. It's been there two years and frankly is holding up quite well. Rather than panic myself into another burdensome repair, I'll just keep an eye on it.

[sourdough]

That is great news. The slide bottom contacts the wear bar differently at different places along the length. Sounds like yours is doing OK. Keep a very close eye on it. Once it starts to roll or fray on the edges you need to do something right then.

[JRTJH]

Just for "clarity sake":

DARCO is the thin black plastic film used under the slides.

DICOR is the self leveling sealant applied to the roof seams.....

People in this post exchange appear to both be talking about what the other member understands, but for someone in the future who might read these posts, DICOR is not a "bearing surface under the slide" and applying ZEP or WD40 spray to the sealant on your roof isn't recommended...

It (ZEP or WD40) is used on the DARCO under the slides and is the same stuff that's used to line the wheelwells.....

[brodavefla]

That is great news. The slide bottom contacts the wear bar differently at different places along the length. Sounds like yours is doing OK. Keep a very close eye on it. Once it starts to roll or fray on the edges you need to do something right then.


Once the Darco wears out I'm not sure there's any practical way to resurface it. I've seen on a thread or two an idea about applying a few strips of some kind of (less expensive) Teflon analog that would help. That's probably what I would try. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye on it and re-apply the WD-40 Specialist dry lube on some kind of schedule. I used about 1.25 cans to be sure to coat it well. BTW jacking up the slideout really was not difficult, and uber-helpful in exposing the wear bar.

[brodavefla]

This is how I set up the jacks, and this shows what kind of access you get, both inside and out.

[sourdough]

Just for "clarity sake":

DARCO is the thin black plastic film used under the slides.

DICOR is the self leveling sealant applied to the roof seams.....

People in this post exchange appear to both be talking about what the other member understands, but for someone in the future who might read these posts, DICOR is not a "bearing surface under the slide" and applying ZEP or WD40 spray to the sealant on your roof isn't recommended...

It (ZEP or WD40) is used on the DARCO under the slides and is the same stuff that's used to line the wheelwells.....


Whoops! My apologies. I've been dealing with darco, placing dicor etc. so much lately I guess I'm using the terms interchangeably (post 82). :facepalm:

[sourdough]

This is how I set up the jacks, and this shows what kind of access you get, both inside and out.



No, done the way you did it (it's the way I do it) it's not hard to just raise the slide box a bit. To get to the front edge of the slide (outside the wall) is much more difficult and requires hyper extending the slide (pulling it all the way out of the enclosure).

[retired school dude]

I am having a similar issue with one of my cable slides. Has anyone thought of battery voltage being a cause? Or a failing auto-reset fuse?