This process describes the repair where, under certain temperature conditions, the slide cable system gearbox may leak oil/grease on the slide roof membrane. The following describes how to install a drip pan to prevent damage to the roof membrane, and how to make basic repairs, if necessary.
If a leaking slide out motor has affected the roof membrane, use one of the following three options:
- Option 1 is to clean the membrane to eliminate any further bubbling.
- Option 2 is to remove the affected bubble in the membrane and cover the affected area with roof membrane tape using a short piece of tape to cover the damage.
- Option 3 is to remove the affected bubble in the membrane and apply roof tape along the complete roof edge.
Locate the motor gearbox installed in the unit. Remove the two bottom screws and leave the center screw attached. Attach drip tray with the two screws that you removed in the previous step.
Options for fixing a leaking slide out motor
Option 1
If the bubble is small, use a non-abrasive and solvent-free cleaner like Simple Green, Dawn Dish Soap, or Murphy’s Oil Soap to clean the membrane.
Option 2
Add a drip pan to the existing leaking gearbox.
Option 3
Clean the surface that the tape is to be applied to by wiping away any oil, dirt, moisture, or other contaminants the width of the roof tape. Cut a piece of roof tape long enough to cover the full length of the slide roof. The roof tape should slightly overlap the existing roof tape.
This is intended to be used by trained RV technicians with the knowledge, tools and equipment to do the job properly and safely, not “do-it-yourselfers”. Not every unit is the same. If you attempt to do repairs yourself, please be safe and make sure that if you have any questions please contact your manufacturer tech support for help.
DIY product links for RV slide out maintenance:
- Acrysol Body Solvent Cleaner
- Scraper tool blue CRL stick
- Tapered Tip Stick and Handle
- The best caulking gun
- Boss sealant 378 clear
- Boss sealant 378 black
- Geocel GC28100 Pro Flex RV Flexible Sealant Clear
- Geocel 28101V Pro Flex White RV Flexible Sealant
- Protect All Slide-Out Dry Lube
- Protect All Slide-Out Rubber Seal Treatment
- 303 Aerospace Protectant
- EternaBond Tape; 4″
Make sure you check out our website, California RV Specialists, and their YouTube channel for more helpful information, and see our published articles on RVtravel.com and other social media pages.