Slides (I'm looking to learn)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
garyb1st said:
Dutch, will an electric drill work.  I used one to lower and raise the jacks when we had the trailer.  I've read the manual on closing the slide when the mechanism fails, but haven't actually looked at it.  Not sure there would be enough room. 
Withe effort it took to crank my slide in, I don't think a standard electric drill would get the job done. Especially not a cordless drill. Other setups on smaller slides might be ok though. My crank shaft is about 4 feet long,  so you would need to fabricate just the shaft part even if you did have a drill capable of turning it.
 
NY_Dutch said:
  My crank shaft is about 4 feet long,  so you would need to fabricate just the shaft part even if you did have a drill capable of turning it.

With a 4 foot shaft, you must be able to crank from the outside of your coach.  On mine, I need to crawl under the coach to reach the nut.  Haven't actually looked but you're probably right about needing more than a typical battery operated drill to bring it in. 
 
garyb1st said:
With a 4 foot shaft, you must be able to crank from the outside of your coach.  On mine, I need to crawl under the coach to reach the nut.  Haven't actually looked but you're probably right about needing more than a typical battery operated drill to bring it in. 

Yep, there's a small guide hole at the bottom edge of the outer slide wall where the crank goes in. 
 
Thanks to all who responded!

We are focusing on travel trailers but have not ruled out a class C. Since it is just the 2 of us we're in the 20-25 foot range. And since this is first RV we want to keep cost down in case we find RV'ing isn't for us.

When we left the Raleigh show I was wondering why slides are so prevalent if they cause problems. We have a Greensboro NC show in October so I'll definitely pay attention to the slide mechanisms. Ask questions. Thanks to forums like this I'm learning what to look for that would indicate a quality manufacturer.

Unless we had not other options we wouldn't want tight quarters when parked either.

What I find claustrophobic personally is lack of windows and dark interior finishes. I recognize the size RV we are looking at windows are a premium when you shoehorn in a kitchen, bathroom, closets, etc. I know I'm not going to be happy camper if I can't see outside when seated and looking forward. I understand more windows translate into potential leak points.

Thanks again!

 
Lots of windows and light colors are essential for us too.  They make the interior much lighter and more "airy" appearing.  Also note that a lot of the newer rigs do not have sliding windows that open wide.  If you like fresh air and good air flow throughout then the so-called frameless ones might not work for you.

ArdraF
 
One thing I like about my Class C (and this is also true of As) is that you also have the big windshield to look out of when you are parked.  I am very snoopy and enjoy the view through the windshield and the two big windows in  my "living room"--one on each side.  Also, instead of using one of those "bras" to cover the front window, I made a black mesh snap-on drapery that I can adjust to reduce glare but that lets me look out. 
 
I'm with you on the dark interiors and lack of windows. It's obvious that the people who design RVs don't actually use them.
 
When we left the Raleigh show I was wondering why slides are so prevalent if they cause problems.

Simply because they increase the usable space dramatically by changing the tunnel-like interior of a non-slide to a wider, more open space. For most of us, the effect is greater than the number of extra square feet would seem to apply.

Are they problematic? Well, any motorized mechanical system can break, but I don't think slides are a major headache. Most of them work fine all of the time. Some of the newer, cost-reduced systems seem to to be less reliable, but the rack & pinion gear systems and hydraulic systems are mature technologies that are well-proven.

If you are going to spend much time in an RV, you want bigger. Cute little baths and kitchens cease to be so cute after a week or two. You want a decent shower, a commode you can sit on without your knees in the sink, and a kitchen & fridge big enough for your beverages, snacks and favorite meals. And comfortable chairs for each of you, too. If you are tv fans, a comfortable viewing angle is also a major consideration.  More space will usually yield more windows too.
 
At the Raleigh show we got to the point of stepping into RV's that had dark colored cabinetry and turning around without looking further. That was mistake for us because we missed the chance of comparing quality between the manufacturers. No doubt people go for those colors or they would not be selling. Or maybe the dealer brought the unit that been collecting dust on the lot hoping for a sale.

I understand the idea of having the space along with the benefits you write about. My wife says the wet bath will be good enough but I doubt she'll be happy with that layout. Being our first rig we don't want to be in so deep money-wise we'll take a licking if we decide RV'ing is not for us and we sell.

I hadn't noticed fixed vs operable windows. Something to look out for.
 
We purchased a newer MH this spring with a full wall slide. It is our first slide in an rv, so I guess we decided all-or-nothin'. No issues with it...yet and I hope it stays that way. We really enjoy the extra width. Take a look at rvusa.com for a variety of make, model and floor plans. It really narrowed down what brand we had to look at.
 
NCSU Dad, I have been arguing with RV manufacturers and dealers for more than a decade about their dark and depressing colors.  They are absolutely convinced that it looks more luxurious.  Many (most?) have never lived in one so they don't realize how the dark colors can affect mood and make one feel claustrophobic.  When we got our current 2004 Monaco back when you could semi-customize a motorhome, we had many changes including the colors.  I detested the black, gray, brown and beige colors that year (and since).  We wanted a light exterior to reflect the sun better and ended up using the 2004 swirls graphics with three blue paint shades from 2004.  The darkest color is down low, swirls have the middle blue and light blue is the preponderant color especially up high.  We were told we'd never be able to sell it because "people don't buy blue" which is ridiculous because our previous one also was blue and sold quickly.  We've received many compliments on it; even truck drivers give us a thumbs up when passing.

The interior also had to be mainly blue and we ended up using the year 2000 fabrics and colors.  The Monaco interior designer and I had great fun putting it all together with some touches of beige.  We're still delighted with it.  Maybe some day the RV manufacturers will stop believing that everyone wants what they believe are luxurious colors and interiors.  Like you we turn around and leave when it's too dark inside.  We had brown and beige in the previous motorhomes and had our fill of those colors!  Keep looking at as many RVs as you can and complain to dealers about the colors because they're the ones who do the ordering from the manufacturers.

ArdraF
 
Slides make your home on wheels seem a lot larger than it really is.  Ditto for light colors, but the current style right now is dark woods and lots of browns and beiges.  About 30 years ago, the style was tons of mirrors and shiny cabinets--just about as bad as the dark woods.  You can probably recover cushions, so at least look for the lightest woods they make.  And beware of that incredibly cheap beige carpet manufacturers think you will love, but which mats up and looks horrible after a very short time!!
 
NCSU Dad said:
We are new to RV's and looking to buy our first RV. We attended the August 2017 RV show in Raleigh. I had made up my mind I did not want a slide based on research I did which mentioned:
-cutting the slide opening in a wall compromised the structural integrity of the wall
-slides are prone to leaks which if gone undetected or ignored will cause major decay problems
-mechanical failure
-you could be limited in campground parking due to the clearances required when the slides are out
So I did not take the opportunity to look and ask questions at the show.

Okay I'm the last to know most RV's manufactured today have slides.


Many of the posts I have read on this forum mentioned electric, cable, and hydraulic slide operators (this might be old technology). Seems to me the slides I saw at the RV show had what looked like some sort of rack and pinion track exposed.

Also the posts warn of difficulty in resale of an RV's which doesn't have them. The example mention most often was how people worried about power window failure years ago in cars and how not having PW in your car or truck today would be unheard of.

After all this typing please educate me on slides.

Thanks!

Well I'm still relatively new to the rving world(been at it for seven months). Our first rig was a 93 Bounder (gas). This had no slides and I was totally fine with that. Plus slide technology was quite new during that period. We loved the floor plan of the Bounder and never felt we were missing out by not having slides. However, we decided to upgrade and recently purchased a 2005 Bounder diesel pusher that has three slides. Oh boy do the slides open up the living space! I don't see slides being an issue at a campground. As Gary mentioned there is usually a good amount of space at campground sites.

Also, I had no issue selling my old Bounder. It was well maintained and I had a good amount of work put into it after I purchased (tires, shocks, struts, safety t plus, airbags, and a number of other things). While I did not get all the money back that put into the coach, I was able to trade in and get much more than I paid for seven months ago. Just my two cents! There are others who much more experience.

Good luck in your search.
 
I have had ongoing problems with my dinette/lounge slide, paying almost $500.00 in the past week to get it retracted twice.  Don't know if it is out of square, or electrical, because the fix moves around.  That being said, I would not purchase an RV without slides.  I would think twice about a full wall slide.  I also think rack and pinion are the best. 
 
1PlasticMan1 said:
I would think twice about a full wall slide.  I also think rack and pinion are the best.
Our full wall slide is 28 feet long, and it has two entertainment centers, a pantry, a large residential refrigerator and a bunch of cabinets in it. It's heavy! When it's extended, it's a flat floor design, so it has to articulate every time it goes in or out, and every time I extend or retract it, I hold my breath.

The only time it's ever given me any trouble is when I tried to extend it on battery power alone. That's a big no no, and the manual specifically says NOT to do that. It says the engine must be idling to operate the slides. The reset procedure is pretty simple though.

I've also discovered that the air intake grid heater can give my two bigger slides fits, because it draws a lot of amps for about a minute and a half when the engine is first started. Once it's done cycling, the slides work great (Knock on wood.)

Kev
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,753
Posts
1,384,359
Members
137,524
Latest member
freetoroam
Back
Top Bottom