[PlazaGuy]

A couple of weeks ago we spent a few days in the Kansas City area shopping and visiting friends/family.  On Saturday night (about 10:00pm) we decided to head for home (we only live about 70 miles from the KC metro area) and the #4 slide (front passenger) would not retract. I made an Emergency Call to Newell and Cressley and Mark both called back with advice. Thinking that this was a voltage problem because I only had about 12.5 volts, I played around with the Inverters (I have 2) and got it up to 14.1.  Also thought that we might be low on hydraulic fluid, so went to get some and while I was gone my wife decided to try to retract the slide and in it came!.  She said it was strictly because it needed "a woman's touch"!

A week a go Thursday I had secured an appointment at Newell. They very quickly told me that they couldn't fix the problem and that I'd have to take it to HWH in Moscow, Iowa, who manufactured the slide.  We got an appointment for last Thursday, was there at 7:00am and the Service Manager said that this was the first 4-slide Newell that he had seen.  It has 7 Modules so he had to "think about this a while."  (The reason he had never seen a 4-slide coach was that it was shortly after our coach was built that Newell went to the Vlad Slide.) He called an Engineer to come over and I had in the coach a set of plans for the whole slide system. They were able to pin-point the module and check it out and found that one of the modules had a problem, and it was not the module that Newell thought it was.  They pulled the module, sent over to their Engineering/manufacturing department, had it rebuilt and it was back in less than 2 hours.  I also told them about my problems I was having with the Leveling System.  They identified some problems, replaced a hydraulic line, and discovered problems with the magnets that lock the pins on the #1 Slide, repositioned the magnets, made more adjustments and got the Leveling System working like it should.  Also got lights on the Control Panel for the Leveling System working.

They worked on the coach from 7:00am until a little after 4:00pm, fixed everything that I told them was wrong and the charges were about 1/2 what I was expecting.  If anybody has HWH Slides on their coach and have problems, my recommendation would be to take a trip to Moscow, Iowa and see the guys at HWH.  What a wonderful experience to have the people that built the system and understand work on it.  I also asked them what they charged to replace a bladder on the slide and they gave us an estimate of $2400 - $2500, which is 40% Less than what we just paid at Newell.

[pairodice]

Great info! Thanks for sharing that! Iowa is not that far away from us, maybe I will bring the coach by and have them check everything out...

[PlazaGuy]

Need some opinions.  We've been in Brownsville, TX for almost a month and a few days ago I noticed a "breeze" when sitting on the couch in the #1 slide (front on drivers side).  In checking on the outside I found the bladder was flat.  The air gage for #1 slide was at "0".  I have a shut-off valve on that valve assembly.  I shut it off and turn it back on and there is a sound of air, but the pressure gage stays at "0".  

I don't know if the air line has come off a nipple or perhaps that vacuum is engaged somehow.  I have taken the line off the bladder side of the valve and air is coming through. If I put my finger up to block the airflow, the gage goes all the way over to the peg, so I know that there is a goodly amount of air going through...BUT...I cannot see and do not know how you get to that nipple or however it's connected.  I have brought the slide in to where the floor drops and can see underneath from inside but the airline just seems to go up into a frame rail and I can't see anything.  

How does one get to that connection?   Any ideas, guys?

[rheavn]

Ed,
I would call Newell.  Much of the salon slide mechanism is accessed through the basement compartment ceiling.  Removing the tape & insulation board gives access.  I have done this, but was not trying to locate the air bladder connection.  If it is accessed through the ceiling Newell should be able to tell you which compartment.

Let us know what you find out................................

[rheavn]

Ed,
Did you ever find where the bladder connection was and how to access it?

Did you solve your problem?

What was the solution?

[PlazaGuy]

Ed,
Did you ever find where the bladder connection was and how to access it?

Did you solve your problem?

What was the solution?

Sorry we've not replied.  Had tons of company down here.  Did call Newell, talked to Mark and discussed the problem. I thought perhaps a connection had come loose, but it appears that the connection is built into the bladder.  Our connection to the bladder is good so apparently there is a break in the seal someplace.  However, fortunately for us there has been no rain in South Texas so haven't had a problems with water coming in.  We have an appointment at Newell on March the 30th, which will coincide with our trip home to Butler,  to get the bladder fixed. The weather is beautiful here, hate to go home, but at the same time I get anxious to start mowing the yard. (See how boring my life is!)

[rheavn]

Glad to hear you have identified your issue & have a solution. South Texas is having some weather tonight, I hope all is well.

[pairodice]

How will the slide room work while going down the road without the bladder? I guess it locks in but you might want to make sure it is really locked.

[encantotom]

the locks are not really necessary for securing the slide in. so says newell and hwh.

the bladder for sure is not strong enough to hold it at all

the hydraulic cylinders hold it in

tom

[Chester Stone]

This may be obvious, but I sure would avoid any rain.