Precept 31ul slide seals

[FreeWill]

I recently bought a used 2018 Precept 31UL and just came back from our first trip. Overall we are very pleased but I have a question about the outside slide seals.

1. On my passenger side slide the forward seal is pushed in, not the flap alone the slide like the others. Looking at it, it looks like a different type of seal but i haven't tryed to pull it out yet. Is this seal supposed to be like this?

2. On my drivers side rear (bed) slide the rear seal is popped out at the bottom and I can see plastic fasteners pulled out of their holes, I think I will just have to buy another seal or can these fasteners be replaced?

Thanks and love the site,
Will

[Dbrown]

It would be helpful if you could post a picture of what you are seeing.

[Rice1951]

Welcome to the JOF. The seal should not be folded inward when the slide is deployed or it will be susceptible to water intrusion. You can manually get it to fold outward by getting your fingers under the flap or use something like a shoe horn. Since it’s not under warranty you will have two options - either live with it and hope it works itself out over time or pay to have the seal replaced. Try using a slide seal lubricant on it to see if that helps. Should be available at most RV part supply dealers. As previously mentioned it would be helpful if you could post photos, especially the issue with the rear slide. Hard for us to picture what you are seeing. Good luck to you.

[gowestwardho]

Don’t use slide lubricant or anything like 303 Protectorant on the seals or slides. You don’t want them “lubed” or slick. You want the gasket to fold out when you put the slide out and the only way to do that is friction. Get some little sticky kitchen cabinet door bumpers (they come a bunch on a sheet) and stick a few along on the slide wall so they catch the gasket and “pull” it out when you move the slide (Google “RV slide out bumpers” or similar).

[Keetters]

I have been using 303 for years on two motor homes on the seals and the tires. I saw 303 recommended for this purpose. Clean the seals first with a mild detergent. Then apply the 303 with a cloth on both sides of the seal and wipe away the excess. It doesn’t leave a film after wiping it off. The product helps keep the seals pliable so when the slides are extended the seals flex outward like they should be.

Another problem could be how the slide is adjusted. Look at both sides and the spacing between the slide wall and even should be fairly equal.

[gowestwardho]

I was just at the Factory in Middlebury and was told not to use anything on the slide seals as it causes them to be slippery and not flip out like they should to seal the slide when it’s out. I, like you, assumed keeping them pliable was important (and in Phoenix anything rubber or plastic deteriorates fast!), but they were pretty convincing not to use anything. I might still try it, just not so often, and I’ll be sure and really wipe them dry since really all you want is for the 303 to penetrate into the rubber, not lay on the surface. This all cane about because my seals were not flipping properly and it was because they were too slippery because I had don’t too good a job of cleaning and protecting them. Go figure right!

[hawkster]

One one slide mine did the same thing for three years. I manually flipped it out to keep out water. One of the camper awning pull rods works great if you can find one. Mine eventually stayed out properly probably due to the fact my mh sits in one place for weeks at a time. I lube mine with silicone.

[gowestwardho]

Someone somewhere (sorry I do not recall where I saw it...and it might have been on YouTube) posted a video of their having installed those little clear bumpers that you buy at HD or Lowes to put on the inside of your kitchen cabinet doors to stop them from slamming. (They come like 25 peel-n-stick bumpers to a sheet). This poster had placed them progressively at an angle on her slides such that they "encouraged" the seals to fold inward and outward when moving the slide (note, she did not put them all in a vertical row, IOW when the slide was extended these couple-few bumpers would be at an angle on the side of the slide with the top bumper being furthest out, and the lowest bumper being close to the coach body). So if you're having a lot of difficulty with the seals, perhaps check out her solution since worse case if it doesn't help, you just peel off a couple of bumpers (that cost you all of 99 cents)

[twdenman]

Originally Posted by gowestwardho

Don’t use slide lubricant or anything like 303 Protectorant on the seals or slides. You don’t want them “lubed” or slick. You want the gasket to fold out when you put the slide out and the only way to do that is friction. Get some little sticky kitchen cabinet door bumpers (they come a bunch on a sheet) and stick a few along on the slide wall so they catch the gasket and “pull” it out when you move the slide (Google “RV slide out bumpers” or similar).

I have used 303 Aero Space Protectant on my slide seals for 3 years. I have had no issues. It keeps the seals flexible and working properly. Your AZ sun will dry them out very quickly. 303 doesn’t make the seal slick, simply flexible.