Squealing slide out

[J&BJordan]

Our living room slide squeals going in and out. It's the through frame type. I have sprayed lubricant where the gears are and on the cylinder shaft. That helps for a couple of cycles, but does not completely eliminate the squeal. Suggestions?

[Cate&Rob]

Our living room slide squeals going in and out. It's the through frame type. I have sprayed lubricant where the gears are and on the cylinder shaft. That helps for a couple of cycles, but does not completely eliminate the squeal. Suggestions?

Hi J&B,

Welcome to the Grand Design Owners Forum!

The slide squeal that you describe is not uncommon. We have experienced this from time to time on our Reflection. The square tubes that the toothed racks are attached to carry the weight of the slide and travel in "upside down U" tubes. The squeal is coming from the continuous contact between these two parts. The gears and the cross shaft between them do not drive the slide in and out, they just keep the two toothed racks aligned with each other.

The best way to lubricate the entire area that squeals is to drop the underbelly coroplast and spray lube the entire contact area indicated by the dotted lines and the arrows in the attached pictures. But there is another way (as demonstrated to me by the GDRV Service Techs at a Rally) These guys swear by CRC PowerLube for just about anything on your RV. I have learned to use it everywhere as well. The technique is to spray this into the gaps indicated as the slide is drawn in. You may have to repeat this several times to get the noise to go away . . . but, once it does it should stay quiet for several months before you need to repeat this process.

Rob

[JeffC]

Hi J&B,

Welcome to the Grand Design Owners Forum!

The slide squeal that you describe is not uncommon. We have experienced this from time to time on our Reflection. The square tubes that the toothed racks are attached to carry the weight of the slide and travel in "upside down U" tubes. The squeal is coming from the continuous contact between these two parts. The gears and the cross shaft between them do not drive the slide in and out, they just keep the two toothed racks aligned with each other.

The best way to lubricate the entire area that squeals is to drop the underbelly coroplast and spray lube the entire contact area indicated by the dotted lines and the arrows in the attached pictures. But there is another way (as demonstrated to me by the GDRV Service Techs at a Rally) These guys swear by CRC PowerLube for just about anything on your RV. I have learned to use it everywhere as well. The technique is to spray this into the gaps indicated as the slide is drawn in. You may have to repeat this several times to get the noise to go away . . . but, once it does it should stay quiet for several months before you need to repeat this process.

Rob

I was told to use the PTFE version of the product. Does that make any difference?

[Cate&Rob]

I was told to use the PTFE version of the product. Does that make any difference?

Hi Jeff,

I went through a couple of iterations on trying to get rid of the squeal. First advice was to use graphite spray . . . that didn't work. So, I cleaned that off and at a GDRV Rally, the technicians used the CRC Powerlube "Multi Purpose" . . . so, I keep using this same stuff and it works. More recently, I did hear reference (at another GDRV Rally) to using the version with PTFE which is the generic name for brand name Teflon. I have no direct experience with this . . . maybe someone who has can chime in?

Rob

[Country Campers]

A dry lube is what I use , with PTFE. Using regular grease or something like WD40 will attract dirt, dust, or road grime that can cause the slide to not operate smoothly. I spray mine about 3 or 4 times a year. The dry lube does not seem to last as long as a good gob of grease , it would be nice to use grease.

Brian

[J&BJordan]

Thank you Cate&Rob and Country Campers! Good info! It would appear that where I have been spraying has been accomplishing something in the right direction by accident. I have actually sprayed those rails a couple of times as well, just not realizing that there was contact happening in there.

[Trahanp]

I just had a squealing sound coming from the drivers side slide on our 2020 Reflection 295RL and I lubricated the slide mechanisms as shown and it did nothing. The squeal sounded like it was coming from the inside??
I had a look from the inside with the slide out and found a couple sets of rollers and used dry silicone spray on them and put the slide in and out a couple times and the noise went away.

I will I’ll have to go and get a case of the CRC lube you guys mentioned.

[howson]

Always have a can with me!

[SBARLAG]

PTFE and Teflon are the same products. Teflon is PTFE but by another name. Teflon is the trademarked brand name for PTFE owned by Chemours, and just as we call our vacuums Hoovers and sticky tape Sellotape, so we’ve come to know PTFE by the name it was given.

[SolitudeAtLast]

Where do you buy the CRC Power Lube?

[howson]

Where do you buy the CRC Power Lube?

Any RV dealer will carry it. Of course there's the Almighty Online Retailer....

[OurNewEra]

Where do you buy the CRC Power Lube?

The mighty A or mighty W. They sell individual cans and also multi packs of different lube products.

[Canyonlight]

Where do you buy the CRC Power Lube?

Doug - none of our local RV dealers had it nor did the "mighty W" or other big box stores. Not sure how wide spread Fastenal stores are in the country but that is where I bought a can about a couple months ago. It cost a few dollars more than the "mighty A" but keeping money locally is always nice.

Dan

[SolitudeAtLast]

Thank you all. Now to go find it.