What Could This Mean??

[RKassl]

For the first time since 2015 one of our hydraulic slides slipped open about three inches last month. I powered up the trailer and brought the slide in for a good seal from the weather. It has been about a month since it happened. When I take it in for Spring Service just what direction do you think the techs will go to fix this issue? Can this be a symptom of a worn hydraulic ram? I also know that there is a very slow drip of hydraulic fluid coming off of a black line under the slide. It is in the same general area as the middle hydraulic jack. Any ideas will be appreciated.

[Montana Man]

I would say the leak is the first clue. Fix it then see if the other problem persists.

[dieselguy]

Slide creep is usually but not always the result of the piston seal on one of the rams leaking by. Although it won't necessarily be on the slide that is creeping since all the hydraulic slide cylinders are looped together. You can go through the motions of tightening all the fittings, checking on all of the lines you can access, and cycling the slides completely in and out 3-4 times to bleed any air, but odds are it's a bad piston seal.

[ChuckS]

My fifth wheel has three hydraulic slides. In the last 8 years, usually during wintertime here at the house the BRnslide has creeped out a few inches three times..

There are no external leaks. I have simply cycled the slides a few times to purge the air out of the system lines and exercise the Hydac valve …

The hydraulic slides have only ONE Hydac valve and the first slide to move or creep will be the smallest one or the one at the end of the line.

If you cycle the slide a few times and close it and it stays tight with no external leaks then leave it alone.l

An RV shop will TS and you will pay $$$ …

You could also do a simple internal bypass test on the suspect cylinder and Lippert has a PDF out on how to perform if desired

[jimcol]

My experience is the same as ChuckS. Our unit has 2 slides and only twice in 16 years have I found the BR slide had creeped a couple of inches. Both times it was in winter storage. Cycled the slides all the way out then in two or three times seems to have fixed the issue. I'm aware of it but won't pursue a fix until the issue becomes more chronic.

[RMcNeal]

I'd say listen to ChuckS; he knows his stuff on these hydraulic slides. My problem is the opposite. I've never had a slide creep out, during storage or otherwise, but I do have a leak on the piston seal of the DS dining room slide. My dealer is still waiting for a new hydraulic ram. They sent the wrong one the first time. It's been leaking since December 2019. Just a few drops here and there, not a major leak.

[ChuckS]

Re-read your initial post this morning ( had two cups of wake up java ) and noticed you state you see small drips of fluid on the BLACK line that goes to that slide out cylinder...

If the lines are OEM still then Black line is a return line for that slide cylinder, orange is the extend line... I would check the JIC37 fitting for that black line and snug a tad .. maybe 1/4 inch max... also wipe the fitting area and hose where it is swedged onto the fitting...

If you see a seep then you know the fitting is leaking at the end of the hose and will require a new hose and fitting..

The line ( if the fitting is leaking at the swedge ) is under pressure because Hyd pressure is what holds the slides either extended or closed..

If you have some basic mechanical skills you can replace the entire line wit one made a local hyd shop or a NAPA auto parts store that builds hoses..

The wife and I changed out two lines on our 2014 last year... took about an hour to remove the lines, drive to shop to get them made and then install new lines...

If the slide cylinder is your source of leak ( dripping onto the hose ) then the cylinder can either be replaced or rebuilt as well... its also and easy task if you have some basic mech skills

[Mikendebbie]

ChuckS - what is a “swedge”? Can you post a pic that shows it?

[Scottsjeeprolet]

Bad slide cylinder. Mine did that too. Replaced all my cylinders and no more creep.
Got them on Amazon.

[Hblick48]

My living room slide started creeping out during travel. Sometimes the bedroom would also creep. Had the living room cylinder rebuilt. Living room and bedroom slide no longer creeped, but kitchen slide started. Just had that cylinder rebuilt. No more creeping. Cost about $150 per cylinder to have rebuilt. Removal, installation bleeding, and final adjustment labor self provided. Just a few sore muscles from crawling around under the rig.

[Scottsjeeprolet]

Here are the cylinders I bought from Amazon. Plus they are aluminum, half the weight of the original steel cylinders.

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

[ChuckS]

I am not much for shot gun trousblehsooting and replacing a bunch of parts without knowing the status of the parts...

There is no way all the slide out hydraulic cylinders are leaking internally or externally

MY fifth wheel has 3 hyd slide outs and is a 2014... have no intentions of replacing one until I see fluid pouring out the rod end or one leaks internally..

Here is how to test for internal leaks on the slide cylinders:

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001910.pdf

The swedge I was referring to is the CRIMPED ON JIC37 female line fitting on the ends of the lines... after years of service you could have one leaking at the crimp to the hose and fluid will run to all sorts of places...

[Scottsjeeprolet]

I did all the trouble shooting, added gauges to the pump. Wasn’t building pressure or holding. The bedroom slide would hardly creep out and had to pretty much manually push it back in. Due to fluid bypassing internally in the cylinder.
My kitchen slide was leaking due to rust on the cylinder rod. Ruined the seal.
So I installed new cylinders and problem fixed.
My Montana is a 2000.

[wed]

Fix the leak and that will probably fix it