[pestes]

Well, it looks like coach 540 will have all new slide seals soon.

Went to flush the toilet yesterday and it barely hissed when I pulled the handle. Walked outside and I could hear the air hissing out of the bedroom slide seal. Doh.

So I'm trying to assess whether to have someone do the work or try to do it myself. We're at least a few hours away from anyone capable (read: that I trust) of doing it and even of those that I've called, their timelines are pretty far out.

So I'm wondering a couple things:

1. How hard is it to get the slide in? Does the whole bed have to come apart to get to the guts of the slide? I couldn't find the steps to bring the over-retract the slide anywhere. How long does it take?
2. Does anyone know someone in Southern California that has done this or they would trust doing it? I've tried Brian Miller but he is tied up for a few weeks out.

I know the actual seal installation itself is fairly easy, I watched them do the salon seal last year. It's the over-retraction of the slide that's the wildcard for me.

[RussWhite]

Paul,

I sent you a PM. When I get your email I will send documentation.
For others looking here in the future - On Paul and my vintage coach, it is not a bad DIY job at all.
Front slide is more challenging and takes a way to support the slide while the seal is replaced. k The rear slide with the raised floor may be pulled into the coach enough to expose the slide seal.
Russ

[Richard]

Paul,

Having done this with Russ just last week, it is well within your capabilities! Go for it.

[pestes]

Russ, thanks a ton for the pictures and write up!

What's still not clear to me, unfortunately, is exactly what needs to happen under the bed in order to over-retract the slide.

Is it just the long bolt in the middle? Does that activate the limit switch and that's the only thing that needs to change to bring it in?

It's a bit hard to get under the bed at the moment to take a look as we have the slide in and taped up to keep the gnats and dust out.

[pairodice]

Make SURE to use blue painters tape (OR 3M Stucco tape is awesome) so that you only get a little goo on the sides/paint. Even with that on for a month or so I had to use some goo remover to get it all off our coach.

[pestes]

Yep, I have the extra delicate blue tape on there at the moment. No rain in sight, luckily.

When the salon slide seal went last year, I did use extra wide electrical tape because it was over a month t before they could fit us in for the labor and we were in Washington and Oregon, so rain was pretty much guaranteed. There was some residue at the end but the 3M adhesive remover made very short work of it without affecting the finish.

---

Just to add Russ' comments from email on getting the slide retracted:

Here's how to get the slide sucked in to the max.

Retract it about half way.   Get a helper and lift off the valence and set
it aside.
Raise the bed and get access to the removable panel located near the head
of the bed.  Remove the panel.
You should see a limit switch and a mechanical stop that control the
position of the slide in the fully retracted position.
Some how ( I used magic marker ) mark the mechanical stop ( it¹s a bolt
with locks nuts ).  Remove the mechanical stop.
Now remove the two screws holding the ³L² bracket to the slide.  With that
bracket removed, it will no longer contact the limit switch and stop the
retract.

Now the slide will come it until the vertical column touches on the front
of the fixed column near the bedroom door to the front of the coach.
This will be enough room for you to work on the seal.

[pestes]

One other question. For the adhesive - do you run a continuous bead of it in the channel, or is it dobbed on every x inches? I'm presuming a continuous bead but figured I should ask.

[RussWhite]

Continuous and hope that holds!

[pestes]

Ok, I have the slide pulled in now.

However, there is a piece of plastic in the bottom middle of the slide which sits over the seal. This would be the area where the join kit would be used. It almost looks like the end of a glide or something but it did have some sticky stuff on it, like an adhesive residue. I don't think it should be there. Has anyone else seen this before?

   

   

[RussWhite]

Just a guess, but it looks like maybe it has been spliced there before.