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Old 09-14-2011, 08:01 PM   #1
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Help!! How to get at Bedroom HWH cylinder?

Today I noticed hydraulic oil drops on the underside of forward bedroom cylinder (bedroom slide) on my 2005 Itasca Meridian 36G. To be more specific it is the the cylinder that is enclosed in the rectangular box tube with only the end of the cylinder shaft visible though a small hole where it is attached to the mechanism. Looking and feeling at the inside end (under the bed) of the box enclosure shows no sign of oil leakage as all is dry where the hoses connect. I have concluded that the leak is internal to the box perhaps the end seal where the piston exits the cylinder. I cannot see any obvious way to remove the cylinder to determine problem/fix.

Has anyone any information on how to replace this cylinder?

Any help would be appreciated.
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Old 09-16-2011, 02:23 PM   #2
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Problem Fixed!! Leaking piston seal on bedroom slide cylinder.

Well after no suggestions I concluded that I was an exception to having to deal with this problem. After spending a couple of hours trying to figure out how this cylinder came out without any obvious solution off we went to HWH since we were within 500 miles of their service centre. It is now fixed and I have to say that after seeing what was involved to removed and replace cylinder it has to be some of the best money spent for repairs. I have been able to deal with 90 percent of all previous problems and sure glad I did not take this one on.

The extraction of the bedroom cylinder involved removing the house batteries from the battery tray and removing a metal panel behind the tray to expose the inboard end of the cylinder. It also exposed a hornet nest of hydraulic lines and retaining bolts holding the cylinder in place. This is not an easy place to be working with tools. The outboard end is then disconnected and the cylinder is then removed through the house battery tray. After repairing/replacing the whole process is repeated in reverse.

What a job. WELL DONE HWH.
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Old 09-16-2011, 04:46 PM   #3
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Sorry you did not get any responses, but thankful you let us know how it was resolved. When it is my turn I will know to pass on the DIY. I have learned that there is just so much I can do myself.

Glad to see you are sorted out and on your way again.
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Old 09-16-2011, 05:13 PM   #4
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Gary D, Where were you to be 500 miles away from HWH to get the service.
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Old 09-16-2011, 09:29 PM   #5
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Tom 6118. We were in Salina, Kansas heading home to BC after meeting Hurricane Irene in Vermont and Hurricane Lee in Maryland. Tomorrow it is back to heading west!!

Gary
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Old 09-16-2011, 10:21 PM   #6
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Gary D,
Well Sir, I just got around to reading your original post. Well, guess what, our '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the 330 CAT, IS ALSO LEAKING IN THAT CYLINDER! We've only had the coach since May and it's been leaking ever since we picked it up from the P/O. When I open the electrical compartment, for my power 50 Amp cord, I've got oil dripping from my light switch, just above my Dimensions Inverter. It leaks bad enough that the drops hit the inside of the compartment door handle, run down and get on the door seal at the bottom.

It's now dissolving the glue that holds that seal on at the bottom. I've also tried to determine how to remove that cylinder. If I lift the bed up, and remove the paneling over the electric circuit breakers I can, if I hold my head just right, see the hydraulic lines that go into the rear of the cylinder. I feel around them and NO LEAK THERE!

So, it must be in the seal itself. Now, I too do a lot of my own work but, in reading your explanation of just how that cylinder comes out, I'm gonna have to think real hard on that one. I posted the same problem when we first acquired the rig back in May. I got a few answers but mostly they were suggesting I check the fitting ends. I did, no leak. But, now that you've taken the time to explain it's extraction and replacement, I'll take a good look at it when I get home.

We're on a trip right now and we're in Ouray CO and tomorrow we'll be heading down into the Northern part of New Mexico. The leaks is more of a nuisance than a real problem. But, I don't like running around with defective parts so, the sooner I fix it or it gets fixed, I'll feel a lot better. By the way, you did not say exactly where you got it fixed other than you were in or around Salina KS.

If I may ask, what did it cost you to have HWH do the R&R on the cyl? You may pm me if you like. Thanks again for your info. Very much appreciated.
Scott
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Old 09-16-2011, 10:38 PM   #7
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We're on a trip right now and we're in Ouray CO and tomorrow we'll be heading down into the Northern part of New Mexico.
Scott

Scott, Great State CG at Navajo lake and another near Chama----Heron Lake
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Old 09-17-2011, 08:53 AM   #8
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Gary, at least you missed the teo earthquakes we had on the island last week.
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Old 09-17-2011, 11:08 AM   #9
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Scott

We took it to HWH at the factory (service centre) in Moscow, iowa. It took them about 3 hours and the cost was just over $200 including the repair of the cylinder. MONEY WELL SPENT after seeing what had to be done.

Hope you get the behind you as well. Sometimes it is tough to just want things "To be the way they are suppose to be"!!

Good luck.

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Old 09-21-2011, 09:31 PM   #10
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Scott

We took it to HWH at the factory (service centre) in Moscow, iowa. It took them about 3 hours and the cost was just over $200 including the repair of the cylinder. MONEY WELL SPENT after seeing what had to be done.

Hope you get the behind you as well. Sometimes it is tough to just want things "To be the way they are suppose to be"!!

Good luck.

Gary
Gary,
Sorry for the late reply. We've been gallivanting all over Colorado and New Mexico for the last few days and have not had i-net. I had to look pretty hard to see that panel behind the house batteries. I found it. Man, that's a job. I certainly can see $200.00 plus for this job. That's not bad at all. I'm a pretty good cheapskate to start with and I save a dime every chance I can get but, for what it would take to get that cyl out, repaired and replaced, and only pay $200.00+, even "I" would pay that! Thanks again.

Oh by the way to the gent who advised about the campgrounds at Heron Lake State Park, yep, we stayed at "Blanco" campground there. It was the only one that had hookups and would accommodate rigs of our size. It was a very pleasant stay there. We're now at USA RV park in Gallup NM. It too is very pleasant and incredibly clean. We'll use both of them again if we're out this way.
Scott
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Old 09-21-2011, 09:52 PM   #11
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Good luck with the fix. Let me known how you solve the problem as I am always interested in knowing how others find solutions.

We just spent a couple of days in Rocky Mountain National Park in CO and now back on the road heading west and home.

Gary
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Old 10-01-2011, 08:16 PM   #12
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Scott
Good luck with the fix. Let me known how you solve the problem as I am always interested in knowing how others find solutions.

We just spent a couple of days in Rocky Mountain National Park in CO and now back on the road heading west and home.

Gary
Gary,
Well Sir, you indicated you'd like to be informed of my procedure for fixing the leak in that bedroom slide ram. Well, my son, who's as good if not better at a mechanic than I am (actually he's way better but don't tell him I said so) was here to help today so, we (I) decided to tackle the cylinder/ram removal. For the most part, it wasn't all that bad. There was a couple of technical parts that we had to figure out. One was the fact that we read what instructions for cylinder replacement we could find on the HWH site and they elated to opening up the "T" valves on the hydraulic manifold for the extend and retract solenoids. We did that but, still the slide room wanted to creep in as we were breaking the last hydraulic line attached to the rear of the cyl.

The other was the fact that there's about 10,000 miles of electrical lines, water lines, hydraulic lines, all in that little tunnel area that is used for extraction and re-insertion of the ram. Well, after untangling the spiderweb of lines etc, we finally got the ram out. All in all, start to finish and having the ram in hand, about 1.5 hours, with his help of course.

What we found out as we disassembled the cylinder was a bad, actually "rolled" seal. it was tipped and not in there squarely. But, we put nicks in the other seals taking it apart anyway so, I'll be off to our local hydraulic rebuilding shop on Monday and see what I can find. Here's a pic of what it looks like. It's actually quite small for actuation of that slide out room.
Scott

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Old 10-01-2011, 09:26 PM   #13
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Scott & Son
What a team - I am impressed!!! As I mentioned in my post, the mess of hoses and wires that were visible in that small "Port Hole" under the bed initially left me baffled as to how to extract the cylinder. The secret was the panel behind the battery tray!!
Since we were on the road and within 500 miles of HWH I made the decision to let them tackle the job. I am glad I did.

You and your son need to be given a big "Atta Boy Award" for getting the cylinder out. The problem as you found with the seal was exactly the same issue HWH found with mine. Good luck getting it back in.

Thanks for the feedback and pictures.

Gary
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Old 10-01-2011, 10:49 PM   #14
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Gary,
Thank you Sir, for your gracious comments. However, if, we'd have been in the same type of predicament as you, on a trip and were that close to the HWH factory and knew that they could get to it and within a reasonable amount of time, and especially knowing just what it takes to get that little rascal out of there and back in, (which we have yet to do), I'd do EXACTLY like you did. Way smarter move than me. I'm such a cheap bas... I've got this thing that's been in me since I was zero, to attempt to do something myself. Well, in my old age now, and the complication of how things are designed, built, installed and maintained, I'm going to have to BACK OFF and just let a much younger, more and better trained, well qualified tech jump in and get something like this little endeavor done.

I mentioned I'm going to a local hydraulic shop to see what they can do for me but, in and at the same time, I'll contact HWH with part number in the picture and see what they can do for me on a shipment to my door. The cylinder bore seems to be in great shape and the little piston and it's seals seem fine too but, I ONLY WANT TO DO THIS ONE TIME!!!! So, although it might cost me pennies to replace just some seals, and, HWH might be closer to $50.00-$75.00 for a replacement cylinder, not including shipping, it most likely will be a smarter move to have them ship one to me as a complete new unit and there will be less chance to screw something up and have to do the job over again. Yuck!

There is still the matter of a possible need to "bleed" the system when we put all this back together, don't know, maybe it will self bleed. I'm still not too sure we may have bit off more than we can chew. As it has been in the past for me a zillion times, it's always more easy to disassemble something than it is to re-assemble it, especially correctly. Of course,the reasoning and determination is to SAVE A BUCK! I've got to get out of that frame of mind. Enough is enough.
Scott
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Old 10-01-2011, 10:57 PM   #15
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They rebuilt mine. When talking to HWH you should inquire about the cost of rebuilding vs new. Also warranty on each option if any?
Good luck and keep me posted on progress.

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Old 10-02-2011, 12:17 PM   #16
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Scott
They rebuilt mine. When talking to HWH you should inquire about the cost of rebuilding vs new. Also warranty on each option if any?
Good luck and keep me posted on progress.

Gary
Gary,
Will do Sir.
Scott
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Old 10-06-2011, 01:41 PM   #17
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Gary and others,
Well, after much labor, some serious stress, a tad bit a cursing, a bunch of rags, we got it out, found the problems seal, could not get a hold of HWH for advice for three days, I finally took the ram to a local hydraulic repair shop and they took one look at it and went over to their supply of seals etc and placed new ones in there. It took them about 20 minutes to disassemble, analyze, procure new ones and reassemble it. The cost, right at $30.00.

Now, it was time to re-enter the demilitarized zone of zillions of cables, hoses, water lines etc to re-install that cylinder. Really, it wasn't all that bad. But, trying to hook up the hydraulic lines and then make sure they're real tight, now that was a chore. But, when all was said and done, it was about two hours to get the unit out, and about an hour and a half getting it back in and working. I did have to put new screws in where the little panel came out for extraction and re-insertion of the cylinder, behind the house batteries.

Incidentally, HWH finally called me this morning, (after about 3 days wait) and the tech confirmed many things I was wondering about in the process of the operation. A bit late but, helpful none the less, for the next time, not if, but when it happens. So there you go, all done.
Scott
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