Inside slide molding problem

MrG · 07-27-2006, 06:52 PM

GNR seminar encouraged using strap to hold slide in while traveling. Wife forgot to unhook and guess what? How do I remove trim to get at this molding on the front near the TV and can I rebend and rescrew it?

MrG · 07-27-2006, 06:52 PM

GNR seminar encouraged using strap to hold slide in while traveling. Wife forgot to unhook and guess what? How do I remove trim to get at this molding on the front near the TV and can I rebend and rescrew it?

John_Canfield · 07-27-2006, 08:15 PM

Another member of the family (no names will be used here but I will say it wasn't me

) forgot to unhook the slide strap and ripped out the floor attachment while extending the left slide. I think that happened last August and I never put it back.

The entire idea of the strap might be related to a problem Winnie had a while ago with slide creep. A couple of weeks ago I had a nice chat with a fellow that lives up here who had a Winnebago (forgot which model) that had the slide creep problem along with two other Winnie coaches. The dealer couldn't fix the problems after repeated attempts. Then Winnie flew up some techs to work on all three coaches and virtually the entire hydraulic slide plumbing was replaced and they still had the problem.

Don't know if the issue was ever resolved - my friend sold his slide creep problem and bought another coach.

My take on it is that I'm not going to bother with the strap unless I see a problem.

troth · 07-28-2006, 03:06 AM

Scrap the strap!

smlranger · 07-28-2006, 04:42 AM

Would that little strap (and the little screws in the brackets) really hold the slide if it decided to start moving out? My guess is no.

Hasn't Winne now added electric slide locks to the newer coaches?

John_Canfield · 07-28-2006, 09:24 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by smlranger:
Would that little strap (and the little screws in the brackets) really hold the slide if it decided to start moving out? My guess is no.

Hasn't Winne now added electric slide locks to the newer coaches? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Gary - I can testify that the strap is no match for the hydraulics

and it is probably not designed to resist much force. My guess is the strap was a band-aid solution for some creep issues that maybe jostling or bouncing caused due to a hydraulic shortcoming in the HWH stuff.

I do believe that the newest Winnie coaches have electric slide locks. Newmar has had locks for a while if memory serves me right.

Hearing the fellow up here describe his slide creeping out while underway was really scary. It would start out being half an inch, then an inch, then a while later six inches.

AFChap · 07-28-2006, 11:45 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">solution for some creep issues that maybe </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
According to CoachNet tech I called once about a slide creeping out, most are caused by air in the lines, which is caused by taking a slide part way out and stopping. First he said to run the slide all the way out, then all the way back in, holding down the switch apx 2 seconds after it stops moving to purge the air. Next he said "never run a slide out or in part-way."

I popped the metal and wood trim on forward edge of our large slide once when it caught a small fire-proof file box that was behind the driver's seat. On my Ultimate, I removed the wood plugs to get at the screws holding the wood, then completely removed the popped out screws under the wood that held the metal strip. The holes were stripped out, so I had to make new holes with the self-tapping metal screws to get it to hold the metal trim. It's been fine since, but now I ALWAYS look behind my seat to ensure nothing is there before extending the slide!!!

bill jones · 07-28-2006, 03:48 PM

I found our living room slide creeping out after camping in Colorado Springs,going down the road noticed it had crept 6 ins. out. Pulled over and ran it back in, noticed the strap had pulled out of the floor. After some serious investigation and several calls to HWH ( good tech support) decided the solenoids for the front slider were leaking. No amount of tightening the "T" arms would help.

Fix was to replace them. After replacement and before I sent the old ones back, I did some snooping into the innards of these solenoids. Found the difference between tho old and new were filters around the needle valves that actually control the fluid flow into the extension cylinders. A call to HWH cleared up the mystery. Seems that when the hydraulic systems are installed the reservoir is empty. Somewhere along the assembly process, the reservoir is filled with fluid. Nowhere is the reservoir cleaned out prior to filling. Guess what, my solenoid needle valves were fouled with grit and paint flakes. Paint flakes and grit in my reservoir. Cleaned and purged the whole system (fun job) and refilled all. I found the back slider solenoids had the filters installed and were dirty but no fouling in the needle valve assembly.

This happened over a year ago and have had no creep problems since.

I do not know if this is common or just my "IRISH" luck.

MrG · 07-31-2006, 04:41 PM

Thanks for input. I am pulling off molding trim with small putty knife and will have access to screws that pulled out. Then I have to get qversized self threading screws and with a clamp holding molding to metal frame rescrew it and hope it holds. This is what dealer service said to do.
Any advice from our group? John

The Clock Meister · 07-31-2006, 07:32 PM

Not trying to muddy up the water, but I was told a little different story at a HWH GNR seminar last year.

We were told that the only reason the straps were attached was to keep the top edge of the slide firmly held in to the sidewall. At first, it didn't make much sense, but it was explained that only a little bit of tension at the lower corner was needed to keep the top edge held in place.

I did ask the question why there were no strap provisions for the rear slides, and was told that they were significantly smaller than the LR slides and did not need the additional support. It was clearly stated that the straps were not intended for and would not work for holding the slide in for a creep problem.

Like so many of you, I took this advise with a grain of salt, and haven't used the strap on our slide since we bought it, and don't even know (or care) where it currently is.

Besides, the floor looks so much nicer without that chrome plate sticking out in the middle of the floor! If I were real ambitious I would take the plate off the moulding and plug the holes left, but that sounds too much like work to me.

Chris

mrschwarz · 08-01-2006, 03:18 AM

I just purchased an 01 Itasca Suncruiser. I was told by the salesperson that I did not need the straps. In fact, I didn't get any when I took delivery.

It seems the consensus is that I don't need them. Is that right?

cbeierl · 08-01-2006, 03:55 AM

The very first thing I did with my new Vectra was to remove the slide strap brackets from the floor (carpet). I read too many stories of folks ripping off their trim moldings. I haven't had any problems with the slides staying in place.

CHIPPYSGT · 08-01-2006, 04:05 AM

Salesman and PDI crew told me not to use the strap so I wouldn't tear off the molding during a senior moment. I think it's in the "Black Bag" somewhere.

Izzyblueye · 08-02-2006, 05:10 AM

MRSCHWARTZ: I have a 01 suncruiser and have never hooked my straps up. Dealer told me when I bought it they would never stop the slide. He further explained that it would be highly unlikely on a hydraulic system, that a slide would extend on its own. I have never had a problem with mine.