[xGE_97]

I'm visiting a Canadian friend that is new to Newells. He has a 2010 coach with a 16 foot long living room slide and it leaks. I'm not listing his name or coach number, at his wish. We narrowed the leak down to the middle of the slide where the seal rests against the slide's outer skin. The seal is inflated but does not seem to seal well in the center. I can watch water well up along the inside of the sealing area, eventually dripping over. There are two tabs on the top inboard edge of the slide. Each one is about 4 to 5 feet in from the side. It looks like these tabs go into spots in the top of the slide opening. My guess is that these keep the slide roof from sagging. The tabs appear to be solid. I can't move them by hand. The tabs are about 1/4" thick, so I think they don't bend easily. Since the slide is in, I can't tell if or how hard they touch structure.
My temporary solution for him would be to find some 1/16" thick vinyl strip and stick it to the top of the slide with 3M tape, such that the slide seal keeps water out. This would get him to Newell on his way home at some point. Thoughts, anyone?

[folivier]

On my 1998 #486 I had the same or similar problem. Yes those 2 tabs are supposed to lift the slide slightly to make a good seal at the top when the slide is extended fully. After lots of head scratching we figured out that sometimes one or both wouldn't engage and the tab would go under the slot pushing the slide down creating a gap on the top of the slide allowing rain to leak in. Tom and I tried adjusting the angle of the tabs after we removed the long bar but weren't successful. Ended up going to Newell and they were able to get it adjusted correctly.
Once you remove the valence you'll see the bar and 2 tabs/slots.
Good luck!

[xGE_97]

Forrest,

Thanks!! I don't know how to take the valance off. I'll look tomorrow when I go back. Yeah, the tabs look meaty. I thought that was their purpose. They don't move. If its not raining, we'll put the slide back out and I'll be able to check the tabs and how they seat. Maybe the temporary fix is to wrap the tab in a thin aluminum sleeve.

[Richard]

           

So………….As Newell added more decoration to the ceiling the sagging issue increased.

Your diagnosis is correct. You can try adding a few pounds to the pressure regulator on the slide seal, but that probably will not correct.

Here was my solution. I first went down the path of adding more meat and angle to the existing tab before I figured out there was a better fix. This will make more sense if looking at the sketches.

First thing to understand is the “hook” slides into a cutout in the channel structure of the slide opening. Because the hook is tapered it moves upward as the hook pushes into the slide out. Because the channel is only so deep, the length of the hook cannot exceed the depth of the channel.

My fix was to fabricate an insert of 1/4 plate steel that fit into the channel. The insert has an opposing ramp to double the lift range as the hook slides up the ramp. Seems easy enough. But given the force on the insert, I feared it would slide out as the room retracted, even if epoxied in place. It could be tack welded, but I did not my MIG unit with me on the road to safely do this.

The approach I used was to make the insert in two pieces. Look carefully at the top view of the insert. The upper and lower ears are the width of the inside of the channel. The ramp section extends to the leading edge of the original opening cut into the channel. If fitted carefully, place one of the insert halves into the channel and force against the bottom of the channel. Then put the second halve into the opening and force downward. If fabricated correctly the two halves will fit snugly into the existing opening in the channel and lock into place.

[Latitude 28]

Bob,
We had the same problem on our Salon Slide.  As Forest said, once the valance is off you will see the hook(s) that are suppose to engage the stationary frame.  On my slide the hook (in my case just one) was welded to a long bar that was the length of the slide attached to the slide with sheet metal screws.  With the slide retracted I removed the steel bar....you could sight down the slide and see a swag to it.  See this post as to my fix....https://newellgurus.com/showthread.php?tid=5101&highlight=salon+and+slide+and+leak.  In the area where you have the deepest swag you may want to add a few extra structural screws like I used.....picked them up from Ace Hardware.

[folivier]

As my memory comes back, when extending my slide from inside you could see the top of the slide lift up slightly when the tabs were correctly engaged. If not it would drop slightly.
We were in Canada when this happened and it was a couple months before we were able to get to Newell. So we occasionally weren't able to extend that slide. I didn't ask Newell what was their fix since we had a few other things getting fixed.

[xGE_97]

Gurus,

Thanks everybody!! I'll check it all out. Richard!! Thanks for the design!! sounds like a good and permanent fix. Steve and Forrest, sounds like the bar and screws are a good area to check. Do the screws bolt into aluminum? The tabs on this guy's slide did not feel loose. I grabbed them and pulled/pushed. Did yours feel loose when they needed help?

[Latitude 28]

My tabs and steel bar was not loos just sagged.  IMO the sheet metal screws were not big enough in diameter to handle the load hence adding a few of the structural screws in addition to replacing the rest of the sheet metal screws.  Of coarse the screws are installed after the sag is corrected.  Those type screws, with a clearance hole drilled and counter sunk in the steel bar.  The screws will drill and thread themselves into the aluminum with a solid bite.

[xGE_97]

Ok, I was over at my friend's coach for a few minutes. He had some other appointments. So I looked at the pockets where the tabs mate and they are about 1/2" high. Since the slide was in, I couldn't really measuren anything or watch them mate. It'll have to be when I can get back there.

[xGE_97]

Ok. I'm visiting friends in another city for a couple of weeks. I won't be back to my leaky  friend's coach for a couple of weeks. See ya then........