Darco under slide fraying and ripping

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

I would seek the opinions from some of the OPs on here that are much more experienced than I... but to me tape over the Darco is a total waste and a stop gap repair at best. if it evens holds...

UHMW can be bought in various sizes and thicknesses... I opted for the the .0125 thick stuff because I wanted the least amount of vertical height deflection when slide out ramps up on the wear bars...

I also wanted black to try and blend the repair in better with the Darco fabric.. I ordered a piece that was 12"x36"x .0125 and ripped it into four equal strips (minus saw blade kerf cut)... This stuff cuts like butter and does not melt like plastic would...

The bevel angle I cut on the leading edge was done with a miter saw and it cut as smooth as glass...

I drilled the initial attach screw holes and counter sunk on the work bench and then temp installed to see if the concept would work

After successful test I then removed strip and drilled additional holes and counter sunk them on the bench... Really would be a bear to do the additional countersinking with strip attached and working upside down...

anyways ... you have some thoughts to work out and perhaps others with ten times my ability and experience will chime in and you can get a really good repair action plan....

Please post whatever your final results and decisions turned out to be .. it will help others down the road when they have the same issues with the Darco

Chuck, this is great information. I have the same issue. My big slide is on rollers. The smaller slides do not have rollers. They are electric cable pull. I am just starting to see wear and expect the Darco will start to shred like yours did at some point down the road. Your repair material makes sense and probably will take lubricants better as well. I try to keep my wear areas lubed to help reduce the wear, which seems to be working. You mentioned on your next repair you will try to have the bevel at 17 degrees? Might that be a little to sharp an angle and risk damaging the front edge of the bevel from being too thin? Just wondered. Sounds like this material is on the soft side rather than being somewhat brittle ? Just picking your brain. Thanks!

[Bad Moon]

Too bad Keystone cheaped-out and used the darco stuff where it didn’t show, rather than the better (more expensive) stuff they put under the bedroom slide, where it DOES show. I am leary of using screws to attach anything to the bottom of the slide, since screws will almost always eventually work loose, and rip up the vinyl floor covering. Is there an adhesive that would adhere to the product recommended above? Gorilla glue? Isocynate?

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

Too bad Keystone cheaped-out and used the darco stuff where it didn’t show, rather than the better (more expensive) stuff they put under the bedroom slide, where it DOES show. I am leary of using screws to attach anything to the bottom of the slide, since screws will almost always eventually work loose, and rip up the vinyl floor covering. Is there an adhesive that would adhere to the product recommended above? Gorilla glue? Isocynate?

One of the attributes of UHMW plastic is almost nothing sticks to it. Just countersink the screws. My 2018 Montana has UHMW rub bars installed at the factory and they are screwed down. I check them occasionally to make sure the heads of the screws are not backing out.

[Bad Moon]

I did see that they make a UHMW thin strip (tape) with self-adhesive, but only in 2” wide strips.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by Mikelff

Chuck, this is great information. I have the same issue. My big slide is on rollers. The smaller slides do not have rollers. They are electric cable pull. I am just starting to see wear and expect the Darco will start to shred like yours did at some point down the road. Your repair material makes sense and probably will take lubricants better as well. I try to keep my wear areas lubed to help reduce the wear, which seems to be working. You mentioned on your next repair you will try to have the bevel at 17 degrees? Might that be a little to sharp an angle and risk damaging the front edge of the bevel from being too thin? Just wondered. Sounds like this material is on the soft side rather than being somewhat brittle ? Just picking your brain. Thanks!

The 17 degree angle is at this point for me still a thought..I have now cycled this slide out close to 100 in/out cycles with not an issue..

The material needs NO lubricant ever..UHMW is self lubricating on its own and is super super slick.

With the slides with rollers I see NO reason why UHMW could not be used.. I have no way to verify as my slides are all hydraulic and use a double wear bar setup.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

I did see that they make a UHMW thin strip (tape) with self-adhesive, but only in 2” wide strips.

Tape.. OF ANY kind placed over the top of Darco is gonna bunch up and make a waded mess and tear the Darco even more …yup.. I did try that

Now it MIGHT work ok for a slide out with rollers … I can’t test that

I did see a fella use UHMW tape and stapled the tape over the Darco but quite frankly the repair cosmetics didn’t suit me nor did the staple concept..

Not knocking that fellas repair…. Just doesn’t pass this old mans logic test

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by Bad Moon

Too bad Keystone cheaped-out and used the darco stuff where it didn’t show, rather than the better (more expensive) stuff they put under the bedroom slide, where it DOES show. I am leary of using screws to attach anything to the bottom of the slide, since screws will almost always eventually work loose, and rip up the vinyl floor covering. Is there an adhesive that would adhere to the product recommended above? Gorilla glue? Isocynate?

There is NO adhesive that I’ve researched that will adhere to UHMW reliably
I used a dab of proflex on the screw threads when I installed and they are not gonna back out

[Route66Rambler]

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

PM sent. Thank you.

[Daryles]

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

PM sent.
Thanks Chuck

[aitutaki98]

I would be interested in that pdf. Dmather911@msn.com Thank you.

[Mikendebbie]

ChuckS - sent you a PM

[ChuckS]

I think I emailed all the folks that asked for a copy of my PDF on the repair I used for my torn Darco.. If I missed someone send me another PM please...

Use the info in the PDF as you see fit to... or not... This was the way I chose to go about repairing that torn darco covering and it may give you ideas on how to fix yours..

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

I think I emailed all the folks that asked for a copy of my PDF on the repair I used for my torn Darco.. If I missed someone send me another PM please...

Use the info in the PDF as you see fit to... or not... This was the way I chose to go about repairing that torn darco covering and it may give you ideas on how to fix yours..

Thanks Chuck.

Is there a way to somehow save this entire thread. I have looked around and don't see anything.

[Daryles]

Originally Posted by bcrvman

Thanks Chuck.

Is there a way to somehow save this entire thread. I have looked around and don't see anything.

Copy the link and save it somewhere.
I keep a file with these excellent references

[Daryles]

Excellent write up in your PDF.
I think I will go with your suggestion in the last paragraph regarding lifting the slide and putting the UHMW further in against the rub bar itself.

Thanks again

Daryl

[3820FK]

I had same thing on my midslide to, I bought a piece of aluminum facial thats 6' wide then loosened the plate on sise of slideout an put the lip of the facial then sealed back up ..works great going in an out.

[Bad Moon]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

There is NO adhesive that I’ve researched that will adhere to UHMW reliably
I used a dab of proflex on the screw threads when I installed and they are not gonna back out

Well, SOMETHING has to stick to it, because they make self adhesive tape and strips. The website referenced an “acrylic” adhesive on the tape, and thicknesses from .040 up to .060. I also found self-adhesive strips on eBay that are 1/8” thick. But the adhesives are only as good as what it is stuck to, and ratty Darco would not be ideal.

[ChuckS]

Three images I cut from a short video I have of the slide moving on the UHMW strip on the wear bar, a shot just as the UHMW beveled edge is about to drop down off the wear bar and a shot showing how the gear packs teeth are meshed during motion

There is no difference in mesh depth of the teeth in this image versus my other slide out that I haven’t put UHMW strip on to cover a small tear in the Darco

[1stgtburns@gmail.com]

Chuck could you send me the PDF file at
1stsgtburns@gmail.com
It would be a big help. I am in the planing phase of repairing my Draco issues.

[DutchmenSport]

Mine is starting to do the same thing. I think I need to study this thread out a bit closer for a fix too.

This post is very timely!