Lippert Slideout Adjustment

bobnelms · 06-11-2022, 06:11 AM

Hi all,

I have a 2016 Keystone Cougar 5th wheel, 37 feet, 3 slide-outs. The kitchen and main slide-outs are rubbing terribly along the floor when extending or retracting. As I'm retired and have taken a big hit in the stock market in the recent months (along with many others I'm sure), I'm trying to save money and do things myself that I'd normally send to the shop.

Has anyone ever tried adjusting these things on their own. I'm pretty sure I'm talking about a VERTICAL adjustment (raising the whole slideout a bit).

Thanks, ahead of time, for your wisdom and experience.

**chuckster57** · 06-11-2022, 06:24 AM

If they are through the frame then there isnt any real adjustment to lift the whole slide. there are adjustment bolts that will change the height of the rear wall and change the "pitch" of the slide as it extends/retracts. You have to make small adjustments and then run the slide after each adjustment to assure you still seal in both the extended and retracted position.

At both ends of the ram you will see a bolt (3/4"head) pointing up and another pair of bolts that lock the plates together. make sure the vertical bolt is touching BEFORE you loosen the locking bolts. Lowering the bolts will cause the rear to drop and the front to ride higher when retracting and the room will rock forward later in the retract motion.

Make all adjustments with the room about 1/2 way out and ETEND before retracting after tightening all the bolts/lock nuts.

bobnelms · 06-11-2022, 06:50 AM

Thanks Chuckster. Just wondering if you can point me to the Lippert Site page where I can download the adjustment procedure. I've been told such a page exists, but it appears I cannot find it without knowing which kind of slide I have (seems there are a TON of different types of slides)

**chuckster57** · 06-11-2022, 06:55 AM

This page should help you identify which one you have:

https://support.lci1.com/slide-outs/

bobnelms · 06-11-2022, 07:11 AM

Thank you once again!!

It seems that one question leads to another: I guess I have a basic slide-out question. Does the interior-most part of the slide actually RIDE ON the floor of the RV? It seems, from the schematics, that the Lippert attachments that pull or push the slide-out in or out only attach to the outer-most part of the slide-out, which again leads me to wonder what is "suspending" the inner-most part of the slide-out.

travelin texans · 06-11-2022, 07:34 AM

https://www.amazon.com/Lippert-13499...2-8997e41410bb

Might try these!

wiredgeorge · 06-11-2022, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

https://www.amazon.com/Lippert-13499...2-8997e41410bb

Might try these!

Had 2002 carpet in my Cougar 5h wheel.. Up came the carpet and found linoleum beneath which as fastened in a manner which indicated it was never intended to be seen. Up came the lino, all staples removed. Installed luxury vinyl tile (plank) and found that the slide scraped a bit when retracted. The carpet had provided a surface that allowed the slide to be retracted without damage.

Rather than buy the expensive gizmos Danny suggested which would work fine, I looked around the internet and found that some other person with this issue had used 1/8" plywood strips about 4" wide and a couple feet long. I now retract the slide about a foot of so, then place these under;two towards the ends and two more in the center. The slide tips up slightly in that first foot or so then settles down and comes in. Floor damage averted.

bobnelms · 06-13-2022, 05:54 AM

Chuck, you're input would be most appreciated to the following:

Does the interior-most part of the slide actually RIDE ON the floor of the RV? It seems, from the schematics, that the Lippert attachments that pull or push the slide-out in or out only attach to the outer-most part of the slide-out, which again leads me to wonder what is "suspending" the inner-most part of the slide-out.

**chuckster57** · 06-13-2022, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobnelms

Chuck, you're input would be most appreciated to the following:

Does the interior-most part of the slide actually RIDE ON the floor of the RV? It seems, from the schematics, that the Lippert attachments that pull or push the slide-out in or out only attach to the outer-most part of the slide-out, which again leads me to wonder what is "suspending" the inner-most part of the slide-out.

Yes the leading edge of the slide will ride in the floor during part of the extend/retract process. There is a fine balance where the slide “****s” back off the floor and still seals. Both my slides ride on carpet so I done have the issues people with Lino floors do. Floor skis are a good alternative IMO if you can’t get it at that sweet spot.

bobnelms · 06-13-2022, 09:56 AM

Thanks Chuck. I'm still curious about all this and will be in touch with Lippert today. There are bound to be rollers, etc that help support the weight to the slide and I cannot find schematics of this anywyere.

Thanks so much for your help

**chuckster57** · 06-13-2022, 11:28 AM

The only time I’ve seen rollers for the leading edge is in higher end motorhomes.

**sourdough** · 06-13-2022, 01:30 PM

OP did you ever determine exactly what kind of slide you have? I looked at quite a few Cougars in the 2015/2016 timeframe in my neck of the woods and they were using the BAL Accuslides.

bobnelms · 06-14-2022, 03:50 AM

Well, apparently by Cougar 5th wheel slideouts only have a wear bar. So at least half the weight of the slideout slides directly across this wear bar with no additional rollers, etc for support. I stuck an endoscope down under the slideout (from inside the unit), and then slightly extended and retracted the slideout and the wear bar rocks back and forth between where it is attached to the floor.

In other words, seems like the cause of the problem in my case is a weakened, ruined wear bar.

Very discouraging!!

So now I'm looking into the only cost-effective option I can think of, and it's installing rollers to take the weight off the wear bar. But I doubt this will last too long -- seems like LOAD on the Darco will be concentrated at the rollers and either the Darco or the floor of the slideout will eventually fail due to this increased load at the rollers.

Gees!!

**JRTJH** · 06-14-2022, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobnelms

Well, apparently by Cougar 5th wheel slideouts only have a wear bar. So at least half the weight of the slideout slides directly across this wear bar with no additional rollers, etc for support. I stuck an endoscope down under the slideout (from inside the unit), and then slightly extended and retracted the slideout and the wear bar rocks back and forth between where it is attached to the floor.

In other words, seems like the cause of the problem in my case is a weakened, ruined wear bar.

Very discouraging!!

So now I'm looking into the only cost-effective option I can think of, and it's installing rollers to take the weight off the wear bar. But I doubt this will last too long -- seems like LOAD on the Darco will be concentrated at the rollers and either the Darco or the floor of the slideout will eventually fail due to this increased load at the rollers.

Gees!!

It may not be the wear bar that's "weakened"... Wear bars are fairly rigid, solid plastic and seldom "wear or weaken".... I'd suspect the rocking you saw is probably related to the wear bar attachment screws being loose or broken or, possibly the floor under the wear bar got wet and is compromised. If you think about the location of the wear bar, there's a "HUGE funnel" right beside it (the slide opening) and rain can very easily migrate around the slide seals to damage/destroy the floor under the wear bar.

Do some "serious looking" at the floor under the slide, you may find that the wear bar is fine, but the floor needs to be repaired/replaced.

bobnelms · 06-14-2022, 06:30 AM

sourdough, I don't know what a BAL accuslide is, but if it's cable driven then no, ours is gear driven through the frame - a lippert slide out system

bobnelms · 06-14-2022, 06:57 AM

I took this photo of my wear bar, taken from the inside of the RV. As you can see, the wear bar is raised IN BETWEEN where it is attached to the floor of the RV WHEN THE SLIDE IS GOING OUT. When the slide is being retracted, the wear bar IN BETWEEN where it is attached to the floor rocks back into position.

bobnelms · 06-15-2022, 06:45 AM

All,

Well, I just examined the wear bars of both of my larger slides -- the kitchen and living room slides. I used an endoscope. I posted a photo yesterday and confirmed today that the wear bar is SHOT.

The wear bar appears to be screwed into the wooden floor of the coach about every 12 inches. IN BETWEEN where it's screwed into the floor, it's "coming up" as indicated in the photos. If the floor were rotten I'd think that the screws would be coming up, but they're not. It's only IN BETWEEN the screws.

When I active the slideout, I can see the wear bar rocking back and forth IN BETWEEN THE SCREWS as I extend and retract the slideout.

The problem is only in the kitchen slide, which corresponds to the noise I hear when I use that slide. The living room slide's wear bar looks fine.

I think my only option is to REPLACE the wear bar. It's so damages that putting rollers in there won't be sufficient.

So here's my question: Has anyone been able to replace the wearbar without having to totally remove the slideout? Chuckster suggested hyperextending the slides, but that gives me the creeps. Any other suggestions?

wrvond · 06-15-2022, 06:51 AM

For about the same money and a lot less work, rollers will lift your slide above the wear bar - no longer making contact. Seems to me they're a much better solution all around, especially when you consider the high dollar units use rollers in the first place.
I'm considering installing rollers while my unit is still new just to help ensure better longevity.

**chuckster57** · 06-15-2022, 07:05 AM

If you have done it hyperextending a slide is a scary proposition. I have done it several times and it still isn’t something I’m real comfortable doing.

bobnelms · 06-15-2022, 07:36 AM

I hear you, wrvond, and I'm still considering that -- but am leaning against it for the following reasons:

1. The load on the rollers and therefore on the floor of the slideout will be much greater than present because of the distribution of forces available from the wear bar. I wouldn't be surprised if 1) the rollers themselves became damaged and 2) the way the rollers are attached (screws) could come loose and 3) the darco surface of the slideout will quickly abrade

2. I suppose one could coat the darco surface of the slideout with either plastic or aluminum, that would end up raising the slideout quite a bit -- maybe even by 1/2 inch.

Am I not thinking right here?

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