Trouble with rt side slideout

[Trainstop2]

We have an 2003 Alpine FDTS40 vin: 18XF4EM2X311784777 thats a great coach
When we bought it from the 2nd owner in 2012 the right S/O didn't go out the last 5-6". It went out approx. 12". He said that someone had done some cabinet work and it just needed some adjustment.????
I just ignored it until a month ago. We were parked in some heavy rain and the carpet got soaked.
I investigated and see that the HWH slide out is vertical rails mounted on the inside of the walls with arms that extend/retract it. Hwh have given very good support and have identified the mechanism as "lateral arm Drive".
After alot of work with the arms I find that they have more travel with out the S/O.
It appears that it stops at the bottom and continues for another 1-1/2" at the top. The inner bulb seals don't touch at the flange at most of the side height.
Per hwh instructions I adjusted the cylinders up-down on each side with no help.
The slideout appears tobe from the factory but not the drive mechanism.
The coach has two left side slideouts that work perfectly and have under hyd. drives. VERY different than the one rt. side one.??
Any one with the same year & model coach have the rt side S/O? What is the drive like?
I am going to try to attach a photo of the drive system.
I have received alot of help on other issues from this forum and appreciate it very much.
Ray Jeske jeskehomes@sti.net

[Trainstop2]

Rotate the top picture 90 deg. ccw and the lower 180 deg.
Sorry. I am not sure how this happened.

[DrDaveMA]

Ray, that appears to be the correct.bconstruction. We have a 2005 38' FDTS, that was manufactured in late 2004. Can you send pictures of the slide open? Particularly the bottom of the slide. On ours we do not have the 1 - 1 1/2 " movement of the top. Hey both stop about the same time, although the top does move another 1/2".

[Old Scout]

I too have an 03 TSMD 40 but I am not sure I fully understand the problem. First, I assume you are talkng about the scissor slide on the passenger side, in the bedroom. This slide only extends about a foot and leaves about 6 inches open between the slide frame and the coach side-wall, inside the coach--this is the nature of this slide. You should see threaded rod stops that control how far the slide is allowed to extend. As for the top extension width vs the bottom, I guess I would like you to confirm the differences by measuring the slide top and bottom at full extension[ie against the threaded rod stops] on the outside of the coach and give us the difference.

[Trainstop2]

Old Scout:
Thanks..You answered one question. Apparently Western built them with the scissors mechanism which obviously cannot move the slide out all the way.
I am not sure why, but that must be what they did.?????????
The problem that I have is that when extended out, the "bulb" SEAL that is suppose to seal against a metal flange only seals across the top, but DOESN'T seal down the sides, which with any wind lets the rain come in. IF the slide WENT ALL THE WAY OUT as far as the top, uit would seal and there would not be a problem.

I wonder why they didn't use the same mechanisms as on the other two slides?
I am curious if yours goes out all the way top & bottom.
By the way, mine does not get close to the screw stops either. I even backed the top two back just to make sure they weren't the problem.

When I took the arms off the slide and operated it the arms had more travel than when attached so I don't think that that is the problem either?
Have a Happy and Safe NEW YEAR.
trainstop2.

[Old Scout]

Interesting--the syncro tube under the slide in the batt compartment is only used to ensure each cylinder/side of the slide goes out the same distance. Detacting the cylinders and extending them to max and min is the HWH process for clearing any air in the lines. Dumb question but by chance there isnt anything laying on top of the slide that is preventing full extension? When you extend the slide to max extension, does the HWH pump bear down as the slide reaches "full" extend? Any chance that you are testing this with the other slides are out and the jacks already down--issue then being low fluid in the HWH reservoir?????

[dennismhamm]

Old Scout. where is the HWH reservoir?

[Jeff and Cheryl]

The little door just behind the PS front tire is access to the HWH equipment.

[Trainstop2]

Correct on the tank location. Don't overfill.
My problem happens with only operating that slide out too. The tank oil level is proper.

The bottom just stops going out, but the top keeps going out to the seal stop the operation. That's About 1-1/2" further and bottoms the seal. When this happens the hydraulic relieve valve operates like on the other slides.
I have tried manually pushing on the bottom of the slide during and after with no change. After stopping I can barely move it pushing out on the front or rear of the slide.

Thanks all Happy New Year

[Old Scout]

To my knowledge the slide just sits in the wall opening--so no real way to adjust the slide itself. Unless there is some sort of obstruction, I dont see how the scissor mechanism wouldnt equalize top and bottom pressure, and eventually move both top and bottom into place. Perhaps a rubber seal on the bottom has torn/bunched and has raised the slide so the top catches--again, only guessing at this point??????

[Algoma]

Originally Posted by Trainstop2

Old Scout:
I wonder why they didn't use the same mechanisms as on the other two slides?
trainstop2.

I think you will find that the engine gets in the way of using the rams as used in the front of the coach.

[Trainstop2]

John & Mary:
Yes & no. The front two slides won't fit as you say.
Further investigation showed me that the bed (left) slide has one cylinder inside the slide that is tucked into the "floor" of the slide...That won't work on the right side because there isn't enough depth for the cylinder plus rod.
That's probably why they went to the "lateral arm" on the wall.
I just discovered that after extending the slide and its not out all the way at the bottom that if you sit on the bed and with one foot push on the small slide carpeted floor a foot above the coach floor it goes all the way out. ..The geometry of the arms apparently looses enough push to not quite do the job. I am going to try adjusting the upper arm slide pivot to see if that will correct it.
IF NOT, a gentle 1 second push isn't too bad to live with.
Ray and Sally Jeske