Bedroom slide open - Montana Owners Club

c214dick · 03-30-2014, 12:33 AM

We just got back from our home in Fl. Poor Monte must have missed us because the bottom of the BR slide is open about 3". Battery was pulled and no electric hooked up while we were gone. It's still to cold to hook up electric to test. Are there any suggestions as to what I should look for when it warms up? Maybe Monte is telling us she's ready for a road trip.

fasanjager · 03-30-2014, 02:44 AM

Our did the same one time this winter, it was out about 2 inches. We think it was do to the storm we had here with very high winds.

1Happycamper · 03-30-2014, 03:38 AM

Hi Dick.

We had the same problem and had it fixed at the Fall Rally. Our bedroom slide also opened about 2-3 inches so the service center had lippert install selector valves on our Mountaineer. The bedroom slide did not move but then the other 2 did. They finally found that the cylinder on the kitchen slide was leaking past the seal. They found this by doing a pressure test at the pump and then checking each cylinder until they found the bad one.

Hope this helps.

racerjoe · 03-30-2014, 02:55 PM

ours does that every winter when stored. the bottom moves out 1-2 inches. it is the oil draining back slowly thru the winter months. do not have any trouble all summer. I just noticed it again about 2 weeks ago,will just wait till I put power back to it and close it

CORattler · 03-30-2014, 04:29 PM

Just had that happen and the problem was a slide ram (2 of them) where the hydraulic fluid was leaking back past the seals. Had them replaced and no more slde creep. Cost me $1400 at CW (parts, labor and diagnostic time). Good thing I'm rich!! Pfffffttttt!!

c214dick · 03-31-2014, 09:53 AM

Warm enough to hook up the electric and Voila!!!! Slide is in. Must have been the wind.

dieselguy · 03-31-2014, 10:26 AM

I'm just thinking at some point it will creep out again as a result of the above replies. I can't see even a howling gale overcoming a hydraulic actuator unless it just flat broke it off.

c214dick · 03-31-2014, 10:43 AM

Will let you know.

racerjoe · 03-31-2014, 10:47 AM

If it only does it once a year when stored,like ours does, I would live with it. After seeing a $1400 repair, I am sure I will live with it

CORattler · 04-01-2014, 05:29 PM

I was also thinking about not getting it repaired and just "dealing with it". Then I got to thinking about the slide(s) deploying as we were going down the road. I got ill just thinking about that. Is $1400 expensive?? You bet! I'm hoping the fix is good for the rest of the time I own the RV.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by racerjoe

If it only does it once a year when stored,like ours does, I would live with it. After seeing a $1400 repair, I am sure I will live with it

Slufoot733 · 04-03-2014, 08:18 AM

Our 2010 3150RL had this issue from day one. The bedroom slide would move out 5-6". This didn't happen every time but about 30% of the time. Sometimes I would see the room out while traveling down the road.
At the fall rally in Goshen last summer we had Lippert check it and they found the big cylinder under the main room was leaking past the seal. The pressure would make the smallest/lightest room move. They replaced the cylinder and so far so good.

CORattler · 11-19-2014, 01:13 PM

Well, the same problem has surfaced again! Went to check on the RV this past Saturday after a cold spell here and the bedroom side was out about 1 inch. I hadn't had this problem since it was "fixed" by CW. Ran the slide back in all the way.
Went back today (Wednesday and the bedroom slide was back out but it was now out 6 inches. Ran it back in and turned the room control valve to off. I called CW who had done the previous work in January of 2014. They said to bring it in and there will be no charge for diagnostics.
I'm not confident that CW will find the issue and permanently correct it.
I 'm not able to just keep throwing money at this issue and hoping it gets fixed. I am contemplating my alternatives.
I really like the RV otherwise. I can't afford a new one as we retire in 5 months. I'm sitting here gritting my teeth. Maybe after I calm down some I'll think of a viable solution. Rant off.

rohrmann · 11-19-2014, 01:42 PM

The old 5th wheel we had prior to the Montana had metal 'sticks' with crutch tips on each end you would wedge between the wall and the back of the flange of each slide. It would be a nuisance to do every time while in season, but maybe it would be enough to keep the slides in while in storage.

Overlord · 11-19-2014, 02:36 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by rohrmann

The old 5th wheel we had prior to the Montana had metal 'sticks' with crutch tips on each end you would wedge between the wall and the back of the flange of each slide. It would be a nuisance to do every time while in season, but maybe it would be enough to keep the slides in while in storage.

...and could be an extreme nuisance the one time you forget to remove them before extending the slides!

CORattler · 11-20-2014, 01:49 AM

Thanks for the suggestions but I'm not going to put slide locks in. The RV was designed to keep them in without them (when working as designed). I'll pursue a solution that won't put me in the poor house. New pump costs around $1300 if in fact that is the solution. I'm thinking check valve in the pump. I'll look at schematics tonight to see if one (or several) check valves can be replaced without replacing the whole pump. Keep those thoughts coming!

dieselguy · 11-20-2014, 02:28 AM

Jay ... if you are even minimally handy with a wrench ... remove the 2 main lines directly from the pump and immediately cap them with the appropriate JIC fitting. Mine are #5's I think. Before you remove them, just tap the slide switch both ways (in and out) to relieve the better part of the residual pressure in the system. With the main lines capped, let it sit as usual ... this will isolate the pump from the system. As far as I know ... there is but one check valve in the pump assy. The selector valves above your propane tank are just that ... on off valves. They will not cure a leaking cylinder seal.

Although not a cake walk ... there is a procedure on the Lippert Tec website that outlines how to check each individual cylinder for seal bypass. Assuming CW replaced both the rear slide cylinders and the bedroom cylinder ends up being bad ... replacing the bedrom slide cylinder is comparatively easy. Remove the beddding as well as the plywood subfloor in the bed frame. A handful of lag screws into the main bedroom floor holding the cylinder barrel end, a large nut(s) on the end of the cyl rod, and 2 hydraulic lines ... the cylinder is out. Locate the big nuts in the same place on the new cyl rod and it all goes back together ... check fluid level ... cycle the slides a few times and the system is bled. The nut location on the cylinder rod is important ... do not tighten the nuts hard against both sides of the pusher bracket or you'll cost yourself lotsa money.

Despite all this typing ... perhaps you simply have a fitting or hose that is seeping. Have you noticed any fluid loss at the reservoir?

CORattler · 11-20-2014, 03:47 PM

No fluid loss at reservoir but last time it was "repaired" I discovered that the "tech" had only filled the reservoir 1/2 way. I called him on it and he said he was absolutely sure it was the way it should be. System operated as advertised all season long. I researched this forum and Lipperts Lipsheets and all say that the fluid needs to be 1 to 1/2 inch from fill cap with all slides in. I'm going to print these up and show it to the "tech" when I bring it in for their "diagnostics". I'm doing a lot of research on this as I need this issue truly fixed.
Thanks to all for the input

CORattler · 06-06-2015, 05:47 PM

Update: I did have the hydraulic pump replaced. It appears to have fixed the issue No system pressure drop after much testing. I did not replace the bedroom slide ram.
Within 2 months of pump replacement, the bedroom slide started leaking water (sigh!) I believe the problem was that a gap had formed where the trim met the outside wall of slide. I removed the old sealant and cleaned with isopropyl alcohol to give it a stable surface to adhere to. Ran a new silicone bead and so far no leaks after 4 rainstorms.

CORattler · 12-15-2016, 10:51 AM

UPDATE: Well, the cold weather has returned and so has my slide out issue (UGH!)
Since my last post I have purchased slide locks to use in the cold months (it doesn't happen in warm weather). I placed them on the bedroom slide at the top. 2 days later I checked and the top stayed in but the bottom was out 4 inches. I removed the slide locks, brought the slides back in and gave the control switch a small bump to the out position. Installed the slide locks again but this time put them on the bottom of the slide (since that is where the ram which is under the bed is located. Will check again in a couple of days. Both the Main slide and the bedroom slide rams have already been replaced. I'm now into this problem for $4,000 with zero resolution of the issue. What a PITA!

Update 12/19/2016: Well I just checked the RV and all slides are staying in. We had -12F Saturday night.

Update 12/29/2016: Checked again and all slides are staying in after a wide range of temperature variations. Not an optimal solution but better than having the slide repeatedly extend by itself.

twindman · 12-16-2016, 03:52 AM

I had my hydraulic rams replaced at the rally 2 years ago. The slides crept out a little bit on the way home to AZ. Took it to dealer and they said air can get inside the hoses during a repair. They ran the slides all the way in and out 10 (more?) times and no problems since then.

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