Noisy Slides

[Redrider007]

Just wondering how many have noisy slides. I have a 2015 3010 and my main slides are quite noisy when opening and closing. Substantial metal to metal noise though I sit under slide with remote and cant really pinpoint a problem. The service center at Giant RV tells me to just try and deal with the noise and there is no problem.

 

[cookie]

Have you lubed the slide mechanism?

Peace
Dave

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[TandT]

I know everyone has their own method, but I use spray lithium grease on the gear drives under each slide. That eliminates virtually all noise. Trace

 

[fredwrichardson]

Just wondering how many have noisy slides. I have a 2015 3010 and my main slides are quite noisy when opening and closing. Substantial metal to metal noise though I sit under slide with remote and cant really pinpoint a problem. The service center at Giant RV tells me to just try and deal with the noise and there is no problem.

Having had the same slide fail two times before it finally got fix I cringe every time I push the button. Noise is friction and friction is stress so I agree with the others in using a lubricant in the high stress areas of the gears and reduce both noise and stress.

 

[jmgratz]

noise is bad when it comes to slides

 

[GWRam]

I agree with everyone's concern about the noise and friction. Our kitchen and main slide screach and squeak horribly. I spoke with Lippert and they told to never lube any part of the gears or the hyd piston shaft. He said if the guides in the slide extension rails are ok there is nothing else to do or worry about.
I find it hard to believe that screeching should be considered ok.

Trace, When you spray the lithium grease. Do you spray only the sprocket at each end of the square tube or do you spray the whole geared track?


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[cookie]

I use Lithium grease as well and I spray everything but the ram.

Peace
Dave

 

[jmgratz]

Do you have anything rubbing on the bottom or edge (sides) of the slide?

 

[Bones]

Why would lippert say to never grease the slide mechanism? I know why on the ram.

 

[murry135]

It was explained to me that the hydralic slides use only one ram to extend and retract these slides. The bigger the slide the more drag there is going to be on the end without the ram as it is moving. As a result this end is lagging when in motion and that is where the noise is probably coming from. While in Elkhart I had my slides adjusted by the field service team and we reviewed these issues and it is normal for there to be noise do to the design style using one ram and metal on metal. Keep them clean and well lubed with proper slide lubicrant and there should be little or no issue. I regularly inspect, clean road debris and lubricate with SLIDE LUBE availabe at any RV dealer. Grease will attract and hold debris in it so I do not reccomend that.

 

[cookie]

I can't disagree with anything that was said by Murry, but my personal thoughts run in another direction.
I have used the commercial slide lube and I didn't find that it was very effective for very long. I was always repeating applications.
As far as the lithium grease attracting dirt, maybe, but for the most part the slide mechanism is pretty well protected from the elements. My comparison would be to the grease used in suspension components such as wet bolts. Now there is a place where grease is recommended and it does collect the dirt.
These are just my thoughts and not meant to be a debate. Again, I don't disagree with what has been said.

Peace
Dave

 

[murry135]

Point well taken when traveling they are and protected. I do re-apply often myself. Maybe time to look in another direction for the grease also repeals water and moisture better. Thanks for making me thimk harder.

 

[Bones]

How does one know when and how to adjust the slides? Should the arms that go out underneath the slides be perpendicular with the frame or parallel with the slide or can they point towards the ground?

 

[TandT]

Trace, When you spray the lithium grease. Do you spray only the sprocket at each end of the square tube or do you spray the whole geared track?


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I spray the gear drive and the whole track with white lithium grease. This has always worked very well for me.

I have a friend who prefers to use motorcycle chain lube. It is a dry lube that supposedly doesn't attract as much dirt. Trace

 

[DaveTyler]

Noisy Slides? At least yours work!! On 2015 Big Horn 3875FB, bought in late March my slides would not come in recently. After playing with it finally got them closed. The living room/kitchen slides were the worst. Sometime the fridge slide goes first and then the other second and then they will go at the same time? Does anyone know the correct order. I talked to Jamie in customer service at Heartland and he thought might be the batteries are weak? All had about 13.25volts but thats is not load tested. Any advice or ideas or knowledge is appreciated. Do I need to go to Lippert? My dealer is 350 miles away and do not trust or like them. Dave

 

[Bones]

Noisy Slides? At least yours work!! On 2015 Big Horn 3875FB, bought in late March my slides would not come in recently. After playing with it finally got them closed. The living room/kitchen slides were the worst. Sometime the fridge slide goes first and then the other second and then they will go at the same time? Does anyone know the correct order. I talked to Jamie in customer service at Heartland and he thought might be the batteries are weak? All had about 13.25volts but thats is not load tested. Any advice or ideas or knowledge is appreciated. Do I need to go to Lippert? My dealer is 350 miles away and do not trust or like them. Dave

I think you should start simple first. First load check the battery. Next load check the connections at the pump by hooking up your load tester at the pump battery connections. That should give you an idea on the health of electrical system.

 

[danemayer]

Noisy Slides? At least yours work!! On 2015 Big Horn 3875FB, bought in late March my slides would not come in recently. After playing with it finally got them closed. The living room/kitchen slides were the worst. Sometime the fridge slide goes first and then the other second and then they will go at the same time? Does anyone know the correct order. I talked to Jamie in customer service at Heartland and he thought might be the batteries are weak? All had about 13.25volts but thats is not load tested. Any advice or ideas or knowledge is appreciated. Do I need to go to Lippert? My dealer is 350 miles away and do not trust or like them. Dave

Hi DaveTyler,

If the slides are operated with a single switch, the one with the least resistance moves first, and the one with the next least resistance, until all are in. Same thing going out. Usually they follow the same order repeatedly, but if the resistance is about the same I suppose the order could vary.

If your issue is that they move a little, then stop, then move, then stop, you probably have a weak 12V DC mini-circuit breaker. I've attached a couple of pictures. The breakers are on a buss bar near the battery. Breakers cost $5-10 and can usually be found at RV Parts Dep'ts, auto parts stores and marine parts stores. You'll want a 50 amp auto-reset in the same form-factor as the original.

Btw, if you're reading 13.25 V on the batteries, you're probably reading the output of the Power Converter. If you shut off the 110V circuit breaker (in the main breaker panel inside the coach) for the Power Converter, you'll get a true reading on the battery voltage level. Low battery voltage/bad battery cell can also be responsible, along with loose wires, corroded terminals, and loose grounds.

Our owner-written 12V Block Diagram and Diagnostic Guide may also be helpful to you.

 

[Redrider007]

Thanks for all the replies!! I cleaned and lubed them but didn't make much of a difference-They work fine just a bit annoying but looking at where the lithium gets wiped when opening and closing there are no deep scratches at least so I guess I will let it go.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Did you lube the little gear shafts with anything?? Its hard to get lube in the gear shaft itself. I just use WD40 when they squeak.

 

[farside291]

Does anybodys slides pop when they first start to move going in or out. Mine will make like a pop or a banging sound when first starting to move and then they move smoothly. When I first got the unit the main slide on the kitchen with refrigerator wouldn't come in all the way and would go out crooked. The dealership fix that problem but now I'm nervous every time I extend or retract a slides.