When we purchased our coach it was noted that both slides had problems but the front slide was worse and took first priority now we have pretty much gone through everything that was priority we started on the rear slide, we followed the instructions here about removing the retract switch and bolt then moved the slide a couple inches more into the rear we did this with no problem and thanks for that information. Our rear seal had a slight air leak from where they cut and crimped the ends and to our amazement and happiness it doesn't need replacement, they failed to put sealant on the ends and didn't tighten the allen head screw very tight so we saved $1600+. The problem was water intrusion into the electrical bay where the cable is stored as water runs between the skin of the coach and by the frame then back to the hole in the top of the electrical bay. Replacing all the rivets around the outside of the slide really helped but now I see that the sealant or sticky tape over the years have left a gap and an easy way for water to get in and it must be resealed. We pulled the seal from the guide and will removed the lower part of the guide to clean the rust off then re-glue the guide back to the bottom part. I am not fond of Newells thought pattern on seals and where the water is to go when it rains but it is what it is.
Before I drive over to Newell to purchase that glue used to adhere the seal to the track does anyone know what the name of that stuff is? I might be able to save a 100 mile round trip.
You can buy almost anywhere, just not in the caulk style cartridge. Also known as shoe goo.
In later year coaches, you will see in the corners of the slide out opening, that Newell machines slots into the outer skin to allow the water somewhere to drain, rather inside the coach.
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home )
Just as a point of interest, water intrusion caused the base of the wear pads to deteriorate enough that the skin of the rear slide was touching the fixed coach skin. I jacked the slide up and removed the wear pad and used a bore scope to reveal the substrate steel gone!
Cut a piece of 3/4 thick flat stock, to pad size, and matched the pin holes on one side and machined pins on the other.
This drawing might be easier to understand
The thick spacer with male pins and female bores was fished into place and the wear pad was then placed on top. The result was a bit over sized but not enough to cause any issues. I believe this was caused by the exact issue Jack eluded to!
Gordon that is what I'm going to have to do, we noticed that the stainless slides were almost touching the side of the skin.
Last night we had three inches of rain at least and we sealed off the slide in the coach with duct tape yet this morning when I checked the electrical compartment and it was wet. I'm uncertain where this water is coming from. Did you find where your water was coming in?
I just walked out and looked for where the water was coming from and it struck me that the trim allows water to funnel to the end where it is open and drain into the seal area. I hope this is it!
Gordon I'm going to use your creation to raise the rear slide, great idea thanks.
Thank you Simon, you know what Ann Richards said "You can put lipstick on a hog and call it Maggie but its still a pig".
Rear slide has all new derlin slide pads and there is one that concerns, its the one bolted to the wood floor, the others are supported by metal including the one that has the hydraulic cylinder, replacing those was a challenge. Top of the cylinder was easy but the ones on the side was tough, you must bend the metal tube in order to get the bushing in there then bend it back with damaging the ram. I'm thinking of removing the one bolted to the wood floor it really hasn't been supporting anything for sometime.
We pulled the lower part of the seal track and taking off all the rust off from the track and the metal tubing for which it is adhered to. I think I will drill a few holes so water can drain out the absence of drains has caused far to many problems. Thoughts anyone?
I need to take the headboard out to replace the window seal I don't think its leaking but want to do it while we are working in the area, any advice?
We finished the rear slide repair and hopefully made some improvements over the original design. Do all Newell coach of this era have rivets around the rear slide? I think early on our coach has had some major work done to that area perhaps at the factory but our rear slide is surrounded by rivets I've replaced most of them around the slide when I did the rivet repair to the panels between the front and rear slides. Water has been entering the coach from between the outside panel and the frame that it is attached and from under the seal track where it was not adhered to for years and then going back to the the hole in the shore power box and draining out. Someone tried to fix this with a lot of silicon rubber and did nothing more than make a mess. In the pictures you will see where I used a die grinder to cut a slot out of the opening on the bottom front and rear of the slide, I know this is not pretty but water has to be able to exit that opening and I hope this will do it. We re-attached the seal track to the frame with 3m 5200 then took a wire wheel and cleaned all the old sealant from opening and re-sealed it with 5200. Cleaning the old glue out of the track was a pain in the neck then we reinstalled the old seal using 6000 shoe goo, I had that stuff all over my arms and hands.
While we were at it the coach came with a few small holes in the top of the slide from the slide locks being out of time so I did the repair the same way we did the front slide. Bondo is a wonderful thing. Notice what I found in one of the holes, some one used a plastic plug with putty.
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