leaky slides.

[horton333]

Hi,

New trailer has slides, I have no experience with maintaining them. There are two types of water leaks. Need some advise on what it is reasonable to try to get the dealer to fix.

There was a leak over night, heavy rain, it was coming down one slide. There is a rubber wiping type seal on the side which was pushed all out shape which may have been the problem. When I put the slide in and out the the seal which I had corrected to all smooth, went back to all messed up. I have not lubricated them, the trailer is only in use 2 months, but was manufactured last year. I am guessing this fixable, maybe armorall to lubricate which had been the advise of the dealer when they discussed maintenance. Note all 3 side seals I can see seem to have the same problem of getting all pushed put of shape.

There is a problem when it has been raining and I pull the slides in. Water comes down after it is retracted. Looking at the design it is not clear this would ever wipe enough water off to stay dry inside, the metal surface is not flat enough and the water gets pushed to the low point and a fair bit gets in. Maybe I just have to be ready to wipe it up?

This is the first time for the first problem, we have had several nights of rain. The second always happens if it has rained and they are retracted, only on one slide but the other slide is much flatter.

The seals are made by Lippert according to the label.

Any advice?

[QCMan]

Is it fixed?

[way2roll]

Qcman, I am guessing by a your replies to old topics on slides, you are having issues yourself. I would suggest starting a new thread describing your issues. I doubt your replies to old posts will even get a response.

[horton333]

Thanks, pretty sure it is the side seal but I hear what you saying about leaks. I had a t-roof on a.....well ya water can be sneaky.

The spacing looks even on the sides, to be honest I am guessing it would be better if there was less gap. I had a look at a couple of the neighbour's slides and I am not the only one where the wipe bunches, and it appears worse on the larger gaps. Not at all scientific, just surmisin. My worry now is the wipe is held in place by a row of screws and some rivets and if that is the adjustment then this looks like major surgery. I peeled it back and did not see any other obvious way to adjust it.

[brulaz]

horton333 wrote:

There was a leak over night, heavy rain, it was coming down one slide. There is a rubber wiping type seal on the side which was pushed all out shape which may have been the problem. When I put the slide in and out the the seal which I had corrected to all smooth, went back to all messed up. I have not lubricated them, the trailer is only in use 2 months, but was manufactured last year. I am guessing this fixable, maybe armorall to lubricate which had been the advise of the dealer when they discussed maintenance. Note all 3 side seals I can see seem to have the same problem of getting all pushed put of shape.

If you are sure the water is coming in through the side seals, then yes rubber treatments will help. Also, make sure the slide is sitting square within the hole in the wall, and there's the same amount of free space on both sides witht he seals properly covering the gap. The side gap should not change from top to bottom.

But the water could be coming in elsewhere. It took me a year to discover that a drip rail on the side of my slide was conducting water (*inside* the drip rail) to the interior of the trailer.

There is a problem when it has been raining and I pull the slides in. Water comes down after it is retracted. Looking at the design it is not clear this would ever wipe enough water off to stay dry inside, the metal surface is not flat enough and the water gets pushed to the low point and a fair bit gets in. Maybe I just have to be ready to wipe it up?

This might be normal. Bringing in a slide while it's raining or just after a heavy rain will bring in water. My slide roof slopes down towards the outside so the top seals wipe the roof at first but not all the way. It can get wet inside.

But if your slide roof has a depression and is not level from side to side, that would be a lot worse. Maybe that could be fixed by a dealer? I would certainly want it fixed.