Cracking side wall 2015 ALFA GOLD

I have a 2015 Alfa Gold 3010RE , I bought used 3 years ago. It is beautiful and we love it. Unfortunately it has had a lot of things i have had to fix mostly minor until now and this is not going to be a cheap fix. ON my Large Slide out on the passenger side the stationary wall is cracked at the top corners above this slide out.  This large slide IN MY OPINION does not go in and our correctly and appears to struggle when i  bring the side in this one has a traditional rack and pinon system under and it extends about 3 feet out.  I wonder should i be putting slide out supports when using the RV , is the weight causing a strain on the top of that wall , im looking to keep this in good condition and i dont know what could be causing this.  My other slides have the schwintech slide motors and operate well and no cracks on the others.   Has anyone seen issues like cracks above the slides. I appreciate feedback

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[AnonymousTopics - 33Replies - 117Total - 150]

I’d love to see a close-up video of that area upon extension of the slide.  It’s apparent to me that there may be a slide wall frame member weaken by a broken weld to have allowed the wall to crack like that.

I’d want to determine what caused it first and repair it.  Otherwise a iberglass repair is just a just a bad aid.

If it is a sidewall frame issue it could be repaired from inside by removing the interior wall in the slide area.  Then have the fiberglass repaired.  Good luck.

[expired-memberBlockedBlockedTopics - 86Replies - 191Total - 277]

Here is a short video. The initial move in APPEARS to really put a high torque on the slide and pushing the upper part of the slide that looks like it may be causing stress on the top of the opening. I wonderer if this looks wrong, I think it looks like a problem may exist in the movement and the crack at the top is a symptom of this

 

I uploaded the video to YouTube then embedded it here. B.W.

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[JohnD222ParticipantTopics - 8Replies - 518Total - 526]

Tony,

the video does not help me understand the issue.

In the 3 years you owned it, how many times have you moved that slide in and out?

Did you ever have the slides worked on?

Do decals line up with slide in?  If slide decals are higher than 5er wall decals, someone may have adjusted the supports on the outer slide wall too high.  But I suspect the decals on the slide are lower than on the 5er wall indicating that someone lowered that adjustment too much.

With the slide wall about 1-inch from full out, is the interior trim about even from the 5er wall top and bottom? It should be.

From my perspective of the still shots, it looks like the slide was moved too far out  (way too far) repeatedly and not brought back in.  There is no stop switch – you need to run it in or out, then back off in the opposite direction just a bit to relieve pressure on the wall.

Looks like push out stress marks from interior slide molding not draw-in stress from exterior flange material. so opening the slide too far, and not backing off. Any sign of that interior molding/trim being forced loose?

Regardless, it now looks like a slide operational fix, then frame + fiberglass fix not just fiberglass.

Hope some of the above helps you define the issues.

Good luck,

John

JohnD222
Based in Florida except summer
2013 36FWS Lifestyle (our great 2010 Cameo 36FWS has happy owners)

[expired-memberBlockedBlockedTopics - 86Replies - 191Total - 277]

Thank you for your reply , I have used this Rv on a few trips and moved a couple times  and so the slide has been out maybe twenty times out and back . Yes we push the slide out , and maybe too far and we don’t receive the pressure did not know we should but it makes sense now. the slide looks wonky going in and out and I will have the repair shop look at that. maybe since we run the slide out all the way and there is too much OUT pressure and sitting at the table adds weight to the far outmost point , it has caused the stress to crack the wall. maybe it is as simple as we don’t open the room correctly . Slides have never been worked on but I will learn the proper operation when the repair guy gets his work order out.  I see there are aftermarket slide out supports that can be bought that support the slide out when extended, are these something to consider? so much I just don’t know and it is an expensive learning curve

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