Travel Trailer Slide Help

[Fordnandez]

I am in the process of trying to move a travel trailer from my old lease to my new lease. I went down a couple of weekends ago to make sure the AC still works, check the condition of the tires, try to get the slide in, so on and so forth. All was good besides the slide to come in, it would move a little bit but it would get hung up not very far into the retraction. I have found some videos on youtube that I think will do the trick but wanted to see if anyone had any other input that might help. I believe the motor is just on the other side of the wheels and it should have a manual override that I can hook a socket up to so I can manually retract it. Is there anything I should grease to potentially help? I still have it on the jacks so it is level so I dont believe it should be in a bind but clearly something is.

Any other advice anyone can give would be greatly appreciated for the issue I am having or advice on things I should do or look at before I move it. It has been in the same spot for around 5 years. tires are on a board, not on the dirt and one side was covered by the slide and the other by our porch.

I believe it is a 2001 Explorer.

[brokeno]

Mine would only move like an inch at a time. Dead battery. I jumped from my truck to RV battery and it worked. Wd 40 every moving part. Good luck.

[Fordnandez]

Mine would only move like an inch at a time. Dead battery. I jumped from my truck to RV battery and it worked. Wd 40 every moving part. Good luck.

Thanks. The battery is only a few years old and I had jumper cables from my truck to the battery on the front of the trailer. Also the trailer has been hard wired in so I assume that charges the battery but I am not sure that is right or not.

[RiverRat00]

Those slide outs breaking like you states have always been a big fear of mine.

Hope there is a way to manually retract it in

[Dale Moser]

Grease all of that rack & pinion that you can see, hook jumper cables to the battery for a while to charge it. Manually pick up on the slide and try to rock it to break any rust/mud dobbers loose. If you have any help, I'd try to have them lift up and push in when you hit the button.

If you have to crank it in with a ratchet, bring a cheater pipe, and lots of beer.

[Fordnandez]

Grease all of that rack & pinion that you can see, hook jumper cables to the battery for a while to charge it. Manually pick up on the slide and try to rock it to break any rust/mud dobbers loose. If you have any help, I'd try to have them lift up and push in when you hit the button.

If you have to crank it in with a ratchet, bring a cheater pipe, and lots of beer.

I always have plenty of beer with me......... I was by myself when I went out there to test it and I wished I had someone with me working it from the outside also. My plan was to bring some penetrating oil and deep/impact sockets to hopefully make short work of it.

Thanks for everyones feedback.

[Fordnandez]

Those slide outs breaking like you states have always been a big fear of mine.

Hope there is a way to manually retract it in

I figured there was a small chance that it was going to slide in easy since it has been out for probably 5 years, now that I think about it I believe we had to pull it from the outside while running the motor to get it out.

There are tons of videos out there on how to manually retraact it so I am assuming every trailer has them, you just got to find it. Most of them are on the underside behind the wheels but I saw a couple of videos where it is in the space beneath the couch.

[Dale Moser]

I always have plenty of beer with me......... I was by myself when I went out there to test it and I wished I had someone with me working it from the outside also. My plan was to bring some penetrating oil and deep/impact sockets to hopefully make short work of it.

Thanks for everyones feedback.

Impact sockets are fine, I would not use an impact. Those parts and pieces will not likely react well to all that "impact".

I think if you spray everything you can with WD40, as well as back inside where you can't see, and charge the battery up good, it will work ok.

[sgtau44]

Cary bird well on here may be the guy to pm

[RWB]

Dale has you on the right track. Only thing I would add, if you happen to have a trolling motor battery you know is good take it with you. If that battery is a couple of years old it is probably not helping you even if jumped off.
I broke down and bought a deep cycle battery that I keep on charge in the shop and take with me on lease trips or fishing trips. More than once it has come in handy on trailers, tractors, boats and lease rides.

[Fordnandez]

Dale has you on the right track. Only thing I would add, if you happen to have a trolling motor battery you know is good take it with you. If that battery is a couple of years old it is probably not helping you even if jumped off.
I broke down and bought a deep cycle battery that I keep on charge in the shop and take with me on lease trips or fishing trips. More than once it has come in handy on trailers, tractors, boats and lease rides.

I dont disagree that the battery might be an issue. I left the trickle charger on there when I left. My question is if the trailer has been plugged in does that charge the battery? It has been plugged in its entire stay at its current location.

[cj7zrcool]

.... My question is if the trailer has been plugged in does that charge the battery? It has been plugged in its entire stay at its current location.

Yeah, until the power supply craps out or the fuses burn. I had to change out the one in my 2012 Dutchmen this year, about $200 for the converter and easy DIY install.

[RWB]

Yes the battery should charge when plugged in but that does not mean it is taking a full charge. The cold we had this winter is hard on a battery with a few years on it.

[Fordnandez]

Thanks for all the feedback gents. When I hooked up the trickle charger the light indicator started blinking green......... I assume that means it is good but I was in a hurry and didnt look into it and just left it on there.

[careybirdwell]

If your battery is 2-3 years old and has been charging the entire time, you will have a bad battery unless you have added water to the battery. It is probably dry. If it is moving and then stop, I would be lead to believe you don't have enough power. Most slides take about 30-40 amps to move. I would try a different battery and check you connections at the battery and between the motor. If you can easily get to the motor, just connect the battery straight to the motor. If it starts extending, just reverse polarity and it should retract. If you have to crank it in, remove motor, because sometimes the clutch will. Ot let you crank it in