Using slide outs without opening them

[harley39b]

I am looking to replace my older class A diesel pusher without slide outs with a newer one that has slide outs. Does anyone know which ones have slide outs that can be used without sliding them out? I am looking at diesel pushers 2003 to 2008. Brands I am looking at include Country Coach, Alpine, Safari, Newmar, Travel Supreme.

 

[JudyJB]

Not sure what you are asking. Are you asking about motorhomes where you can access the back end, bathroom, and bedroom with the slides in? If that is your question, there are a lot of them. In my C, I can squeeze past my referigerator to get to the back and sleep in my bed or use the bathroom. Only problem is that when the slide is closed, I can access only the top drawers in my dresser, but I can pull out my bedroom TV and access the top closet. I also can't lift the bed up to get stuff out from under there. So, I just make sure I have everything I will need ahead of time.

When you go shopping, most of the time, at least in a dealer yard, they will have the slides open. Just ask for them to be closed so you can determine if you can get back to things.

 

[PancakeBill]

Or do you mean using the sofa etc on the slide without actually opening the slide?

 

[Kirk]

Probably the best way it to walk through the ones of interest unless you can locate a floorplan for them. The shallower the slide is the less it will block the interior when closed. Opposing slides tend to close things up the most.

 

[Larry N.]

Does anyone know which ones have slide outs that can be used without sliding them out?

As some indicate above, that is floor plan dependent. You need to check which aspect of "used without sliding them out" you are interested in, whether it's using them while retracted (most work fine that way, but not all) or accessing the full length of the coach with slides in, or both. In either case, you have to check the individual floor plan. I've had a gasser and a DP with full length access available and one that the bed blocks access to the main bath in the rear, but has a front "half" bath.

In all three, any slide you could access is usable with the slides retracted.

So follow Judy's and Kirk's advice and check in person, since floor plan diagrams sometimes don't show all that you need to know.

 

[OldWEB]

Our Hurricane gasser one slide has the dinette seating and our other slide has the couch. BOTH slides have seat belts installed so I assume that people can sit there while underway.

 

[A Traveler]

Tha Mandalay 40E floor plan allows access to everything with the slides in, with no tight squeezes. We often do this when overnighting in cold weather. Less area to heat.

I have to extend one of the bedroom slides to use the full length of the bed…that’s it.

 

[tlmgcamp]

The OP is asking if "the slide out can be used without sliding it out" not about access to the remainder of the unit with the slide in. I started a thread about this last year because my new slide (containing my dinette) failed and I was told by the repair guy not to use it when it was in the retracted position. I never really got a good technical explanation as to why from to the repair guy or the manufacturer and there are those on this forum who disagreed with the restriction that it shouldn't be used when retracted.

 

[harley39b]

The above post is correct. I am asking if I can use the couch, table, etc on a slide out without sliding it out. Sometimes we stop and do not want to put it them out. The seat belts on the slide out units would certainly indicate that they can be used during motion without the slide out being opened.

 

[Old_Crow]

Well, like @OldWEB the couch on my slide had seat belts installed, so I don't hesitate to use it while closed. In fact, I've learned to close it any time the weather even hints at snow. Last winter I was camped near San Diego and the weather report said 1" or less of snow, woke up to like 18". Took a lot of work on a ladder in the snow to get the slide cleaned off so I could close it.

 

[PancakeBill]

OK, this is what I thought you meant. Will really deoend on the unit, some no problem at all others not so much. Is this a unit you own? Check with manufacturer. One way to think is stand on the edge if the floor of the slide and see what it feels like. On some it will seem to flex some, others it will feel solid. If I couldn't get an answer from manuf I would do it this way.

 

[PancakeBill]

I had a Country Coach in that era, the slide was fine to be used, The earkier n=models tended towards shallower slides, so less pressure on the edge.

 

[tlmgcamp]

The above post is correct. I am asking if I can use the couch, table, etc on a slide out without sliding it out. Sometimes we stop and do not want to put it them out. The seat belts on the slide out units would certainly indicate that they can be used during motion without the slide out being opened.

The seat belts would be the answer for me, unless they are telling you to drie with the slide extended. If you try that, please post videos

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The above post is correct. I am asking if I can use the couch, table, etc on a slide out without sliding it out. Sometimes we stop and do not want to put it them out. The seat belts on the slide out units would certainly indicate that they can be used during motion without the slide out being opened.

Then the short and simple answer is "All of them".

 

[Lou Schneider]

One thing you don't want to do is use a slide when it's partially extended. When the slide is fully out the tipping weight is supported by the inside lip of the slide pressing against the wall of the RV. If the slide is less than fully extended those forces are fully on the slide mechanism, so any extra weight or movement in the slide will stress the supports.

Using the slide when it's fully closed is less of a problem as the outside lip of the slide is pressing against the motorhome wall, again supporting the tipping weight. And the floor of the slide is usually at least partially supported by the RV's floor.