Torn Slide Seals & Rusted Underbody Metal

[katkens]

Kenny, I've been reading on here about this 303 stuff...do you just spray it on or rub it in, too? How often? Home Depot, ACE, ?? I think I need to do something before I have any problems with my rubber! Thanks!

I generally do mine twice a year and holds up really well . I also use it on the sidewalls of the slide , its safe for gelcoat. I take a damp rag with a little cleaner on it and wipe the seals down to get the dirt off first. I then spray some on a rag then swipe the seals that way you can do both sides of the seals at one time. I got mine at Camping World , but have seen at local rv dealers and rv supply places. I found some Ace Hardware Stores and marine stores also carry it , Lowes / HD doesn't carry it here...Kenny

P.S. Great for the truck ,too.

 

[talley]

Another problem found.

This morning I was underneath our unit looking at where to start to fix the rust issue and noticed water dripping near the waste pipe. When I pushed up on the underbelly covering water just started pouring out like crazy. Looks like the shower is leaking.

My problems with this unit continue.

Will look for help on this issue in the plumbing section.

Be sure the freshwater tank overflow hoses are extended thru the underbelly covering. I had water in the underbelly of my 2006 Bighorn and found that the hoses were coiled-up and laying on top of the tank. Hope whatever the cause when found will be a simple fix.

 

[cdnrver]

no longer a heartland owner

 

[JohnDar]

There are 3 hoses coming out of the underbelly that I can see - 2 of them are on the entry side of the unit near the stairs and the other one is on the opposite side near the waste pipes - Is one of these the overflow hose that you're referring to??

PS - our problems continue - rained hard all last night - this morning all the carpet under the sofa bed is soaked.

The two hoses on the entry side are the low point drains for the plumbing system. The single hose is the fresh water tank drain. I'm a bit confused about tank overflow hoses laying on top of the tank. If you overfill the tank, it should come back out the fill port.

 

[cdnrver]

no longer a heartland owner

 

[cdnrver]

no longer a heartland owner

 

[boatto5er]

There are 3 hoses coming out of the underbelly that I can see - 2 of them are on the entry side of the unit near the stairs and the other one is on the opposite side near the waste pipes - Is one of these the overflow hose that you're referring to??

PS - our problems continue - rained hard all last night - this morning all the carpet under the sofa bed is soaked.

This will sound silly, but I had a problem similar to this once and what I discovered wasn't that there was a bad seal, but one of the side windows in the slideout wasn't sealed shut real good. It looked closed, but after discovering the wet carpet I noticed some water running down the wall under the window. Even though the window was technically closed, I was able to push it down just a hair further. That fixed the problem. Also, if you haven't already, check to make sure the "weep" holes at the bottom of the window are working to let the rain running down the outside of the window out of the channels.

For water to come in around seals when the slides are out, it would be the interior seals that would be the problem. Check to make sure the slide out room is tight against the inside wall all the way around.

 

[Rmcgrath53]

Also, yesterday I ordered 76 feet of replacement seals through a Heartland dealer in Corpus Christi - gonna replace all of them with new ones - and the 303 Aerospace Protectant will arrive at the Ace Hardware on Saturday (they had to special order it for me).

When I pick up the 303 product, I'm gonna get the materials necessary to tackle the rust problem (wire brush, rust paint etc) and begin the fun task of crawling underneath our unit to trying and reduce of slow down the damage already done.

I just ordered this stuff a couple days ago. Its suppose to be the bomb for stopping rust. Its a bit pricey at 29.00 a pint I live in Mi and have taken my unit through the salt infested roads here in winter.

http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1GB

 

[slmayor]

Por-15 IS the bomb for rust. I sold it for years at the Hot Rod shop and have used it on our own car projects. Really, really good stuff. Ray's been thinking about using it on our frame as well, so we don't do the twice a year "touch-up". that we've been doing.
Make sure you get all parts of the stuff. There are several steps to the process, but once it's done, it's done.

 

[beardedone]

I hear it about the rust. Mine was delivered in the summer of 2008 and is now so rusty you would think I lived in Ontario!. It has never been pulled in the winter. Some time ago one member stripped the lining off the bottom and found a lot of rust all over and so he stripped and repainted the whole thing. I am thinking that I will have to do the same thing. Especially now since one of my tanks is leaking!. I feel that I have had a fair share of issues but once the warranty is up the door is quickly slammed shut so I will become my own warranty station.

 

[westxsrt10]

The rust issues should'nt be there since the frames are powered coated. I had to grind the thick powered coating off the frame to weld braces on the rear bumper for my generator. Any one have a photo of this rust?

 

[lwmcguir]

Mine is rusting as well. Powder coating must have been a little thin. I am going to us automotive undercoating to help with the sand off the roadway that hits the exposed metal. It has been towed less than 1000 miles so has not been exposed to salt.

 

[talley]

There are 3 hoses coming out of the underbelly that I can see - 2 of them are on the entry side of the unit near the stairs and the other one is on the opposite side near the waste pipes - Is one of these the overflow hose that you're referring to??

PS - our problems continue - rained hard all last night - this morning all the carpet under the sofa bed is soaked.[/QUOTE


The hose I am referring to is routed out the underbelly near the off-door side, and extends out near the axle.

 

[aatauses]

here are several photos on our rust

Here are several photos of our rust---HL suggested we contact Lippert who suggested we contact our dealer, etc ect so I think we are on our own to get it fixed. Several of the bolts/screws are about rusted off and will be difficult to replace. I may try the por 15 that was mentioned.
al

 

[JohnDar]

The hose I am referring to is routed out the underbelly near the off-door side, and extends out near the axle.

That hose is the fresh water tank drain line, not an overflow line. There should be a small valve, or screw cap, on the end of it. Don't know about your rig, but mine actually has labels on the sides for what they are. You said there was a hose coiled on top of the tank. Is it possible that's the vent line and should be attached to the little mesh screen next to the gravity fill port?

 

[talley]

John... my experience with the hose that I refer to was three years ago and relayed by the dealer tech when I returned due to water in the underbelly. The hose I identified does not have a valve on it. There is a hose with valve below the UDC. I believe this is the freshwater tank drain. I may stand corrected... but I believe there is a vent hose routed out the underbelly to guard against overfill of the freshwater tank. Sure don't want to put out wrong info

 

[sunriverman]

underframe rust

I was impressed with the Heartland video on their qualitiy production procedures. I remember hearing how the Lippert frames are primed and coated with special paints. Wow, some how my unit must have missed the primer coat somewhere along the line. Rust is probably my biggest disappointment.
Funny my three year old pickup from Ford is still in better shape than my six month old fifth wheel. It all boils down to costs and not wanting to spend five cents more than the other manufacturer.

 

[JohnDar]

John... my experience with the hose that I refer to was three years ago and relayed by the dealer tech when I returned due to water in the underbelly. The hose I identified does not have a valve on it. There is a hose with valve below the UDC. I believe this is the freshwater tank drain. I may stand corrected... but I believe there is a vent hose routed out the underbelly to guard against overfill of the freshwater tank. Sure don't want to put out wrong info

Yes, the tank drain hose, along with low point drains should have valves on the ends. But as to routing another hose off the top of the tank to prevent overfilling, that would necessitate a fourth line sticking out the bottom of the trailer, open to the atmosphere (and whatever decided to take a journey up it). Just leaving it laying hidden inside, to flow all over the inside of the underbelly, does not sound like something even a novice engineer would design.

What says Heartland? Is there a overflow vent hose off the top of the tank that we don't know about?

 

[biggziff]

Here are several photos of our rust---HL suggested we contact Lippert who suggested we contact our dealer, etc ect so I think we are on our own to get it fixed. Several of the bolts/screws are about rusted off and will be difficult to replace. I may try the por 15 that was mentioned.
al

WOW!!!

That is really bad. I'd be pretty upset if that were my unit.

 

[jbeletti]

aatauses,

That really looks bad. I notice that the rust is not confined to the frame only. Even the underbelly fasteners look bad.

How close to the ocean are you? I see from your profile, you are in Pensacola?

Jim