Rusty Clips on slide out seals

[jim.smithjr]

As my favourite local shop was about to replace a broken end cap on a slide topper today, they noticed that the top section of the main seal for the slide out was loose from the coach body. It turns out this large rubber seal (one piece with two hollow tubes and a big flap) has little steel spring clips bedded into the V section that pushes onto the edge of the coach body, and these clips have become rusty and many have broken. We didn't check the other three slide seals as yet. Instead we aborted the repair and called my dealer. I'm waiting for a response from him.

Has anyone else had this problem? We've just ended the dreaded first year with this new coach and I thought we had finally caught up to all the problems..apparently not!

[Rex]

Jim, I have also had that experience. Sounds like yours is the same as mine was in that you noticed the rusty clips inside the attachment part that goes onto the wall. Water gets inside that part and rust them out and then the seal will come off. No way to reattach it once the rusty has started, it will just come back off. That seal was made by Uni-Grip.

I replaced my seal with one made by Clean Seal which has the metal clips covered all over with rubber so they wont rust out. They sell only large quantities:

Clean Seal, Inc.
20900 W Ireland Rd.
South Bend, IN 46614
800-366-3682
http://www.cleanseal.com/


http://www.cleanseal.com/products.htm

For small quantities you can get their product form the following in 50 foot increments:

ParKin Accessories Inc.
2920 Gateway Dr
Elkhart, IN 46514
800-637-8938
http://www.parkin-acc.com/page39.html

This seal should last a long time.

[MonacoMama]

Hmmmm-rusty teeth? ..You mean kinda like this?


You can see some other photos at this link . I think there is also a thread with some information.
By the way...we will be doing it over again this spring...

[Lukeaa]

Mine has died, also, for the second time. UniGrip makes a junk product. I will have the Clean Seal product installed at Monaco in Coburg in June. I will buy the seal and provide it to Monaco.

[jim.smithjr]

Thanks for these messages. This will help a bunch, I am very appreciative!

A few more questions, sorry;

1- I looks like only the top seals are affected (so far). So when I go to measure my coach should I also measure and change the side seals, and are the sides and top all one piece or are they cut at the corners?

2- It would seem that part number 7024 is the correct part? there is also a 7024PW. What does the PW suffix indicate?

3- Is this easy stuff to remove and replace? What tools are required?

4- What is the approximate cost?

[Rex]

Yes replace it all and not just the part that is now coming off. Pay particular attention to the corners - all corners. Best to take a picture of each corner so you know how the overlap is made and how the corner is cut or notched as it turns.

You need to pay very close attention to how the seal is measured so make absolutely sure the one you pick is correct in measurement. You may have to pull some of the existing loose so you can get an accurate measurement of it first.

It just pulls off and may take a bit of tugging if it has not rusted completely. Tools you will need are your hands and a real sharp knife to notch the corners. You will also need some good rubber glue for where the seal buts under the bottom of the slide and the corner laps. Install the seal as one piece. It just presses on in the center of the seal to the edge of the coach wall.

You can only buy a minimum of 50 feet from Parkin, so when you order SPECIFY you only want it if it is in one continuous length. For my slide I only needed 32 feet but still had to buy 50 feet. Total cost will be determined by where you live in relation to where it is shipped from. They could not tell me on the phone when I ordered what the shipping cost was right then, but sent me an email later. I live in Foley, Alabama and the total was $257 including shipping.

I replaced the seal a year ago with the Uni-Grip and am now doing it again with Clean Seal.

On yes on tools, you will need to remove the slide topper awning. That is spring loaded and can cause damage to you or the coach if now done correctly. Not hard, you just need to know how. I don't know who made your awning, and if you don't, then call Monaco and find out. Then go to that companies web site and download the installation instructions. That should tell you how to release the spring and how to retention it after the seal is replaced. You don't have to remove it from where it attaches to the coach gutter, only the slide itself. Lay the whole thing up on top of the coach while you change the seal.

Can you do this change yourself, yes you can if you are somewhat handy. You may need an extra pair of hands so see if you have a friend to help as needed. You will also need at least two step ladders.

Best of luck,

[jim.smithjr]

Thanks, Rex. This is a really big help. I'll go out to the storage yard and take the measurements in the next few days. My slide toppers are all Carefree of Colorado and the shop that discovered the problems are dealers for Carefree. They were replacing a topper end cap that I broke when they found the rust.

[MonacoMama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim.smithjr Thanks for these messages. This will help a bunch, I am very appreciative! A few more questions, sorry; 1- I looks like only the top seals are affected (so far). So when I go to measure my coach should I also measure and change the side seals, and are the sides and top all one piece or are they cut at the corners? 2- It would seem that part number 7024 is the correct part? there is also a 7024PW. What does the PW suffix indicate? 3- Is this easy stuff to remove and replace? What tools are required? 4- What is the approximate cost?

NOOOOOOOOOOO... ..Please do NOT order the 7024 series!!!! It is the same thing we put on a year ago..with the same results as what we removed.

You need to go to this link and at the bottom of the page you will see ZML-6705.


This seal has the "metal" in the middle encapsulated in rubber which should help keep the rust down. It is also wider so SacsTC plans to add a stainless strip along the metal extrusion before adding the seal this time.
Someone else has also used this seal that I will find the link for shortly and post back here. He stated that this is holding better than the original seal.

[MonacoMama]

DickieBob is the member who has used the ZML-6705. You can find his thread here.

You can also see many other photos of when we did the project a year ago (along with photos of when Monaco replaced it 2 years prior) in this album.