Slide locks

[MHRookie]

Monaco Dynasty…

has anyone gotten advice to remove slide locks to fix a clearance issue with slideout?

How’s it working??

I’m not real comfortable with that advice.

Curious…
 

 

[Cousin Eddie]

To clarify, are you considering permanently removing the slide locks to fix a clearance issue? You probably don’t need to do that.

I had a similar “clearance” issue on my 2003 Dynasty that was caused by…ME! I replaced the locks once, and then again damaged the replaced locks before I decided to read the owners manual for recommended procedure for extending and retracting the LR slide. I *was* leveling the coach first, then extending the slide. On departure I retracted the slide while still level (ie still on the jacks). That’s wrong for my coach (with 3 point hydraulic jacks). Once I changed the procedure to extend and retract while the coach is still aired up (no jacks), the “clearance” issue corrected itself! That opening is big enough for everything to work without damaging the slide locks if done according to the owners manual. 

[CMillet86]

I had to remove my front because it had gotten caught at one point and were all bent up. I tried straightening them with no luck. I’ve had no issues over the last year that way. I’m not paying $3000 for a new pair. 

[MHRookie]

This is the LR Hyd HWH slide system.  I level coach as outlined in book.  Over time front part of slide has relaxed and needs lifted to keep slide locks from damaging slide wiper seal.  It was recommended to remove the slide locks. 
still not real comfortable with that idea.  I know it’s Hydraulically secured but the top half can still move around.  
just wondering if others have removed them and how it’s going.

[Ivan K]

Is it a deep slide? I have shallow slide that never had any lock provisions. As long as the hydraulic system is tight, it does not move. It was problematic when I had a leak.

[MHRookie]

6 hours ago, Ivan K said:

Is it a deep slide? I have shallow slide that never had any lock provisions. As long as the hydraulic system is tight, it does not move. It was problematic when I had a leak.

Ivan, yes it’s deep.  Extended is 31 inches total.

[Raymond]

Better NOT! Those slide locks are exactly that, they lock the top of the slide in place—especially when negotiating a turn/curve while in motion. On our way to Cocoa Beach (Florida) we witnessed the value of those slide “locks”. A Monaco coach, don’t recall model, was on the side of the road with its left front (driver’s side) slide laying face down on the roadway along with personal contents scattered around. 
The place to have them repaired is Stone Vos,  Martin has a source for the internal mechanisms- it an easy repair if the flanges have not been cut off by a totally uncaring or clueless RV shop. Don’t loose your locks—just saying.

Ray W. 

[Donflem]

On 5/18/2023 at 6:13 AM, Cousin Eddie said:

To clarify, are you considering permanently removing the slide locks to fix a clearance issue? You probably don’t need to do that.

I had a similar “clearance” issue on my 2003 Dynasty that was caused by…ME! I replaced the locks once, and then again damaged the replaced locks before I decided to read the owners manual for recommended procedure for extending and retracting the LR slide. I *was* leveling the coach first, then extending the slide. On departure I retracted the slide while still level (ie still on the jacks). That’s wrong for my coach (with 3 point hydraulic jacks). Once I changed the procedure to extend and retract while the coach is still aired up (no jacks), the “clearance” issue corrected itself! That opening is big enough for everything to work without damaging the slide locks if done according to the owners manual. 

I need to read my manual because I too level then slide with my 3 slide system.

Don

[Tom Wallis]

My manual says to slide first and then level. There have been a couple of times when I had a clearance problem because I did it the opposite way.

[Cousin Eddie]

The attached images are from the 2002 Dynasty manual, which is the same as the 2003 manual (I’ve owned both an ‘02 and an ‘03 Dynasty). 

[jacwjames]

I have electric power gear slide in the front, so different then the hydraulic.  The electric motor has a lock you can release to move it in an emergency.  Last year I had a problem and I had to move so I released the lock moved the slide and I thought I reengaged the lock but I didn't.  Took it on a short trip and when I got back home the slide did start to come out a little but the Dewald locks held it in place.  Not telling what would have happened the Dewald locks had been removed, my guess I'd have been driving down the road with my slide fully extended. 

[Guest Ray Davis]

3 hours ago, Raymond said:

A Monaco coach, don’t recall model, was on the side of the road with its left front (driver’s side) slide laying face down on the roadway along with personal contents scattered around. 

That's what I call a bad day,  it would totally ruin your trip.  Maybe enough people stopped & helped pick it up to move off of the road.   The insurance co probably owns the coach now.   I saw a MOHO with straps & hooks on each side of the slide and sunken eyes on the floor to hook the straps to.

[Raymond]

3 hours ago, Cousin Eddie said:

The attached images are from the 2002 Dynasty manual, which is the same as the 2003 manual (I’ve owned both an ‘02 and an ‘03 Dynasty). 

Interesting that there is such confusion on extending/retracting the slides. When slides are not extended properly there are many unsavory consequences including misalignment over time and interior gaps when the slide is fully seated. The easiest way to think about and remember it, is that the slide needs to be extended in the same manner as to how it was originally installed. The slide was set into place on a ride height chassis—and therein it needs to be retracted on a ride height chassis. This is consistent with the manual on the Dynasty. Leveling is for comfort and appliance efficiency practicality. Ride height “extend” and ride height “retract”. 

[MHRookie]

Marked a solution as to keep locks installed.

post morphed into extending/retracting slides & original topic is mute at this point.  
 

thanks everyone!

[Steve Merritt]

Kurt I have a 2006 Executive and I can tell you from experience some things that will happen if you remove the slide lock.

It will move more than you will expect and make a lot of squeaking noises doing down the road and it will pop A LOT in mountain curves it will cause marks scratching and even gouges in the floor it will leak water during moderate rain and a lot during pouring rain and it will flood the inside going through a commercial truck wash, Blue Beacon to be exact, it will rapidly deteriorate the top seal and make all of the aforementioned things worse even faster. I know this because my cables were both broke when I bought it and did not know it as this is the first coach I have owned that has them and I put up with all these issues for 2 years before I met a man who used to work for Monaco on assembly floor and knew they were broke as soon as I told him what I was going through. Fixing them has been the best thing and money ever spent for us. I would never consider removing them ever.

[jacwjames]

11 hours ago, Steve Merritt said:

Kurt I have a 2006 Executive and I can tell you from experience some things that will happen if you remove the slide lock.

It will move more than you will expect and make a lot of squeaking noises doing down the road and it will pop A LOT in mountain curves it will cause marks scratching and even gouges in the floor it will leak water during moderate rain and a lot during pouring rain and it will flood the inside going through a commercial truck wash, Blue Beacon to be exact, it will rapidly deteriorate the top seal and make all of the aforementioned things worse even faster. I know this because my cables were both broke when I bought it and did not know it as this is the first coach I have owned that has them and I put up with all these issues for 2 years before I met a man who used to work for Monaco on assembly floor and knew they were broke as soon as I told him what I was going through. Fixing them has been the best thing and money ever spent for us. I would never consider removing them ever.

This is a good point.  Really the only way to know if the internals of the Dewald lock are in working condition is to take the cover off and inspect.

For years I had read that the proper way to lubricate the slide lock was from the top.  Some people recommended using liberal amount of spray and others said to dump a quantity of oil down from the top.    I chose the spray and did this every year.

In 2021 I decided to remove the locks and do an inspection and lube.  My locks are a little different, I don't have the rivets on the front to remove the cover.  I had to remove the whole slide lock to work on it.  There is one screw at the top that hold the lock along with a slotted backing plate that mates to the mounting plate on the side of the slide.   I removed the single screw (on one side it was missing) and used a block of wood and hammer to move the slide lock up, once it was loose from the slotted holders I simply lifted it off and moved it to a work bench.  On the back there were ~20 small allen head screws that I removed to take the cover off and this exposed the cables, springs, and roller.  At the top there was a type of "sheild" that prevented stuff from getting into the area, this resulted in very little if any of the spray that I'd been doing getting to the cables, rollers, and springs.  I cleaned everything thoroughly and then lubed it with a good spray.  Put everything back together and then put the locks back on the side of the coach.  Probably 1 hour per side. 

So if you haven't looked at the slide locks I'd suggest you do so.