Rats

[randye]

HI all,this morning was the day we planned to leave Turtle Rock Resort in Gold Beach, Or. When through the routine and when it was time to pull the slides in motor ran, nothing happens for about two min. Then fluid leaked straight down from right side below tank onto the ground. I felt back behind the batteries and hoses were wet with fluid. I found two of them eaten through from a rat, I had two trays of Decon poison emptied from that storage area in about a months time. When down to the local true value store and bought brass nipples and small hose clamps and fixed them. I just happen to have a quart of hyd fluid, put that in the tank and tried worked ok. When I got to Brookings we wanted to stay for a week to visit with friends. The bedroom slide went out good and the front room slide also, the intertainment slide moved very slowly. It finally got out, so I will get more hyd fluid and try to bleed the air out of the line. I will have to read the manual to see how that is done if it tells how to do it that is. Has anyone had to bleed theirs, if so let me know how you did it. Thanks

[HamRad]

Randye,
I'm sorry to hear about your hydraulic problems. I have not had to purge the air out yet. I hope I never have to do so. You might just take the lid off the tank and run the slides in and out a few times. I just watched an episode of "Wheeler Dealers" where he bled power steering simply by taking the lid off the power steering tank and worked the steering wheel back and forth. Good luck and let us know how you get it worked out. Dennis

[randye]

Hamrad Thanks that would be great if it works. Always try the easy things first I always say. Stay warm and I will update when I get to it, the next five days I have to much running around to do. Tying up lose ends before, we hit the road for Arizona.

[Carl n Susan]

Two things:
1. I hope you used transmission fluid and *NOT* hydraulic fluid! The slide system uses the cheapest old style transmission fluid you can find.

2. The system is self purging by running the slides in and out.

[dieselguy]

If you are planning on leaving brass barbed fittings and hose clamps on your hyd system ... you're living on borrowed time. As soon as you can, get some hoses made for long term repair. Your system runs in excess of 1500 psi at times ... that's why the ends of your hoses are hydraulically crimped on. Like mentioned earlier ... just cycle your slides fully in and out 3 or 4 times and the system will self bleed. You don't have to take the cap off the reservoir.

[grayghost03]

As Ed would say on "Wheeler Dealer" "the hoses are perished, need to be replace". As stated above don't rely on barbed fitting and hose clamps for the long term.

[DQDick]

Rats are a major problem where RV's are concerned. At the Corps of Engineers facility where we worked last summer several class A's have been towed away after the pac rats got done with their wiring and one caught fire and burned to the ground several years ago.

[Champ_49]

Ok everyone, here's another question. What is a good deterent for rats before it happens? Is there any one thing that works the best? I don't want to find out what them ratscals can do......lol

Dave

[randye]

So far I called camping world that will be on the way, we are to travel. The tech said my extended warrenty may not cover it because it was a varmit that caused the problem not failure. So I will have to make two phone calls on Monday one to Lippert and one to my Insurance co. I have the 07 3485SA does anyone out their know how far the hose go back before there is a connection or do they go all the way to the back slides in one piece?

[DQDick]

Our home base, and that Corps job, are in pack rat country. I use bait stations between the wheels and moth balls in panty hose in the openings to the basement. In the cars (they love to chew the wires and nest by your computer) I use moth balls in panty hose pieces tied to something on each side of the engine.

[bethandkevin]

Two years ago my nephew stored his SOB next to my barn. Mine was inside. He placed D-con everywhere in his, I placed moth balls in every compartment and under the sinks on ours. In the spring he found numerous dead mice in his. I found nothing in ours but the faint smell of moth balls(reminds me of grandma's house when I was a kid). I did find the D-con throughout my barn, but not inside our 5'er. We'll continue with the moth ball approach. JMO, but it seems that the D-con INSIDE the coach just draws them in.

[hunts800]

We stay at turtle rock whenever we are in gold beach. Guess I'll have to rethink where to stay!

[randye]

Hunts800 We were their for 10 months, as we were the Managers. A few other Campers said they heard them and some of their posion Decon was eated. No other damage was reported, other than ours. It's not consistent or over run with them. The Office had a bad smell and I checked under it and never found it-one of the Cottages also had a bad smell both took about 3 weeks to go away. Again not and on going problem there, just happened to us. Hope this helps

[TYR]

Altoid mints on sticky trays took care of the field mice we had in our basement. Mice had a sweetie and nice breath before they departed this world . . .

[randye]

I just got off the phone with Lippert. If I can find out how long the two hoses are then they will send new one's to me. Even out of warranty, I can't beat that, I however will see if my extended warranty will pay to have the camping world do the whole job. I have coverage until June of this year. I would gladly pay the Deductible and save me the labor. Only if they won't cover it then I will have to pull the belly and follow the lines and RR them and replace them myself. As luck would have it I have about a month of vacation and will be able to get to it, if I must. Very happy with Lipperts at this point.