Slideout problem

[charliedross]

My 2000 SR-260's slideout slows drastically for the last 6-8" of the out stroke. It doesn't hesitate when rolling in. Just started this year. Cleaned and lubed everything with dry film/silicone. Any suggestions?

[JohnB]

Hi Charlie

Do you by any chance know if you have a Lippert slide mechanism? Looks like this.








I know the 2003's used it and the newer ones, I just do not know about the 2000's. That will help so we know which vintage you have.

Now to the hard working problem, you mentioned the last 6 to 8" going out is where the strain seems to come from yet retracting in is OK. H'mm OK let me ask some questions. That 6 to 8" is that when the inside slide flange first touches the wall? From the wall touch point the top touches 1st and then the bottom keeps going until the bottom is all the way out creating the tight seal.

When your letting the slide out and it does this problem, are the stabilizers jacks down and tight?

Have you tried to let the slide out with no stabilizers down to see if it does the same hard going at the end? I'm trying to find out if the camper itself is putting a bind into the slide system as the stabilizers can do that.

Has the hard going out made it hard enough to trip the overload clutch and stall the room on the way out?

If you can answer some of these questions we will know better what system you have and to the questions above I can maybe point you better where to go looking.

If you do not have the Lippert system do you know what brand it is? I can go look it up or you can take pics and post.

Hope this helps

John

PS Welcome to Sunline Owners Club. Glad you found us.

[charliedross]

Hey, John... Thanks for the welcome!
It's not a Lippert. It has one drive motor that turns a shaft that turns gears at each rail. A threaded rod sets both in and out stops.
I did try opening w/o the stabilizers set and experienced the same symptom.
Also, having read other posts about the top seal touching first and the bottom continuing, I haven't noticed that. Of course, I haven't been watching for that and it may not be that apparent.

Thanks,
Charlie

[JohnB]

Hi Charlie

Sorry for so long getting back to you. Work has been busy and interfering with my SOC habit…

It seems you have a different vintage slide power mechanism. OK so I’ll give some generic things that may cause the last 8” to be harder to go out then the rest. These may spark some thoughts of where to go looking and you may be able see differences in the build between 2003 and year 2000. If so please point them out as we keep learning here all the time.

The 2003 and the 2004 at least (do not know prior to 2003) have a metal trough formed up in sort of an S shape that creates a cam action with the slide. It creates the lift action when the slide comes in and the drop down action when the slide goes out. This metal trough changed in the last units produced in 2004 model year and all 2005’s and newer had a plastic trough with rollers. Mine looks like this. Does yours? These are pics of my slide repair from water getting under the Darco membrane




When your outside looking at the underside toward the edge wall of the camper the slide floor drops down into that trough and lays flat inside. See here on the outside it seals tight to the metal trough.


Then as the slide retracts it moves straight in a very short distance, the front of the slide floor rides that cam and lifts the slide up off the carpet. See the red line here tracing the path of the slide.


Does yours have this metal trough?

Then there is the lifting action as the slide keeps coming in from full out. This is the progression from full out to full in. Going out is this in reverse.

Slide full out. It is hard to see but the slide is built with an angled wall. The top of the slide is about 2” narrower then the bottom.


Slide starts to come in. It moves straight in about ½ to ¾” then starts to lift.


On the inside the top is still touching


The bottom has moved in about that 1” and then the lift starts


The slide metal support racks and guides are mounted in the camper on an angle so the slide is coming in going up hill. This is not the greatest pic for this but you can see under the camper the rack is on the top of the frame on the door side and then heads down hill to come out of the frame in the middle on the slide side.


The slide keeps moving uphill as it comes in


Inside looks like this now


As it gets to the end the top touches the camper first




Then in the last approx 2 inches of travel the bottom comes up tight to the camper and really lifts up off the carpet.


Inside




Does yours work like this? Before I type a bunch want to make sure the slide action is the same or what is different and don’t send you on a wild goose chase after something you do not even have.

The reported problem of top of the slide when coming in ripping up the wall problems that some have had, that is a timing problem on the way “in”, not out. Basically the slide when it comes in needs to go straight in first about 1” and then lift. If it lifts too soon the top of the slide rips the wall pocket when it is lifting. This does not seems to be the problem you are having since yours is only increasing in motor strain on the extend motion.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

Charlie

I think I found your slide mechanism. In 1999 at least Sunline used the Barker rack and pinion system and it matches close to what you describe.

See here

Barker Slides 2

I guessing it is the EZ out slide, This is the rack and pinnion one. Does your look like this? Click it and it zooms in

[JohnB]

Or is it this one EZ slide 2

[charliedross]

John,
I believe it's the first EZ Out. After looking at the schematic I think my problem might be with the floor roller bearings, since the slideout floor has begun to rub on the stationary carpet at the fore and aft edges. I hope they aren't buried too deep!
Your thoughts are appreciated! What do you think?

Thanks again,
Charlie

p.s. Headed for the U.P. soon. I'll try to get some pics for you before I leave for your info and archives.

[JohnB]

Hi Charlie

H'mm yes that roller on the inside of the tube could do this. I'm assuming you mean item 30 and 31 in the 1st diagram. If you click twice on the image it blows up even more so you can read it.

On the Lippert system there is a roller inside the tube as well. I never realized it until a year or so ago. Since it is buried in the tube I added some white spray grease. Also to note one of my arms is completely covered under the enclosed tank compartment. And the other arm is behind the axle and not a lot if any water spray gets up there. So in my case the grease was not a problem. Once I lubed that roller I saw a considerable change in being easier to go in and out.

If your fearful of the grease getting dirt attraction the way yours is setup, then try the dry lube approach. Looking at that roller, it might be a grease packed roller and if so by now the grease may have hardened up after 11 years.

If is for sure a try and will not hurt.

Did the rest of the motion of the slide and the metal trough of mine match what your has?

And yes any pics you have would be great. We continue to learn the history on how our Sunlines where built by members who have problems and pictures and report back.

Thanks

John

[JohnB]

Charlie, also to note, the 1st diagram showed floor rollers. Item 24. I do not know if Sunline used them or not but it was a difference in the 1st and 2nd diagram. In my book, the rollers are a good thing assuming they had a good sealing system to seal the floor closed when the slide was out. Mine slide on the Darco membrane. The 2005 models had plastic wear pads and rollers. A better setup.

[charliedross]

John, here are the images as promised. I'm sure you can identify parts using the schematic. The only items not shown in the drawing are the threaded rods used for inboard and out board stops. Don't see any indication of floor rollers.
By the way, is it safe to jack up the slide out to take the pressure off of the bearings (#6) so that they can be replaced?

Thanks,
Charlie

[JohnB]

Hi Charlie

Takes a bunch for the pics. Interesting. The learning continues.

Your question about jacking on the slide to change the rollers. Yes this can be done but it comes with a caution and a method.

I have had to do this on mine and this is how I did it.

1. Extend the slide. This allows for more flex in the system.
2. I used a bottle jack to do the lifting. It is finer lifting and easier to control then a floor jack.
3. When lifting go really slow and just lift enough to take the pressure off. You are not really wanting to do a lot of lifting but you will see the pressure release. The entire slide room will lift up. There is room up top to allow it to lift some. Again we are in the 1/4" range of the entire room. To do your roller only lift it enough to be able to spin the roller and then maybe a 1/16" of day light and that is enough.
4. Put the stabilizers down to help ward off rocking of the camper when your lifting the slide.

In my case I lifted the room to allow me to get new Darco under the slide floor when doing my floor repair. Used a block of wood to spread out the load and lift the room. Put pressure out by the wall, not in the center of the floor. In your case your can lift the room on the end, one end at a time or lift the rack out by where it attaches to the room. I had my rack removed.

Here are some pics














Good luck

John

[charliedross]

Thanks for all of the assistance, John. You've been very informative. Sure glad I signed up !!!

[JohnB]

Hi Charlie,

Your welcome and glad you found us.

Thank you for posting the pics of your setup. Learned something new.

Thanks

John