Community Forums

Dmeyer07 · 05-19-2020, 07:16 PM

Hi guys,
I have a FWS on my 30' Trailite Trek 272bhs that i'm starting to notice issues with.
When you put the slide in/out it makes noises, and some vibration. It seems to be getting worse over the few months since i've owned it.

Here is what i've noticed:
Slide out tips when going in/out the floor kinda raises up until fully out then tips back and firmly stops.
The left/right side of the slide is about 3/4" Different from each other.

The left side of the slide is closer to the seal than the right, by about 3/8". The left side seal is actually starting to tear slightly because it's so tight on that side.

The bottom trim/seal is bent out at both corners.

What on earth happened to this thing and how do I fix it!? I have never dealt with slideouts before and can't afford to have a pro fix it (what's that cost anyway?)

Thanks!!
-Dave

tuffr2 · 05-19-2020, 08:29 PM

Sorry, I can't help. I had a slide that was off also. I took it in to the RV dealer and what they did, those rat bastards, they had my trailer for a month and only put more rubber seal on it so it did not leak. I tried to adjust the rack and pinion slide but could not.

Yours is worse than mine. Not sure if you can bend that piece back with a crowbar and maybe add a screw at the edge to keep if from bending again.

Good luck

Dmeyer07 · 05-20-2020, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Sorry, I can't help. I had a slide that was off also. I took it in to the RV dealer and what they did, those rat bastards, they had my trailer for a month and only put more rubber seal on it so it did not leak. I tried to adjust the rack and pinion slide but could not.

Yours is worse than mine. Not sure if you can bend that piece back with a crowbar and maybe add a screw at the edge to keep if from bending again.

Good luck

When you say you tried to adjust your slide but you couldn't why is that? Was it too far out of adjustment or did adjusting it not help?
Yeah I don't have much faith in dealers these days that's why I'm trying to do it myself plus I have a camping trip coming up in two weeks I would like to try and fix it before.
I didn't feel like it was safe to use a pry bar against the slide to push that seal back, is it? Not sure how else I would get it back in I tried pushing it back in but it's not budging it takes quite a bit of force it seems like.
Thanks!

tuffr2 · 05-20-2020, 08:11 AM

My slide was rack and pinion meaning it had teeth in the mechanism. I tried to get a crowbar and lift the slide and move it over 1 or 2 teeth in the gear. I used a lot of force but could not get the slide to move over 1 tooth on the gear. It did not budge at all.

Dmeyer07 · 05-20-2020, 08:17 PM

Yea looked at it today. Tried some adjustments.. not helping. It's way out of adjustment.

These things are just built so awful. I wish there was so pride in their work but i guess not.

Gonna have to take it to a dealer service center i guess. What a pain.

Thanks for your input.. this forum must be pretty dead!! Only one response.. oh well.

tuffr2 · 05-21-2020, 03:10 AM

Go to YouTube and search on adjusting travel trailer slide out. You might find something helpful.

Maybe this will help. There are other videos out on YouTube but here is one I like.

https://youtu.be/mxtrh2uIPoI

Dmeyer07 · 05-21-2020, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Go to YouTube and search on adjusting travel trailer slide out. You might find something helpful.

Maybe this will help. There are other videos out on YouTube but here is one I like.

https://youtu.be/mxtrh2uIPoI

Thanks for the reply but I already dropped it off at a dealer to have it serviced. I watched like 10 of those videos, including the one you linked and that's the only reason I was able to do the adjustments/measurements i did do lol.

I'll update this thread with what the service center finds out.

Thanks

Bob_C · 05-21-2020, 07:21 PM

After 4 trips across the country, I had to adjust the slide in my 5er......what I found was on the rear arm, this being a rack/pinion type, was there was only one bolt from the rack to the slide, and that bolt was out at the end of the rack.....so, with all the miles I jacked up the outer edge of slide, more like taking a little weight off, and used a c clamp to pinch that mount back down tight to the rack and drilled a 3/8" horizontal bolt hole......now it can't tip and has been working as good as it used to....

tuffr2 · 05-21-2020, 07:52 PM

Bob - sounds like you fixed it better than original.

Bob_C · 05-21-2020, 08:31 PM

Think so!.....lol.....front rack to slide mount bracket was made different and was still fine....

tuffr2 · 05-22-2020, 12:12 PM

I will be interested in how much it costs to get that slide fixed. Also pay attention to the age of people fixing RV's. Two places I have been to use young people to fix RV's.

And they want to charge unbelievable hourly rates from what I saw at a Camping World.

Good luck and hope the fix is a reasonable cost.

Dmeyer07 · 05-22-2020, 05:29 PM

I only saw 2 techs when i went in there and they were both older gentlemen, it seemed like more of a family owned shop. They had good reviews so i'm just going to hope they do good work.. I never take my vehicles in i'd much rather do it myself and know it was done right but in this case i just don't have the time or the "expertise". I only authorized an hr to adjust/diag it for $134. I told them to give me a call before doing any additional repairs if they do find anything that needs to be done.

Was told they'll be looking at it Tues or Wed of this upcoming week.
Fingers crossed its a simple fix!!

Dmeyer07 · 05-22-2020, 05:33 PM

Oh yea I did manage to get those bent out pieces on the bottom seal pushed back in and i screwed them in with several larger deeper screws.. Not exactly beautiful but functional. I told them I don't want them replacing that seal, any seals as they are doing their job and not causing the issue.

Will keep everyone updated!

Dmeyer07 · 05-27-2020, 07:35 PM

UPDATE:
So I just got the camper back from the dealer. They only charged me $70 for a half hour of diag. They didnt even bother to adjust it. They quoted me $2,200 for a repai, all labor and that did not include materials. NOT happening!!

What they told me was there is water damage on the slideout floor and it has swollen, causing the edges to rub against the bottom, thus causing the squeaking, creaking, w.e you call it noise.
That does make sense, since you can see on the edges of the floor of the slideout (bottom outside, see pics) that the wood is almost 1/2" below flush with the trim.

Today when i got home I ran out the slide it was fine. Ran it in and it was fine, with one slight squeak. It seems to me that when it rains, the wood swelled, and thats when i noticed the issues, as when i first noticed the issue it had just rained 3 days for the first time in months here.

It doesn't feel soft anywhere i've pounded all over the slide, walls, floors.. The seals are all in good shape for the most part i see zero issues except on the sides of the slide out. There is a piece of trim that runs along the bottom edge of the slide out on both sides that has patchy caulking. It's my suspicion that water falls on the slideout roof, runs down the sides, hits that trim and runs behind the trim which then directs water into the edges of the osb floor.

The flooring inside looks like new, and so does the inside edge. I have no leaking fixtures and no leaking windows from what i can tell. Zero indication of water inside.

My plan is to do as follows
Install slideout awning to keep water from going on slideout in the first place. Already ordered it so that's my step one.

Take a level and verify that the middle of the wood is not swollen. From what i can feel its just the first 4" on the sides. I pulled out all the screws and only one was rusty the rest were good. Again all the wood feels solid and I see no mold.

Take a belt sander and sand down the edges that are swollen, all the way until they are flush again. This will require removing almost 1/2" in some spots.

Install corner roofing flashing (fully bonded on all areas) to the edges. I'll remove that trim piece that runs the length of the sides of the slide, install the flashing, and remount the trim piece. I'll seal the entire piece of flashing and screws.

Adjust the slideout for the best operation after it no longer rubs on the swollen wood.

I'm hoping with this approach I can stop any further water intrusion, save the wood thats in there now since nothing feels structurally unsafe and save a crap ton of money..

One question I do have, any ideas on how to sand down the edges of the wood that isn't accesible from the outside? It's about 4" that sits "down" and inside the camper floor area.. that isn't accessible or visible from the outside. Not really trying to pull the whole slide off and out of the camper that seems like a huge undertaking.. maybe i'll just have to leave that part be..

Does anyone see anything wrong with this approach? Any input?

Thanks!!

I will update when I begin.