Mouse in the House

[2fiftyr]

Obviously not a new topic for RVs. We have a 2021 395MS that we've been all over with for the last year. Home is in Idaho. Last few weeks we were at that Sand Dunes in Eastern Idaho. The camping is at a developed BLM campsite. Been there several times over the last year. Never any rodent issues there or before. Well we were not so lucky on this trip. Discovered one or two under the sink. So after getting home and thoroughly go over the entry options, I realized GD has done a pretty fine job closing and sealing things off, except for the through frame Hydraulic slide mechanisms on both sides of the trailer. Made by Lippert of course.

It doesn't matter if the slides are in or out, there are huge openings for a mouse to enter. Further, the ability for them to hop up on the inner tube and crawl in is so easy. I did some on-line search and could not find any reference to a nice flexible seal systems that closes this out and still allows movement. So I decided to make a quick and dirty prototype out of plastic corrugated plastic and maybe later will make out of rubber. Final version will be cleaner. I slit it to install it and will fasten or bond in place. I'm not worried about chewing through it since the entire bottom seal system is out of corrugated plastic, foam, etc. I just want to close the "back door" to the house and discourage easy entry. There are two opening per slide that need addressed

I'm curious if anyone has done something similar or if there is an existing solution for something like this.

Thanks

[LMagelitz]

Here’s what I did (if I did the upload right). I used a piece of baler belting. The metal straps are stood off from the steel with washers just enough to allow the belting to move around, because the ram is in a slightly different position in the hole when the slide is closed versus open (on mine anyway). The ram also moves within that hole a fair amount while the slide is moving. I drilled the frame and threaded the holes with a 1/4” tap.

[CoChris]

Obviously not a new topic for RVs. We have a 2021 395MS that we've been all over with for the last year. Home is in Idaho. Last few weeks we were at that Sand Dunes in Eastern Idaho. The camping is at a developed BLM campsite. Been there several times over the last year. Never any rodent issues there or before. Well we were not so lucky on this trip. Discovered one or two under the sink. So after getting home and thoroughly go over the entry options, I realized GD has done a pretty fine job closing and sealing things off, except for the through frame Hydraulic slide mechanisms on both sides of the trailer. Made by Lippert of course.

It doesn't matter if the slides are in or out, there are huge openings for a mouse to enter. Further, the ability for them to hop up on the inner tube and crawl in is so easy. I did some on-line search and could not find any reference to a nice flexible seal systems that closes this out and still allows movement. So I decided to make a quick and dirty prototype out of plastic corrugated plastic and maybe later will make out of rubber. Final version will be cleaner. I slit it to install it and will fasten or bond in place. I'm not worried about chewing through it since the entire bottom seal system is out of corrugated plastic, foam, etc. I just want to close the "back door" to the house and discourage easy entry. There are two opening per slide that need addressed

I'm curious if anyone has done something similar or if there is an existing solution for something like this.

Thanks

I simply cleaned off the frame rails and used heavy duct tape (think Gorilla tape) to box in and close off the hole. Has worked fine for 4 years and 13,000 miles on the trailer. Cheap, easy to install, easy to replace. Allows some flex. Will tear rather than hurt the mechanisms.

Chris

[2fiftyr]

Great ideas and creative. If the Gorilla tape holds up for 4 years, seems like a simple fix. Thanks for the responses

[Fsalmy]

Also used the Gorilla tape and then sprayed a nice thin coating of Mouse Free on it. Seems to be working. I've got some Xcluder fabric fill that I thought about adding, but might consider this Xcluder product instead https://buyxcluder.com/xcluder-wrap.html

I once tried splitting rubber tub drain flanges and an escutcheon with a rubber flange, but couldn't secure them sufficiently. Plus, we have had rodents chew right thru rubber garage door seals, so not convinced that it would have worked anyway. But the hay baler belts sound like a great idea. If only there was a way to add an electric shock and a flame thrower to them.

[LMagelitz]

If only there was a way to add an electric shock and a flame thrower to them.

Isn’t that the truth!
GD did a good job sealing the rest of my trailer, but them leaving this slide mechanism wide open to mice is pretty shameful. Not to mention it’s water entry to the basement insulation when driving in a rainstorm.