slide out issue

Hankintu · 06-14-2017, 03:36 AM

Put the slide in after camping for 10 days, inspected the trailer and noticed that the wiring harness from under the slide was sticking out from under the closed slide. I opened it back up and found that the stretchable square rubber harness holding the wiring was broken in two spots. I taped it up to get it home and found that the drivers side tail light no longer worked also. It doesn't appear that the wiring was damaged but who knows at this point as I haven't the time yet to delve into it. Also, there appear to be two tiny rubber plugs on each side of the tail light lense, do these pull out to expose the screws to take the lense off?
So, with the added information that there were no obstructions under the slide out to catch the wiring harness, what could have caused this? And any info on the tail light lense removal would help as i don't want to just start digging on those rubber caps if I can get some added info. Thanks in advance, and HAPPY CAMPING!

Tbos · 06-14-2017, 03:12 PM

My tail light covers are pop off. They are not LEDs. If yours are they may be different. A picture would help. If your bulb is good make sure you check all your grounds. As far as the wiring bundle and its support that's another question. Mine isn't that sturdy but unless I hit something I don't think it would ever break. Pictures might help. Good luck.

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**sourdough** · 06-14-2017, 03:22 PM

I am assuming you are talking about the flexible, folding plastic (?) arm that extends/retracts with the slide that carries wiring etc. Mine broke off for no apparent reason and I saw it when we parked to camp. I just made new holes and remounted it about 3" shorter. I've had no problems with it since and that was 2 years ago. Don't know about your taillights. I would pull the cover and see what you have or don't have as far as 12v/grd.

Hankintu · 06-15-2017, 03:12 AM

SD, that is exactly what happened to me. No apparent reason, it was extremely windy, maybe that had something to do with it. I also had the same idea, just stretch it a couple of inches, drill three new holes in the harness and screw it on, there seems to be plenty of stretch left. Mine also broke in the middle but I am thinking some small cable ties with some electrical tape at the contact points to reduce friction wear should do it. The tail light lense has a very small rubber plug or cover on each side of the tail light lense, does one push in on these with a small screwdriver and pull the lense back or is there another approach?

Hankintu · 06-15-2017, 03:16 AM

Tbos, I agree, my wiring is looped back and forth and then secured very well to trailer before it travels through the harness to get to the other end of the slide, hoping the two issues, light out and harness caught in slide, are not related.

**sourdough** · 06-15-2017, 06:38 AM

I've never had my lenses off so don't know how they are attached. If there are no visible screws, look for indentations on the sides of the lens so that you can pry it off. If none of those I guess I would see if I could remove the rubber covers by pulling them out vs pushing them in. If they don't remove/cover anything they may just fall down inside of the housing.

**JRTJH** · 06-15-2017, 07:04 AM

The wiring for the tail lights "typically" doesn't run through the slide and isn't a part of the wire loom under the slide. Those wires run from the power center 12volt fuses to the lights in the slide. The tail/stop lights run from the umbilical connector to the tail lights and aren't fused so no need to go to the power center.

While it's possible that the slide 12volt wiring may have been "wrapped around the tail light wires in the underbelly" and pulled something loose when the wire loom broke and hung, I wouldn't think that would be an "electrical issue" rather an easy to see "physical issue".

My guess would be that the tail light bulb is either loose, the fixture isn't grounded or there's a loose wire at the connection, just under (behind) the light fixture.

As for "rubber plugs" in the tail lights, Keystone uses the "cheapest contractor priced light fixtures" they can buy, so I wouldn't suspect they have any "additional pieces" from any supplier. I haven't seen any tail lights with plugs over the screws before, so my "best guess" would be that someone put some DICOR sealant on the lens to cover the screws. Good luck getting that off, if it's what happened......

Hankintu · 06-26-2017, 02:48 AM

Just another thanks and follow up note;
Left taillight issue. The lense pops off when those little rubber pieces are pushed in on with a screwdriver, which tells me the rubber pieces were meant as a contact point. The bulb tested fine and the light worked when I backed the truck up and plugged in. I think that either the plug was not making good contact for the trip home or as JRTJH notes, something is loose and not making contact 100 percent of the time. Time will tell.
Wiring harness under slide issue; I also shortened the harness and reconnected it. I used two cable ties to reconnect the other broken area.
Thanks for the support and advice all, it's nice to know there is a community here that is helpful and knowledgeable. I hope I can help in the future as a payback or pay forward.

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