Noisy Slide - Sounds like Crypt Being Opened

[BillandCarole]

We have a 2017 Fox Mountain 235RLS and the slide is really noisy. It screeches and squeals both on the in and the out cycles. The local Fox Mountain dealer (Cordelia RV) refuses to service it as we purchased it out of area. The main office says it will pay to have it serviced else where but the only other local dealer is CW and they are booked up. Our warranty expires in March so we have to take action soon.

1. How serious is this from a mechanical point of view? Are we having a motor/gear/rail failure?

2. Has anyone quieted a noisy slide, and if so, how and with what?

I have tried spraying silicone and molylube (molybdenum di-sulfide) on the tracks but with little to no success. Suggestions welcomed.

Regards
Bill (and Carole)

[RollandB]

Veebyes wrote:
Just a word of advice to add to your spares inventory. Carry a couple of slide shear pin bolts. Cheap insurance in case one ever breaks. Easy fix once you figure out what happened.

And add to that some bolts. Mine has sheared the same bolt twice, once when it got caught on the pantry door slide. I know have a shear pin kit with extra bolts.

[camperkilgore]

BillandCarole wrote:
I like the idea of a gear motor access panel(s). But how do we find (determine) the area under the motor ? And what does a slide shear pin look like? I have a collection of corte pins,are they what you are referring to. Where is it located and how do you find it?
Good ideas.
Thanks
Bill

Wasn't me that referred to shear pin, but you can probably just check with any rv repair shop(camping world, or other) and tell them what frame you have and slide so they can fix you up with the right part.

As for making an access to your slide motor.
Before you go to all that trouble.....I would try to loosen enough screws in the underbelly material and gain enough opening to see if squirting something like wd40 on the gear rail does actually cure your problem. But don't rely on wd40 as a long term solution. It is only a penetrating oil and will not last a long time. 30 weight motor oil will be better, after you make an access hole. Wd40 is just handy because you can squirt it a fair distance into a tight area.

My underbelly sealing material is put on in sections which are about 4 or 5 feet wide and from one side of the camper to the other. I estimated where the motor is by referring to diagrams of Cougar frames, and I took out enough screws in that section of material so that I could peek into that area.

When I located where I needed to put access, I just marked out a square with chalk that gives enough space to reach the motor and workings of the slide. Don't remember what I cut it with, but I think it was a drywall saw. A Japanese pull saw would work great. I happened to have a square piece of galvanized metal which I used for a cover. Keeper nuts would be good to use along with screws, but if the material is thick like mine, just use large screws to attach the cover over the hole you make.

As seldom as you need to get into the access, you could just make holes and use cable ties to secure the cover over the square hole. Cable ties are cheap and easy to cut, remove and replace.

[Veebyes]

BillandCarole wrote:
I like the idea of a gear motor access panel(s). But how do we find (determine) the area under the motor ? And what does a slide shear pin look like? I have a collection of corte pins,are they what you are referring to. Where is it located and how do you find it?
Good ideas.
Thanks
Bill

Lippert frame here & the shear pin is actually a bolt on the shaft linking the forward slide ram to the rear.

[BillandCarole]

I like the idea of a gear motor access panel(s). But how do we find (determine) the area under the motor ? And what does a slide shear pin look like? I have a collection of corte pins,are they what you are referring to. Where is it located and how do you find it?
Good ideas.
Thanks
Bill

[camperkilgore]

We have an 03 Keystone Cougar with gear driven slide, and we also had squealing slide for a long time. We did the things suggested here to no avail.

I put in an access panel for the slide gear motor underneath our fiver that goes through the polar package(Keystone Cougar term). I removed the cover and had my wife operate the slide, and found that the squeal was coming from the bottom of the slide gear rack rubbing against something in the belly of the camper(don't remember exactly what). I used an oil can with 30 weight motor oil to lubricate the slide gear rack, and problem is now solved. It's been months now and no more squeal. I don't worry too much about the oil attracting dirt, because the underbelly is sealed with the Polar Package.

You might want to make your own access panel for getting to the motor, if yours doesn't have one. It's a lot easier to do it at home instead of out on the road somewhere.

[Veebyes]

Just a word of advice to add to your spares inventory. Carry a couple of slide shear pin bolts. Cheap insurance in case one ever breaks. Easy fix once you figure out what happened.

[MFL]

Just a tip...I put Protect All on my slide windows. It makes them very slippery, and easy to clean. Use it on side of slide also.

Jerry

[Njmurvin]

I'll jump on the bandwagon with the slide seals making noise on my AF- especially as they drag across the slide windows. But, if you are certain it's something originating from the gearbox, then I agree you should be all over them to check that out.

[BillandCarole]

We greatly appreciate all the comments and answers, and hopefully others are benefiting as well.
Our screeches and shrieks are definitely coming from the gear/motor area enclosed by the insulating shield of our all weather package. I am reluctant to remove it (the shield) as it clearly been sealed in places with spray foam. Previous attempts at reducing the racket have not made much impact. We are not sure if cw would do a good job of sealing it back up given there track record with us. Its somewhat comforting that others have noisy slides that have run for years. This in no way quiets the racket in ours however.
I think I am going to try to talk to the tech rep and hopeful get a live, knowledgeable human this time.
Thanks
Bill and Carole

[Veebyes]

They clunk, they shriek, they go grrrrrrr, they shudder, they clank, they have been opened & closed hundreds of times. They continue to work with a minimum of maintenance other than using a dry lube a few times a year & 303 on the side seals.

[Johndanielscpa]

Rolland, you said it better than I did!

[RollandB]

Having owned an Arctic Fox for over 2 years I highly recommend lubricating the slide seals and wax the slide out wall with a good car wax. It made a huge difference in ours. Comparing to some other manfucture seals, Northwood does have a thicker material which doesn’t always flip easily when operating. I use a slide seal spray any RV store will have. To tiger the inside of the seal I just get one hand behind the seal to get it away from the slide, spray my hand and rub it on the seal. It takes several sections applied this way and is messy but does the job. I do mine a couple times a year.

[Johndanielscpa]

I owned a Arctic Fox 990 camper for 7 years and have owned a Arctic Fox 27-5L fifth wheel for 3 years. Both of these had loud, squeaky slides. No idea why. Maybe Northwood uses a harder rubber than most?? Anyway, you can reduce the noise by treating the slide seals with any number of treatments; just Google that. I re-treat every year. I have never had a problem with either one of them failing. It is not recommended to spray anything on the slide tracks; just wipe them with a dry rag from time-to-time.

[ulvik]

Had something like that happened where local dealership refused warranty work because I bought it elsewhere. I advised manufacturer and they informed me they could not force the dealership to do the repairs so I informed them to find a dealership/repair shop near me that would do the job and set up an appointment and call me back. And that is just what they did. Some dealerships are just a POS! Good luck and be stern with the manufacturer!