Main slide wont go out

[jeholla]

I am having problems with the main slide going out (Lippert HydraGear). Most of the time it will move with a little push from me while wife pushes out button and at some point it seems to "catch" then move out great. I have new battery, am checking amp load today. I have 3 slides, bedroom is no problem, couch side is slow sometimes, but tried closing off valve to main and it works a lot better. Hydraulic fluid was a little low and put more in yesterday. All slides come in without any issue. Any thoughts or assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

[DQDick]

You don't say what model and year of rig you have. If it's new take it back to the dealer. Slides have been know to be out of adjustment and in our case the main slide was bigger than the hole. Please let us know what you have and the year. If it's older, alignment could still be an issue, you may have fixed it with adding fluid or it could also be the breaker or it may be something else.

 

[Art-n-Marge]

When you added extra fluid I hope all the slides were in at the time, then you should fill the reservoir to 1/4" from the top. I marked the fill point with a permanent marker for future checking.

I don't think it's the motor since the other slides operate are okay. And I don't think it's the manifold since you can get the slide completely out eventually. What you are describing is at the slide itself. Something is out of adjustment, or binding. It is possible to have something bind on the way out and not bind on the way back in. Adjusting or correcting binds is beyond my expertise so if it were me, I'd be heading to a shop.

 

[jeholla]

Thanks for the input. I am new to the forum so learning my way around.

I was able to fix the problem, it was partly self inflicted.

First the positive connection to the battery needed to be replaced and it helped.

Second, I had put axle grease on the slide rails a long while back and apparently dirt collected on the grease causing my problem. I used a lot of wd40 to dissolve and lube rails and things are working much better.

I plan to use some "GUNK" to clean them better and go with a dry lube and lube them a frequently.

I have a 2004 Montana Big sky, 3575 with 3 slides, using a 2006 Dodge MegaCab 3500 for the pulling.

Jess

 

[DQDick]

Glad you got it fixed. Yes dry lube is the way to go.

 

[jeholla]

Looks like my fix was only temporary. Same problem is occuring, all three slides go in fine, bed goes out fine but couch slide is slow then the main slide (12 ft) wont go without a push from the inside.

I found the "out" connection on the pump motor to be loose, so I tightened it and it worked good, so I cleaned all connections, put electrical cleaner on them and all worked good in and out two or three times.

Got to a new site yesterday and the same problem occurred.

I saw some post on another site about cleaning out the hydraulic resivour and putting in new fluid. Any thoughts?

Motor does run when the slide does not move. When I push it out, while wife holds the out button it will move and at some point during the travel it seems to "catch" and move on its on, but that does not always occur.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[LCBoyer]

Do you have a leak somewhere? Did you proper hydraulic fluid for your unit? Just curious

 

[bw2]

On my 3400RL, the LV slide started moving slowly when going in and out. Eventually I had to turn the rod between the tracks by hand while my wife pushed the button. I had to have the hydraulic piston replaced, that resolved my issue.

 

[jeholla]

fluid levels are good and I dont seem to have a leak.

Its bugging me that it will work great a time or two then back to the old problem.

 

[Irlpguy]

If all other slides function as they should, then there is not likely any problem with the pump itself. I would be suspicious of the shut off valve firstly and secondly the hydraulic line that goes to the top of the cylinder, this would be the end nearest the frame. If this hose which pushes the cylinder out is kinked or somehow being restricted when the slide is in then you would not get sufficient hydraulic fluid initially to push the piston out and get the slide started out.

When retracting the slide you are dealing with a different hose at the other end of the cylinder. Check to be sure the one I mention above is not somehow being restricted and make sure the valve is all the way open.

 

[steelpony5555]

Did you check your battery cables and connections?? That was what mine did this past week and it was one corrode battery cable...and it was not really that bad cause I didn't even see it was corroded when i topped off the cells with water. But the bedroom slide went in and out but the livingroom slide just went uuummmmmppphh and did nothing without help. Just didn't have enough juice for the weight.

 

[jeholla]

I have a new battery, checked all the connections and cleaned and put electrical contact cleaner on every one.

I am interested in the thoughts about the shutoff valve. I have not had time to open the basement of the rv to check hoses but will try to open that soon. Yesterday we had to move spots in the campground and again everything came in fine, but the main slide would not go out, so I closed the bedroom and Opp valves, leaving the main open and it ran out like new.

Any thoughts, perhaps that 3 way valve body is bad and not switching the pressure as needed. I dont know exactly how the valve works.

Jess

 

[dalengail]

Jess, 2 things I am wandering about. First, when you added fluid to the reservoir, what did you use? Second, with all 3 rooms closed, how full is the reservoir?

If you used automatic transmission fluid, that is good! Especially if the label on the bottle said it is Dexron or Mercon or Dexron/Mercon.

Next, make sure you get ALL of the grease is cleaned off the gear rack on the bottom side of the square shaped "inner tube" and the spur gear in the center of the gear pack assemblies. Then, lube them with a dry-lube or WD40. There are a lot of people on this forum who will disagree with using WD40. I have used it for 9 years on my slide room systems with no issues what-so-ever! It cleans, lubricates, protects against corrosion and displaces moisture. My point is, use whichever you are comfortable with....just no grease.

Last, inspect the gear rack a spur gears to make sure all of the teeth are in place and that none are broken off. Look for obstructions between the teeth.

Good luck and keep us informed.

 

[8.1al]

Pressure is supplied to all of the slides at the same time. The slide with the least resistance will go in first, then the pressure will rise until the next goes in. If closing some of the valves makes the main go out I think one of the other slides may have a slight bypass in it allowing some of the fluid to leak back to the tank. You could try closing off one at a time to see which one lets the main slide go out.

 

[GreatWhite]

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

Pressure is supplied to all of the slides at the same time. The slide with the least resistance will go in first, then the pressure will rise until the next goes in. If closing some of the valves makes the main go out I think one of the other slides may have a slight bypass in it allowing some of the fluid to leak back to the tank. You could try closing off one at a time to see which one lets the main slide go out.

Hmm, that's different than mine. My BR slide always goes out first.. than the LR. On return, the BR always retracts first.. than the DR. I believe the tech said that was normal.

When we are on the road, I always shut the control valve for the BR. That way, when we stop for lunch, only the DR goes out.. so we can open the fridge.

 

[8.1al]

quote:Originally posted by GreatWhite

quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

Pressure is supplied to all of the slides at the same time. The slide with the least resistance will go in first, then the pressure will rise until the next goes in. If closing some of the valves makes the main go out I think one of the other slides may have a slight bypass in it allowing some of the fluid to leak back to the tank. You could try closing off one at a time to see which one lets the main slide go out.

Hmm, that's different than mine. My BR slide always goes out first.. than the LR. On return, the BR always retracts first.. than the DR. I believe the tech said that was normal.

When we are on the road, I always shut the control valve for the BR. That way, when we stop for lunch, only the DR goes out.. so we can open the fridge.

The BR slide has the least resistance so it goes out first. Once it stops the pressure will rise until the next slide starts going out.

 

[DQDick]

Charlie's right, on a front bedroom model the bedroom should be the first out every time.

 

[Instymp]

are your control knobs marked? (Anyone?) In our Montana replacement Everest (Because I couldn't find a used Monatan that was as good as the one we lost in a flood.) they aren't.

 

[Instymp]

Ozz, I see you sell parts now, how about inside screens for Everest?

 

[restez]

On mine, they had to replace the opp valve that turns on or shuts off the different slides. My bedroom slide was doing that exact same thing and they found out the the opp valve had an internal leak that was not letting it go out or in without help. Once they replaced that everything worked fine.