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Old 09-17-2019, 01:45 PM   #1
SirCampsalot
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Slide System ?

I know the slide system is a hydraulic. How dependable do you folks find the system and is there regular maintenance that needs to be performed to keep all working correctly?
 
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Old 09-17-2019, 01:59 PM   #2
Carl n Susan
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I have had the Montana hydraulic slide system for over 14 years on various rigs. There has never been a failure. You do need to lubricate the gear pack assembly periodically as documented in the LCI manual.

I much prefer the hydraulic system over a cable one.
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Old 09-17-2019, 03:02 PM   #3
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I agree. We've had them on two rigs for 9 years without an issue.
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Old 09-17-2019, 06:33 PM   #4
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Ill third that. IMHO the hydraulic slides are FAR superior to anything else.
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Old 09-17-2019, 07:32 PM   #5
1retired06
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No hydraulics issues on any of our four Montana units. Do lubricate regularly.
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Old 09-18-2019, 02:15 PM   #6
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Another related question. On our 3120RL it has three slides. The bedroom is separate and I'm not sure if it's hydraulic or electric. When it extends or retracts it has positive stops (motor turns off at each limit). The other two slides when going in or out which are hydraulic don't turn off when they reach a stop. The motor changes speed but keeps running. Not sure if the gears are still moving or not. If you keep pushing the button it will actually cause the jacks to start moving too. We've got in the habit to watch and shut them off when they stop moving. The trailer is in for some other service items now and I mentioned this and the guy said it depends on the motor. I don't believe this but maybe he's right. Our dump trailer is hydraulic and it shuts the motor off with a limit switch when it reaches the end. Anyone know which is correct?
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Old 09-18-2019, 04:09 PM   #7
Mikendebbie
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slides

Not sure about your model - but the bedroom slide on ours is an electric Schwintek slide mechanism. If you google Schwintek you can find some videos to learn more about it. I learned from one of the videos to keep the thing engaged (in-command button pushed) for about 3 seconds after it stops to help it sync the ends points (both going in and going out). Anyway - that is how I do it now.

When I engage my hydraulic slides - I do not get any movement or reactions from the level-up system. They need to check that!
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Old 09-18-2019, 04:28 PM   #8
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3 of my 5 slides are Schwintek electric and the other 2 hydraulic. 2 previous Montana fivers were all hydraulic and have never had a problem with ANY slide.
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Old 09-18-2019, 05:02 PM   #9
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newb question when you say lube the gear pack you mean the gears under the slide, the circular gears? I use dry graphite lube..
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Old 09-18-2019, 05:18 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikendebbie View Post
Not sure about your model - but the bedroom slide on ours is an electric Schwintek slide mechanism. If you google Schwintek you can find some videos to learn more about it. I learned from one of the videos to keep the thing engaged (in-command button pushed) for about 3 seconds after it stops to help it sync the ends points (both going in and going out). Anyway - that is how I do it now.

When I engage my hydraulic slides - I do not get any movement or reactions from the level-up system. They need to check that!
That's what I though too "MikenDebbie". The bedroom electric slide works fine. Will check on that video. When I first got this trailer thinking that the two main slides would stop the same way, I kept pushing them to no avail and the motor just kept going. When I went outside I was sort of in shock because the left jacks had went down and the right jacks went up to the point the tires were off the ground. I assume it did not do this until the slides were fully out and the pump was still running. I re-leveled the jacks and stopped pushing the retrack more than needed. I haven't tried to recreate that issue but I would think that these hydraulic slides should have limit switches that would turn off the pump. Maybe not but I haven't got too engrossed in their operation either. I was looking at the dealer service for help. Maybe that is a mistake....lol. I suppose it's possible that if the pump keeps running that it could reduce the pressure in the jack system and do that because I do believe they all run off the same pump but there should be a check valve or something that would keep it from doing that too.
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Old 09-18-2019, 06:08 PM   #11
Mikendebbie
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Hydraulic motor

For the hydraulic slides I listen to the motor and watch for the slides snug up into position (snug up going out or snug going in). When I hear the pitch of the motor change and see that the units are snug - I get off the button. It might be a second or so but mainly the sound of the pump is my gauge.

The reference to pressing the button for “3 seconds” was for the schwintek bedroom slide only.
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Old 09-18-2019, 06:24 PM   #12
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MikenDebbie, that's what I do on the two hydraulic slides now is I go until the slides come up and stop and maybe a little longer. I had that weird thing happen when I had the button pushed off and on for 1-2 minutes. Now I pretty much release when the motor changes sound and they've both stopped. I guess that part is normal but I thought maybe it would shut off the pump like it does on my dump trailer. I didn't know until I posted this that there were two different systems on these trailers both hydraulic and electric. Thanks for the information.
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Old 09-18-2019, 06:36 PM   #13
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About the only automatic shutoff off the hydraulic pump is when you do an "Auto Retract", during that function the system is looking for the increase of pressure when all the jacks are retracted and that increase signals the pump to stop. When deploying or retracting the slides you are in manual mode so no auto shutoff.
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Old 09-19-2019, 05:56 PM   #14
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I do the same thing. When I hear the pump motor sound change, I let go of the switch.
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Old 09-25-2019, 01:36 PM   #15
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I have two hydraulic slides and have had to replace one of the rams that leaked fluid into the belly of the trailer. That was a complete mess. I now have the other slides ram leaking so it will have to be replaced. They are made by Lippert and cannot be rebuilt so they have to be replaced with the same ram. When they leak they leak inside the frame so you will not notice the leak until it is too late. I installed a piece of PVC pipe on the end of mine that extends beyond the outside of the frame. I can now see if they are leaking before they cause major damage. I have also had to rebuild both front jacks. My trailer is a 2017.
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Old 09-25-2019, 05:42 PM   #16
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That's very un fortunate and disturbing, because my 2011 unit has no such issues. I guess they don't make them like they used to.
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Old 09-25-2019, 06:35 PM   #17
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Quote:
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That's very un fortunate and disturbing, because my 2011 unit has no such issues. I guess they don't make them like they used to.
I agree. Some of the components that are being used today are very poor quality.
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Old 09-26-2019, 07:08 AM   #18
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Had a Dinette slide fail due to leaking seal. In the first 3 months. Still will take that over the leaking gearboxes of the cable slides.
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Old 09-26-2019, 08:39 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ddubya View Post
I have two hydraulic slides and have had to replace one of the rams that leaked fluid into the belly of the trailer. That was a complete mess. I now have the other slides ram leaking so it will have to be replaced. They are made by Lippert and cannot be rebuilt so they have to be replaced with the same ram. When they leak they leak inside the frame so you will not notice the leak until it is too late. I installed a piece of PVC pipe on the end of mine that extends beyond the outside of the frame. I can now see if they are leaking before they cause major damage. I have also had to rebuild both front jacks. My trailer is a 2017.
My 2 slides are now 15 years old. about 5 years ago the hydraulic line for bedroom slide began to leak I replaced the line with a much better product fro auto parts store. Two years ago the hydraulic line for the living room slide began to leak. I replaced this one also with product from auto parts store. This year both cylinders went out at the same time. I thought this to be unusual but they both work at the same time. I had both cylinders rebuilt locally at a cost of $450. for BOTH cylinders. Quite a savings compared to new cylinders. No problems with the motor, I do stop for a few minutes after the first slide id out. Hopeful the motor will remain somewhat cooler.
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Old 09-26-2019, 09:28 AM   #20
SirCampsalot
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Originally Posted by jeffba View Post
Had a Dinette slide fail due to leaking seal. In the first 3 months. Still will take that over the leaking gearboxes of the cable slides.
I believe most cable systems that I am aware are electric and not hydraulic.
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