I am new to the forum and a new owner of a travel trailer with a slideout. I had a pops-up before this so no experience with this topic. So when I am in between travels and my rig is parked in my drive, should I be leaving the slide out in or out while it sits in my driveway awaiting the new trip. And why
Do you keep your slide out in or out while not camping? Why?
- Thread starter roricaja
- Start date
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John From Detroit
Well-known member
That is a common question.. IF YOU PUT IT AWAY WET (Close up in the rain) THen by all means put slides out so the slide topper dries off...
I used to put at least my main slide out.. but that was because I used the Motor home (In my case) every day even when parked at home.... It is my ham shack and the operating position is to the rear of the main slide so I had to have it out.
I used to put at least my main slide out.. but that was because I used the Motor home (In my case) every day even when parked at home.... It is my ham shack and the operating position is to the rear of the main slide so I had to have it out.
JoelP
Well-known member
I never put out my slides without having it on levelers. In a recent string here there was the companion question of whether one should store on or off levelers. The bottom line was that the leveler makers advised to not store on levelers to avoid excess wear and tear on the levelers, while the tire manufacturers advised to store on levelers to avoid excess wear and tear on tires. The other worry about storing with slides out is that if there were a really big wind storm it would put a lot of stress on the slide toppers.
UTTransplant
Well-known member
You want to level the trailer with blocks or Anderson levelers and put down the stabilizers at home anyway, just to make sure you keep the refrigerator level. If the slide is dry, leave it in until you need to pack for a trip. Open it when you need to. I prefer not leaving it open all the time because it might be wet or full of leaves when I want to retract it for travel.
Rene T
Site Team
My driveway is next to my lawn. If I have my slides out, it's a pain to mow the grass. On the other side, I have the big slide and I shut that one just so no one accidently hits it while driving in and out in a car. I have several grandchildren and they are all new drivers.
HappyWanderer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2014
- Posts
- 2,967
With the slide out the seals are exposed to UV and weather, increasingly the possibility of leaks. The top of the slide can collect leaves and debris which will need to be removed before putting the slide in.
Larry N.
Well-known member
In general I keep the slides closed, but if they're wet I'll leave them out until dry. Also, we sometimes get strong winds which could tear the toppers. I also have some wasps in the area, always looking for a place to build their nests, so keeping the slides closed prevents nests under the topper and under the slide.
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
I leave mine in as it makes it less of a target for a passing tropical storm, a hurricane or high winds to grab on to. (Parked in the potential hurricane belt of Southwest Florida!!)
blw2
Well-known member
I store with slides in. I'm in a storage lot, so one concern is "hangar rash" (the more it's sticking out the more likely to get bumped into by the neighbors.
BUT
an even bigger reason....when mine are open, the undersides of the slides aren't really sealed very well, but when closed the lip seal closes all around
BUT
an even bigger reason....when mine are open, the undersides of the slides aren't really sealed very well, but when closed the lip seal closes all around
Rene T
Site Team
roricaja said:
If you were coming back from a camping trip and plan on using it again the following weekend, I would leave them out.
andre
Member
I leave my camper at a seasonal site. Should l be pulling them in every weekend? Do most people who are weekenders?
Thanks,
Andre
Thanks,
Andre
blw2
Well-known member
about the hole thing of letting the awnings dry
I get it
...believe me, as a former popup owner I get it....
but the thing is this.
If I roll my awing up dry as a bone, and it rains while it's in storage
It will ALWAYS be wet when I open it....if I open it within several days
but if it's been stored for a long dry spell it will typically unroll and be fairly dry
(or maybe even a bit longer, I've never really figured out how much rain it takes or how long it takes to dry)
My awning is one of those laminated vinyl fabrics, not some porous stuff.... but the water leaks in
Now I can't honestly say if I see the same thing on my slide topper awnings or not....
Now I'll dry them if I can just because it makes sense, and all of that.....but I pretty much figure what's the point of letting them dry. they'll just get wet anyway.
I get it
...believe me, as a former popup owner I get it....
but the thing is this.
If I roll my awing up dry as a bone, and it rains while it's in storage
It will ALWAYS be wet when I open it....if I open it within several days
but if it's been stored for a long dry spell it will typically unroll and be fairly dry
(or maybe even a bit longer, I've never really figured out how much rain it takes or how long it takes to dry)
My awning is one of those laminated vinyl fabrics, not some porous stuff.... but the water leaks in
Now I can't honestly say if I see the same thing on my slide topper awnings or not....
Now I'll dry them if I can just because it makes sense, and all of that.....but I pretty much figure what's the point of letting them dry. they'll just get wet anyway.
UTTransplant
Well-known member
We had a seasonal site for one summer, and we pulled the slide in each time we went home. Keeps the wind from having more to catch, and just sealed things up better.andre said:
PopPop51
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2010
- Posts
- 447
I can't think of any advantage to leaving the slide out if you're not actively using the RV, and as others have mentioned here leaving the slide out just accelerates deterioration of the slide's roof and seals.
Structurally, if the thing is engineered to go bouncing down the road with the slide in, sitting still with the slide in certainly can't hurt.
Structurally, if the thing is engineered to go bouncing down the road with the slide in, sitting still with the slide in certainly can't hurt.
Pocket Rocket
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2012
- Posts
- 26
I store my 5er with the slide out closed as this was the manufacture's recommendation.
I guess I'm different than most. With the trailer we had, the slides stayed out most of the time, as that was the only way to access 2/3s of the trailer. The C we have now, we can use everything with the slides in. They still stay out most of the time.
scottydl
Site Team
Sometimes mine is parked with the slides out. Sometimes it has the slides in.
How's that for conclusive?
I don't think there is a 100% right or wrong answer. It all depends on where you park it, how level your spot may be (don't want water or debris accumulating in the wrong places), how often you will access the RV during non-camping storage, how your slides are arranged, etc. It does seem to make sense to "close it up" along with other facilities during longer periods of storage.
How's that for conclusive?
I don't think there is a 100% right or wrong answer. It all depends on where you park it, how level your spot may be (don't want water or debris accumulating in the wrong places), how often you will access the RV during non-camping storage, how your slides are arranged, etc. It does seem to make sense to "close it up" along with other facilities during longer periods of storage.
