Fleetwood Motorhome Association, Inc. - 2018 Storm Popping Noise when retracting main slide out

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2018 Storm Popping Noise when retracting main slide out

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09/06/2020 1:44 PM

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Message # 9215674

Michael Black

Hello,

We purchased a used 2018 Fleetwood Storm 34S with 2500 miles on it in Tacoma Washington in January. Whenever we bring the main slide back in, it seems to hang for just a second and then makes a slight jerk with a popping noise like it was stuck and is breaking free of something... and then comes in normally. Is this normal? Another issue we are having is that after it rains, if the slide is out, and we bring the slide in (the main room slide), then there is water on the roof of the slide. We found this little gem while starting our last trip when I applied the brakes at a stop light and got a shower in the process. Any ideas what is going on? The last question or tidbit is the water heater. It is an on demand Atwood water heater and it will only deliver around 60 seconds of hot water to the shower before turning ice cold with the water pump turned on. Then, we have to shut the hot water off and turn it back on to get hot water again. Using city water, I have only been able to get hot water once ever. This makes for some very cold and very fast showers and is going to suck while taking long trips or boondocking. I purchased a adjustable water regulator because the owners manual says we need at least 40 psi for the water heater to work and no more than 45 psi because it could cause the lines to leak. This did not make a difference. After we purchased it in Tacoma, we drove it back to Pennsylvania in late May and stopped at Fleetwood/REV RV in Indiana on the way home. The service technician told us he got hot water and it was working, but apparently he did not try the shower or hook a hose up to the city water inlet, as they still do not work. But, we did get a decent bill which would have been ok if what he fixed was actually fixed. He did tell us that our water pump was junk and we should get it replaced, but the exact same water pump in the motorhome is the exact same water pump listed on many websites as being the best and number one RV water pump recommended for RVs.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike and Donna hoping for help with our life time investment...

09/07/2020 12:05 PM

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Reply # 9217660 on 9215674

Bill & Laura Johnson (Administrator)

First thing, You will fair better with a single item in a post so the answers don't get lost in the long posts.

1. Slide issue: The slides do creak and squeak as they move. Some more than others, if they do a slight lifting as they come in. Some squeaking comes from the rubber seals sliding along the slide. If you look under the slide you will see a number of rollers that carry the weight. If they are dry, it adds to the noise. I've been told by factory technicians that they spray them with Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) as it does not attract as much dirt as many other lubricants.

2: Water on the roof of the slide: several things cause this accumulation, rain and AC condensation are leading causes. With the slides open, and prior to closing I manually tilt the coach to allow this to run off before closing the slides. Remember to relevel the coach prior to closing the slides

If a lot of water comes off when doing the above we take a couple towels and put them on top of the slide once closed to catch any leftover so we don't get the rude bath. Leave yourself a note to remove towels before opening the slides, don't ask why I tell you that:)

3: Hot Water: a couple known issues, if the outdoor shower valves are not closed, you will get a colder shower as it allows more cold to mix. Second major issue is on demand water heaters require a minimum flow rate to stay heating. I've experienced the fact that while my wife loves steam coming out of the shower, I prefer it a bit cooler. The balance is to have it hot enough to keep the heater working, VS cool enough to not be too hot for me is very delicate. If I shift the knob just a little too cool not enough water is flowing through the hot water heater to keep it working.

4: Water pump: The water pumps in a coach will not deliver the same pressure we come to expect at home or when connected to city water. I'm sure for enough money and the addition of a pressure tank someone could work out a solution, but that is not what comes standard. The technicians comment that the pump is junk, may have really been his opinion that pumps in general do not give you pressure like he thinks you should get, not that the brand pump is really junk.

Hope this helps, and hope you enjoy your new coach.

09/15/2020 7:37 PM

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Reply # 9238651 on 9215674

Anonymous

Michael,

I have a 2018 35k and my main slide was making a loud noise when bringing it in. I discovered a molding underneath the slide on the floor was coming apart.
if you lift the rug near the couch you will see an aluminum channel that has a plastic insert in it, the plastic insert under the dinette booth had come out of the channel and was making the noise. It is almost like a weatherstrip. To troubleshoot I push the slide to the point it tips and stopped and look under that rug with a light.

i had the whole piece replaced, I wrote to Fleetwood and they paid for it, otherwise the dealer said the repair would be around 600. If you are handy you could do it yourself if that is the problem, if I was younger I would have done it myself.

i hope this helps.