electric or hydraulic - Montana Owners Club

tom41 · 03-18-2010, 03:19 AM

after reading and hearing about so many problems with hydraulic systems on our slides on montanas, I am wondering why the electric slide system is not offered. I had a 1995 travel supreme long ago which had 2 slides, all electric, and never had a problem, my friend now has the travel supreme, and has never to this date had a problem with the slides. I then purchased a 1998 Allegro diesel pusher with electric slides, with never a problem with the slides. With electric, there are no hoses to leak or split, no fluid to worry about, slides never creep out, no expensive pumps to worry about. So I was just wondering why not electric slides in the montanas? any thoughts on this? electric/hydraulic?

hydman · 03-18-2010, 04:10 AM

Probably cheaper to go with the hydraulic system. I agree that the electrically operated slides are far superior. Had them on two prior units and never had any issues. Having been in the fluid power field for a lot of years I would also add that, if they were willing to spend the money to do it right, the hydraulic systems could be made to do everything faster, stronger, and certainly more controllable.

Champ_49 · 03-18-2010, 04:11 AM

That is a very good question Tom, I often wonder about that myself. Although I have never had the electric, so I figured that there was some kinda fault with them so I never posted what you have.

My question is this. Do the electric slides use cable to bring them in by way of electric, or can they use the same as we have without the hydraulics? Only experience I ever had with cables was on a popup tent camper, and that situation was less than desirable.

Dave

Clemson1881 · 03-18-2010, 04:24 AM

My last camper was electric slides. They use a geared track to move the slides. The only failure you ever heard of is a motor burning out, but I had zero issues in 13 years.

hydman · 03-18-2010, 04:38 AM

I believe the cables were used on some units to insure the slides extended and retracted evenly without binding up. The primary mechanism, again on the one's I've owned and seen, is a rack and pinon setup.

SlickWillie · 03-18-2010, 04:53 AM

Are we headed to cable systems again? I looked at a SOB the other day, and it operates in and out with cables. Small motor and gearbox hidden behind the inside slide facing. I read somewhere one of the new Keystone models is sporting this system.

8e3k0 · 03-18-2010, 05:17 AM

Hydraulic systems are far superior if again quality is used equivalent to Agricultural and Industrial applications. Hydraulic pumps/motors must be better, hoses are better and all sealing parts are designed to give yaers of tough service. What we have on RVs is a bottom end hydraulic pump, hoses, seals and cylinders. Failure rate is high and cost over the long period is high. But to put that superior quality in for serve application; the cost of the rig would eliminate high volume sales of the average RV and that is one of the reasons there is only a one year warranty backed by the manufacture when purcahased new.

hookman · 03-18-2010, 10:08 AM

Lippert warranties the hydraulic system for 5 yrs.

RCN.Stoker · 03-18-2010, 11:55 AM

Gotta agree the system is pretty light but then again a lot of the trailer is built "just enough". An acceptable failure rate (to the manufacturer) means replacement under warranty is less costly than building originally to a better quality. Check out the gears in the landing leg reduction gearing. They are made of pot metal.

My nephew is a Sigma Six management consultant and figuring such things is exactly the service he provides. This is not a new phenomenon. I just read the book "Pacific" which is the companion to the new HBO series on the war with Japan. Seems Curtis Wright knew for some time that the pulleys for the ailerons in the wings of their dive bombers failed causing loss of control and often fatal accidents. A lot of aircraft would be lost in combat before failure so why spend all that money making them better. Same morals just different management systems. Let the Buyer Beware has never been so true in this day of lax regulations, offshore cheaply made components and trusted trade names being sold or exported and them exploited to sell sub-standard merchandise. On the bright side you can but cheap and hope you are not in the "failed" side of the equation.

racerjoe · 03-18-2010, 03:14 PM

maybe someday they could start using 12 volt linear actuators. A small motor and screw drive package that is used on dump boxes and other units that need to be raised,pushed,etc. If you have seen a john deere gator utility vehicle that is what they use for the dump box. At this point I don't think they have enough reach to push a slide out. But they are a nice compact package and do have enough power to push a slide.

8e3k0 · 03-18-2010, 08:39 PM

Quite interesting with my John Deere equipment and their components, Deere covers the warranty on the total piece of equipment. I don`t have to go running after the hydraulic manufacture, or bearing manufacture to get warranty if same fails. The RV industry is very interesting!!

dieselguy · 03-19-2010, 05:01 AM

Tom ... as with any forum you tend to hear alot about the problems and just a little about the successes. I've had hydraulic slides on 3 different fivers over 12 years with the only issue being a leaky o-ring on the pump reservoir ... $1.86 fix. I'd imagine if you knew the number of hydraulic slides out there verses the number of issues with them, the percentage would be rather low. As stated earlier, hydraulics can be more reliable than cable or rack drive systems using the right parts. Although it too was a hydraulically actuated system, I surely hope Keystone does not go back to the cable system ... too many moving parts ... too many possible points of failure. One issue with hydraulics that I witness alot is when the slides become fully extended or retracted, the user continues to hold the slide button down causing a momentary pressure spike. Although there is an internal regulator in the pumps, there is no need to hold the slide button in after the cylinders have bottomed out as that is as far as it can physically go.
Stepping away from the podium .......

racerjoe · 03-19-2010, 06:27 AM

hey dieselguy, how does that boat do pulling your 5th wheel???

dieselguy · 03-19-2010, 03:12 PM

Steering's a little squirley, but once in a good rain shower the fuel milage really goes up!

jars · 03-20-2010, 04:42 AM

Where is the 50 amp breaker located on a 4375RL Montana. Want upgrade to 80 amp breaker.

Jars #1529

ols1932 · 03-20-2010, 05:18 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jars

Where is the 50 amp breaker located on a 4375RL Montana. Want upgrade to 80 amp breaker.

Jars #1529

I may be a little ignorant here, but why do you want to upgrade to an 80-amp breaker. I don't have the same rig as yours but it's a 50-amp input going to a 30- and a 20-amp breaker. You can't get 80 amps at any campground. At least that I'm aware of.

Orv

jars · 03-21-2010, 04:27 AM

Up grade to 80 breaker on slide from 50. Got a letter printed from Moc awhile back from Lippert Components Inc to upgrade to 80 for Hydraulic pumps due to high amps because the voltage drops which causes the 50 amp breaker to trip. Ours trips 4 or 5 times everytime we put slideouts out. Maybe the breaker is weak but I thought I would put the 80 amp which the letter states.

Jars #1529

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