Wilderness Series Square tubing problem

[Wilson]

Hello,

I have a recently purchased the Wilderness Series Walleye Fish house and I am having trouble with the Square tubing. IT does not slide very easy when telescoping the tubes in and out. It actually jams up. We've tried adding silicone and rounding the sharp corners. We've taken it back to Mills Fleet and made an exchange. The new one has the same problem. These tubes just don't slide. Am I doing something wrong or have I got 2 defective units? Anyone run into this problem?

[BIG DS]

The dry silicone works good, but, the best way I have found is to "polish" the poles with a fine steel wool on the outside and hit the insides with spray white lithium grease. You may have to grease them once a year but they jam up less. The square tubing jams a little more than the round if you do not pull it down straight. I have a lodge that I do this with each fall and it seems to work fine.

[CatManLee]

I "had" a wilderness series house, and the square tubes where absolutely horrible to slide. One of the WORST designs I've ever seen! I sanded and sanded and sanded, still didn't change much. I didn't try greasing it all up, and don't see why you should have too? My Polar Sport ice house with round tubes works perfect. Never had to sand, grind or grease anything...I didn't mind the house that much, I had the "Northern Package" and it had tons of room, the sled was pretty nice, and the price was alright, but the jamming poles were enough to make me sell it this past fall. Next house I buy, I'm gonna make sure I check out all these "little things" before purchasing it.

Sorry I went on a little rant, but just had to say something about it. Try some grease I guess and hopefully it works well for you. Good luck.

[18 inch Crappie]

The Otter houses say to use WD-40 and it works great.

[Whoaru99]

I took my Otter Lodge square poles apart, cleaned them real good, and then sprayed 'em with dry graphite film lubricant. The stuff looks like dull gray spray paint when it goes on. Let it cure for a while, then put back together. Now, the poles slide like a hot knife through butter.

[LMITOUT]

Before assembling it is best to clean up the ends of the poles. Inspect for any burrs on the inside of the tubing which could cause the poles to bind. Use some fine sandpaper or steel wool to buff them up a little and then add some sort of lubricant such as silicone spray. Wipe the poles down and even blow out the insides with water or air to make sure there are no metal shavings in them and they'll slide like silk, but you HAVE to do this before ever sliding one pole inside another. Once one starts to bind up it's hard to reverse the issue.

[hanson]

I've got to agree with what the others have recommended as a solution.

Use a fine steel wool on the ends that slide in and really get them smooth, especially the ends.

I then coated mine with a spray silicone I picked up at Menards.

Two solid winters now with no binding poles at all. They actually seam to slide better and better with use.

One thing that may have happened in your haste to get the poles to slide is that you ever so slightly bent one of them. Until you get them sliding smooth, I would not force them.

The great thing about the square tubing is its strength. In 30mph wind on the lake in my Otter Lodge, I have yet to have to put in the extra support poles in between the main poles. The house is that sturdy without them. I've had other houses where the house will collapse on you if you don't put these support poles in, not with my Otter though.

[Wilson]

Thanks for all the great feedback folks. They are all good suggestions, but I have one problem with that. With the money one spends for these units, should we really be expected to perform these steps to make the units operartional?? I'm just a little dis-satisfied with the manufacturer on this I guess.

Thanks again everyone.