Daylight on a closed slide???

[Wheelhouse]

We recently had a tire bomb take the lower skirt and plastic trim off. Now, the question. We were closing the slides and I noticed daylight coming in from both corner when closed?? When opened, it seems to close gaps okay. It looks like about 3/4" - 1" rise both sides. This is a 2007 3500RL. The slide affected is the dining area with refrigerator. It wasn't noticed before, because the skirt blocked the incoming light. We are on our retirement vacation and won't have time until we return home for a service area to check and fix. Four months down, two more to go. The carpet is getting a little road dirt at those areas when traveling, no major rain yet. Oh yes, the tire company says its my fault for the tire being under pressurized, valve may have leaked, seal between rim and tire didn't seat, and on and on, through their engineers findings. Figures. Any ideas or help is helpful. I was going to present it at the past rally.

 

[bncinwv]

I would suggest looking at the floor of the slide closely from above and below. Sounds like there could be some more damage than has been detected. Out of curiosity, what brand of tires and how old were they?
Bingo

 

[richfaa]

I had posted a long time ago that we could see outside at the corners in the kitchen slide and the main slide on our 06 3400. We were drafty.

 

[hookman]

There is an adjustment on the bottom of the slide. If you look at the ends of the 2 rails under the slide you will see 2 bolts on each. If you loosen them and push in the slide a bit it draw the bottom in tighter to the main body. I think they are 1/2" bolts.

 

[DQDick]

If it didn't do it before I'd be reluctant to change the slide travel before checking very closely for something else missing or damaged from the accident. I'd also like to know what brand of tire and which manufacturer is trying to weasel out.

 

[Irlpguy]

When you look at the end of the hydraulic ram which along with the racks extend and retract the slide, you will see that this rod is threaded and extends through a bracket on the slide.
The rod has double nuts on the side facing the ram and a single self locking nut on the end of the rod, the nuts should not be tightened to the extent there is no space between them, there must be some free travel. The inner nuts determine the extent the rod pushes the slide out and the outer self locking nut determines how far the ram pulls the slide in.

When fully retracted if you push in on the slide and observe a space develop between the bracket and the outer nut, that will mean the ram is not pulling the slide in fully.

The bracket may also have gotten bent when the tire blew which would alter the slides travel one way or the other.

If it were me this is where I would look and make the adjustment, not everyone will be comfortable with doing this kind of work and only you will know how you feel about working on your unit.

The slide may have been out of adjustment for a long time and you are now just noticing it. Good luck with the fix.

I do not see any adjustment in the bolts mentioned by Hookman but might be missing something. To me they are what fastens the slide bracket to the rails. However I certainly stand to be corrected.

 

[Irlpguy]

After posting my last response I found this information on slide adjustment from the manufacturer.

As Dick said do check for other physical damage before making any adjustment. I also would be very interested in the tires you were using.

http://www.lci1.com/OwnersManuals/Slideout/Hydraulic Slideout-Web.pdf

Hope this helps.

 

[Wheelhouse]

The company is: Dynamic Tie Corp. "The Leading Edge of Performance". PowerKing TowMax ST235/80R16 trailer tire. Recommended tire pressure: 75-80 pounds. The company is located in Ontario, Canada. Qualified tire engineers determining the merit of the case?? Just a side note here. I asked the forum earlier about side wearing of one of my tires. When I took it in to a tire shop, they told me the inner linings are coming apart. He showed me a large bubble developing on the inner side of the tire putting stress on the outer side. Same tire manufacture. I called the tire dealership and they said they would help me. Like the last shop did I guess. I remembered I found the same brand went out of round a while back, but didn't think much about it at the time. Now I am concerned.

 

[DQDick]

Definitely sounds like after you get the slide issue worked out, a new tire manufacturer would be in order.

 

[Irlpguy]

Was there not a recent post suggesting that Montana was going to be starting to use those tires, cannot remember who posted it but was also related to Tredit Tire and Wheel.

From one inadequate tire to another it would seem may be the direction Keystone is going.