Community Forums

Jbgrams · 12-12-2010, 04:16 PM

We have a 2010 Itasca Ellipse. While on a trip to Pigeon Forge Tennessee our front full room slide was leaking, 5 gallons of water caught and emptied even after slide brought in! We took it in for this to be checked and we pulled in on the rv store lot and this slide was locked and still in place at the top but out about 6 inches on the bottom! After being checked we were told they found no place leaking and the slide came out because we didn't lock it. We have owned a 5th wheel and traveled all over the US and it didn't have locks on our slides. And it never creeped out. Can anyone explain how these locks work and if we forget to lock the slide, can we expect them to come out. That is a really scary thought!

firedoc · 12-12-2010, 05:36 PM

We wpul;d be very interested in this answer also. What the heck are slide locks. Nothig wasa ever mentioned to us about any slide locks. Perhaps we don't have them (Bounder) or was someone remiss?

RickO · 12-12-2010, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbgrams

We have a 2010 Itasca Ellipse. While on a trip to Pigeon Forge Tennessee our front full room slide was leaking, 5 gallons of water caught and emptied even after slide brought in! We took it in for this to be checked and we pulled in on the rv store lot and this slide was locked and still in place at the top but out about 6 inches on the bottom! After being checked we were told they found no place leaking and the slide came out because we didn't lock it. We have owned a 5th wheel and traveled all over the US and it didn't have locks on our slides. And it never creeped out. Can anyone explain how these locks work and if we forget to lock the slide, can we expect them to come out. That is a really scary thought!

I was a little unclear on the events. You brought the slides in... locked them.... and then drove down the road in the rain and then discovered they were leaking and captured 5 gallons of water while driving? The slides were locked when you pulled into the RV dealer but the bottom of the slide was sticking out six inches? Did you pull in there directly from the road when you captured the 5 gallons of water? Otherwise it's hard to imagine not noticing the bottom of the slide sticking out that far. The dealer said the slide wasn't locked but you say they were locked when you pulled into the lot?

I believe your locks are only on your front slides and work by an electric motor which extends pins from the slides into holes in the coach frame. I've never had my front slides creep out on my 2007 Ellipse but have had the bedroom slides creep out a bit once but it only happened once.

Good Luck...

Rick

Jbgrams · 12-12-2010, 08:16 PM

Sorry my post was confusing. We had the leak while camping, we came home and parked the motorhome. We then locked the slides and drove it to the dealer to find out why it was leaking. When my husband pulled into the parking lot he noticed the slide had come out at the bottom, but not the top. We went over all the items to be fixed including the slide coming out while in motion, and the tech saw the slide locked, then when the service manager called us he said the only way it could come out was if we forgot to lock it, in other words, he didn't believe us or the tech that it was locked. But my concern is should you have to depend on your locks to hold the slide or shouldn't they stay in on their own, I just don't know how they really work and thought someone might have some input, thank you for trying to understand, new to the forum, sorry for the misunderstanding.

Wayne M · 12-12-2010, 08:22 PM

The slide locks only lock the top of the slide. Most useful if driving in medium to high side winds. It keeps the tops from coming out. Think about the electric motors. They are what hold the bottom of the slide in. There is a "brake" locking lever. Check your manual, but the lever should be in the counterclockwise position to have the brake set. In my opinion, if the bottom of the slide was out equally along the bottom it is most likely the brake set. If only one end of the slide is sticking out, as happened to me, then it is either the brake set or a bad motor. I just recently had a motor replaced because the rear portion of the slide was creeping out, but only by about an inch and a half. At one time though it did creep out about 4 inches.

Watch your slide flooring going in or out and it should be one smooth operation. If it jerks a little then something is amiss with one or both motors. After the motor was replaced in mine the slide was operating as if on baby oil. This is my full 23 or 25 foot slide (I need to measure that.)

My large full slide has the king size bed attached. When the slide walked in because of the bad motor it slipped off the Teflon pad that the bed rail rides on. It pulled the bed rail pedestal out of the flooring. I was not a happy camper at the time. It was covered under warranty. So be warned that if anything can go wrong with that big slide it may cause other problems. Also, look under the bed and see if the galley drain line goes into the galley tank there. Look to see where they anchored the tie down strap for the line. If it is on the pedestal move it to the wood floor. Trust me on this one. If anything happens to the pedestal with the drain line anchored to it - well, it creates a mess.

Good luck.

p.s., you can suck in the bottom of the slide using the electric manual override. But it may not stay in.

"007" · 12-12-2010, 08:24 PM

Thanks for the clarification Jbgrams and welcome to irv2.
Do your locks lock up high on slide or mid-point on slide?
Is your slide a living slide or does it include part of kitchen or refrigerator?
Also does your slide have a slide cover or the top is exposed to the elements?

Jbgrams · 12-12-2010, 08:46 PM

Unsure about where the locks are located, the tech said they were up high. This particular slide has the refrigerator in it, dining table and 2 theater seats. And the slide has an awning that comes out with the slide to cover it, that's why we were really surprised the slide was leaking.

lost1 · 12-13-2010, 05:56 PM

It does not appear that there is any connection between leak and involuntary slide movement. If I have deciphered correctly, your slide was extended when it leaked and subsequently moved while the coach was driven with slide retracted. What was the cause/fix for the leak? Was it related in any way to the position of the slide when it was extended? I ask because it sounds as if your slide is not sealing/seating, going out or coming in. When the slide room is retracted the floor is probably slightly tilted up when it is properly seated/closed - your locks are likely near the top of the slide wall. If not seated the slight additional squeeze at the top caused by the locks can cause the bottom to slip back out, i.e. the bottom of the slide room sticks out when there is movement pressure on the coach frame. The amount of slip is subject to type/style of slide etc. Basically, it "slips" to vertical. If your slide is not extending and sealing properly that would certainly explain the leak. With a slide topper the first suspect leak points are the vertical slide wall seals or just not getting the slide out all the way.

ergrogan · 12-16-2010, 10:52 AM

Just another check point. On my rig the slide did work out on the bottom and I found that it was not locking because the motor bolts had come loose. Once I tightened them I had no more problems.

firedoc · 12-16-2010, 11:54 PM

Excuse me for being dense here.... but the slide locks, are they automatic or manual. Do you physically have to lock something when the slides are in?

mikron · 12-17-2010, 04:01 AM

On our Windsport with 3 slides, we only have factory locks on the kitchen slide at the top. the bedroom slide has the weight of the bed and the sofa bed/dinette slide has no factory lockes. Windsport has hydraulic system, one motor with hoses to each slide pistons. That works the jacks also.

lost1 · 12-17-2010, 05:53 PM

I have a push button switch next to slide switch. Lock arms come out of side of slide room - push button until they stop. I don't know if any Class A/C slides might use the bar locks I used to see on some 5th Wheel and TT slides.

Bob (WA0MQE) · 12-19-2010, 05:35 AM

Some RV's have a physical adjustable pole that goes between the inside of the slide edge and the inside of the wall. There's usually a metal "donut" bracket mounted to the wall where the end of this pole fits into. The other end of the pole has a large rubber foot that just presses against the inside edge of the retracted slide. Once attached you twist the adjustable pole to tighten it.

Think of a shower rod pushing against the two opposing walls. The pole (rod) works the same way, except for how one end fits into the hole (donut) bracket that is attached to the inside wall.

You say 5-gallons of rain water? Did this leak in from the top? Did it ruin your carpet?

"007" · 12-19-2010, 06:06 AM

If your slide has a hydraulic piston to move slide they have to move slide so its sealed to inside wall surface when out and pulled in tight against the outside seal when closed.
If the outside wall of slide at top when closed has a gap water will find its way inside.
While your slides are out the seal should lay flat against the slide wall no folds on seal if it has a fold water will get behind it and down sidewall onto your floor.
If you have a fold up high use your awning rod run up behind seal so seal lays flat against the sidewall.