Slide maintenance, what kind of lubricant to use?

[Gus]

What is the correct lubricant for the slides on a 2008 son cruiser. And how often should you use it

[Jim_HiTek]

Do you mean the mechanism? Or the rubber gaskets along the walls?

For my mechanism, I just use that WD40 Dry Lube. Wipe things first with a dry rag, spray the lube on, then operate the slide. Usually I do the spray just before I leave a park.

For the gaskets, I follow Winnebago's recommendation. Wash the sides on the extended slide with mild soap and water, rinse, let dry. Retract and using a clean dry cloth, wipe the gaskets. That's it. Winnebago service department doesn't recommend any slide gasket lube.

[Gus]

Thank you

[winston74]

I use CRC with PTFE on the slide mechanisms, and I use it often. The previous two owners did not level the coach nor did they use lubes on the slides. The results for them were expensive repairs. In two years we have not had any issues with our slides. HTH

[Gus]

Thank you for replying. Gus

[puttin]

Originally Posted by winston74

I use CRC with PTFE on the slide mechanisms, and I use it often. The previous two owners did not level the coach nor did they use lubes on the slides. The results for them were expensive repairs. In two years we have not had any issues with our slides. HTH

That's what the factory guys recommended also- so that's what I use. For the seals I use a product from Thetford that's a foamy spray...wipe off excess when done.

[AFChap]

2003 coach w/HWH slides ... all the Winnebago seminars I attended at the annual rally in 2006 & 2008 recommended corn starch on the seals ... big mistake ... that made the seals so slick they would not "flip" when moving the slide in or out. Since that wore off I have used NOTHING WHATSOEVER. I still have the original slide seals, and both slide mechanisms work as new. Coach is 19 years old (May 02 mfg date) and has 132k miles on the meter.

[Gus]

Thank you very much for the detailed information.

[Journey39n]

I use the Thetford foamy seal lubricant for the rubber seals, wash first, then apply and apply and wipe. Been doing it once a year for 10 years, lots of sun time on those seals, still working great.

I also use a Thetford slide dry lubricant on the rollers and gears for the mechanism on each, both still rolling retracting, and extending smoothly. Perhaps twice a year on these.

[Gus]

Thank you for your help with my concern. Gus

[Cozy Cone]

Originally Posted by puttin

That's what the factory guys recommended also- so that's what I use. For the seals I use a product from Thetford that's a foamy spray...wipe off excess when done.

I've always used that foamy spray lube on all my RV slide gaskets with great results. Gonna have to get me some of the CRC PTFE lube though! Good tip!

[Gus]

Thank you for sharing. I’ll be in the process to find that product. Thanks Gus

[Wyatt]

I really don’t pay too much attention to what Winnebago suggests insofar as this. They make new units, they don’t have experience with older ones, and if you think about obsolescence, they actually have an incentive to not care about what you do, or perhaps more importantly, don’t do.

I’d follow what others have done with good results.

Any silicone based application is good for rubber seals. And this is not my opinion, it’s the recommendation of my good friend who is a chemist and owner at P&S auto car car products. Yeah, they’re big out here, with 50 years in the industry. I do what he tells me, and it’s worked well for me over the years,