Gap in seal on top of slide

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halfwright

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Feb 27, 2013
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Last Night, we had a blowing rain coming at the living room slide on our 2007 Montana 342PHT. There was a slight leak in the middle ceiling of the slide. Today, I went on top and looked at the slide.
On the ends, for about 18 inches the rubber seal is making good contact with the slide roof. There is a gradual taper, until in the middle of the slide, there is about a 3/8 inch gap between the seal and the roof. The roof is solid with no soft spots or tears in the rubber roof. Could the slide have dropped in the middle? If so, what is the fix? And, what would cause it? The only way I see to fix it is to crib up a hydraulic jack in the living room and try to push it back into position. Please help me before I do something stupid.
 
I don't see how the slide could "drop", unless the floor & sidewall frame underneath has also dropped.  Or the top of the slide itself is caved in. Lay a straight edge across it to see.

Typically the rubber you can see on the outside top is just a wiper blade to keep debris from coming inside with the slide. The real seal is inside, where the inner flange presses against the interior sidewall. The top outer rubber may also function as the seal when the slide is closed, i.e. the outer flange presses against to outside wall. Details vary, though, and I have no specific knowledge of your slide construction technique.
 
I"m not sure if this would be a solution for you or not but it has worked for me on freezer door seal and a shower seal where gaps occurred.  I used a tube of silicon waterproof sealant and made a bead of silicon in the area of the leak.  Then I placed a film of handi-wrap over the sealant and closed the doors.  The silicon took the shape it needed to fill the gap and squeezed out of the area that didn't need filling.  I left the handi-wrap on two days to make sure the silicon was set.  Then I removed the handi-wrap as it didn't stick to the silicon.  I closed the doors and had my seal back.
 
I measured on the inside of the slide and the center was 1 and 1/4  inches lower than the ends. With cribbing consisting of a 20lb propane tank, the orange plastic squares for blocking your trailer, and a 3 ft. 2X6, I managed to put a hydraulic jack in the middle of the slide overhead. It is now 1/4 inch lower than the ends. There was some discussion about the lineage, offspring, and whether or not the supreme being loved the entire apparatus. I recommend that you do not try this at home.
 
halfwright said:
I measured on the inside of the slide and the center was 1 and 1/4  inches lower than the ends. With cribbing consisting of a 20lb propane tank, the orange plastic squares for blocking your trailer, and a 3 ft. 2X6, I managed to put a hydraulic jack in the middle of the slide overhead. It is now 1/4 inch lower than the ends. There was some discussion about the lineage, offspring, and whether or not the supreme being loved the entire apparatus. I recommend that you do not try this at home.

Heh heh, Did it stay  that way one all was again disassembled?? If so, what bent??? Is there a center track underneath that could be 'adjusted' ?
 
Stu,

I think the aluminum cross member had bent down.  It is 12 ft. long with no support, just  a big empty hole.  After I settle in for the winter in New Mexico, I will take it apart and look at doing a permanent fix.
 

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