Lippert Slide Question

[jodeb720]

My Slide on my Keystone cougar isn't as enthusastic as it used to be. In fact, it's down right slow as it fully extends (it starts out faster and you can hear the motor bogging down.

I called Keystone, and they told me to call Lippert - which I did.

I asked about lubricating the assembly and they said don't do it because it'll attract dust. I then told the Customer Service Rep - once I apply a 12 volt battery directly to the drive motor assembly, and it still slows down, any suggestions and the response was "No".

So - I'm wondering. what are the next troubleshooting steps to follow on my diagnosis? Can I disconnect the drive motor from the slide and feel for binding?

What about operating it manually to see if I can feel anything binding.

it's a 2010 model - and it doesn't get that much use annually. I'm wondering what I need to do before it does become a problem where it won't slide at all.

Any ideas would be appreciated!

thanks so much in advance.

josh

[RJsfishin]

For a temp quick fix, spray grease the plywood so it slides easily. It mite work so good you'll call it a permanent fix !

[jeeperdude10]

Just another thought....is the slide weighed down with stuff? As we travel we have stuff on floor of slide, but as we deploy the slide, we take the extra weight off-till deployed. To me the motor does not have to 'work so hard'. Just another angle to possibly look at...

[BFL13]

-Is there water damage in the floor so it is sagging?
-Is there something too heavy in the middle of the slide you can move out of there?

With ours (no bowing type of sag), if it won't come in up over the hump at first for some reason like stiff rubber wipers in winter or whatever, I can move the heavy sofa bed off of the slide floor onto the main floor, which takes a lot of weight off the slide, and then it comes up and in easily. Once it is in a little way and up to the "in height" and starts moving across, I can put the sofa back onto the slide floor and the slide comes in the rest of the way no problem.

I don't always have to do that, but sometimes I carry extra things there and it gets to be too much weight for the slide. If I don't move the sofa I can crank the slide in manually and get it up and over the hump and then use the electric motor after that.

To fix the sagging floor, maybe you can lay a metal bar that won't bend over the sag and use bolts to pull up the sag, but that might depend on where the sofa is and what it might look like if DW can see it.

[jodeb720]

Follow up on this issue. When I was camping last month, I found the problem. The bottom of the slide is bowed down. I checked the alignment of the slide, and there is about 5/16" between the bottom corners of the slide and the opening it fits into on the bottom; However, when I look in the center, you can see the plywood has bowed down and is dragging in the center.

There are adjustment settings that allow me to lift the slide up from it's current position and will resolve this; However, I can see the bottom continue to sag downwards. I think ultimately I'll run out of adjustment and not be able to lift the slide up anymore.

I'm thinking I might need some sort of roller in the middle to support the slide as it moves in and out; However, the external wall doesn't have enough spacing to allow for a small roller to be mounted.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

josh

[jodeb720]

Good Idea on the tubes. I'll check them when I get home today.

[jodeb720]

Sorry doug - I didn't catch your post. No cover on the top. I just clean it before I retract it each time.

Think maybe the rubber is getting stiff?

[BFL13]

AFAIK mis-alignment is pretty obvious but am no expert. Was a post about comparing the graphic tape stripes on the side with the slide to see if the stripes still line up ISTR.

The question about awnings is clever. If they resist rolling out/in part way along?

On ours I now have to lube the entry of the square tubes that the slide's arms go into. The weight of the slide makes them rub on the square tube going in and out where I suppose they should have a space all around? Anyway, it wasn't rusty teeth and all that, it was where the arms rub on the entry of the square tubes. Lots of spray lube in there and it works for a while, then I have to get under there and spray it again.

[jodeb720]

what I can tell you is that I'm not sure how to test and see if there is an alignment issue. It is parallel to the coach body, but I'm not sure about the vertical alignment - it may be a about an inch out of parallel to the vertical surfaces.

It's been that way since day one, but never had an issue in the past.

What's the way to check the alignment?

[dougrainer]

Do you have a slide cover? Doug

[BFL13]

IMO a 2010 model should not be having that problem. Our trailer was much older before I had to start using dry lube etc. Back then the Lippert tech support guy suggested it.

There might be a slide alignment issue where it starts to bind part way out?

[downtheroad]

jodeb720 wrote:

What brand of dry lube should I use? Living in West Los Angeles, there isn't a Walmart close by that I can visit to pickup - so am I looking for a silicone based lube or ???
Thanks for the help!

josh

You don't need a Walmart....go to any auto parts outfit like Auto Zone, etc. and tell them you want a dry spray on lube....But, clean the track and gears first.

[jodeb720]

My Battery was fully charged - so it's not a battery issue. I had it plugged into 120 when I put the slide out and retracted it.

As I put the slide out, I can hear the motor turning at full speed, but as the load increases, I can hear to motor bog down and really being to labor. As we all know, if things worked well in the past, and the motor didn't bog down in the past, then when things do bog, eventually, the amount of amps will increase beyond what the fuse can support and I've got a bigger problem (more than likely when I'm out dry camping!!!).

What brand of dry lube should I use? Living in West Los Angeles, there isn't a Walmart close by that I can visit to pickup - so am I looking for a silicone based lube or ???

I have white grease for the drive motor assembly. I've used that on my front Jacks on the 5er - that's just annual maintenance.

Thanks for the help!

josh

[dougrainer]

I would apply White Spray grease to the screw drive and see if that helps. If NOT, then you can rinse off the grease. Your battery is full up and good? You have the unit plugged into 120 so your Power Converter is also supplying power?. Doug

[downtheroad]

If you can access them, clean the gears first. They very well may be gummed up. Then use a dry lube as suggested.