Kitchen slide binding

[Sbourgon]

Hi so we have a 2020 Montana 3931FB legacy, kitchen slide has started to bind and hop or skip.
First rv tech told us change rollers as teeth were broken. Changed roller and cog, still same problem tech then said need to square up top of inner tube have seen these repairs before they have a braket to solve this problem. Installed those and still same issue. Now it seems they say that the arms themselves are bowed or bent? Anyone else have this issue?

[jsb5717]

Looks like you have an excessive amount of rust. Can that be a factor?

[Sbourgon]

He said not really, but at this point who knows. This is the third tech looking at it. I would need a lippert factory rep to confirm but last tech mentioned weight of residential refrigerator, stove, pantry and TV and fireplace may be too heavy.

[jsb5717]

I'm not at all an expert on slides, and I don't have your setup. But I find it hard to believe that the weight of OEM installed appliances is the issue. Those same appliances and features are in thousands of different slides with all the different mechanisms that have all been working just fine for years.

I wouldn't waste time on weight. But hopefully someone will jump in with more insight into your rig or this type of slide mechanism.

[jsb5717]

Final thought...I can tell you that we did have a similar issue with our kitchen slide. Ours is a cable slide system that came with a wear bar on the bottom for the slide to "glide" on. No rollers. It eventually started skipping a bit as the wear bar started to "wear".

I added some rollers to take some weight off of the wear bar and the problem is solved. I can't tell what carries the weight of your slide...rollers, wear bar, slide mechanism itself...but thought I'd mention our issue for comparison.

[jsb5717]

OK, one more thought. The slide mechanism isn't a Montana thing...it's a Lippert thing. You might just give them a call to see if they can offer any insight. They are typically very helpful and will take the time to chat with you about it.

[Sbourgon]

Yes I've been thinking of that as well. From my understanding there is a nylon wear or slide bar inside the rv to slide on. At this point waiting to hear from lippert on there recommendation.

[Our3231CK]

We had an issue like your describing on our 2017. Long story short it was the locking nuts on the ends of the hydraulic rods in the underbelly. Somehow they had been backing off. Dropped the chloroplast, found 1 nut. Ended up purchasing another and some blue thread seize. Checked and fixed all 3 slides which only had 1 nut and not 2 to lock them. Never had an issue after that.

[LeftOverParts]

Our unit is in storage right now so I don’t have a reference for the kitchen slide but is the silver bracketry around the gear and circled bolt normal? It looks like it was added. I do have a picture of the living room slide gears and they do not have it.

[Carl n Susan]

That "clamp" is an add on to correct cases where the square tube has "crowned" up on the top edge. The "crowning" allows the ram driven arm to jump teeth on the gear box. I believe it is a Lippert provided solution.


Post #40 in Thread https://www.montanaowners.com/forums....php?p=1252383 has a picture of the Lippert clamp. This discussion may be of help as some have used washers to correct the "jumping".

[Kyle and Lisa]

We went thru the same thing, repair bracket and all, did not work. Finally found an rv repair place that had delt with this issue many times,they welded a 'new' spacer washer on both slides in each corner for $300.00 a slide works great, better than
new when we picked up the rig!!!

[Daryles]

As Carl mentioned above, "Crowning" (bowing of the outside metal tube, will cause the gear teeth to skip.
Make sure you have black plastic spacers on the top of the outer tube. The inner tube slides against them. Make sure you lubricate along where this rubs.
Picture shows a "crowned" (bowed) outer tube.
Picture is upside down, sorry.

[Mikendebbie]

Daryles - what lubricant is recommended for use on top of the slide tube??

[Daryles]

Lippert recommends Dry lubricant (lithium grease).
I use PTFE spray on lube.
Spray on, it evaporates and leaves the dry teflon lubricate behind.
Same for the moving parts of the slide (gear axle).
Believe it or not, in their video they do NOT recommend putting lube on the gear track or gear teeth. I guess they fear the teeth slipping and jumping track and getting the slide out of alignment.

[ChuckS]

My slides are all hydraulic.. My Four door RM1350 fridge and couch are in one slide.. My unit is a 2014.. the slide does not bind, does not squeal, etc even with the fridge and freezer packed to the gills..
** the wife always puts at last another 50 lbs of "Stuff" on the couch as well so there is a lot of weight on that hyd slide out

I would look at the side to side and Vertical alignment first. Then .. inspect both gear packs and guide bars for any issues..

** the guide bar teeth should be centered and track in the center of the gear pack teeth during all motion...

As others stated check the top of the frame mounted guide bar slot for evidence of crowning ( if bowed up it will let guide bar raise up and the teeth wont mesh properly in the gearpack teeth )..

The "Wear pads" are present on the sides and top section..

On the Guide bar itself at the end that passes thru the frame slot is a roller.. This roller rides inside the tube ( one for each guide bar ) and if it is damaged, etc the guide bars will bind up inside the frame guide slot...

[ChuckS]

If you have a crowned guide bar tube here is the proper way to repair the issue

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd-0002436.pdf

[ChuckS]

This link will illustrate the inner tube roller and wear tabs I mentioned above

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd_0002084.pdf

[ChuckS]

Last this link will show you the complete parts breakdown on the entire thru the frame hydrauilc slide

https://lci-support-doc.s3.amazonaws...cd-0003951.pdf

[pitman44]

Originally Posted by Daryles

Lippert recommends Dry lubricant (lithium grease).
I use PTFE spray on lube.
Spray on, it evaporates and leaves the dry teflon lubricate behind.
Same for the moving parts of the slide (gear axle).
Believe it or not, in their video they do NOT recommend putting lube on the gear track or gear teeth. I guess they fear the teeth slipping and jumping track and getting the slide out of alignment.

FWIW lithium grease isn’t a dry lubricant. I think the reason why you want a dry lube is so dirt and dust don’t build up in those components.

To the OP, we had the “skipping noise” with a cable slide with the nylon bar underneath. I spayed PTFE on that glide a few times letting it dry in between applications. Then reapplied every few months. That took care of it for us.

[dfb]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

I'm not at all an expert on slides, and I don't have your setup. But I find it hard to believe that the weight of OEM installed appliances is the issue. Those same appliances and features are in thousands of different slides with all the different mechanisms that have all been working just fine for years.

I wouldn't waste time on weight. But hopefully someone will jump in with more insight into your rig or this type of slide mechanism.

Our slide is the large with tv, oven, stove, pantry, refer, etc. It is way under built. We have has so many problems with the hydraulic slide.. Look under neath and see how small the metal frame on th3 slide is. A suggestion is to bring it somewhere to adjust and beef up the frame. Good luck.