2008 3400RL Big slide uneven - Montana Owners Club

bbnkansas · 03-16-2014, 08:46 PM

Greetings all!
Got a problem that I would like to bring to the MOC. Our big slide (door side) is uneven.
When extended, the inside floor is tilted "down" toward the window or exterior side of the slide. Also, by applying a level to the exterior wall, the bubble is showing the exterior wall is lower than the interior side. How much...between a half and whole bubble.

Is this something I should pay a tech to look at or should I just call my GS extended warranty and have them take care of it?
Any and all advice is accepted.

Thanks in advance!

MIMF · 03-17-2014, 12:43 AM

Bob, two things come to mind here. Is the unit setting level from side-to-side? If you start near the main floor inside and using your finger tips at the bottom as a guage, going up the end, across the top and down the other end, does the fascia board feel the same distance away from the wall all the way around?

If there is a gap that gets larger as you go down towards the floor at both ends, there could be two causes. The height adjustment heads out just inside the skirting at the end of each inner tube may have come loose. Or, there could be something that is in the ramp track under the room floor that is holding it up. This might be true especially if there is a noticeable "step" up from the main floor to the slide floor.

Keep us informed as to what you might be seeing.

**DQDick** · 03-17-2014, 05:28 AM

If you find it is truly out of alignment I would have a dealer look at it. I'd also call Keystone to find a dealer they feel would do a good job, but that's just me. I just wouldn't feel comfortable trying to make the adjustments and get them right. I'd also be concerned that something I can't see or don't understand is going wrong.

Art-n-Marge · 03-17-2014, 08:11 AM

I'd start with GS warranty. They might have a place they prefer you go so that you get reimbursed. If the unit is still under Keystone warranty, then contact them first, let them know you have GS coverage and coordinate the repair.

Personally, I wouldn't mess with this for reasons prior mentioned by others. Unless you are trained to adjust these things, it's not something I'd gamble on especially since you already have GS. If you try then something gets screwed up, GS will blame you and not pay at all.

dieselguy · 03-17-2014, 10:02 AM

This assumes your "luck of the draw" RV tech has a working knowlege of slide out adjustments.

Sorry to be a Johnny Downer, but I've had miserable luck with dealer techs spanning 19 years and 4 different RVs. If you're confident in your own mechanical ability, take a look at this PDF from Lippert at about page 8 on and go from there with your comfort zone. http://www.lippertrepairparts.com/pd...ideout-Web.pdf
Do not chinch up the 3 big nuts on the end of your hydraulic ram to eliminate the gap on either side of the bracket. The gap is there for a reason. Like mentined ... there could be something jammed under or behind your slide as well.

Overlord · 03-17-2014, 10:57 AM

+1 on what MIMF said.

It could be that there is a foreign object under the slide where it drops down into when the slide is all of the way out, like a C size battery or something else that has found its way under the slide.

I have found some very interesting things under my slides, such as a spoon, AA battery, etc.

bbnkansas · 03-17-2014, 08:44 PM

Bob, two things come to mind here. Is the unit setting level from side-to-side? Yes...The kitchen island is almost perfectly level side to side and front to back.

If you start near the main floor inside and using your finger tips at the bottom as a guage, going up the end, across the top and down the other end, does the fascia board feel the same distance away from the wall all the way around?Starting at the front of the slide...the bottom is about finger width distance from the wall and as I slide to the top it steadily gets less until the board is completely against the wall at the top and all the way across the top. As I start down the rear of the slide, the distance gets greater again all the way to the bottom. The bottom of the rear part is a third to half again as far from the wall as the front. A simpler answer...no it is not.

If there is a gap that gets larger as you go down towards the floor at both ends, there could be two causes. The height adjustment heads out just inside the skirting at the end of each inner tube may have come loose. Or, there could be something that is in the ramp track under the room floor that is holding it up. This might be true especially if there is a noticeable "step" up from the main floor to the slide floor.
There is no step up from the main floor to the slide floor. When I lift the carpet covering the slide tray, the slide is sitting at about the same level down in the tray all the way from front to back.

Keep us informed as to what you might be seeing.
[/quote]

bbnkansas · 03-17-2014, 08:52 PM

MIMF, Please see my reply to your comments above. It was easier to reply that way.

DQDick & dieselguy....Thanks for your advice!!!! Especially the PDF from Lippert. As for me making the adjustments....I am confident in my mechanical skills, however, I think I will let my GS extended warranty take care of this one. Per my policy, if anything mechanical is wrong with the slide, they will fix it.

Everyone....How can I look under the slide to see if any foreign objects are under it? Where would the objects be...In the tray? Farther back?

Thank each of you so very much for your comments and advice!

MIMF · 03-18-2014, 10:25 AM

Bob, Sorry I haven't responded sooner. You should be able to bring the slide room in just enough for the front edge of the floor to raise up and start to pass above the main floor. At that point stop. I know it won't be easy but, shine a flashlight into the ramp from one end of the room. You may be most likely able to see all the way down to the other end. If that does not work, with the help of two other people, they can lift and push the top of the room out which will lift the floor higher off and away from the main floor. The third person can look down into the ramp from one end to the other. If that doesn't work, bring the room in a couple more inches and lift the room, again. If you can confirm there is nothing obstructing the floor of the room, it may very well be an easy adjustment with the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder shaft.

Keep us posted and I will keep better watch for your replies. We will take this one step at a time until this is resolved and you are a slide room technician!

bbnkansas · 03-19-2014, 04:55 PM

Thank you!!! I will keep you posted.
Not feeling well...so, it may be Friday before I get to check out the slide tray.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by MIMF

Bob, Sorry I haven't responded sooner. You should be able to bring the slide room in just enough for the front edge of the floor to raise up and start to pass above the main floor. At that point stop. I know it won't be easy but, shine a flashlight into the ramp from one end of the room. You may be most likely able to see all the way down to the other end. If that does not work, with the help of two other people, they can lift and push the top of the room out which will lift the floor higher off and away from the main floor. The third person can look down into the ramp from one end to the other. If that doesn't work, bring the room in a couple more inches and lift the room, again. If you can confirm there is nothing obstructing the floor of the room, it may very well be an easy adjustment with the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder shaft.

Keep us posted and I will keep better watch for your replies. We will take this one step at a time until this is resolved and you are a slide room technician!

bbnkansas · 03-28-2014, 12:31 AM

Well, I had a tech look at our slide and he says the slide is ok. Apparently, I raised a question that did not need to be raised. The tech looked at our slide in/out/under/on top...everywhere. The slide is sealing perfectly all around both in and outside. It is loading into the tray perfectly. Conclusion...the slide floor is a little off level but the slide overall is ok. Thus....no work is needed and the tech said he would not make any adjustments what-so-ever. I am very pleased to hear this news. BTW...I trust this tech's word. His work and word is well known here in this area. Thanks to everyone for your advice, guidance, and documentation. Bob

MIMF · 03-28-2014, 01:27 AM

That is good news! Thanks for the update.

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