EPaulikonis
Well-known member
So I've been fighting a leaking slide in my bedroom for about 2-years now. Nothing major, but water was dripping from the cable system that is hidden behind the interior slide trim. We typically put a washcloth underneath the pully to catch water drips to keep the carpet and subfloor from getting wet. Well, I finally found the real problem...so read on!
I contacted Heartland about the leaking slide and they recommended Charger to perform a repair since my coach was beyond the warranty period. Charger does a lot of Heartland warranty work, so they were highly recommended by Heartland and I felt confident in the recommendation. I also contacted a representative from Norco. The Norco rep was supposed to send technicians to Charger when the repair was being made; the companies are literally right next door to each other, so this was an easy task.
I picked up my coach from Charger and it appeared they replaced the wiper seals on the slide. Off to TN where we spent the winter under an aluminum awning, so no leaks. As summer approached, we began to move more frequently. As we moved, we noticed the leak was back in the same area, dripping from the slide cables behind the slide trim inside the bedroom. I contacted Charger and they refused to back the warranty claim (1-year on service) because it was a slide adjustment and not covered under warranty. I also contacted Norco since they were on site when the repair was made, and they offered to do oversight again, but I'd have to pay for the repair. Totally useless on both counts. I would not recommend either company for those of you who are looking for quality work with integrity.
I moved on and found a mobile technician in NC who came out to take a look. As we worked on the problem together, we found the top slide wiper seal had been cut into two pieces. The wiper seal on the slide is built in a "U" shaped design and somebody, probably at Charger, cut it into two pieces at the bottom of the "U" shape. It was easier to stuff each side into the small space between the slide and the wall when the seal was cut. They also used two-sided tape to keep the now cut piece in place. I was totally disgusted to see this type of workmanship, or lack of it, from a recommended company who does a lot of work for Heartland warranty claims.
Disgust aside, we put a new wiper seal in the top of the bedroom slide. We opened the slide completely and began feeding the new wiper seal into the opening. As we fed it into the small space, we intermittently began bringing the slide in to help pull the seal into place. It took quite a bit of work, but we got the top wiper seal into place and it's a nice snug fit. We ran the screws back into the channel on the outside part of the seal that holds the bulb seal in place and we also put the interior screws back into place to hold the seal tightly against both the interior and exterior walls. We then added silicone to the top of the exterior opening of the U-channel to keep water from running between the track and the wall. We let that set and then it was time to add the bulb seal back into the track. Once small screw on either end to secure the bulb seal and the job was done.
It's been over a month now with at least 3-different moves in the process and no leaks! If the integrity of the U-shaped wiper seal seam against the outer wall is compromised, you will get water dripping from the bottom pulley inside the bedroom behind the slide trim. I've fought this phantom leak for nearly 4-years now and I finally feel like I found the real source of the issue.
I'm hopeful this will help others who've scratched their craniums for years trying to find a solution to water drops on the cable slide system.
I contacted Heartland about the leaking slide and they recommended Charger to perform a repair since my coach was beyond the warranty period. Charger does a lot of Heartland warranty work, so they were highly recommended by Heartland and I felt confident in the recommendation. I also contacted a representative from Norco. The Norco rep was supposed to send technicians to Charger when the repair was being made; the companies are literally right next door to each other, so this was an easy task.
I picked up my coach from Charger and it appeared they replaced the wiper seals on the slide. Off to TN where we spent the winter under an aluminum awning, so no leaks. As summer approached, we began to move more frequently. As we moved, we noticed the leak was back in the same area, dripping from the slide cables behind the slide trim inside the bedroom. I contacted Charger and they refused to back the warranty claim (1-year on service) because it was a slide adjustment and not covered under warranty. I also contacted Norco since they were on site when the repair was made, and they offered to do oversight again, but I'd have to pay for the repair. Totally useless on both counts. I would not recommend either company for those of you who are looking for quality work with integrity.
I moved on and found a mobile technician in NC who came out to take a look. As we worked on the problem together, we found the top slide wiper seal had been cut into two pieces. The wiper seal on the slide is built in a "U" shaped design and somebody, probably at Charger, cut it into two pieces at the bottom of the "U" shape. It was easier to stuff each side into the small space between the slide and the wall when the seal was cut. They also used two-sided tape to keep the now cut piece in place. I was totally disgusted to see this type of workmanship, or lack of it, from a recommended company who does a lot of work for Heartland warranty claims.
Disgust aside, we put a new wiper seal in the top of the bedroom slide. We opened the slide completely and began feeding the new wiper seal into the opening. As we fed it into the small space, we intermittently began bringing the slide in to help pull the seal into place. It took quite a bit of work, but we got the top wiper seal into place and it's a nice snug fit. We ran the screws back into the channel on the outside part of the seal that holds the bulb seal in place and we also put the interior screws back into place to hold the seal tightly against both the interior and exterior walls. We then added silicone to the top of the exterior opening of the U-channel to keep water from running between the track and the wall. We let that set and then it was time to add the bulb seal back into the track. Once small screw on either end to secure the bulb seal and the job was done.
It's been over a month now with at least 3-different moves in the process and no leaks! If the integrity of the U-shaped wiper seal seam against the outer wall is compromised, you will get water dripping from the bottom pulley inside the bedroom behind the slide trim. I've fought this phantom leak for nearly 4-years now and I finally feel like I found the real source of the issue.
I'm hopeful this will help others who've scratched their craniums for years trying to find a solution to water drops on the cable slide system.
