Slide hesitates, sometimes stops

[Dry_Desert_Heat]

We tow a 2003 Alpenlite Augusta with a flat floor living room slide. This slide extends fine, but has problems retracting in the first 6 inches or so as the slide has to raise. After that, it moves in just fine. We travel 3 months in the summer from Phoenix and make a lot of overnight stops during each trip, so the slide has gotten a lot of use. Had the slide checked by a local shop and lubricated, installed 4 new batteries (first diagnosis was weak batteries) but the slide is still slow on starting when it is warm outside, sometimes stopping entirely when it's cold. Can extend the slide immediately after it stops and try again to close it, so apparently there are no electrical circuit breaker problems. The shop suggested a new slide motor, but admitted that they had seen cases where this change did not help. There are no mud or other buildups on the wiper seals. Could the problem be stiffened wiper seals (due to age and heat) that require much more force by the motor to retract the slide? I haven't tried waxing the slide to make it more slippery for the seals to move over the surface. Your thoughts?

[Dry_Desert_Heat]

Vulcaneer: I'll give the "Unleveled" slide-in a try. The result may show there is a problem. But if it improves on any unleveled situation, at least it would provide a partial solution if I have trouble on the road. Thanks for the thought.

[Vulcaneer]

Double post

[Vulcaneer]

OK DDH...You sound a heck of a lot smarter than your dealer. And from your latest description, it does sound possible that things are a little out of shape. Sagging, wear, or out of alignment. After all it happens to all of us at some point.

The weak battery could be a possibility. As could compounding of a little bit of all the issues at once. So it really sounds like it could be a combination of many little things. And one thing that might help is to make sure the trailer is level when actuating the slide out. And to test if alignment might be a problem, purposely UN-level the trailer and try the slide. If the action gets better or worse (with and un-level) trailer, then that could help to determine if there is an alignment issue.

Good Luck.

[larry_barnhart]

Without rereading from the beginning post I wonder if one of the batteries is low on power. However I already said ours is slow at first but I was thinking the rubber drags the speed until the direction is completed.

chevman

[45Ricochet]

Dry Desert Heat wrote:
The rig is now 10 years old; it’s possible that a good part of the problem is some sagging of the coach or the slide. I hope that isn’t the case since there might not be any cost effective way of improving the slide movement.

:E
Our slides sound exactly the same. Mine is 8 now and the sagging was the first thing that came to mind last season. Funny though I can get out the manual crank and it works great, although I didn't run it all the way to level floor, that will be my next test.
OBTW I've done the seals each year with 303 and they seem pretty flexible. Let me know if you find the problem.

[Dry_Desert_Heat]

I had the rig out of storage and followed up on some of the suggestions made. I am still concerned that the rubber wiper seals have stiffened over time but have no way to check them. Testing with a Shore A Durometer (which I don’t have anymore) would tell their hardness now but since I have no way of knowing what the hardness was when they were new, the current hardness doesn’t help much. The rubber seals do not appear to be cracked or brittle. I did apply ProtectAll to the sides of the slide, as well as adding silicone lubricant to the top, bottom and sides of the first six inches of the slide when it’s all the way out. But let me reply to the comments made on the topic. First, I don’t find any rollers under the slide. The incoming slide rises because it mounts on a ramp about 8 inches long. I added some silicone lube to that ramp. Second, I don’t see any water intrusion or swelling in the slide or opening in the side of the coach causing binding. Third, this is a mechanical driven slide, not hydraulic. Fourth, the switch is either engaged or not; increasing pressure on the switch does not seem to alter the slide response. Fifth, concerning the stoppage of the slide on incoming, I can instantly reverse the slide direction to full out without waiting for any electrical reset. Sixth, I had it at RV Service and they came up empty (of course that could be they just weren’t any good at solving this problem anyway). After the lubricating I did, the slide can be slow coming in, but doesn’t stop. The rig is now 10 years old; it’s possible that a good part of the problem is some sagging of the coach or the slide. I hope that isn’t the case since there might not be any cost effective way of improving the slide movement. When I have it out of storage again, I’ll check for electrical issues, such as corroded breakers and low voltage. Thanks for your suggestions.

[Vulcaneer]

45Ricochet wrote:


This is for the " stop condition" and not the "weak, strained condition" correct?
Mine just seems weak over the hump in raising the floor. Never has stopped and seems fine other than the lifting while retracting of the slide.
Funny the manual crank handle works fine. I thought I would find binding action but it was smooth as silk.
Not trying to hijack OP, thought it might be related to yours also :B

Well...yes and no. If the motor is working to hard to get up the ramp, and the breaker contact points are a little corroded, then the breaker blinks out for about 10 seconds...and then resets. The more often the breaker resets the weaker it gets.

So it can be a combination of things really. Weak battery sending lower than needed power to the motor. Slides that need to move easier...due to too much weight, need more lube, out of alignment, etc. Or an old breaker that is weak and needs replacement. Or all of the above.

[Endricken]

May want to take to an RV Service Center and have them inspect and lubricate. My slideouts were getting sticky and service center said some of the rust they found was the worst they've seen (too much time along the Gulf Coast I guess). They work much easier after their servicing.

[45Ricochet]

Vulcaneer wrote:

This is the correct response. Follow your positive wire from the battery. It will connect to a breaker (actually two in series) that is connected under a rubber cover. Usually a red cover, and attached to the back wall of the front storage compartment. These suckers go bad frequently. Remove both of them and take them to an auto parts store for replacement. About $6.00 a piece.

This is your problem.

These breakers are used on electric motor slides as well. Usually 50 Amp breakers with auto reset.

This is for the " stop condition" and not the "weak, strained condition" correct?
Mine just seems weak over the hump in raising the floor. Never has stopped and seems fine other than the lifting while retracting of the slide.
Funny the manual crank handle works fine. I thought I would find binding action but it was smooth as silk.
Not trying to hijack OP, thought it might be related to yours also :B

[Vulcaneer]

CREATO wrote:

Vulcaneer wrote:

Michelle.S wrote:
Don't know about your unit, but guessing you're referencing hydraulic slides. Many RVs use an auto-reset circuit breaker in the slide pump power line. These do go bad resulting in a stopping and restarting of operation and will only get worse. I would check to see if you have an auto-reset breaker and replace it.
Have had a similar issue on previous Montana and current Redwood.

This is the correct response. Follow your positive wire from the battery. It will connect to a breaker (actually two in series) that is connected under a rubber cover. Usually a red cover, and attached to the back wall of the front storage compartment. These suckers go bad frequently. Remove both of them and take them to an auto parts store for replacement. About $6.00 a piece.

This is your problem.

I don't believe WRV ever used Hyd. Slides on any of the 5vers

These breakers are used on electric motor slides as well. Usually 50 Amp breakers with auto reset.

[45Ricochet]

Greene728 wrote:
Very interested in this thread as my in-laws coach is doing the exact same thing. Its also gear driven and not hydraulic. Goes out fine, but will stop once or twice when retracting. We've checked nearly everything I can think of (though I'm no pro and readily admit it) and I'm stumped. Just a slight steady push when retracting and it closes just fine.

Mine also. It's never stopped but it just struggles the first few seconds in the raising of the slider floor. Someone mentioned the rollers which sounds logical but what do you do for maintenance on these rollers?

[luvglass]

With our Carriage Cameo the door side slide which has to lift when it comes in will stop sometimes. We were told it has a thermister that will open it the load is too heavy. We just let it sit for 10 seconds and it will continue in when pressed again.
Just a thought.

[larry_barnhart]

We have a 2001 35 ft alpenlite and we see the same thing for the first few inches being slow so I feel it is the rubber seals changing direction and maybe as you said old age might be stiffer rubber. The slide is power gear and the motor is from Barker manufacturing. Friend had the problem after boondocking from Seattle to Casa Grande Az. It was low battery power plus his batteries were 11 years old. If you look at your motor it will have a plate of the serial numbers and model numbers. I say this because my friends plate was missing. Now after I say this I will go out and write the numbers for maybe the future.

chevman

chevman

[Greene728]

Very interested in this thread as my in-laws coach is doing the exact same thing. Its also gear driven and not hydraulic. Goes out fine, but will stop once or twice when retracting. We've checked nearly everything I can think of (though I'm no pro and readily admit it) and I'm stumped. Just a slight steady push when retracting and it closes just fine.