Bad Slideout Squeel

[RobWNY]

I can't get my dealer to do anything to help with my slide out squeal issue. I've lubed it and lubed it and lubed it some more. I've adjusted it up, down, left, right and it just keeps on making horrible noise no matter what I do. The dealer just say it's normal and refuses to help. Please take a look at these videos I made and tell me if you think this is normal or if there's a problem. Thank you!

Slide Out Video 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2UhzWvLxrs

Slide In Video 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxzOYjUbSBk

Slide In Underneath Video 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdmNAsDDt-w

[RobWNY]

I wish we had mobile rv tech's in this area.

[Weldon]

How about a mobile rv tech coming out to diagnose the problem? May be a simple fix.

[RobWNY]

I do have to say though that in all of my searching for a cause and what to do about it, I've spent a lot of time on Youtube. I have had more fun listening to some of these people. God Bless them but holy cow some of them are so funny! Maybe I need to start my own channel for these sorts of things. "Hey there my fellow Youtubers. This is CamperRob566314701 comin atcha with another campin tutorial" HAHAHA I get great information and I'll support their efforts vigorously but some of them just crack me up!

[RobWNY]

bobndot, thanks. I have to have a sense of humor about this, no sense getting mad, but I'm done climbing under it. Just going to deal with it until I get it in for repair. Like I said, if it's too expensive, I'll order a new camper at the end of the camping season and wait for delivery.

[bobndot]

Rob, I applaud you keeping your sense of humor . :B

IMO, i think its a rail adjustment as well. It could also be that the rails were not installed square to begin with .

I have been a helper at my friends rv shop and i can tell you, slide structures are weak . They lack real good structural support.
Think about it, there is very little room to install substantial headers and side supports .

Are you able to get under it while a second person moves it in/out , just enough to make it squeal ? You could use a long metal rod as a stethoscope to pinpoint the where the squeal is coming from. Touch the rails, the motor etc, if you have access .

When any rv is on a dealers lot, they never make sure the units are level. Then they demonstrate to potential buyers how great the slides are by deploying and retracting them many times. Being it's a weak structure, being off level really stresses all the components of a slide. They destroy them , it's like buying a used/new rv.

If you buy a new rv, order it new , when it arrives, get it off the lot asap. A good salesman can destroy any rv in a very short time. :B

[CA_Traveler]

RobWNY wrote:
kep5niner, That would be awesome if that's all my problem is. It sure would keep the costs of repair down but knowing my luck and how things usually go, It will turn out to be every part broke, weeks to get the parts and repair it and thousands of dollars to do the work. In that case, I'll be leaving it and buying a new camper which would totally make me and my DW unhappy campers because we love ours and I've done a **** load of mods.

In that case the value will be less the repairs - say $5K.

From my experience and my sons and many posts Lipper equipment is poor quality. I would not buy any rig with Lipper parts again and especially the frame. 😞 Sure the initial cost is less... :S

[georgej]

Something I did with our previous RV was to polish the fiberglass areas with a good auto wax. It quieted our trailer nicely !

[RobWNY]

kep5niner, That would be awesome if that's all my problem is. It sure would keep the costs of repair down but knowing my luck and how things usually go, It will turn out to be every part broke, weeks to get the parts and repair it and thousands of dollars to do the work. In that case, I'll be leaving it and buying a new camper which would totally make me and my DW unhappy campers because we love ours and I've done a **** load of mods.

[kep5niner]

I had one of my slides make the same metal-on-metal squealing. Tried all the same fixes that were recommended to you. No joy. Took it to a real trailer / RV shop, and the solution was just a matter of adjusting the slide ram that was making contact with the frame. Too easy. Good luck!

[RobWNY]

2112 wrote:
I can't offer any resolution but you have my DWs sympathy.
I was listening to your vid's when DW comes running into the study demanding I stop making that irritating sound. After explaining what it was she replied "Oh, that poor guy. That made my teeth hurt".

2112, tell your DW that I appreciate the sympathy and when we set up camp, we do our very best to arrive mid afternoon when there's kids making noise, music playing etc. On a positive note, we aren't at a campground more than 5 minutes when we've said hello to everyone within 100 yards of us. Usually it goes something like this....."What the bleep bleep bleep is that?!!!" with a response of me peaking my head out the door, waving and saying "Hi everyone. It will be over in a minute" LOL

[RobWNY]

SoundGuy, I agree that it isn't normal and the bigger problem is that it's been doing it since it was new and has gotten progressively worse over the last three years. If it would have been taken care of under warranty as it should have been instead of it being shrugged off as a lubrication issue, I wouldn't be staring at an expense that is likely going to make me gulp! I am familiar with the manual operation of my Slide Out but I was thinking that if it is binding that's causing the problem, I'm hoping the hand crank or drill/socket method doesn't prove to be too difficult. Binding is binding regardless of which method is used to bring a slide in or out.

[SoundGuy]

RobWNY wrote:
So for now, I'll continue to deal with the problem and hopefully I won't get stuck anywhere with a slide out that won't come in.

I'm not an RV tech but my understanding is that any power slide can be manually overridden, allowing one to manually retract the system if necessary. Info should be in your owner's documents, otherwise asked Lippert for the details. It sure sounds, and looks, like yours is binding, particularly as shown in your second video where it sure doesn't want to retract at all. No way is that normal. 😞

[2112]

I can't offer any resolution but you have my DWs sympathy.
I was listening to your vid's when DW comes running into the study demanding I stop making that irritating sound. After explaining what it was she replied "Oh, that poor guy. That made my teeth hurt".

[RobWNY]

The good news is, I found four dealers within 75 miles of me that are willing to take a look at my camper. The bad news is, no one can get me in until after the 4th of July holiday. So for now, I'll continue to deal with the problem and hopefully I won't get stuck anywhere with a slide out that won't come in.