Slides Popping Out

[georgeandwendy]

We purchased our 2010 Montana at the end of last summer and absolutely love it. We have an issue with our slides popping out just a bit, both when the unit sits in storage but also as we are driving. Has anyone experienced this? We're hoping it's something we might be able to fix ourselves and would love to hear from folks who have experienced this. Thanks in advance.

[h2ojocky]

Check out this thread.

https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...%2Amoves%2Aout

[georgeandwendy]

Thank you for the link. That was very helpful.

[dieselguy]

If you do a search on the MOC, you'll find several posts spanning several years besides the one referenced by h2ojocky. Check easiest things first like fluid level when all slides are in and any visible leaks at fittings and hoses. You might even try cycling the slides fully in and out 3-4 times as this will self bleed the hyd system. Some times the check valve in the hydraulic pump itself fails, but if you read thru the many posts over the years ... probably 75% concluded with a leaking piston seal inside one of the cylinder rams. There is a test that can be done by about any competent wrench spinner on the Lippert website as how to check each individual cylinder. https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0001910.pdf

Unfortunately since our hydraulic systems are configured in one big loop, any one of your cylinders (leaking internally) can make a given slide(s) creep out ... usually the bedroom slide. Also unfortunately ... you have to buy a new cylinder as I've not heard of anyone in recent years that has found a seal kit or business that can source one and repair the leaking cylinder.

[twindman]

Are you sure about the 'one big loop' statement? Seems to me if we have shutoff valves for each slide, they are not 'looped' together.

[dieselguy]

Tom ...
With the addition of the Level Up, our hydraulic systems look complicated but both systems are totally separate despite using the same pump and reservoir. The slide side layout is very simple in design making it relatively cheap to manufacturer. There are no directional valves nor sequencing valves. The pump turns one way to extend the slides and the opposite way to retract. That can be verified by instructions on how to move your slides if you have no 12DC power. (You use a reversable drill motor and a ¼" Allen bit). Since they are looped together, our slide sequence is due to resistance only … the lightest slide (usually bedroom) moves first, then next lightest, and so on. A proof of that is have a couple of stout ole boys hold against your bedroom slide while you press the extend switch … other slides will start first.

Each cylinder does not have a separate extend and retract line going to them. All extend lines are T’d together both under the front storage and in the underbelly … all retract lines used to be as well. With the addition of the individual isolation valves manifold several years ago, there are individual lines coming from the retract side of each cylinder to the isolation manifold which in turn is hooked to a single line to the pump. So, the manifold acts like a grouping of T’s in a sense with the capability of manually shutting off any combination of cylinders. You would think Lippert would put the isolation valves on the extend side, but my 2005 and 2011 were plumbed the opposite way. No matter as blocking the retract side will not allow the cylinder to move either as no oil can be displaced.

Slide creep occurs when any one cylinder’s piston seal fails and allows oil to pass to the extend side. When you retract your slides depending on how long you lay on the retract switch once all are in … pressure builds up on the retract side of each cylinder. With any piston seal leaking, that pressure slowly bleeds down while pushing a slide out a few inches … again usually the lightest.

Perhaps plumbing has changed in very recent years, but I grew weary of having to go out and turn manual valves to isolate slide operation. I installed 12VDC blocking valves on my last two Montanas to allow me to just flip a switch. Having to trace down lines while doing my mod years ago give me the insight to what I responded above.

[twindman]

dieselguy, thanks for the info. So if I understand right, one side (in or out) is looped together and the other side has individual lines and shutoff valves to stop the particular slide from moving. I took the 'looped together' to mean one line out continuing to each slide and the same back in.

If I was more hydraulicly inclined, i would try your 'blocking valves'. I too get tired of running outside. Thanks again.

[dieselguy]

Tom ... here's a link to an old post of mine. Scroll down to reply #19 which has photos of my install. Making it work really isn't that hard. All you're really doing is plumbing a blocking valve in-between the line coming from each cylinder and the corresponding port on the existing isolation manifold. After that you just don't use the manual shut off valves. You'll also need to have short hoses made up to connect the blocking valve(s) to the existing isolation manifold. You should still use the isolation manifold because it's the easiest way to get say 3 slide cylinder lines back to the pump.
https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...=slide,control

[jcurryii]

Had to replace my front level up jack because of blow by (replaced both as insurance). Per Lippert, level up cylinders are not rebuildable, have to be replaced. So I imagine slide cylinders are the same.

[georgeandwendy]

Thanks everyone. We appreciate everyone's input.