Keep Your RV Slide-Outs Functioning Smoothly

RV slide-outs are pretty amazing. They can totally transform your RV space and make RV life so much more comfortable. In fact, I’m not sure I would purchase an RV without slides at this point. That said, just like any other part of a trailer or motorhome, RV slide-outs do need to be taken care of in order to ensure they function properly for the lifetime of the RV. 

The good news? RV slide-out maintenance is pretty straightforward and easy to DIY, and we’ve always been able to manage this on our own. Here’s what you need to know.

Lubrication

One of the most important things you can do to take care of your RV slide-outs? Keep them well lubricated. You will want to regularly lubricate the slide mechanism, including gears, rails, and rollers. Make sure to avoid grease or heavy oil, as they can attract dirt and debris. Instead, use a dry lubricant designed for RV slides. 

Some of my favorite products for this purpose include:

• 3-in-1 RV Care Slide-Out Lubricant
• Camco Slide-Out Lubricant

That said, you should consult your owner’s manual to make sure you have the right product for your RV before using anything. 

Inspect Seals & Gaskets

When we got our most recent RV we had a bit of a problem with the slide-out seals. They didn’t want to stay in place and were actually melting in places, meaning they left black marks on the slide-out walls when the slide was pulled in. 

Knowing that these seals weren’t going to keep water out for long, I looked into how to fix the problem. The good news? It was super easy to fix and only required that I pull the old seals off their tracks and slide new ones onto the existing tracks. If you notice that your slide seals are either cracked, sliding out of place, or worn, I highly recommend taking half an hour to do the same thing. It might just save you from dealing with water damage down the line. 

Want to slow down the wear and tear on your slide-out seals? Use a rubber conditioner to keep the seals flexible and prevent them from drying out.

Keep It Clean

I’ll admit that I’m not the most diligent when it comes to keeping my RV exterior clean. Washing it is such a daunting task and it always gets messed up again as soon as we move to the next campground. That said, cleaning your slide is important enough that even I will make time for this particular cleaning task.

Most importantly, I make a point of removing any dirt, leaves, or other debris that has gathered on the slide roof before I pull the slide in. Not only does this keep dirt from making its way into my RV, it also helps prevent damage. 

Another part of the slide that needs cleaning are the tracks and rollers. No, this isn’t something I do all the time, but I do try to make time for it every six months or so, as accumulated debris can cause damage over time. 

Avoid Excess Weight

In our old motorhome, we had one slide-out that was constantly getting stuck. We could give it a little push and it would go out, but we knew there had to be an underlying issue. Upon inspection we realized the slide was actually moving unevenly, with one side going out faster than the other, and eventually we determined this was because one end of the slide was weighed down by our built-in wardrobe. 

Unfortunately we discovered all of this too late, and simply removing things from the wardrobe did not solve the problem. We ended up continuing to help the slide move in and out all the way up until we sold the rig, as fixing it would have been incredibly costly. We now make a point of keeping the load in our slide-outs as light as possible to avoid having this issue again. 

Operate on Level Ground

Opening or closing your slide while parked on an uneven surface can cause the same sort of undue stress that weighing it down might cause. This is particularly harmful if you operate the slide on unlevel ground on a regular basis, but really you should always try to keep the RV as level as possible to avoid slide problems (as well as issues with your RV fridge). 

Look for Missing or Out-of-Place Pieces

Another slide-out issue we had at one point? Our slide completely refused to move in at all on one side. The motor would pull one end of the slide in, but the other end just wouldn’t budge. We ended up pushing the stuck side in manually while using the motor to pull the other side in. 

Once we got to a friend who could help troubleshoot, we discovered a bolt was missing from the slide mechanism beneath the floor where our couch was. We replaced the bolt (easier said than done in such a tight space) and the slide worked for years after. So if your slide-out stops working, it’s worth checking for missing parts and pieces or items that might be stuck in the slide-out. 

Check Battery & Electrical System

If you push the button to put your slide in or out and nothing at all happens, you might be looking at an electrical issue. If you aren’t plugged into shore power, it could be that your RV battery doesn’t have enough power to work the slide motor. In this case, simply charging the battery will solve the problem. 

Of course, you could also be looking at a problem with the wiring. If charging the battery doesn’t do it, inspect the wiring and connections for any corrosion or loose wires.

Care For Hydraulic System (if applicable)

If you have a hydraulic slide, there are some special maintenance tasks that you should be staying on top of. For one thing, you will want to check the fluid levels regularly and top the fluids off when necessary. 

Additionally, it is important to watch the hydraulic system for leaks. Leaks are easier to see when lines and fittings are clean, so you will want to keep everything as clean as possible so you catch leaks as soon as they pop up. 

Use Slide Supports Cautiously

Lastly, a word of caution about external slide supports. Many RVers believe these supports are a good thing, offering an extra leg for the slide-out to stand on. I can see why someone might think that. It seems to make perfect sense on the surface, and might even seem like a no-brainer for those who are stationary for long periods of time. 

Unfortunately, these supports aren’t as great for slides as you might think. Most slides are designed to support themselves just fine, and using external supports can actually put unnecessary stress on the frame of your RV. For this reason, I don’t recommend using these supports unless recommended by the manufacturer of your RV. 

There you have it—everything you need to know to keep your RV slide-outs in tip-top condition so you can enjoy the extra space they offer for years to come. If you ask me, these simple maintenance tasks are easy enough to do, and the payoff is well worth the extra effort!