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Slide leaks

Yahoo Message Number: 3105
I read Jan's notes on her bedroom slide leak and wondered what I would do in her place. I would do the obvious things like use a flashlight on the inside and outside and next time rain was due I would deliberately lean the coach slightly toward the drivers corner to see if a change in attitude altered the leak pattern.
We had a very big thunderstorm and heavy rain this past week and after reading the note I went and checked our living room slide (we only have one slide).

Fortunately it was as dry as a bone.
As I checked around the inside of the slide it occurred to me that a leak my be caused if the slide were not fully extended.
My slide is on the above floor HWH mechanism. As far as I know there is no way of telling if the slide is fully extended with the exception of the change in noise when the slide reaches the end of its travel.
Our usual method of deployment is to let go of the extend button as soon as the noise changes for fear that continued application will break something! We may be stopping too early but have no leaks so will continue with that method.
My instinct tells me there must be some sort of pressure relief valve that activates when the load increases beyond a certain point.
Maybe someone who has been through this and knows the correct answer will respond for my benefit.
In the mean time, the question for Jan is, "was the bedroom slide fully deployed"?

David and Karen,
2000 Intrigue 11062

Slide Operation

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 3106
David,

In speaking with the guys from HWH a while ago, they told me that you should hold the slide buttons down for 3 to 4 seconds after it stops moving or when the tone changes in the pump, this tone change is a presuure relief valve opening up causing the fluid to re- circulate, its not doing any harm at all. I always practice this when moving a CC slide, and I always make sure a window or the entry door is open, it makes life easy on all your seals.

Damon K. Rapozo

Guaranty RV - Junction City, Oregon 800-825-2333 x 2118

Damon. Rapozo@...

Re: Slide leaks

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 3115
Yes, Dave, unfortunately we've been through all the "varying attitudes" of the coach to figure "which way the water runs."...there's some change when we're tilted forward, so the water leaks more at "my side of the bed...the forward side"...and less on the aft side. Since this has been an ongoing problem from Day 1 of our coach, we've been involved with trying all kinds of things to figure out why it leaks. Putting down paper towels, tucked into the edge of the carpet, and then with a flashlight waiting to see where the water shows up first, etc... In my opinion, it's not my problem to solve, although our "hints" as to when it seems to leak, do help the CC folks narrow things down. However, on our last trip they replaced everything, installed new drip pans (larger), etc. and guaranteed that we would not be back..."We've cured 100% of leaks by doing this." Well...we'll be back. Just talked with Doug R. today and he said it would be best for us to return there...there was nobody else they would suggest to work on it. He was very nice and said they would put us on the preferred list for appointments.

By the way, yes, the slide is fully out when we do it...there's an easy point you get to that lets you know the slide is out on ours where it can't go any further. (In really bad rains/storms we bring the slides in, just in case of hail that would damage the awnings that cover them.)

There's always something!

Thanks for your input, though!
Jan McNeill

2001 Intrigue 11320

Re: Slide leaks

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 3139
Hi Everyone

We live in Oregon about 50 miles from JC and see a lot of rain during the winter. Thus far our 2002 Intrigue hasn't had any problems with leaks yet so maybe something is just out of alignment.
Have you tried service with Carrier's & Sons in Eugene, about 5 miles from CC? If CC can't help your problem I'd bet Carrier & Sons can!

Tom Sims

2002 Intrigue #11419

Re: Slide leaks

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 3154
Jan, we went to Calico Corner and could not find those pins/hooks you had talked about. Clerk knew nothing about the of course,. Could you please e-mail me the picture you said you could send so we can know what we are looking for. regards ron and molly '01 Intrigue, san diego

Re: Slide Operation

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5251
Guess I'd better re-read my manual, 'cause we always put our slide out & in with the Engine OFF.. If you batteries are at near full charge, seems like you would not need the help from the alternator to do the job of running the Hydraulic Pump Motor. Are you sure your batteries at at near Full Charge ? ? Lee '01 Intigue #11219

RayGrr@... wrote:

Slide leaks

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10127
Dear Andy Ring;

Sorry to hear about your leaking slides after your electrolysis repairs. I may have an answer to your problem.

When my coach was new, I also had a leak around the front of the living room slide. So I decided to closely inspect the slide mechanism and seals and see what was the cause. After removing all the trim work around the top, bottom and sides of the slide during a heavy rain, the source of the leak became apparent and the solution was obvious. Here's how the leak was fixed on my coach.

This may be a little tedious to explain, so please bear with me.

When the slide room extends (either bedroom or living room), the interior facia plate of the slide is supposed to come into solid contact with the interior bulb on the slide seal. The slide seal has two bulbs and a wipe. When you look at your seal from the outside of the coach when the slide is open, all you can see is the exterior bulb and wipe. The bulb is the round soft portion and the wipe is the part that acts like a windshield wiper blade against the side of the slide as the slide opens and closes.

There is an identical bulb on the interior of the slide seal. If the slide room facia does not come in firm contact with the interior bulb, then the slide room will leak. Here is the fix that Lazydays used to fix my coach.

From the factory, Country Coach does NOT install any foam seals on the facia piece. The facia is just a piece of steel or aluminum that is supposed to contact the interior bulb when the slide is closed. Lazydays installed two strips of D shaped closed-cell EPDM foam down the vertical face of each facia and a piece of D shaped foam across the top facia piece on both my coach slides. Now when the slide opens, the interior facia foam piece contacts the interior bulb on the slide seal and makes very solid contact. This seals the slide room air tight and eliminates all possible sources of any leaks. The foam on the facia also presses against the sidewall from the inside and it also helps to keep out the ants and other critters too. The foam is very soft and conforms to any shape it contacts.
The D foam that was used on my coach is a closed-cell EPDM foam tape that is readily available from Lazydays parts department or any other well stocked RV supply. The D cell foam size they used is approximately 3/4" wide x 1/2" high. They used about 65 feet to do both slides. It is called D foam because a cross section looks like the letter D. EPDM Closed-cell means it won't absorb water.
JC Whitney also sells the EPDM foam in different shapes at
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay? productId=3263&catalogId=10101&langId=-1&storeId=10101

I hope my explanation was clear and that you get your leaks fixed.

Regards,

Bob Kumza
2003 Intrigue

Re: Slide leaks

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 10131
Hi Bob

Thanks very much for the seal info.

I looked up the seal on JC Whitney so I know exactly what you are referring to. I think you are saying that Lazy Days put the seal only on the inside of the rooms along the flange. Did they do anything on the outside?

I have printed a copy of your detailed description and am going to take it with me to the shop that CCI is sending me to.

Again, thank you for taking the time.
I wonder if you had the leaking hydraulic hoses and the electrolysis problems as well?

Our coach has received more wear and tear from repair shops than it has from us living in it. LOL
Best regards,

Andy Ring
2002 Allure

Quote from: rvrobert2003