SOLVED: Gap on slide seal..big!

[wingfoot]

My ODS living room slide has a significant gap at the right side top. Large enough to feel wing intrusion and you can see light. I would say the gap is about an inch at it's worst point. Left side of slide seals good. I know that slides can be adjusted but is this best left to an "expert"? I am fairly competent and can repair most problems but I don't know if I should tackle this or not.
Any suggestion will be appreciated.

Larry

 

[jmgratz]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

<p>
you can go to the Lippert website and they have instructions posted as to how to adjust your slide.</p>
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And you can check on the forum here http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/?man=Slide_Outs/Rooms/Lippert</p>
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 </p>
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[danemayer]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

If it used to close ok, check thoroughly for anything that might be blocking that corner.

 

[wingfoot]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

<p>
you can go to the Lippert website and they have instructions posted as to how to adjust your slide.</p>
<p>
And you can check on the forum here http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/?man=Slide_Outs/Rooms/Lippert</p>
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 </p>
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 </p>

Thanks Jim..I'll check info. you posed..

Dan, no obstructions...

 

[wingfoot]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

Now what?...I have studied the lippert instructions (thanks Jim) and it looks like I need to either "synchronize" or adjust the the "piston" per their instructions but I don't know which procedure. Since it appears to seal on all sides with a gap at the top right side corner, I should synchronize the slide to close the gap. What do you guys think?

Thanks again for any additional help and suggestions.

Larry

 

[For20hunter]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

Are you sure that there is nothing stuck under or behind the slide that is preventing it from closing all the way? If it used to close all the way, unless something major happened, I don't see how the pistons would have come un-synchronized.

Rod Ditrich

 

[Garypowell]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

Wing,

I am watching this thread as I have the same thing going on with my kitchen/couch slide. If I understand your original post there is a problem with the gap such that the flapper seal does not fully cover the space on the one side of the slide. My reading of the Lippert info does not indicate this is a piston issue. There are four bolts that when loosened would allow you to move the room forward or backwards (not in and out) to better align the room with the "hole" in the wall.

I have a very strong suspicion that when the bolts are loosed it will take a lot of force to move the slide fore or aft. They make a comment when you use a lever.....not to damage anything if I recall correctly.

I think I found the cause of my room shift. There are little white rollers and larger grey rollers under the slide. The white ones are attached to the floor while the grey once are attached to the slide. Looking under the slide from the inside (not an easy task) I saw that one of the grey rollers was riding up over one of the white rollers. I think this raised up the slide such that it pulled it forward causing the gap problem on the aft side of the slide.

I was able to remove the grey roller but could not get its framework out. But was able to bend it enough to keep it from hitting the white roller.

No joy though....the room did not automatically slide back into the right gap alignment....but I really did not expect it to. So now I have to gather 15 friends and see if we can manually shift the room.

These two rollers must have been misaligned at the factory since they are all screwed in place. Still interesting to me that it took 1.5 years for the room to show a shift.

Have not decided if to call Heartland about this as we are out of warranty. But it never hurts to ask for some help shifting the room back in place.

Unlike the OP I do not see any "light" and there has been no water intrusion....so very fortunate there. I will probably fashion some type of cover though for the gap....just in case.

If anyone has ever moved a room fore or aft....I'd like to hear how you did it.

 

[MCTalley]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

While we were at the national rally last week, the McGeorge technicians adjusted our off-door living room slide. They loosened the four bolts mentioned, and the two technicians and myself put our shoulders into it and slid our slide forward about 1/2 inch to even it up in the opening. They tightened the bolts back down and we are lined up much better now. As I recall, we had the slide about halfway in when we did this.

Also, our slide is not a huge slide like most of the units with both the kitchen and entertainment center in the one off-door slide (that is around 18 feet long), so it may take a bigger number of "shoulders" to push one of those mega-slides into place.

 

[wingfoot]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

OK guys...sounds like my problem isNOT a piston adj. solution..We are currently camping and I think I'll wait until I get home where I can get some help...
Thanks to all for helping me with this problem. I will post later as to my outcome.
Thanks again to all.

 

[wingfoot]

Re: Gap on slide seal..big!

Problem solved..On site service call. Tech. adjusted slide for proper seating done deal..cost $80.00. All is good!