Flat wiper seal on 08 Scepter

[JulieS]

We are replacing the flat wiper seal on rear curbside BAL accuslide cable driven slide. Ordered the new flat seal (TH250) from unigrip. Applied as directed, but was VERY difficult due to the rubber being SUPER stiff. After it was set, attempted to close slide and the friction of the seals are causing it to stop part way in. I can press the button again and it will close, with audible stress on the motor. Same thing happens trying to open back up. We trimmed ½" off the width thinking that there would be less friction and started the process all over.  Same problem. Seems to be a problem with the seal flipping back and forth appropriately. Possibly also the drip rail on the sides of slide may be affecting the seal flipping? Slide worked perfectly before. Thanks for any help, 

Julie S. 

08 Scepter 42 PDQ

[96 EVO]

Only thing I can think of is dusting the seal with talcum powder to try and make it slide better, but the first rain will remove that.

The original wipe seals are quite soft and flexible 🤔.

[Tom Cherry]

6 hours ago, JulieS said:

We are replacing the flat wiper seal on rear curbside BAL accuslide cable driven slide. Ordered the new flat seal (TH250) from unigrip. Applied as directed, but was VERY difficult due to the rubber being SUPER stiff. After it was set, attempted to close slide and the friction of the seals are causing it to stop part way in. I can press the button again and it will close, with audible stress on the motor. Same thing happens trying to open back up. We trimmed ½" off the width thinking that there would be less friction and started the process all over.  Same problem. Seems to be a problem with the seal flipping back and forth appropriately. Possibly also the drip rail on the sides of slide may be affecting the seal flipping? Slide worked perfectly before. Thanks for any help, 

Julie S. 

08 Scepter 42 PDQ

WARNING.  Get rid of the seal. If there is so much friction that the motor stalls, then the cables will be stressed.  Take off the seals.  With the slide part way or almost all the way in, put your hand behind the wood and feel, carefully, the cable.  Run your fingers or hand slowly towards the back edge of the slide…where the wood is attached.  The cable has a “swaged ball” on the end….that drops into a slot or bracket.  Repeated stress on this slide can cause the cable to “splinter” or unravel.

BEEN THERE….DONE THAT….IT IS UGLY.  I have a 2009 Camelot. Same as the Scepter….and the 2008’s are identical.  The lower cable….on the “front” side or edge of the slide frayed.  You have to replace it.  You do NOT want it to snap off.  I had issues where the top crown molding and the top of the slide were “scraping”.  I had added Guardian Plates under the plastic rollers as the underside was being damaged.  Monaco had not properly fitted the crown molding.  Under warranty, it had to be removed and cut down or made thinner….  That fixed the popping noise.  BUT, even the thin metal of the Guardian Plates raised the inside slide finished top piece…so, once again,,..they were an “interference fit”…. I was on a long trip and had to hand work the upper piece and waxed it.  TOO LATE.

The stress on the two pieces of wood, fighting for the same space….with no clearance messed up or stressed a cable.  OK…I’ll fix it.  Ordered a new BAL cable and a hydraulic crimper.  Watched the videos.  OPPS, it ain’t gonna come apart that easily.

I knew a master tech….yes CW does have them.  He had had to fix the same slide.  It was close to $1,300 a few years ago.  He and his helper had to totally strip off the wardrobe and TV and all the finished wood….just to gain access to that lower front cable.  Remember there are FOUR CABLES for RETRACTION snd FOUR for EXTENSION.  Only ONE of mine was frayed.

BUT….I NEVER EVER had the motor under the stress that is described.  It MOVED and popped when the slide was pulled in….but never stalled.

MY ADVICE…if the seals are stressing the motor to the point of it stalling….that is way more force or an issue than mine….and mine popped at least 10 or so of the strands in the cable.  So….with the slide almost in….use your hand….carefully as the steel strands are a hazard.  Fix the issue…and HOPE you don’t have a splintered or stressed cable end.  Check all four….use a phone and take a picture or a mirror or a ‘scope spy camera”.  You do NOT want to totally strip off the finished wood and drawer ans such….TRUST ME ON THAT.  I watched them for a while…and realized they KNEW what they were doing.  I know how to do a LOT of things…but replaces of one of the cables…..ain’t in my skill set.

I had had the “BAL Mobile tech” put on a new side seal….just a few weeks before.  It never has flipped right….but i use my awning pick to clean it up.

Good Luck….

[JulieS]

We have ordered a new seal. Checked cables and they look good! Thanks for the info! Hoping someone has replaced this seal and can let us (and others) know what worked for them!

[Tom Cherry]

18 minutes ago, JulieS said:

We have ordered a new seal. Checked cables and they look good! Thanks for the info! Hoping someone has replaced this seal and can let us (and others) know what worked for them!

Don’t know if this still exists.  A few years ago, BAL Accuslide, had a local, mobile tech, that REV used for their products.  I was at a major repair center in Elkhart and they called in the tech and he replaced both.  Now, were they perfect?  NO, but they were OEM and had the “holes” prepunched.  Most repair shops use “generic” and will “cut/slit” the seals where the OEM is designed for the cables to be loosened and threaded.

Maybe you need to pursue OEM seals….???