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Problem with slide outs?


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The other day at the RV park I overheard someone that could not check out because their slide out was stuck. They were looking for a RV repairman to come to camp nd fix it so they could take off. Are slide outs prone to sticking in or out or is this rare?

Thanks

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We have been on the road full-time in our 8th year and have not had a problem.  We assume that at some point there will be a part worn out, a motor that dies , something that will require repair just like any other mechanical or electrical device.

Pat DeJong

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We've had two trailers with slideouts over a period of 16 years (8+ full time) and have had a single issue with an electric slide that was "dragging" in very cold weather. We resolved that with a little pushing and pulling to get it realigned, and some lubrication that we should have been doing all along. Otherwise no issues. 

That being said they introduce some mechanicals and some seals that add a bit of complexity to an RV. However, the livability they provide is a benefit that we wouldn't be without. 

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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They can be a problem but are well worth the extra room.  In 11+ years full time we have had 2 bolts break in the Lippert electric bed slide.  If it's in just push the side out that doesn't want to move so you can access under the bed and replace the bolt.  Takes less than half an hour.  The Lippert electric closet slide has one gear on the motor's shaft that needs the set screws tightened every few years, very accessible in the basement.  The two hydraulic slides have never failed but I suspect could be a bigger problem if they did.        Greg   

Greg & Judy Bahnmiller
Class of 2007
2014 F350
2007 HitchHiker Champagne

Both sold 2/19, settled in Foley, AL after 12 years on the road

http://bahnmilleradventure.blogspot.com/

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If you have a problem with a slide or jacks, you can bet it will be when you are leaving a site. Not when you run them out or the jacks down upon arriving. Just my watching situations over the years. Maybe I should have applied for a government grant for a study. Fortunately, we never have had a slide problem in 14 years on this trailer. But I'm much happier to hear them going in than out! Did have a problem with a jack 3 weeks ago, for the first time. But shot the trouble on it and it was a bad switch. Happy Camper!

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Slides have been around for more than 20 years now and seem to have the issues pretty well resolved. At one time they were a fairly common problem according to RV repair friends but not that much today. They are one of the more common leak issues even today but part of that is because some of them are now nearly 20 years old. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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Many coaches have manual closing methods for closing the slides. Reading your coach manual will outline the steps required (If available:)!.

The only time we've been delayed from checking out, was caused by rookie mistake on our part. Breckenridge's Tigers Run, the DW and I took a late evening walk with the dog. And noted many people had pulled in their slides, and disconnected their water hoses. We were pretty smug, as we'd been wrapping our water hose in foam pipe insulation. (Maybe our third or fourth time to do so.)

Woke up in the AM, the day we were to check out, to a beautiful coating of about 6" of snow.  (Being Southern California most of our lives, we find snow intriguing:)!) Out for some pictures, and another walk with the dog. Back for a second cup of coffee, all nice and toasty inside the coach. So cold outside, the coach had several icicles hanging from many areas - another 'first' for us... About an hour before we were to leave, I dumped and unhooked the water hose - no real problems, a bit stiff is all. Disconnected the 50Amp, and wrestled that ice cold/stiff snake back in. Got the toad ready to hook up when we pulled out. Back inside to the coach, and started up the engine. (We'd been preheating the block since around 2:00AM.) Went to bring in the slides, and slowly the front slide started to come in. But, sort of stopped, and got a bit out of alignment too. Strange sounding noise too. So, put the slide back out all the way, and went out to see if perhaps a branched fallen that I had not seen. Nope, but gee, the slide topper had what looked to be about 4" of snow on it! Out came the ladder, got out a broom, and thought I'd knock off that snow. NOPE! Turns out it was more ice, then snow... 

To speed up my 'slide issue impacting our departure'. Ended up trying to break up the ice with a hammer (Did not enjoy walking on the roof top!), that got some of the ice off. Went ahead and got the extension cord out, and used the DW's Hair Dryer to finish melting off the ice from the Slide Topper... Park was real cool about it, and said to please let them know when we were going to be able to leave. No extra charge, and even asked if I needed to borrow a bigger ladder. About 3 hours late, and we sure learned a good lesson. (We bring out slides 'IN!', when snow or ice rain is forecasted!!!)

Oh yeah - our slides have worked pretty dang good over the years, knocking on wood!!

Best to all, 

Smitty

(And know you seasoned veterans of colder weather, knew all of what we had to learn from the school of hard knocks - but you know, we'll never forget that lesson:)!)

 

Be safe, have fun,

Smitty

04 CC Allure "RooII" - Our "E" ride for life!

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I had a gear strip on a hydraulic slide once which caused the end of the slide with the hydraulic ram to come in but the other end wouldn't move. I used a ratchet strap to pull that side in as someone else bumped the switch. Took me about 30 minutes to get it in but it worked. 

Like with anything else, sometimes poo just happens.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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I have a recurring problem with one of my 3 slides when retracting.  There's a thermal breaker switch which overheats and opens if the slide motor is working too hard.  That happens when the slide is starting its travel and has to lift up slightly.  

That can give you a bit of a scare, but the simple solution is to stop and wait a few seconds and try again.  Been that way for years.

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Never a slide problem since 2006 with two 5th wheels both with 4 sides.

Helen and I are long timers ..08 F-350 Ford,LB,CC,6.4L,4X4, Dually,4:10 diff dragging around a 2013 Montana 3402 Big Sky

SKP 100137. North Ridgeville, Ohio in the summer, sort of and where ever it is warm in the winter.

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Have had nothing but trouble with them.

Headed back to factory this Friday to fix another one.  Spent 6 days last August getting problem resolved.  Took replacement of 6 hydraulic components to fix it.  Stayed fixed a year.

American by birth, Southern by the Grace of God.
Lewis Grizzard

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Interesting story Smitty!

The RV that had the stuck open slide out was in hot summer, so snow / ice was  not an issue. They were not as nice in NJ. They moved the stuck RV to the dirt parking lot and charged them $75 a day to park there until they could fix it.j.

...of course, this is not rural NJ, this is NYC / NJ.

 

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Smitty,

When we know cold weather is coming we bring in the hose and do all the dumping etc. the day before. Bring in the slides that we can. We also have an incandescent light bulb that we put in the wet bay so nothing freezes.

Enjoy school..............

 

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I just replaced the slide control board on my 1999 National Tropical. There was a design problem with these old boards where the circuit breaker protecting the board wouldn't trip fast enough if the slide motor drew too many amps (like if your batteries are run down or your slide binds on something) damaging a relay. The solution is a new upgraded board (since power gear no longer makes the old ones) with bigger relays and a glass fuse in addition to the circuit breaker.

But this is a rare occurrence (once in 19 yrs yrs for me) and shouldn't happen again now that I have the upgraded circuit board. The original slide motor is still going strong! Besides, in an emergency I can manually extend or retract the slide on my unit with a wrench, if needed, to get me on my way. BTW mine is not hydraulic, but an old, reliable rack and pinion electric model.

Chip

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No problems with our slides either.  I did have the seals replaced this past winter.  Coach is 11 years old.  Done as a preventive maintenance item.  Seals can't last forever

Rich and Carol

2007 Dynamax DQ 340 XL

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Our single 14' slide has been in service for 17 years now, and according to the detailed maintenance records that come with the coach, the only part that had failed before we bought it was an auto reset breaker. The PO even noted that he was able to retract the slide by bypassing the breaker temporarily. Since we bought it, the only part I've replaced was the rocker switch, a $12 part. The only time I've manually retracted it using the supplied crank was as a test to see how difficult it was. It doesn't take a lot of strength, but it is slow going.

Dutch
2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A
F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS
2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump
ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system

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