RV’s two smaller slide rooms retract but larger kitchen one will not

Hi, Dave,
My Teton has three slides with a single hydraulic pump with three valves. The bedroom and dining slide rooms work fine but the kitchen slide room will not retract. It is the heavy one with fridge and other appliances. Any ideas? Thanks. —Herb, 2003 39′ Teton Experience 5th wheel

Hi, Herb,
Back in 2003 there were typically two hydraulic mechanisms available, HWH and Power Gear. Looking at some of the walk-around footage on websites, it looks as though your rig used the Power Gear hydraulic slide mechanism as well as the leveling jacks. The same motor runs all the slides and the leveling jacks by pushing hydraulic fluid to the desired mechanism.

What to check

As with any RV slide room troubleshooting, I recommend plugging the unit into a verified 120-volt power source so the converter/charger will be providing a full 13.2 volts of power to the motor. If you are trying to retract the larger slide while dry camping, the batteries may be sulfated and too weak to handle the high amp draw of the larger, heavier slide room. Also, make sure the unit is level and secured as an uneven foundation could cause too much restriction with a twisted frame.

If the situation is the same with the unit plugged in and level, the next item I would check is 12-volt power from the switch to the motor. When you press the retract button, do you hear the motor trying to retract or even a click? If there is nothing, I would start with the switch, which might be bad or has an open circuit going to the motor.

Next, check that the room will actually retract manually by using the manual override procedure listed in the owner’s manual. This consists of the following:

Manually overriding your slideout system

Your Power Gear slideout system is equipped with a manual override that allows you to extend or retract the room in the event of a loss of power.

NOTE: If the RV slide room does not move when the switch is pressed, make sure

• the slideout system is turned on;
• the battery is fully charged and connected;
• the transit bars are removed (if so equipped).

After the previous items have been checked and the room still does not move when the slideout switch is pressed, follow these steps to manually override your slideout room:

1. Turn “OFF” the on/off switch or key (if so equipped). NOTE: The override will not work if the switch is turned on.

2. Locate the slideout electrical controller (refer to your dealer or RV manufacturer for location). There are two versions of the controller. For version 1, unplug the 6-pin wiring harness from the controller. For version 2, remove one of the motor leads, either the motor I or motor II lead, from the controller.

3. Locate the slideout motor (Fig. 4 below). It will be mounted to one of the slideout rails. NOTE: If the RV has an underbelly or a cover over the motor, these parts must be removed to access the motor.

4. Rotate the brake lever, on the backside of the motor, counter-clockwise (looking from the rear of the motor) about 1/8 of a turn to the released position. Refer to Fig. 3 below. This will release the brake that holds the room in place.

5. Locate the manual override for the slideout system. Refer to Fig. 4 below.

6. The room is now free to move. Using either a 5/8” or 3/4” wrench or socket, crank the room either in or out completely (depending on your needs). NOTE: If the slideout system is supplied with a gearbox override (optional), use the crank handle to move the room.

7. When the room is fully in (or out) apply pressure to the wrench/ratchet and return the brake lever to its engaged position. This will ensure the room is locked into a sealed position.

8. Install the transit bars to the slideout room (if so equipped) and take the unit to an authorized dealer for service

What the cause could be

If the unit can be retracted manually, it is something in the wiring or possibly air in the hydraulic line that can handle the smaller units, but not the larger one.

If the unit cannot be retracted manually, it is something in the mechanism such as a sheared gear or the room is out of tolerance.

If there is a bow in the floor, the resistance is too great for the motor to retract the room. Same with an out-of-alignment situation of the sidewalls.

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Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”

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