Hello all. I see I have been gone from ForeForums for about 4 years. Egads, time flies. I'm back in a house year-round in Arizona, having three step-children which certainly impacts motorhome travels.
Anyway, I have had the slide in for my last few trips, as my 2002 U270 is laid out to make it not difficult to use sans slide. The second-to-the-last time I had the slide out and back in, I had to buy a new motor for the pump. Then the last time, it would not extend out evenly, and so I stopped and tried to bring it back in. It would not fully retract, leaving itself out about an inch. I aired up the bladder and sealed it, and then the next day went out and noticed that it had moved in some of the way. I deflated the bladder and it full retracted and the pins locked. I left it in and have not tried anything since. I would like to get someone to look at it and actually, properly fix it. The kids have a 3 week visitation with their dad in late May/June, so I would like to use the time to take it somewhere. I am in Arizona and dread having to go to Nacogdoches if there is any alternative. I just don't know who to trust other than HWH in Iowa and Foretravel in Texas.
Does anyone have any advice for me? My poor coach has been seriously neglected for the past 4 years, and I need to get it back in order. The youngest is almost 12, so I will have another 6 years before I can resume wandering as before. I sure want the motorhome to be able to be ready for me! Thanks for your help.
Wow - I was JUST thinking about you the other day. Glad you're back! Twere me, I would be going the 1400 mile jaunt to Nac
Does HWH have a listing of authorized repair facilities?
(edit) RV Dealers And/Or Service Centers (http://www.hwhcorp.com/dealers34.html)
I have an 02 and two slides. I had Motor Homes of Texas work on my large slide and it has been working fine ever since. Not every RV repair shop understands how these things work. With the cost of the bladder I would want someone with repair knowledge working on mine. Tks DAN
I looked at that HWH Service listing. They included Camping World. That was enough to worry me about who they recommend.
So assuming I can choose between MOT and FOT, which is faster to get work done, easier to get an appointment, more efficient these days? I'm not even wanting to ask who is less expensive, as I recall that "less" isn't usually available. I'm pretty resigned that Nacogdoches is the only place I am going to be comfortable about it. I sent a message to FOT asking about appointments, but then my wife told me she had used that form a long time ago to ask about buying me a part and they never responded.
Good to hear from you, Dave. I could not believe how long it has been since I've blathered on here!
Transwest in Colorado replaced the bladder on our rear slide , all went smoothly , they mainly deal in new prevost and othe high end coaches .
May be worth a phone call
I hadn't heard of them. I did a search and they seem to have a lot of locations. Which one is the RV shop located in? Thanks.
I was really considering heading to Oregon during this time. I wonder if any of the Eugene/Coburg places are able to work on the slide effectively as an alternative to heading to Texas.
It's the Fredrick CO location
We are presently getting our slide bladder replaced at Oregon Motorcoach. They are the Foretravel affiliate and honor the 10% off of parts for Motorcade members. We left the coach with them, for the repair, and have not returned yet, (we are in France), so cannot comment on the final result. They have been in constant touch with us, and have discovered other problems with the slide which they have repaired. Thankfully for us, it is all covered by our extended warranty.
HWH should be considered knowledgeable because it is their system. They do install the newer type of rubber and design purported to be better than the original. On my 2002 last year the LR slide presented challenges to the easier way of replacement of pushing the slide in a few inches. If structural items are in the way then removing the slide to access the seal area requires far more labor. My project was over three coach bucks.
Perhaps James Triana, MOT or others will know how your coach will be done. HWH is located just south of I-80 near the eastern border of Iowa.
Be sure to look for those bladder tearing "extruding wood screws" holding the two stainless steel strips to the bottom of the slide. Some coaches have them. Don't ask me how I learned about this...
For the truly ambitious, there is a way to repair small/accessible bladder tears. Emphasis on the word accessible. It involves acetone diluted Shoe Goo, bridal veil and patience. Others report using a bicycle tire patch successfully when it can be pressed/inflated against the slide.
Good luck,
Jim
2002 U320 42'
My ambitious days are in my rear-view mirror. The three kids ensure that there is little left. I may just leave the darned thing be for yet another trip, and use these three weeks to relax. What I really should do is leave it until ready to sell it. I have gotten used to no slide. Great to hear from you, Jim. You are still my hero for your help with my alternator!!!
One of my local FT friends saw my plight here, called me, and connected me to R&R RV in Liberty Lake, WA.
I have an appointment there on June 3 to get these ex-Foretravel guys to go through it and have allowed for a week's time. I do love the coach, so I guess it is time to show it and get this done right. I sure hope this does the trick. The Service Manager and the guy he paired me up with seem to be very responsive and helpful.
I had my L/R slide Bladder repaired their. Very good work. They have good hookups there also for your stay.
I do not have a slide on my coach but as yours has been sitting for a while I would suggest that you check it for obstructions and/or damage then extend and retract it a few times. Like most things that have not been used for a long time all it sometimes takes is to exercise it.
Here are links to info from HWH website Pretty informative.
FAQ:
http://www.hwhcorp.com/FAQSWA.pdf (http://www.hwhcorp.com/FAQSWA.pdf)
List of owners manuals:
HWH Service Manuals (http://www.hwh.com/service34.html)
Keith
Thanks for the reassurance, Barry.
Keith, this is the infamous 2002 HWH slide system and, without exception, EVERY 2002 owner I know has had one problem or the other with their slide. Exercising the mechanism is not something I want to attempt, as the last time the top part got out about 10 inches and the bottom pretty much stopped at 2 inches. Took a several day period to get it all the way back in. From that point, I always planned that the next time it was attempted to be opened, it would be inside an RV service bay somewhere. I can stumble and complete most repairs, but this slide is not one of my talents.
Guess luck goes along woth the slide, my 01, has had one issue once at FOT campground, the motor died, new motor, and 5 yrs later, not an issue. Te bladder holds snug with the compressor off. I only open if going to be located a few days or more. If anything is called for from the sky, it comes in, no rain nor snow, trouble free. Had HWH go over all their components last summer, $196.00 out the door, all their stuff checked & fixed, so all happy on my end.