Slide room lock

[Art Perrone]

My '07 Dynasty has 4 hydraulic slides but only the DS front has a lock on the outside that "operates" when the slide is totally closed.  When the slide is closed a lever on the bottom is pushed out and a bar on the top moves up on the inside apparently locking the slide room so that the top cannot move out.  They are on the outside of the room with a black plastic cover over the mechanism from top to bottom riveted with plastic rivets. This slide is not the longest nor the heaviest but has these locks, (one on front and one on rear) while the other 3 slides do not have any locks.  My question:  Do I need these locks and has anyone removed them? The plastic rivets keep breaking and now the mechanism is coming apart and the machine screws inside holding the base plate and other parts have fallen out and been lost or are stripped.  This has become a big problem to repair and I don't see a reason for this lock.  Any input will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Happy Motoring,

Art Perrone

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

The reason for the lock is to keep the slide from opening during transit.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[Ivan K]

7 minutes ago, Chuck B said:

The reason for the lock is to keep the slide from opening during transit.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

When did they start with the locks? Our 00 does not have it and it got a hydraulic slide for living room and kitchen. I suppose it was an afterthought after an incident? 

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Not a afterthought, but a design change from a hydraulic slide motor to a 12 vdc motor used to operate the slide.  Monaco did not piece part the slide lock.  If you needed to replace a part, you had to spring for the whole slide lock which was sold in pairs.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[Frank McElroy]

On your 07 Dynasty, two of the hydraulic slides use the equivalent of a scissor jack on each side and this is connected to the full wall of the coach and sidewall from top to bottom.  Hydraulic pressure holds in these slides.

On the other slide where the floor drops to near level, the arms on the slide bottom pivot slightly.  So, when the slide is retracted, you need a mechanism to hold in the top.  That's what these side mechanisms are doing and they only work when the slide is fully in.  So, they really are not slide locks.  If you lose hydraulic pressure the slide will come out on its own.

These side mechanisms MUST be oiled.  By hand you should be able to push on the bottom tab to move out the top mechanism.

If you were to remove these side mechanisms that hold in the slide top, it is unlikely you would be able to maintain a top water tight seal and under certain driving conditions the top of this slide would tip out.  These mechanisms service an important function and they need to work properly.

[Ivan K]

50 minutes ago, Chuck B said:

Not a afterthought, but a design change from a hydraulic slide motor to a 12 vdc motor used to operate the slide.  Monaco did not piece part the slide lock.  If you needed to replace a part, you had to spring for the whole slide lock which was sold in pairs.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

Well, our Sig slide operates by 2 hydraulic cylinders (with an equalizer in between) and does not have lock provisions. Not even on the inside as it goes in along a wall. I had it creep out once when cylinder leaked and had to close the valves to keep it in by the good cylinder. Maybe they did not put locks on the shallow slides back then... and I really don't care for it as there is no way I would not notice it creeping in the mirror.

[jacwjames]

My 2002 Windsor has these locks, they are DeWald locks.  There is a file in the Downloads section under the slides folder. 

In the past the recommendation for lubrication was to spray superlube down from the top, which I did about every other year.  Others suggested putting a tub underneath and pouring a quart of oil down. 

Earlier this year I decided to take them off, clean, lubricate and reinstall.  Mine are a little different in that there is a screw at the top that holds the whole lock down.  I removed the slide, used a piece of 2X4 and hammer, and loosened the lock and lifter off.  Underneath there is a SS plate that the lock actually mates to.  After removing from the side of the slide I put on the workbench and used a very small allen wrench to remover a bunch of machined screws that held he cover on.  Underneath there was a serices of pulleys and springs that connect to the locking arms, which pivot on bushing.  I completely cleaned the mechanism and then sprayed down each roller and springs with a lubricant.  Put everything back together and remounted to the side of the motorhome.   Then tested by using a large crescent wrench on the locking arm.

After doing this I'm pretty much convinced that spraying and/or pouring oil down form the top is futile as there is little chance of it getting where it needs to be. 

 

 

[Art Perrone]

Thank you all for your help.  I am not concerned with lubrication.  It's too late for that.  If anyone knows what they are called, in order to order them, that would help.  At the present time, I will likely remove one and see what happens.  Has anyone done that?

[jacwjames]

The slide lock is obsolete.  The only way to see whats going on is to remove it.  You will have to remove all the small rivets that hole the black cover on then remove the lock.  

Here is a link to a drawing, I believe Lippert still may some parts

http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SlideLockMech.pdf

https://store.lci1.com/travel-lock-9in-return-spring-f-dn13052-383643.html

You might do a search, there are posts on the IRV2 forum on these locks, it's far easier to maintain then to repair/replace.

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

If you remove the slide lock, the slide might open while in transit especially if the lock is on the forward side if the slide.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[jacwjames]

If the locks aren't salvageable you could resort to the old style lock that sits on top of the slide once it is all the say in.  Here's an example

https://highskyrvparts.com/rv-parts/hardware/slide-out-accessories/slide-out-lock

My slides are electric and the motor itself as a lock on it.  The lock is deactivated while the motor is being moved.  The lock would probably hold the slide in by itself.

In your case I's assume the slide is hydraulic and without looking at a schematic I don't know it there is a lock type valve in the system or not.  Maybe someone else might know.  Maybe there is someone who's removed the lock and hasn't had a problem while traveling. 

Good luck

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

IMO, that type of slide lock would do a better if placed half way on the vertical inside slide half way between to top and bottom.  That way the bottom of the slide will not creep out.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[jacwjames]

1 minute ago, Chuck B said:

IMO, that type of slide lock would do a better if placed half way on the vertical inside slide half way between to top and bottom.  That way the bottom of the slide will not creep out.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

If you have access, my front slide I could put one near the drivers seat like that but the rear does not have access so it would have to go on top.  I believe my coach came with these but were discarded by the PO, they are discussed in the manual.

One thing to consider is that Monaco had to cover the butts with this type of system for liability purposes, so in my case there is a motor lock, a slide lock, and the manual locks.  If an owner modified or removed a safety feature and something happened there could be liability issues, especially in the world we live in today.

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

True, I did not think of that.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

[Paul J A]

We made Safety BLOCKS when the locks failed on our 07 Executive.

 

 Did it on a New 05 Dynasty as a safety precaution before we owned the Executive. Worked great 10 years full timing.

Edited August 31, 2021 by Paul A.
grammer.

[eddie4ne]

On our 2002 Windsor, we removed the slide locks because the rear- at stove- got stuck while retracting the slide, and as a result it bent and continued to hang up. After removing we drove without anything to secure it UNTIL while going around a corner the top was starting to lean out! Afterwards we put cut to length pieces of 2x4s at each end. We decided to put the front slide lock back on and are now just using the 2x4 at the rear of the slide. Before reinstalling, we took it apart and serviced all of the components inside. I feel much more secure with at least one lock on while traveling.

[granvillebarker]

On 8/25/2021 at 11:30 AM, Ivan K said:

Well, our Sig slide operates by 2 hydraulic cylinders (with an equalizer in between) and does not have lock provisions. Not even on the inside as it goes in along a wall. I had it creep out once when cylinder leaked and had to close the valves to keep it in by the good cylinder. Maybe they did not put locks on the shallow slides back then... and I really don't care for it as there is no way I would not notice it creeping in the mirror.

My 2000 Windsor had the manual slide locks, i wonder if your previous owner ditched them.

[Ivan K]

3 hours ago, granvillebarker said:

My 2000 Windsor had the manual slide locks, i wonder if your previous owner ditched them.

You may be right but it would only be possible on the front side of the slide. The rear is not accessible as it slides along a wall and tight to the ceiling. At least as I imagine the manual locks to be used on the inside.