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Old 09-18-2020, 03:10 PM   #1
wiredgeorge
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slide out issue?

Looking at a 2013 Cougar High Country 291RLS. Pictures show slide out not fully out and when I asked the owner he told me the slide out mechanism requires a lot of amps and is very slow. What type slide out mechanism would be on this camper and why would it be "slow". It does have a large slide (like mine) with both dinette and sofa in the slide. Quick help would be appreciated. Does a slow slide equal big bucks to fix? I asked the seller if it is slow on battery only or also when on shore power.
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Old 09-18-2020, 03:19 PM   #2
JRTJH
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It's probably an "electric ram slide". There is a gear driven ram attached to one end of the slide, powered by a 12 VDC motor and two "geared rams" connected by a idler arm, one on each end of the slide. Those two "geared rams" ride on plastic wheels with gear teeth between the two plastic wheels. All of that rides on a "wear bar" attached to the trailer floor.

My guess would be that either there's inadequate 12 volt power, a corroded/loose connection to the motor circuit, the seals are dirty/sticky or the plastic wheels are worn/broken allowing the slide to "bind as it's going out....

Here's the manual for the Lippert slide that's probably installed in the trailer:
https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001614.pdf

The roller/gear assembly is shown in figures 9-13.
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Old 09-18-2020, 03:45 PM   #3
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Seller says it is slow only when actuated via battery only. Oh yeah, under the "slow" heading in the manual you linked, says check to see if the slide is aligned properly. How the heck does one do that?
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Old 09-18-2020, 03:52 PM   #4
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Alignment typically means checking those plastic roller wheels for damage, making sure the two "gear rams" are not binding when they go in or out (rolling on those wheels) and making sure that both of the rams stay "centered in their guide brackets as they move in and out.

Then there's that "pesky" thing call "slide alignment" which means "centered in the sidewall opening, not too high or too low as well as centered front to back... Next is making sure the slide moves in/out equally top/bottom and when extended, the inside molding seals properly around the inside trailer wall and when retracted for travel, the outer flange seals properly around the FILON trailer wall....
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Old 09-18-2020, 03:59 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
Alignment typically means checking those plastic roller wheels for damage, making sure the two "gear rams" are not binding when they go in or out (rolling on those wheels) and making sure that both of the rams stay "centered in their guide brackets as they move in and out.

Then there's that "pesky" thing call "slide alignment" which means "centered in the sidewall opening, not too high or too low as well as centered front to back... Next is making sure the slide moves in/out equally top/bottom and when extended, the inside molding seals properly around the inside trailer wall and when retracted for travel, the outer flange seals properly around the FILON trailer wall....

Not sure if I could take on r & r of the plastic roller wheels but the alignment of the whole shebang is likely beyond me. Will have to check youtube videos. Camper I am looking at has good price and a bit more roomy than ours but is a rear living which means the television is up towards front of the cabin and there is a sofa at the rear of the camper in the slide at 90 degrees to the television and two chairs with one parked behind the kitchen counter. I am not a fan. Would likely swap location of table/chairs with couch at a minimum and put one of the chairs in storage.
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Old 09-18-2020, 04:01 PM   #6
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And it could be a weak battery as indicated by his saying that it's better when shore power is connected.
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Old 09-18-2020, 04:08 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Javi View Post
And it could be a weak battery as indicated by his saying that it's better when shore power is connected.
That would be my first guess, too...

As for changing out the roller/gear assemblies, I did it on my Cougar a couple weeks ago. It took all of 3-4 hours which included about 2 hours of finding suitable blocks of 2x12 to put under the slide to jack it up to take the weight off the rollers. Actual changeout probably took about 20 minutes per assembly. Easy to do with basic hand tools, a floor jack and a couple of jack stands on concrete blocks (solid blocks not the ones with holes), Slide alignment, as far as I'm concerned is an "art" not a "maintenance act"... Either you have the "knack" or you don't.... I don't.... So, if the slide needs aligning, I'm taking it to the dealership and let them fight it....
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Old 09-18-2020, 04:19 PM   #8
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George, looked at the floorplans and videos and that appears to be a cable slide. Looks like it has a bedroom slide and the LR slide. If the motor "drags/struggles" only on battery power I'm going with the battery. Seals (torn, dirty etc.) can cause drag but are easily cleaned/fixed. Had a 2014 Cougar High Country 319rls so rode this pony before.

Aligning? The easiest way is to 1) just make sure the slide seals evenly top to bottom and left to right then 2) just look at the tension on the cables when fully retracted/extended one should be tight and one should have about 1/2-1" play.

Cable slides and Darco. I believe that trailer will have Darco under the big slide. Have them check, or send pictures, of the underside to assure that the darco has not been torn, stretched or compromised in any way - it is a weakness of the fabric. If it is still in good shape now it should not be a worry in the future.
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