My fix for a "jerky" slide out

[geobet]

Recently there was a post about "jerky" slide outs. Some indicated that it happened out of the blue after washing/waxing/treating the rubber gaskets. Well, it happened to me as well after I did the same thing. It was so bad it shook the entire coach and crap started falling off the counters.

My final approach to fix it was simple - and don't we all love simple solutions. I found that the middle of the gasket on the reefer slide bottom got sucked into the frame seal about 8" lengthwise. I slightly modified a brake adjusting tool in my shop to gently pull it back out. Tried the fix. Still shook and vibrated the whole trailer both going in and out - just like the opposing slide. Hummm. Tried using some spray lubricant on the bottom of both slides. It still did the same thing. Took a beer break and contemplated. Then, went and adjusted all the cables, both in and out. Better but not fixed! Time for another cold one.

Then, as a last attempt, I cleaned off the afore mentioned spray with denatured alcohol and sprayed both bottoms with Liquid Wrench "Dry Lube" (safe for plastics and such). Ran both slides thru their cycles a couple of time and.... it worked!! No shaking, no jerking and groaning. Might not be the fix for everyone, but it definitely worked for me. Both slides work better and faster now than they did when it was brand new. Hope this helps someone with the same problems.

[canesfan]

Uh oh, gotta be careful with that new wax there. Kinda sux that you can't wax the sides of the slides. Still liking it though?

[sourdough]

Same thing happened to me. The folks that make the AccuSlides told me to clean off the bottoms and then spray the wear bar with a product called Zep 45. I did and it fixed them.

Another problem that will happen on some Keystone products is the bottom of the slide starts wearing. Our slide bottoms are covered in Darco....why, I don't know. It's a very poor design. The ends of both big slides started fraying from wearing on the wear bar. My concern was that it would eventually wear thru the Darco and peel it off. I did some searching and found a product that would protect the slide bottoms. I had initially wanted to use Teflon sheets but apparently there is a shortage of that material and they wanted $800 A FOOT!! Found a comparable product and had it installed on the bottoms of the slides to protect the Darco and wear bar. It's waiting for me to pick it up. Hopefully that is the end of jerking, tearing and wear on all the components.

[geobet]

Walt - Yep, still like the wax a lot. Part of the problem apparently was don't wax the bottom of the slideout.


Sourdough - That sounds interesting. Please post a follow up after you get it done. Will you be installing it yourself?

[canesfan]

Ok, I know I read about this all before. Is it just the bottom, or the bottom and sides? The bottom of mine has some sort of fabric and I wouldn't attempt to wax it.

[sourdough]

Walt - Yep, still like the wax a lot. Part of the problem apparently was don't wax the bottom of the slideout.


Sourdough - That sounds interesting. Please post a follow up after you get it done. Will you be installing it yourself?


I am not installing myself. The dealership has it completed and says it's working as good as, or better, than new; just waiting for me to come get it. The product was umwh?? if I recall (I can verify if anyone wants to know). Bought it by the sheet for a couple of hundred dollars. Same properties as Teflon but with a slightly lower melting point which will be of no consequence in this application.

Installation requires lifting the slide and being under it to position and attach the sheets. I can no longer get down and crawl, wasn't going to have DW do it plus was a little reluctant to jury rig some apparatus to raise the slide then have my hands stuck under it placing the material - so I let the dealership do it. They had all the proper stuff to do it. Said they didn't need to readjust the slides when it was completed (sheets are 1/8" thick).

Pricing for installation was a little stiff and almost caused me to try the installation myself. They are going to charge me 10 hrs. labor at $129 hr. That's to do 2 large slides and replace a bottom seal strip on one of them.

I've been to the dealership to check them out and they worked good. When I get it home (2-3 days) I'll recheck and post. I think it's going to be a super mod and eliminate all the worry I had about sticking slides and the Darco tearing up every time I opened one. The bedroom slide has rollers and doesn't have any issues.

[geobet]

Walt - In my case it was only the bottom. Sides were OK. Sourdough has an interesting fix, but both my bottoms (slide outs, not personal bottoms, LOL) have the material that Sourdough has had problems with - the dry lube that I applied offers a significant reduction in friction for moving parts. If mine ever start deteriorating I'm gonna check into his fix. About the wax - check this one out: aerocosmetics.com. Already placed an order, I'll pm you with the results of this later.

[sourdough]

Walt - In my case it was only the bottom. Sides were OK. Sourdough has an interesting fix, but both my bottoms (slide outs, not personal bottoms, LOL) have the material that Sourdough has had problems with - the dry lube that I applied offers a significant reduction in friction for moving parts. If mine ever start deteriorating I'm gonna check into his fix. About the wax - check this one out: aerocosmetics.com. Already placed an order, I'll pm you with the results of this later.


The sides on mine were/are OK. They were never sticking but I did wash them down.

The service manager explained that over time some slides start wearing on the ends because the slide slightly droops/bows to the ends depending on how it's constructed/laid out.

If the Darco hadn't been frayed and wearing I would have stuck with the Zep 45 because it made the slides work as they should. I am just not a fan of putting Darco on the bottom then have it slide across a wear bar. That is a recipe for disaster to me. On one slide they had placed 2 strips of Darco tape for some unknown reason. The wear bar pulled them off and they got stuck under the slide with the wear bar. Just a poor, poor design. My next trailer will not have that.....if I can remember:(

[geobet]

What a pain you've had Sourdough. Hope your fix solves the Darco problem once and for all. The Open Range I had previously had what appeared to be Teflon strips on the bottom. I'm not sold on the wear bars anyway - just another potential problem waiting to bite ya.

[canesfan]

Ok, thanks guys. I don't wash my slide sides as often as the rest of it, and I've never considered washing/waxing the bottom. I'm just keeping an eye on everything, check the fabric on the bottom now and then, and hope it all continues to work properly.

[MariettaMartha]

Our 2012 Cougar High Country main slide (cable) has always been a little "noisy" but recently it began to be really loud so we took it to the dealership. Our trailer has the polar package, so you can not see the bottom of the slide. The dealer pulled it out and tilted it. They said we are now metal on metal so we need to have a strip?? applied. We did not immediately agree, but now the slide is not only noisy but it shakes the whole wall as it moves. Should we spend this $1000 to correct the problem? Will it last for a while? thank you for any suggestions.

[gearhead]

Try cleaning the bottom and sides with a solvent like mineral spirits. Test a small area first. Then spray the bottom and sides, not seals, with Liquid Wrench Specialist with Teflon Does Not Attract Dirt.

[sourdough]

Our 2012 Cougar High Country main slide (cable) has always been a little "noisy" but recently it began to be really loud so we took it to the dealership. Our trailer has the polar package, so you can not see the bottom of the slide. The dealer pulled it out and tilted it. They said we are now metal on metal so we need to have a strip?? applied. We did not immediately agree, but now the slide is not only noisy but it shakes the whole wall as it moves. Should we spend this $1000 to correct the problem? Will it last for a while? thank you for any suggestions.


What kind of slide system do you have? Cable? Can't see the bottom of the slide because of a "polar package"? You should be able to see the bottom of the slide. Metal on metal? With a wear bar cable system? I think a little more information would be very helpful for us to assess what your issues may be.