Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Slide issue - not open or close (Read 475 times) previous topic - next topic

Slide issue - not open or close

We are mid trip and stopped in a rest area for the night in a place that allows us to put a back slide out without intruding on anyone.

Issue though when I went to extend the slide, it moved about half an inch and stopped.  Yellow light was solid.  Never had any issues with that slide before.  Tried to retract and it doesnt move.  Red light just stays on (same with extend).  I think I hear the pump (not sure but no joy). 

So I need to figure out how to get that slide back in before travel resumes tomorrow.  I checked the reservoir and get about an inch on the dip/screw driver so I assume there is enough fluid for it to run.

Looking for ideas to try before morning and putting calls into FOT/MOT (and hopefully they are open tomorrow)

Thanks

 
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #1 –
Quick update... after leveling the coach ( was told that should not be necessary), recycling and waiting a bit, on "extend" I see the solenoid click pump didnt seem to run.  Immediately on retract, the opposite solenoid clicked and the pump came on and pulled the slide back in tight.  Will wait till we get to campground tomorrow to try again.

Thanks
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #2 –
Is it the bed slide? 

If the pump does not run, 1 of two things, bad motor, or bad solenoid. If you have a test light or volt meter, with button pushed are you getting 12v between the motor side of red wire and a ground?  The power solenoid is know to go bad.  There are a told of two in that area, one is main power the other is for he pump motor.  If solenoid, replace both.

As a last  resort, in the compartment where the pump is there are valves that have levers on them, when you pull the lever up it releases the pressure and then you and the football team can push the  slide in.  Then make sure you move the levers back where they were when you started.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #3 –
Quote from: turbojack –
Is it the bed slide? 

If the pump does not run, 1 of two things, bad motor, or bad solenoid. If you have a test light or volt meter, with button pushed are you getting 12v between the motor side of red wire and a ground?  The power solenoid is know to go bad.  There are a told of two in that area, one is main power the other is for he pump motor.  If solenoid, replace both.

As a last  resort, in the compartment where the pump is there are valves that have levers on them, when you pull the lever up it releases the pressure and then you and the football team can push the  slide in.  Then make sure you move the levers back where they were when you started.

Thanks Turbo... I will check the pump/volts tomorrow when I get to campground.  Although it did retract so I guess its not dead..good thing.  I watched the solenoid "click" on the attempt to extend after it was stuck about half inch out.  No pump then.  However immediately on doing a retract the opposite solenoid clicked, pump ran, slide came in.  I am willing to bet it go out now all the way but I will wait to check once stopped for a while.

One question though, I noticed I have some ...not a lot but wet fluid in the tray under the pump. I assume some where its leaking a bit but nothing major (?).  I can dip a long screw driver in the reservoir and get about an inch or more fluid.  That seems low to me.  Any thoughts on how much should be in the tank and is that just ATS fluid ?

Mean time I will add a couple of solenoids to me "spare parts" List to order tomorrow

Thanks 
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #4 –
To make sure we are talking the same solenoid.  I am referring to the power one that supplies 12v to the pump motor.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #5 –
Hwh fluid is clear.  They say to use their fluid because if a cylinder starts leaking it will not turn your carpet red.

When I had a hose leak and a hose break the fluid was regular red transmission fluid.

I think when you check fluid all slides need to be in. I would check hwh materials since I am no 100% sure now
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #6 –
Good idea to check HWHs manual as some coaches are different on how to check the oil. Our 03 is living room slide in and bedroom slide out. There's a paper that shows what years and positions of slides.
Richard & Betty Bark & Keiko our Golden Doodle
2003 U320T 3820 PBDS
Build # 6215
MC # 16926
2016 Chevrolet Colorado 4X4 diesel

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #7 –
Can you tell where the fluid that is in the tray under the pump came from? On our coach, from the time we bought it there would always be a small amount of fluid on top of the pump and on the surface underneath it. I did not see any sign of a leak in the system and first assumed that the pump might have been overfilled and it had vented out, but even after I had verified that the pump was filled correctly and cleaned up the fluid, more would appear. I didn't worry about it because the slide worked fine until one time it wouldn't retract correctly. I then checked it while my wife tried to retract and found that quite a bit of fluid was leaking around the shaft of the cylinder when it was pressurized. That had been the source all along, and it had finally gotten bad enough to affect operation. I was able to push the slide back in but could not use it again until I replaced the cylinder. I hope you do not have a similar problem because the cylinder was hard to come by, but you should try to find the source of that fluid before it gets any worse.
Dave and Kathy Bennett
2004 U270
Build #6253
1600W Solar
700 AH Battle Born Lithium
2015 Jeep Wrangler

No matter what happens, remember you always get the trip out of it.

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #8 –
It is possible that when FOT replaced the two valves some oil leaked out and they either did not clean up the oil or they cleaned up what they could get to and with driving the oil came out from it's hiding places.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #9 –
The fluid is red in color and looks similar in viscosity to ATF fluid...hence my guess. 

Good point about FOT possibly leaking some into the catch tray.  I noticed a few drips under the RV on last stop from a drain hole which led me to investigate the catch tray.  Not a lot but the tray was wet.  I did ask FOT to "check all levels" and they said it was good at the time.

In any case. I got to our site today and no issues opening all 4 slides.  I watched the pump/solenoids while my wife opened the last/largest slide and did not see any leaks during the moves.

I have a hunch my issue yesterday in hindsight could have been a combination of factors.  The slide only moved an inch or so at first and stopped then nothing.  We were not plugged into 50 amp.  I had not leveled the coach yet as I normally do (a debate for another thread as the MOT sales guy insists leveling a coach is not necessary sine the 'slides are level to the coach' when deployed.) 

I started coach back up, air up all tanks again, and reset HWH, I tried to extend the slide and the pump would not start (but solenoid did click).  I then tried retrack and it came right in.  The "inch or so" it was deployed seemed to be kind a no-mans land for the pump to continue.  But retracting did work. Perhaps there is an indexing scenario where it needs to restart from scratch to extend?  I know my old Tiffin Bus has indexing issues at times where a slide procedure to bring in and re index the motors to deploy correctly but those were different mechanisms.

I will dig out my HWH manual and review too. 
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #10 –
tsonby,

The very first thing it says in section 4-10 of my owners manual for Slide-Out Room Control Panel

The Coach should be level BEFORE extending a room. Does it have to be level NO it will go in or out, but should it be level, common sense says Hell YES! I would personally go by the Owners Manual.


Mike & Donna Mariana + Angel & Rusty
2003 U295 3620
Build# 6118
2021 Jeep Wrangler 392

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #11 –
In my IH45 manual says (going from memory so take it for what it is) that if the slides have water on them, tilt the coach so the water will drain off before bringing in the slide.  I do not have toppers on my coach and maybe 2 times since I have owned the coach have I tilted the coach before I ran the slides in.

I have ran my slides in and out and have not really cared if I was level or at ride height.

Somewhere I also read, if you start to take a slide out and stop, when starting again keep going the same direction, do not change direction in mid stream. 

Glad you got them all out.

I would look into getting 2 spare solenoid for the power of motor.  When mine hickuped and I gave it a love tap to get it working again, it worked a number of times before it acted up again. Later when I was at FOT and I told them I needed a new one they said no you need two, unless you want to come back and get the second one since when one starts to fail the other is not that far behind.

The first time it happened I did not have a clue how any system in the coach worked and told the wife when the slide would not come it that I had no idea where to start troubleshooting.

2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #12 –
Quote from: turbojack –
To make sure we are talking the same solenoid.  I am referring to the power one that supplies 12v to the pump motor.

Yesterday I went to put slides out from storage (preparing for next travel/trip) and rear slide only moved about inch.  Determined fairly quickly the pump was not coming on.  Talked with Chad at FOT.  Had my meter out and can see the solenoid (right side of pump) has 13v going in, passing through to the relay (left side of pump) but other side of relay had 0v.  The relay as I understand and from Chad discussion feeds voltage to pump. 

So ordered both solenoid and relay to replace.  Had some other stuff to get done on coach so I took care of everything else.  Decided to go back and check the slide to pull it back in, low and below worked as designed.  Pull my meter back out and check the same post on the relay that read 0v when we tried to engage the pump and this time it read -13volts when we turned the key.  Looks like the relay decided to work at that point.  Ran all 4 slides out and back in w/o issues. 

Called Chad back just for clarification about reading -13v and he said expected.  Will have the relays / solenoid now in case it acts up again. 

Seems strange it would work all of the sudden after 30 minutes from the last attempt. 

One other strange thing (Chad tells me unrelated) there was an error light on one inverter and I could hear a low wheezing coming from it.  It wasnt there when I first measured the relays/solenoid.  Chad thought it was cooling fan and suggested uncoupling the inverter.  By the time I had the tools to take off the cover, (and right before retried the slide pump) the noise was gone and so was the error. 

Odd that the inverter had the cooling code error and the relay wasnt working.  Then both corrected / worked w/o issues.  Certainly not hot out.  Only about 72 hear and RV was under a cover.

This RV reminds me of classic railroad steam engines: quirky and have their own temperament. 
Tom & Rhonda
2014 IH-45 #6586 -  Ford F150 King Ranch Toad
2013 TIffin 45 LP Allegro Bus - 6 years owned - Sold
2002 Newmar 41' Dutch Star - 13 years owned - Sold
 

Re: Slide issue - not open or close

Reply #13 –
Sign of solenoid going out. I would replace it on your time,  instead of totally failing when ready to leave and slides won't go in.

Don't think it is related with inverter/charger. But never say never.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago