What would cause this on a slide out?

[crasster]

We found the PERFECT travel trailer... We just want it. Everything we like about it. We want to buy it! But it has 1 flaw. It seems as though the slide has an issue.

From the interior, if you look at the slide housing on the right hand bottom, it looks like something is "separating".

I'll post some pics below.

Also if I run my hand on the TOP of the slide TRIM on the interior, the rubber gasket that mashes against the trailer wall is REALLY smashed on the right side, but a small gap on the left.

I know something is off.

Here are some pics. (The carpet I pulled back. This is the RIGHT side, and where the rubber up top is smashed)



Another in different lighting. (Notice the wood "busting through").


Other Side (BELOW) that looks correct - This is the left side - Rubber gasket up top is gapped and not touching the interior RV wall.




Outside (just thought I'd snap photos of it)



Closer (lower)



Does anybody know what will cause the trim on the top photos to do that? Is it REAL bad? Fixable? I'm thinking that the right side extended out a bit too far and broke something (which explains the gasket on top being TIGHT on the right but not the left).

Any pointers? Suggestions? Fixable? Do we walk away from the RV because of this issue?

Thanks!

[Gjac]

In the last picture you posted you can see on the bottom left the adjustment bolts. From the pictures I don't see any noticeable damage and may just need adjusting. Have the dealer adjust it for you. If it comes in and is uniform top and bottom negotiate a price. I just adjusted mine which was out side to side and top to bottom. Took me a half day because it was the first time doing it. The dealer would take much less time.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

I have an Arctic Fox 30U and I have been under it many times.

My guess, and it's only a guess, is this is what happened.

The slide rack and pinion is out of time. Mine did that too. What happened to mine was this. I went to pull in the side and only one side would come in. :M I went under and found out the roll pin had backed out and sheared on the pinion gear. If I would have put the pin back in, in that position it would have been out of time. I pushed the slide all the way out and then put the pin back in to keep the whole slide in time side to side.

I would suggest you don't fall in love with any particular trailer. You can fall in love with a model and brand of trailer; just not a trailer that has problems.

if you do decide to try and get this trailer please take it to a shop before you buy it to find out how expensive it will be.

Good luck.

[ScottG]

The lower, front right side has hit something. Could have tweaked all kinds of stuff. I would pass on that unit.

BTW, the only slides that sometimes need bars are hydraulic.

[crasster]

eHoefler wrote:
Slide over extending and/or the aligning rack has come out of alignment.

Is this an expensive or involved repair? I'm VERY handy with a wrench. Once I dig into stuff I often can tell what it is. I just can't dig in at the dealership. 🙂

This is on an Arctic Fox TT so the entire underside is covered/insulated.

[ReneeG]

Ours didn't come with bars to keep the slides in. They're hydraulic so that may be the reason.

[Dick_B]

Don't know if this will help but we use three bars to be sure our slide stays in for travel. They came with the rig but would be easy to make out of dowel rod or pvc pipe.

[eHoefler]

Slide over extending and/or the aligning rack has come out of alignment.

[SUMRX4]

i cant see the issue you are sepaking of with teh rubber seal on the exterior but as far as the inside, I'm guessing someone extreded the slide but something was between the trailer wall and that trim of the slide and it pushed it off the slide slightly. I did that exact thing in mine but I saw it immediatly and it only moved about a foot of the material closest to the floor and unless you look for it you can't even see it.
I'm with some others also, have an independant repairman look at it and get his thoughts. On tell the dealer you will purchase it if those items are remedied. If they aren't willing to do so then find another dealer. Look long enough and you will find another one.

[deltabravo]

garyemunson wrote:
May be damage done by driving without the locking bars in place.

Locking bars for slides haven't been used for years.

[Edd505]

If serious I doubt the dealer will let you take it on a test drive. Find a reputable Mobile RV tech and pay him to look at it. If it a simple adjust men he should be able to tell you, if not you just saved thousands to find a good one. Spending that much a hundred to be sure is a really small %.

[garyemunson]

May be damage done by driving on rough roads or in very windy weather without the locking bars in place.

[crasster]

richardcoxid wrote:
If serious in purchasing this unit I would take it to a competent indenpendent repair shop (not an RV dealer or the selling dealer) and have them look at it. It could be as simple as a adjustment to align the slide or there could be serious HIDDEN water damage! It will probably cost you $ but save you $$$$$ plus a never ending headache and a value drop to nearly ZERO!

Very good advice. I am serious in buying it but there's always more fish in the sea. It's hard when it seems to be the "perfect unit".

Yea, It's definitely out of alignment being the rubber gasket on the top of the slide is crunched on right side and gapped on the other side. It may be an adjustment... I'm concerned though that something of great pressure "broke" or "pressed" the square into a parallelogram of sorts. Going from | | to / / It's hard to tell. The other side seems straight though.

[richardcoxid]

If serious in purchasing this unit I would take it to a competent indenpendent repair shop (not an RV dealer or the selling dealer) and have them look at it. It could be as simple as a adjustment to align the slide or there could be serious HIDDEN water damage! It will probably cost you $ but save you $$$$$ plus a never ending headache and a value drop to nearly ZERO!

[crasster]

wildtoad wrote:
Don’t know what caused it, but find another one. As it doesn’t have a slide topper something could have caused the slide to skew when being retracted. How does the slide look when stowed?

I haven't been able to see it yet. It's on a lot not plugged in. I was very concerned about the wood exposed. Looked "Caddywampus".

Also thanks to the other guy for helping resize my photos. 🙂