Darco under slide fraying and ripping

[Mikendebbie]

Scott - since you performed the darco fix - do you think the slide skis (available on amazon) would have been easier or about the same?

[scottz]

Originally Posted by Mikendebbie

Scott - since you performed the darco fix - do you think the slide skis (available on amazon) would have been easier or about the same?

They would certainly be easier. There was a lot of measuring, fabricating and head scratching the way I did it; sometimes I do stuff the hard way. I also think the skis will perform just as well and I like that they come up the side a bit. I'm not sure the ski's were available when I did the job; at least I didn't know about them.

[dhuhn]

Mikendebbie I put slide skis on one of my slide it’s seems to be working good, I’m going to order a set for the other side when I get home in spring. They were pretty easy to install.

[mtheo]

I have a 2018, 3120rl. The Problem I’m having is that the kitchen floor under side is so thin it won’t hardly take a screw. How did you solve that problem.
Any ideas will help. Thought about screws and glue.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by mtheo

I have a 2018, 3120rl. The Problem I’m having is that the kitchen floor under side is so thin it won’t hardly take a screw. How did you solve that problem.
Any ideas will help. Thought about screws and glue.

We have the same model. You are correct, you can only put screws within about an inch of the outside edges (fore & aft); everything else feels like cardboard. Mine are holding fine with a single row of screws on the edge. I also used glue between the UHWM & darco and glue on the screws when I put them in. Last thing you want is one of those screws backing out and tearing up the floor inside. Finally, I put a bead of silicon on the edges.

As you can see, I drilled holes planning to put in two rows of screws but was able to only use one row.

Have you considered the slide skis?

[mtheo]

Did you take off the factory trim or go over it some thing new. Do you have pics of it.

[77cruiser]

If I did it again I'd use Teflon I thing, might slide easier, instead of hop skip & jump it's way in & out.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by mtheo

Did you take off the factory trim or go over it some thing new. Do you have pics of it.

Are you talking about inside or outside?

[Jamesb]

Having used the ski’s, and the UHWM, the ski’s are easier to install, a little thinner, but not very wide underneath. I finally did all mine in thin 8” wide stainless steel strips, counter sunk the stainless screws, and sealed with silicone. The UHWM can really put a lot of stress when running in since it is thick, and beveling is not enough. And when others mention glue; there isn’t a glue that adheres to the darco 100%. I highly recommend the stainless steel approach.

[jim65]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

If anyone on this group would like the PDF I wrote regarding my repair of the Darco with HUMW PM me and I will email it to you.. The file is about 5.8mb in size with a lot of pics and more info on steps I used to do this repair.. The info might give someone else a better idea to improve improve what I have done

Hi Chuck, yes please send me the file. I have a 2019 HC310 RE and the Darco is tearing on the both kitchen and dining slides. Why did they only install 2 rollers underneath?
I noticed the dining slide cables at the door end are not parallel (slider to wall brackets)
the brackets were poorly installed and there not enough adjustment in the brackets to correct. Thanks the the help

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by jim65

Hi Chuck, yes please send me the file. ...

The file is available here on the MOC in the Files section
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...?do=file&id=64

[BuckandTeresa]

Is this the same material as the Duoform skis found on Amazon here

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Several YouTube’s on how to install these.

[BuckandTeresa]

Couldn’t get the download to work right.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by BuckandTeresa

Couldn’t get the download to work right.

Click on the link and in the 4th brown ribbon, click on [Download Darco Slide Out Bottom Cover Repair] to download the PDF

[jim65]

Originally Posted by Jamesb

Having used the ski’s, and the UHWM, the ski’s are easier to install, a little thinner, but not very wide underneath. I finally did all mine in thin 8” wide stainless steel strips, counter sunk the stainless screws, and sealed with silicone. The UHWM can really put a lot of stress when running in since it is thick, and beveling is not enough. And when others mention glue; there isn’t a glue that adheres to the darco 100%. I highly recommend the stainless steel approach.

Hi James, I need to do this repair on my trailer.
Can you send me the details of the Stainless repair.
example, what was the thickness and did you install it the complete width of the slide,
(long enough strip to go on top the flooring inside or butt a beveled edge outside.
Any pictures taken would be great. Thanks Jim

[Rod Spohn]

I have a 2019 3811ms that I’m planning to do this repair on. Besides the outer edge that is fraying I have a spot fraying ( actually a hole) in about the center of the slide. Do you think that there would be any problem with putting another strip of UHMW over this part also? I haven’t seen anyone else mention damage other that the edges, I’m guessing it is because of the weight of the fridge sense it’s on the kitchen slide.

[Hblick48]

Originally Posted by Rod Spohn

I have a 2019 3811ms that I’m planning to do this repair on. Besides the outer edge that is fraying I have a spot fraying ( actually a hole) in about the center of the slide. Do you think that there would be any problem with putting another strip of UHMW over this part also? I haven’t seen anyone else mention damage other that the edges, I’m guessing it is because of the weight of the fridge sense it’s on the kitchen slide.

When I did my kitchen slide (doesn't drop down level with the floor), I put 1/8" UHMW on the ends and in 2 spots in the middle of the slide (right over the aluminum structure in the slide. I used an electronic stud finder to find the structural aluminum.

I used slide ski's on the ends of my drop down main slide. I saved enough UHMW to do the middle parts of this slide when the darco starts fraying there.

No problem using UHMW anywhere on the bottom of the slide, but I would make sure the straps screw into the aluminum structure of the slide.

[Whit66]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Instead of using metal to cover the frayed Darco I would take a long hard look at UHMW as your repair choice.. It is very slick, excellent weight load dispersion and is very easy to work with...

I've attached tow images of frayed Darco on the bottom of my hydraulic slide outs... Tape of any kind on these slides wont work because the Darco rides up onto a frame mounted wear bar that runs from end to end..

The Tape would just roll up and tear the Darco even more when it tries to ramp up onto the wear bars...

You have rollers so your repair options have some leeway but UHMW is what I would give serious consideration to..

Attached images show my frayed Darco and repair.. images form a PDF I wrote outlining the repair step by step

Hi, I am about to attempt this repair on my 2019 Keystone Cougar !! Just wondering where did you purchase your UHMW black strips??

Thank you

[Hblick48]

Originally Posted by Whit66

Hi, I am about to attempt this repair on my 2019 Keystone Cougar !! Just wondering where did you purchase your UHMW black strips??

Thank you

I got my UHMW from Grainger since there is no shipping charge if you pick up at one of their stores. Ended up being much cheaper than anywhere else because it's expensive to ship.

Edit: you cut into strips with any saw, table, circular, jig. Drill holes and countersink. Use a self centering bit to drill pilot holes into the wood under the darco. Use flathead stainless steel screws.

[MDA1775]

Originally Posted by Jamesb

Just to follow up on my repair. Most of all the videos and fixes using the UHMW pieces are the slides without rollers. If you use the UHMW strips, you better have one heck of an angle on them for the rollers to roll up on. Believe me, I did and it costs me a broken motor. 2nd install with new UHMW strips under the rollers worked but didn’t last for me. Too much weight on my super slide with only two rollers. Final solution, and I wish I could urge more people to do. Get two stainless steel strips, counter sink your screws and be done with it. It will last forever, stronger than UHMW. But thanks to this forum for some assistance! Good luck. Shame on manufacturers for using Darco!!

I have the same tears at the rollers you described. I was all in on the plastic until I read your post. What thickness are your SS runners? It seems it would be best to try to get the rollers to ride on the SS all the time, to eliminate transitions, but it doesn't sound possible given the spring tension on t he rollers, did I get that right? Thanks to ChuckS, you and everyone else that's contributed.