Curious as to what others do to maintain the slide seals.
I'm not referring to the mechanism, I was told that no lubrication was needed on that, but about the rubber seals themselves? Does anyone add lubrication to them? Should they get a UV protection spray or would that make them stick?
Thanks!
I'm partial to good old 303 once or twice a season. The 303 does not attract dirt and the UV protectant will help keep the seals supple over their life. I know there are other things folks use, and some don't do a thing either.
I've heard lots of things to use, including baby or talc power. I suppose the powder idea is OK to use but probably only on a white or very light colored coach. On our dark Entegras I think it would end up being a mess or just looking messy. That is just my thought about that, I have no experience with either.
For me I would also use 303 at the beginning of the season and then again when it goes into winter storage.
Put me in the "never did anything" camp. Well other than make sure I was the slideout sides, top and bottom so the seals have a good surface to slide against. Never saw a need to lubricate the seals themselves.
Some folks use the specialty products for the slide seals, you can find products like this in camping world (camco thetford etc). To me this is just rubber conditioner with a higher price.
Newmar used to recommend talcum powder so I think that is how that solution became popular. You would wipe the seals with the powder to keep them from sticking. Later they began to recommend 303 as it also kept things from sticking and provided the UV protection.
I think the best thing you can do is keep the slide walls waxed / clean and use 303 a couple of times a year.
Thanks for the input everyone, very informative ... looks like I'll be giving them the 303 treatment :D
I wish I had notice this subject and conversation when I first bought our New Aspire in Oct of 2015. We just had a slide rubber failure on the Kitchen slide rubber { the vertical came off the track} now I gotta figure out how to get it back in Place. and 303 seems to be what most everyone I have talked to claims to use. Oh well , Fight On