Slide out room leak

[georgetown350]

Just a quick question pertaining to my pesky slide seal leak. ( have been working on this for a while with no luck )

When I retract the slide out room after a heavy rain the slide out room still has water puddled on top while inside the coach. Is this normal or are the seals supposed to keep the water out while retracting.

Perhaps its better to wait till everything dries before retracting room?

thankyou

Steve

[georgetown350]

Just a quick question pertaining to my pesky slide seal leak. ( have been working on this for a while with no luck )

When I retract the slide out room after a heavy rain the slide out room still has water puddled on top while inside the coach. Is this normal or are the seals supposed to keep the water out while retracting.

Perhaps its better to wait till everything dries before retracting room?

thankyou

Steve

[UFO Pilot]

I have only had it happen one time to me. I stuffed towels on each end of the slide to absorb the water while traveling to the next stop. I removed the towels and ran the slide out. Not sure if this is what should be done but it worked for me.

["007"]

Do you have a slide topper to shed water so it does not collect on slide roof. If you have a topper just bring in slide couple of inches and stop slide water should run off topper than continue to bring in slide.
If you have a seal like mine the seal will act as a wipper and wipe water off the roof on slide.

[georgetown350]

Yes I do have a slide topper but it seems to have little leaks in it so the water does pool on top of the slide. This normally would not concern me as I think slide toppers were not intended to prevent water penetration. I would have thought the seals would wipe the water off as WThomas1 suggested.

My actual leak is at the bottom corner where the seals meet. I have tried to silicone the inner ledge and form an outward slope as suggested in a previous post but this didnt work.

Talked to Forest River today and they suggested pulling the bottom horizontal seal over ( closing the gap ) and putting a screw in it and then more silicone. I dont think this seal will stretch like that but I will go give it a try.

Thanks

Steve

["007"]

Steve I have some pics of my slide seals and how they built up silicone as soon as I can will post them. Have to go out maybe later tonight or morning.

[georgetown350]

I would love to see the pics 007.

Thanks

Steve

["007"]

Steve, the first pic is the rubber seal that goes down the sidewall of slide:


Next two pics show interior of roof of slide and a white rubber strip that travels the length of roof line:





Next pic shows the rubber seal on outside wall of motor home that travels across the roof line as slide opens out.



This pic is where the bottom of slide drops down to a rubber seal that runs along the bottom of slide:


If you look to the side wall of slide you will see a reflection of sealent buildup to stop any water from entering on to floor and rug with the slide out and you peel back the sidewall rubber seal outside you will see sealent built up behind the rubber seal.
The last pic is of the interior of slide floor level that drops down flush to the floor. The bottom trim is the floor of slide that butts to the backside of dress facia of slide, it also has some sealent to block any water on top edge of trim piece to aluminum angle strip you see, the aluminum angled strip you see runs up the side of slide and seals against the rubber seal from the interior side of rubber seal you saw in first picture.
Not knowing how your slide is setup for seals these pics may help you with yours and where you can build up some sealent so you can keep out the water.




The sloped roof edge at the front of my slide you may not have, that point maybe just a 90* angle and at that point on some slides I have seen because of stress at that point the roof line of slide and facia will cause a crack in sealent at the angle point allowing water to enter.
All my seals have a edge like a wipper blade on them that wll squeegee the water off side walls and roof. My seals have metal strips on surface of seal to hold in place, they are not glued to sidewalls of coach.
My slide topper doesn't have holes in it to allow water to flow thru over the center of slide I would have that replaced to keep off the water. My toppers are four years old and look as good as new with a metal wrap. I clean them when I clean the roof of MH each spring.
One other thing the wipper portion of seals as they are now are turned inward. As the slide moves out the wipper portion of seal will fold outward and ride on surface of slide wall. At times the complete wipper of seal may not all fold outward leaving a fold in seal. That fold will allow water to get behind it and water will travel on inside of seal to your floor and rug. I will use loop end of your awning rod and run it up behind the seal so all of the seal is turned out as the rest of the seal should be which will not allow water coming off sidewall of slide in a driving rain.

[FC Ontario]

The rubbers along the top of the roof of our slide seem to remove most of the water when it retracts. The slide toppers do seem to keep most of the water of the slides.
The slide toppers should not be leaking very much in a unit of 06 vintage?
JM2CW

[georgetown350]

007 Thankyou very much for the pics and detail. I see that you did some sealing from the inside of your coach. I think I was concentrating on the outside to much. I guess I was worried that I would be trapping the water in there somewhere and it would find another entry point.

Fc Ontario my slide topper drips from the seams when it rains. I agree with you that a 2006 shouldnt have these issues. I can live with the seal not wiping water off the top as its not to often that I have to retract slide during rain.

I was on the phone again to Forest River on Friday and they were once again explaining to me how I should try to fix the problem and by the end of our conversation it was agreed that Forest River would take care of this under warranty.

As many problems that we have had with our coach in the fist year I have to say that I am pleased with the service and Forest River.
Have heard alot of horror stories from these post where manufacturers dont return calls or dont care etc etc.

Sometime towards the end of Nov when we get our motorhome back I will water test the slide and post my results.

Thanks again

Steve