VANTARE SLIDE ROOMS

[Coloradobus]

Recently, we were told Vantare builds their own sliderooms. This we knew. Further in the discussion it was added that Vantare was using HWH mechanism but no longer does.
The most interesting item, we were told Vantare doesn't use the air-filled-bladder iinner tube seal around the slides, instead uses a series of inner and outer squeegee rubber strips. Come to think of it, we have never heard or read any Vantare owner complain about their sliderooms or slideroom seal replacement. Anyone with a slideroom equipped Vantare shed some light on this?
And yes, we are bus-shopping again, going back to a 45 footer for more room for next summer's Alaska trip and taking Chris' mom.

[jack14r]

I have seen some from the early version of their slides that I could see daylight in a few areas,I do know that they have a good service history of few repairs.

[merle&louise]

Jim,

I spoke to Granvil Tracy at the POG 9 rally about his slides. He confirmed that there are no air filled gaskets; only the squeegy type that you described. He has NEVER had any leaks! His Vantare is a 2000 model (I think). For an 11 year old bus that is a pretty good record. I think that it is a real advantage not having the air gaskets. When you think about it car doors and car windows open and close and they don't have anything more that a rubber seal and they don't leak. So why go thru all of the expense and hassle of having an air gasket on a slideroom? Vantare has rung the bell on this one IMO.

I also spoke to Frank Maltex (the guy who won the skeet shooting award) and he told me that the best Prevost he ever owned was a Vantare. He says it was a great bus; simple to work on and great workmanship. Frank's Vantare did not have slides. I can't remember what year model it was.

BOB- 97,99,00,01,02,03,04,& 05 had a 2000 Vantare with 2 slides and Debi told me the slides were trouble free.

You guys are going to love Alaska; try to make the trip with another bus or two. It makes it much more fun.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I'm the last one to ask about slides and their seals, but I can say this.

I know of coach owners who have had slides leak. Those owners are wisely not saying anything about their problems because it diminishes the resale value of their coach. There are in addition to Prevost a number of manufacturers of slides. The approaches those folks use for the mechanisms vary as do their approach to sealing out the elements. What everyone has to realize is that sealing a slide room is not like sealing a car door. The manufacturer of the slide doesn't have the ability to develop the method and then do extensive cycle testing to prove its merits or find its faults. Our coaches are built in such small quantities all any owner can hope is that his particular slide room works. And because of the limited production it is a safe bet the manufacturing controls that are developed when producing hundreds of thousands of cars or trucks are not going to be available to a company producing slides for coaches one at a time. The human element is going to determine how well the slide room seals.

If anyone really wants to know how well a slide seals the only true way is to spray it with a hose. Spray it as though the wind is blowing the rain sideways. Spray it when the coach is not level. Spray it when the coach leans so water rests against the seal. And no matter if the seal is inflated or is a wiper, at some point it will need to be serviced or replaced. If you think about our biggest problems, air leaks and the leans, you will realize all of those problems are associated with aging rubber components.

BTW, the Prevost slide seals appear to be well engineered and capable of doing a good job as long as they are inflated. I have no knowledge of or experience with wiper type seals but it seems to me they can be equally effective as long as they are in constant contact with the slide.

[jack14r]

The Prevost slides have a wiper and a inflatable seal,I have never seen daylight through one of these.

[Coloradobus]

I understand from some Vantare people that their slide rooms are able to be "teased" and "run" into the coach to get at the inner rubber squeegee. This is similar to the Prevost slide. Just curious about their slides, but the coach of interest now is a Vantare H, model year 2000. Another coach we were interested comes with damage history. so we will walk from that one.

[cori]

We have owned an XL2 double slide since new in 06 equiped with Prevost slides and have had 2 failed seals in the salon and 2 failed seals in the bed room . We were told that the seal supplier had a bad batch of seals distributed and all had been replaced with good ones now. Time will tell but it is very frusterating from my point of view. Cori

[Seabyrd]

We LOVE our Vantare !!! We love our HWH slides... We do however need to change out the gaskets.... just haven't gotten around to it yet.. it is on our list for this spring or summer !! I talked to the Vantare parts guy and he thinks he can get it when we're ready...Just one of a few things on our "to do" list !! Overall we're very happy with our H3.

Jim,

I spoke to Granvil Tracy at the POG 9 rally about his slides. He confirmed that there are no air filled gaskets; only the squeegy type that you described. He has NEVER had any leaks! His Vantare is a 2000 model (I think). For an 11 year old bus that is a pretty good record. I think that it is a real advantage not having the air gaskets. When you think about it car doors and car windows open and close and they don't have anything more that a rubber seal and they don't leak. So why go thru all of the expense and hassle of having an air gasket on a slideroom? Vantare has rung the bell on this one IMO.

I also spoke to Frank Maltex (the guy who won the skeet shooting award) and he told me that the best Prevost he ever owned was a Vantare. He says it was a great bus; simple to work on and great workmanship. Frank's Vantare did not have slides. I can't remember what year model it was.

BOB- 97,99,00,01,02,03,04,& 05 had a 2000 Vantare with 2 slides and Debi told me the slides were trouble free.

You guys are going to love Alaska; try to make the trip with another bus or two. It makes it much more fun.