# Cracked Weld On Frame Structure > Rear Slide



## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

There have been many discussions on the cracked rear slide issue. My fiberglass is cracked on the rear slide at the top corners. Same issue many others have described on theirs. I saw the repair when we bought it last fall but thought just the fiberglass cracked. I dug the decor sealant from the crack last year and refilled it with marine grade epoxy. The third trip after the repair, I opened the slide on a bit of a funky angle, causing the slide to open closer to the left side. I looked at my repair and to my shock, it was a gaping wound about 1/4" wide. I knew the only way that could gap like that is if the frame was damaged. I lathered it with silicone and was very careful with the slide. I would mess with it in spring.
Well, it's spring.
To access the interior rear on the side of the slide, you have to remove the decorative paneling. That was tricky to have the slide in about 10" with my face jammed into the wall on the right side to work. Remove gap cover trim pieces in corner and below bed. The panel is tucked behind the white interior slide bulb seal. Gilligan used a brad stapler to fasten this panel to the aluminum tube framing. I pried the panel off the brad heads using a 6" pry bar. He also chose to glue it in place with industrial adhesive. The thin nature of the paneling allows the back layer to remain in place where glue was applied.








Here is what it looked like inside. The voids above the wood pieces had insulation in them. They weld only one side of the tube and it cracked on the top and bottom. Notice in the picture, where the gap between the aluminum bars is right above the white seal? Those tubes are supposed to touch, that is how far it moved. No way to get it to touch again so I bought some steel mending plates and stainless steel self tapping screws. Sure not as good as a new weld but it should hold. That was fun getting the drill in that space.







I will put new insulation in and re-secure the panel. The outside will get more sealant for now until I come up with some fiberglass repair money.
The wood blocks in the picture is what the exterior bar clamps and the interior slide clamps screw into if you were wondering what is back there.
Long story short, If your fiberglass is cracked or broke at the corner of your slide, you might have a cracked weld. I sure hope not though for you.
crunchman


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## russlg (Jul 21, 2008)

Going to look at my '05 25 RSS right now.....


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

On my model it has a flip up bed in the back and the mattress folds to the front and the frame and plywood fold against the rear wall, well it was never on the lip of the frame properly and the frame bent and twisted and now would fall off the lip. After going to a welding shop, they looked at the frame and said he could not even get aluminum that thin so he would make a new one for me. He did and its much stronger now. It looked like the same gauge metal that was in your picture. I know they try to keep things light and cost efficient ( read: cheap ) but on moving parts it would make a little sense to us stronger/thicker metal. I think your repair will last. They welded my frame and it will outlast my ownership thats for sure. If you notice mine is twisted. You cant see the cracks in the welds but they are their.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

battalionchief3,
Yes, they do build the frames cheaply that is for sure. I think the manual slide is just a poor design that Keystone finally fixed with the electric slide for 2010. I would never buy another manual slide Outback. Neat idea but to many issues with it. I will keep an eye on the repair that I did. I too think it will hold.
I am glad you got your bunk issue replaced with the proper gauge metal.
Take care,
crunchman


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## Scottps (Jan 21, 2010)

I can’t figure out what part of the trailer that the pictures are from, can you take a wider picture to show, and also take a picture of the outside where the cracks are on the fiberglass?


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

Scottps said:


> I can&#146;t figure out what part of the trailer that the pictures are from, can you take a wider picture to show, and also take a picture of the outside where the cracks are on the fiberglass?


Scottps,
I will take more pictures for you today after work. I put everything back together after the pictures I posted but I will take a wider shot. I will also take the outside pictures for you.
The posted pictures are from the interior, back right corner, above and to the right of the rear slide. The section is about 6" wide x 4' tall, where the interior rear bed slide lock clamp is. The one picture shows the plug for the rear slide light behind the dinette cushion. I will take more pics and post.
crunchman


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

crunchman12002 said:


> I can't figure out what part of the trailer that the pictures are from, can you take a wider picture to show, and also take a picture of the outside where the cracks are on the fiberglass?


Scottps,
I will take more pictures for you today after work. I put everything back together after the pictures I posted but I will take a wider shot. I will also take the outside pictures for you.
The posted pictures are from the interior, back right corner, above and to the right of the rear slide. The section is about 6" wide x 4' tall, where the interior rear bed slide lock clamp is. The one picture shows the plug for the rear slide light behind the dinette cushion. I will take more pics and post.
crunchman
[/quote]
Here are those additional pictures.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

If you ever have to open that area up again, take a good look a the screws and holes. Aluminum and stainless steel don't like each other and tend to have galvanic corrosion. Water will accelerate the process. Look for white powder which is the aluminum changing to aluminum oxide and the holes will start to tear out. When installing fasteners into aluminum, try to use either galvanized or zinc plated if you can get them.


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## Scottps (Jan 21, 2010)

crunchman12002 said:


> I can't figure out what part of the trailer that the pictures are from, can you take a wider picture to show, and also take a picture of the outside where the cracks are on the fiberglass?


Scottps,
I will take more pictures for you today after work. I put everything back together after the pictures I posted but I will take a wider shot. I will also take the outside pictures for you.
The posted pictures are from the interior, back right corner, above and to the right of the rear slide. The section is about 6" wide x 4' tall, where the interior rear bed slide lock clamp is. The one picture shows the plug for the rear slide light behind the dinette cushion. I will take more pics and post.
crunchman
[/quote]
Here are those additional pictures.
[/quote]

WOW, that did do a number on your slider frame. Hope that fixes your problem.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

thefulminator said:


> If you ever have to open that area up again, take a good look a the screws and holes. Aluminum and stainless steel don't like each other and tend to have galvanic corrosion. Water will accelerate the process. Look for white powder which is the aluminum changing to aluminum oxide and the holes will start to tear out. When installing fasteners into aluminum, try to use either galvanized or zinc plated if you can get them.


I did not think of the reaction issues, thanks for the tip. I will check it in the fall.
crunchman


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