On my slides I have a wiper seal that I have a question about. The seal long lip is sometimes outside the opening like in the below picture. I think that is the way it is supposed to be when the slide is extended. Sometimes on the bedroom slide, the lip stays inside the opening all the way around the slide. I guess the best way to describe it is 'inverted'. Is it alright for it to be inverted or do I need to make sure the lip is outside?

The wipe seal is not required to flip completely out or in. That is not the true seal when extended or retracted.If it concerns you can install sandpaper type tape on the sidewall to rub the seal completly in and out. Doug

It looks like it is right. The seal should "flip" whenever the slie is extended or retracted, but as they get older and the seal gets stiffer, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Some people recommend putting a strip of step tread material on the side of the slide to help flip the seal. I usually just don't worry about it, but if we are going to be in the same place for a while, I will usually go around and flip ours if necessary.

Those are 'wipers' not sealsThey wipe sides/top of moisture and debrisThey function as designed regardless if they 'flip' or don'tNot a concern

Someone suggested the "loop" half of a strip of Velcro tape instead of step tread tape. It's less abrasive and does the same job.

hohenwald48 wrote:Someone suggested the "loop" half of a strip of Velcro tape instead of step tread tape. It's less abrasive and does the same job.The Tread type tape is thinner and works better. No problem with abrasion. Also, some OEM's installed Tread tape on their sidewalls for this "problem". Doug

Question about slide seal | Good Sam Community

dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 26, 2017
The wipe seal is not required to flip completely out or in. That is not the true seal when extended or retracted.
If it concerns you can install sandpaper type tape on the sidewall to rub the seal completly in and out. Doug
Johno02
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
It looks like it is right. The seal should "flip" whenever the slie is extended or retracted, but as they get older and the seal gets stiffer, sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Some people recommend putting a strip of step tread material on the side of the slide to help flip the seal. I usually just don't worry about it, but if we are going to be in the same place for a while, I will usually go around and flip ours if necessary.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Mar 26, 2017
Those are 'wipers' not seals
They wipe sides/top of moisture and debris
They function as designed regardless if they 'flip' or don't

Not a concern
hohenwald48
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
Someone suggested the "loop" half of a strip of Velcro tape instead of step tread tape. It's less abrasive and does the same job.
dougrainer
Nomad
Mar 26, 2017
hohenwald48 wrote:
Someone suggested the "loop" half of a strip of Velcro tape instead of step tread tape. It's less abrasive and does the same job.

The Tread type tape is thinner and works better. No problem with abrasion. Also, some OEM's installed Tread tape on their sidewalls for this "problem". Doug
crasster
Explorer II
Mar 26, 2017
Nothing wrong with that really. When the slide goes in it will "scrape" off all the junk that accumulated.
georgelesley
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
Waxing the exposed slide out sides with car wax will also help a bit and I think anyway, make the slide seal/wiper do a better job since the wax will help the water run off.
Mile_High
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
Our first 5th wheel would do that on all the slides. I would use the hook on the awning rod and get it behind the seal and gently run it down the length of the slide to flip it out.
fpresto
Explorer
Mar 26, 2017
I too used the awning hook to flip it out if I thought about it. It didn't matter in any case.
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Mar 28, 2017
My Monaco use to do that quite often. In really cold weather, I would take the time to use the awning rod like others do. Hook the awning puller end under the seal, twist a little to one side and pull downward.

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