Slide Good or bad idea

[Tireman9]

Current Coachmen has no slide. Am looking at new RV and may have a side slide (driver side with dinette).
Am concerned about reliability. Seems to be LOTS of problems of not working and or leaks.
Any ideas on how to minimize problems or avoid them? Maybe only way to avoid problems is to not have a slide in the first place. Problem there is selection options are few.

[ependydad]

Here you go, just asked and many answered:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...des-86190.html

[Ford Idaho]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...hjvkFP9082KIvg

I can only tell you that with the lite we have had no issues with the slide working or leaking.


And get the slide toppers that big slide is a pain to clean off with a towel an rope.

[youroo]

Yes Good! Youroo!!

[frozen]

We've had 3 campers with slides, total of 6 slides. I can say with confidence that we've run them in/out several hundred times over the years. I've had two malfunctions; one was a sheared bolt between the slide's motor and gearbox. The other was due to a cable on a wardrobe slide disconnecting. Considering the added living space, I'll continue to own campers with slides There's always a manual method to run them in or out in the unlikely event of a breakdown.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by frozen

There's almost always a manual method to run them in or out in the unlikely event of a breakdown.

Sadly, the Schwintek slides by Lippert don't have one other than "push like a mofo".

[bikendan]

Wouldn't have a RV without slideouts.
Those that have issues, are the vast minority.
Ours has worked perfectly since we bought the trailer nearly 9 years ago.

[aceinspp]

Like any thing else a little PM goes a long way. I have had slides in my last four campers and love em. No issues. Later RJD

[rlocicero]

Wouldn't have one without a slide.

[conceptumator]

Our 2006 Hurricane didn't have any slides, but I think you'll have a very hard time finding anything new or even recent that doesn't have at least one slide in it. Some have problems, some don't - like everything else out there. Now that we have slides, we can't believe how much more room they give. One word of advice that I got from a friend and it works for us. Look for RV's with the large slide on the driver's side, not the passenger side. Our full length slide is on the driver's side with a much smaller bed width slide on the passenger side. Reason being that if the main slide is on the passenger side, it's going to eat up a great deal of your campsite when you get set up. Also tends to cause problems with awnings unless the awning is mounted on the slide itself. Just something to think about.

[jjfmd2]

Had no problems with the 2 slides on our unit.

[dowjones]

IMO - Slides are dependent on whether you need the extra room.

[rdenslow]

I too had fears about slide when they first came out. In fact, I was so unsure that my first unit with a slide was a Dutchman unit with a manual slide. Crank it in and out... which got old in a few years but was issue free. Since I have had a couple of units with 1-3 slides and have had minimal issue. Like with most things, if the unit is level and stable you will never have a problem. They do require some lubrication and you should ensure they are clean before bringing them in, but that's about it. Not that it's my opinion but in conversation with a sales manager of a large dealership in my area a couple of months ago he told me that units with no or only one slide set on the lot until someone comes looking for that exact item or a discounted deal. Even trade ins with 2 or more slides jump off the lot in comparison he says.

[glfillion]

One of the nice things about our R-Pod is the slide which expands the kitchen and makes a small tt livable!

[Jim in Halifax]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...hjvkFP9082KIvg

I can only tell you that with the lite we have had no issues with the slide working or leaking.


And get the slide toppers that big slide is a pain to clean off with a towel an rope.

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[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Jim in Halifax

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Slides do not have toppers and I left the ladder at home by mistake.

[Oaklevel]

Once you have a slide you'll never go back



Oh ya supposed to clean them off ??

[harleyguy]

This is our first trailer with a slide and you would not believe the difference a couple feet of living space makes. Just make sure you use conditioner on the rubber seals and lube or clean the slide gears as the manufacturer recommends
Have not had any issues with ours

[Tireman9]

Thanks for the links and the replies. I feel better about the decision to get a Coachmen 22QB with a driver side slide.
Will be sure to do the PM. Will be at FMCA convention in Madison end of the month (giving seminars on tires and Genealogy) and expect there will be a number of vendors offering stuff for slides.

[Ford Idaho]

If you get it for free then grab it and walk slow.

PDI guy suggested something like this.