Bedroom Slide

[dkelly]

All, I have recently noticed my drivers side bedroom slide top is lagging when I.open or close slide.  When I press slide button and the slide begins to move in or out, the bottom of the slide is moving a lot more than the top.  It appears or gives the appearance the top is sticking.  I take my time and work the button a few times hoping not to cause any damage...

This maybe normal and I am just noticing;  however, I was thinking the slide would move in and out squarely.  FYI, I have checked to ensure the RV is level.

The slide does open and close.  It also has a good seal once fully open or closed.

Thank you in adavance for your wisdom.

2003 Diplomat 

Darryl K.

Edited January 2, 2021 by dkelly
clarity

[Bob Nodine]

9 hours ago, dkelly said:

All, I have recently noticed my drivers side bedroom slide top is lagging when I.open or close slide.  When I press slide button and the slide begins to move in or out, the bottom of the slide is moving a lot more than the top.  It appears or gives the appearance the top is sticking.  I take my time and work the button a few times hoping not to cause any damage...

This maybe normal and I am just noticing;  however, I was thinking the slide would move in and out squarely.  FYI, I have checked to ensure the RV is level.

The slide does open and close.  It also has a good seal once fully open or closed.

Thank you in adavance for your wisdom.

2003 Diplomat 

Darryl K.

I would take a close look at the slide topper and the mechanism associated with it. Also make sure there is no debris on the top of the slide or the slide topper that is causing a bind or drag.

 

[Brett63]

mine does the same thing. We actually have to bring the slide in at least half way, then go back out about a foot then bring it in. Otherwise the top will lack 3-4" from sealing when it is closed.

I have a friend that had the same issue and he installed casters on the inside leading edge under the bed on each side so that it held the slide level and would not allow it to tip as it cam in. Seems to work pretty well and he has no issues at all. I have not had time to look at doing that with mine.

Ours is an 09 Sig, his is an 08 exec.

[throgmartin]

There are 4 things that can cause a bedroom slide to rock back and forth at the top - 1.) A rotted slide floor 2.) A rusty slide topper assembly spring with a lot of tension 3.) Chewed up bed frame at the foot end 4.) broken roller.

A bedroom slide which contains the bed operates differently from a wardrobe bedroom slide. The mechanisms are different and the slide with the bed also has rollers mounted to the floor at the foot end of the bed. A wardrobe slide can wobble top to bottom when operated and can be caused by the torsion spring inside the slide topper roller tube. But the torsion spring will rarely if ever cause the top to wobble on a bedroom slide because of the shear weight of that slide.

If you are experiencing wobble at the top on a wardrobe slide it very well could be the torsion spring. As long as it operates freely and seals properly at the end of the cycle it should be OK. My wardrobe slide has done this for years because I run with a little extra torsion spring tension on my toppers. I have had no issues.

The slide that contains the bed is a different animal. If it has a wobble at the top then the chances are it is one of two things - 1.) The interior rollers are out of adjustment 2.) the bottom of the bed frame that rides on the rollers is tore up. One of our members, Dr4film, found his bed slide frame chewed up. We custom made some stainless plates for him and it cured the problem. We have plated dozens of these slides all experiencing a tore up bottom bed frame. They either wobble or operate hard. I do not recommend putting casters on them as the rollers are sufficient and provides more support to the bed frame. You can check to see if it is a bed frame issue by looking under the end of the bed. If you see woodchips then your frame needs to be plated. If the frame is OK and there are tracks on your carpet then the rollers need adjusting. The clearance under the foot end of the bed is tight so a bore scope works wonders to help with your imnspection.

The slides with the beds on them are also notorious for having the exterior white laminate under the slide get cut from the rollers. We have plated well over a 1,000 of these slides in the last 3 years. The bed slide weighs a lot because of the bed and all the crap people put under the bed. The weight is hard on the bottom of the slide floor and the rollers. Remember, the bottom of the slide that rolls across the rollers is only 3/8 " thick plywood.

In regards to broken rollers I have seen very few over the years. If indeed you have a broken roller it is not hard to spot. 

Forgot to mention, if your slide will not go all the way out and seal properly the first thing you want to check for is an obstruction. I have had this happen to me 1/2 a dozen times. I have found behind the wooden trim/frame CD's, a dog ball, a stapler and a few other odd's and end's.

One of my favorites was a customer who brought his coach in because his slide would not go all the way out. My Technician, Dustin found a 9mm handgun wedged behind the wooden trim. You would not believe the items we have found over the years - forks, spoons, screwdrivers, dog and cat toys, kitchen utensils, wrenches, knitting needles, etc.  🙂

[Brett63]

ChrisT, I will be there to see you on 1 Feb and this slide is on the list to fix. I am pretty sure my motor sprocket is bad a we can't pull the slide in or put it out without me pushing in whatever direction it needs to go. Sounds like a gear is stripped. Either way, we have quite a bit of work planned for you guys.....New AC's, your roof seal/fix, new thermostat, your slide plates and the bed slide....Get rested up...lol

Brett

[throgmartin]

1 hour ago, Brett63 said:

ChrisT, I will be there to see you on 1 Feb and this slide is on the list to fix. I am pretty sure my motor sprocket is bad a we can't pull the slide in or put it out without me pushing in whatever direction it needs to go. Sounds like a gear is stripped. Either way, we have quite a bit of work planned for you guys.....New AC's, your roof seal/fix, new thermostat, your slide plates and the bed slide....Get rested up...lol

Brett

Your buddy was just in getting new AC units and of course chided you by being there ahead of you. 🙂 Dustin and Mike will get you all taken care of. Dustin is one of the very best slide techs I have ever seen. We have had members here drive 1,000's of miles just to have him work on their coach. I am grateful to have him on our staff.

The guys just did a 3 AC/Heat pump change out last week on a members coach. You will love these new Penguin II's. They will turn your coach into an ice box in the summer and the heat pumps will cook you in the winter. That new thermostat is awesome too.

[96 EVO]

One thing I found when adjusting my bed slide rollers, after installing aluminum plates under the bed frame, is, you can't raise those two rollers mounted to the floor, under the bed frame too much. It looks better with them cranked up, and doesn't leave skid marks on the carpet when the slide is out. Problem is, the whole assembly is like a backwards 'L'. You raise up the end of that L, the top tips back, and will contact the wall before the bottom will. An extra 1/4" on those rollers can mean the difference between the bottom of your slide wall sealing with the coach wall, or not, with the slide extended.

[timaz996]

Also make sure your slide mechanism is mounted tightly to the floor. With use they seem to work their way loose. If it is loose it allows the slide to cock and bind or strip gears. It happened to mine.   

[dkelly]

All, Thank you for your assistance.  My bedrooms slide contains the bed; therefore. I checked under the front of bed for rollers.  Because of carpet, I did not see rollers.  I am wondering if I should take everything out from under the bed and attempt to access the rollers from under the bed to check if rollers are loose or adjusted appropriately?  I also plan to breakout my ladder and check the top of the slide. to include toppers. 

I installed the metal plates under the slide a couple years back and they still look good.

If I cannot find a solutions, I will be headed to Florida in the next couple months to see your staff Chris.

 

Thanks all.

 

Darryl 

[Brett63]

53 minutes ago, dkelly said:

All, Thank you for your assistance.  My bedrooms slide contains the bed; therefore. I checked under the front of bed for rollers.  Because of carpet, I did not see rollers.  I am wondering if I should take everything out from under the bed and attempt to access the rollers from under the bed to check if rollers are loose or adjusted appropriately?  I also plan to breakout my ladder and check the top of the slide. to include toppers. 

I installed the metal plates under the slide a couple years back and they still look good.

If I cannot find a solutions, I will be headed to Florida in the next couple months to see your staff Chris.

 

Thanks all.

 

Darryl 

I am not sure how they are in 2003, but in 2009 they are small rollers mounted to the forward corners of the bed frame. There is no way in mine to access from the top. But there is a single both that works like a sissor jack that raises or lowers the rollers with little ramps at the very end for the rollers to ride up on thus lifting the forward end of the slide just as it comes in which pulls the bottom of the slide in tight. Other than that, my rollers never touch the floor. I had a broken bolt I had to change and to do it I had to bring the slide about half way in, or out and lay down and reach under the exposed side cutout and reach under to put a new bolt in. It is a PITA if you are not small. 

[96 EVO]

4 hours ago, dkelly said:

All, Thank you for your assistance.  My bedrooms slide contains the bed; therefore. I checked under the front of bed for rollers.  Because of carpet, I did not see rollers.  I am wondering if I should take everything out from under the bed and attempt to access the rollers from under the bed to check if rollers are loose or adjusted appropriately?  I also plan to breakout my ladder and check the top of the slide. to include toppers. 

I installed the metal plates under the slide a couple years back and they still look good.

If I cannot find a solutions, I will be headed to Florida in the next couple months to see your staff Chris.

 

Thanks all.

 

Darryl 

If yours is the same as the newer models, with the slide extended, the bed box rollers should be about 3 or 4" from the foot edges of the bed. Should be able to reach the adjustment bolt with a 1/4" drive ratchet with 4" extension. CC/W raises rollers.

[Kevin E]

On 1/3/2021 at 10:36 AM, throgmartin said:

There are 4 things that can cause a bedroom slide to rock back and forth at the top - 1.) A rotted slide floor 2.) A rusty slide topper assembly spring with a lot of tension 3.) Chewed up bed frame at the foot end 4.) broken roller.

A bedroom slide which contains the bed operates differently from a wardrobe bedroom slide. The mechanisms are different and the slide with the bed also has rollers mounted to the floor at the foot end of the bed. A wardrobe slide can wobble top to bottom when operated and can be caused by the torsion spring inside the slide topper roller tube. But the torsion spring will rarely if ever cause the top to wobble on a bedroom slide because of the shear weight of that slide.

If you are experiencing wobble at the top on a wardrobe slide it very well could be the torsion spring. As long as it operates freely and seals properly at the end of the cycle it should be OK. My wardrobe slide has done this for years because I run with a little extra torsion spring tension on my toppers. I have had no issues.

The slide that contains the bed is a different animal. If it has a wobble at the top then the chances are it is one of two things - 1.) The interior rollers are out of adjustment 2.) the bottom of the bed frame that rides on the rollers is tore up. One of our members, Dr4film, found his bed slide frame chewed up. We custom made some stainless plates for him and it cured the problem. We have plated dozens of these slides all experiencing a tore up bottom bed frame. They either wobble or operate hard. I do not recommend putting casters on them as the rollers are sufficient and provides more support to the bed frame. You can check to see if it is a bed frame issue by looking under the end of the bed. If you see woodchips then your frame needs to be plated. If the frame is OK and there are tracks on your carpet then the rollers need adjusting. The clearance under the foot end of the bed is tight so a bore scope works wonders to help with your imnspection.

The slides with the beds on them are also notorious for having the exterior white laminate under the slide get cut from the rollers. We have plated well over a 1,000 of these slides in the last 3 years. The bed slide weighs a lot because of the bed and all the crap people put under the bed. The weight is hard on the bottom of the slide floor and the rollers. Remember, the bottom of the slide that rolls across the rollers is only 3/8 " thick plywood.

In regards to broken rollers I have seen very few over the years. If indeed you have a broken roller it is not hard to spot. 

Forgot to mention, if your slide will not go all the way out and seal properly the first thing you want to check for is an obstruction. I have had this happen to me 1/2 a dozen times. I have found behind the wooden trim/frame CD's, a dog ball, a stapler and a few other odd's and end's.

One of my favorites was a customer who brought his coach in because his slide would not go all the way out. My Technician, Dustin found a 9mm handgun wedged behind the wooden trim. You would not believe the items we have found over the years - forks, spoons, screwdrivers, dog and cat toys, kitchen utensils, wrenches, knitting needles, etc.  🙂

ChrisT, I have an 02 Endeavor and the bedroom slide has the bed in it. Could you explain how to check and adjust the rollers on it. I'm seeing marks on my carpet where the bed rests now and I notice the bottom of the slide sticks out about 3/16 of an inch when it's retracted. Also, when I run the slide all the way in or out, I hear what sounds like the gear jumping on the track. Any thoughts? By the way, I have installed your plates on the bottom of that slide and I'm very pleased with the way they came out. Thanks!

[Scotty Hutto]

@throgmartin Bump. 

[96 EVO]

41 minutes ago, Kevin E said:

ChrisT, I have an 02 Endeavor and the bedroom slide has the bed in it. Could you explain how to check and adjust the rollers on it. I'm seeing marks on my carpet where the bed rests now and I notice the bottom of the slide sticks out about 3/16 of an inch when it's retracted. Also, when I run the slide all the way in or out, I hear what sounds like the gear jumping on the track. Any thoughts? By the way, I have installed your plates on the bottom of that slide and I'm very pleased with the way they came out. Thanks!

Are you seeing any wood chips left on the carpet when you extend the slide? 

[Kevin E]

1 minute ago, 96 EVO said:

Are you seeing any wood chips left on the carpet when you extend the slide? 

No, I haven't seen any.

[96 EVO]

When the slide is closed, does your paint lines (swirls or whatever) on the outside line up?

[Kevin E]

1 minute ago, 96 EVO said:

When the slide is closed, does your paint lines (swirls or whatever) on the outside line up?

Yes, they appear to.

[96 EVO]

What I would do in your case, and this is assuming your 02 is built like mine, is extend the slide, get a socket on the two floor rollers which will now be almost at the foot of the bed, and raise these two rollers up (CC/W) a couple of turns. Bring the slide in and see if the bottom gap has closed.

To do it properly, you really should remove the panel under the bed, and slacken off the two bolts that attach the drive assembly to the big aluminum plate, then retighten them after you have made your adjustment.

You probably won't ever completely stop the bed box leaving slight scuff mark on the carpet.

Edited January 15, 2021 by 96 EVO

[Kevin E]

21 minutes ago, 96 EVO said:

What I would do in your case, and this is assuming your 02 is built like mine, is extend the slide, get a socket on the two floor rollers which will now be almost at the foot of the bed, and raise these two rollers up (CC/W) a couple of turns. Bring the slide in and see if the bottom gap has closed.

To do it properly, you really should remove the panel under the bed, and slacken off the two bolts that attach the drive assembly to the big aluminum plate, then retighten them after you have made your adjustment.

You probably won't ever completely stop the bed box leaving slight scuff mark on the carpet.

Thanks for the info. Are the adjustments accessible from the outside of the bed box? I've never got this deep into it.

[96 EVO]

With the slide fully extended, push down on the carpet at the two edges at the foot of the bed.

If yours is the same as the newer models, with the slide extended, the bed box rollers should be about 3 or 4" from the foot edges of the bed. Should be able to reach the adjustment bolt with a 1/4" drive ratchet with 4" extension. CC/W raises rollers.

[Kevin E]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

[throgmartin]

Kevin, 96 EVO is correct on adjusting the rollers.

In regards to the popping sound you are hearing it could be your gear pack is going. You may have a tooth missing on a gear and when it gets to that spot it jumps and makes a slight popping noise. On a wardrobe slide you can sometimes adjust the slide to work better despite the bad gear pack but on a slide with a bed it is next to impossible. The best thing to do is replace the gear pack it if that is the problem.

Replacing the gear pack on a bed slide requires you to remove the bed. I would have to be standing next to the slide and watch and hear it operate in order to give a definite diagnosis. 😞

[Kevin E]

Thank you, I'll check it out. It has done this since I bought it in 2013. It only does it when it hits the end of its travel, in and out.

[Guest Ray Davis]

Kevin,  I believe the sound you are hearing at the end of travel is normal.  Some years ago there was a discussion by Fred White about this sound.

After many people reported that they had the same sound and had always had it the conclusion was it is normal.  My 03 Windsor does it and I don't worry about it anymore.

Here is a link to a thread on IRV2 that shows what the underside of the bed looks like and why Ben (  96 EVO ) asked about wood chips.

Quick Tips and Easy Mods (Monaco Style) - Page 77 - iRV2 Forums

 

47 minutes ago, Kevin E said:

Thank you, I'll check it out. It has done this since I bought it in 2013. It only does it when it hits the end of its travel, in and out.

 

[jacwjames]

My slide makes a clicking sound when it reaches the end of the stroke when I either extend or retract.  I believe there is some of clutch type system that allows it to slip.  I anticipate this while I'm moving the slide in or out and release the button just as it get to the end of the stroke.   In the past this has been discussed I believe this is normal for my type of slide but I'll be monitoring this post to see if it may be something else. 

Attached is a parts breakdown for my slide, which may be the same as yours.

1 Slideout Bedroom mechanism.pdf