This is not a new topic. My slide out has recently started creaking loudly while under way. I've recently replaced the neoprene sleeves in the lower pin holes while at FT - easy job, just dig out the old one and slide the new one in. It looks like I will have to replace the top ones as well.
This is my question: How far into the hole does the locking pin go? The sleeves I inserted were much shorter than the holes were deep. Someone earlier suggested putting in a rubber spacer first, to prevent the pin from pushing the sleeve further into the hole where it would be ineffective. I don't want to create a problem if the pin didn't have enough distance to travel.
I think HWH put in some kind of base under the rubber
Sven, ours creaked once in a while and when they do they creak a lot. It almost always seem to be the upper pin sockets. On ours there is a drain line from the top sockets to the the bottom of the slide. Use compressed air (start with lower air pressure) to clean them out. When the slide sockets creak I get up on a ladder with the slide out, a pair of blue nytrile gloves on and a small container of plumber's silicon grease. A finger full of grease lubes up the cup without damaging the rubber or pin. Squeeking will stop.
We have done this twice in six years on the top, nover on the bottom. I have a spare set of rubber cups on hand just in case. Heat and humidity might accelerate this drying out.
Try this simple and effective solution.
Roger, how did you access the sockets? Did you disconnect the awning before moving the slide out? I can see taking the top fascia on the inside and doing it from there.
Does anyone have a source for the neoprene sleeves part from Foretravel? I paid $18 each from them. Considering how much everything else costs, that isn't much. On the other hand, it seems exorbitant for a small piece of neoprene about the size of a hot dog cut in half.
Sven, with the slide out and the awing arms still vertical there are a few inches of space between the awning roll and the top of the slide, enough to get in there (I can't imagine why yours would be much different than mine). The upper pin sockets are approximately lined up with the center of each window.
This is a good time to clean and wax the top of the slide as best you can. Nobody ever sees it but a clean, waxed slide reduces wear on your slide seal.
After the slide has been in and out a few times check up on the top of the slide for any excess grease and clean it off the top of the slide.
There is a wiper gasket across the top of the slide too that helps keep dirt, water, pine needles etc off the top of the slide when it retracts. Ours was pretty rotten. Replaced it a few years back. $13/ft as I recall.
We paid about $54 for two of the rubber cups that go in the slide pin socket holes. They were much heavier duty than neoprene.
Roger, where did you get the rubber caps (sleeves?).
From Foretravel in NAC.
Wonder why they gave me soft neoprene ones. They were like foam in consistency.