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Old 07-06-2022, 05:17 PM   #1
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Full Time Living Slide Support

With our new 2020 Riverstone 39FK, we are going to be parking it indefinitely in one spot to live in it. Just wondering what kind of strain that might put on the slides if they're out all the time. Should I provide additional support for them to keep gravity from doing a number or are Riverstones built better for that?
Also, would it be recommended to move the slides in and out every now and then as well?
Total RV newb here, so basically starting from scratch. Appreciate any advise given.


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Old 07-06-2022, 05:24 PM   #2
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It wouldn't hurt to put them out and in occasionally if you want to make certain they still work.
You don't want to put supports under the slides. If wind or something else moves the rig with the slides out, you want them to move with the rig. Just make certain your rig is level before you put out the slides.
Welcome to the forum and have fun living in the rig.
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Old 07-06-2022, 05:50 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird View Post
It wouldn't hurt to put them out and in occasionally if you want to make certain they still work.
You don't want to put supports under the slides. If wind or something else moves the rig with the slides out, you want them to move with the rig. Just make certain your rig is level before you put out the slides.
Welcome to the forum and have fun living in the rig.
So are you suggesting to move slides in and out occasionally just to see if they work ? Or another reason ?
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Old 07-06-2022, 06:12 PM   #4
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Just to make sure they work so when you do want to move them they do!
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Old 07-06-2022, 06:18 PM   #5
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I think that most user manuals state to use them at least once a month. I have not always done that and no real problems. But I have also had a slide that would not go out after closing. It would be a good idea to try the slide about a week or so before you have to get on the road.
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Old 07-06-2022, 06:45 PM   #6
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I have seen dealerships often leave sides open for a year or more.

As far as the supports the only way I would use them is if the trailer was on a solid foundation......... concrete blocks etc. not on tires.


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Old 07-07-2022, 06:18 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Oaklevel
I have seen dealerships often leave sides open for a year or more.
Almost every new RV we looked at also had totally dead batteries and the salespeople had the small lithium jumper batteries in their vehicles.

I'm pretty sure I'd never rely on something a dealer does as being OK.

Agreed on NO to slide supports. Those are a fantastic way to cause a lot of damage. For example, if a tire loses some air, the RV body lowers a bit but the slide doesn't lower with it. The outside of the slide is now pushed up and things break.

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Old 07-07-2022, 06:29 AM   #8
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If as you say, you are parking it in one spot indefinitely to live in it, then you should be supporting the R/V on piers under the frame rails.

If you do this, it is perfectly fine to then also support the slide outs. As mentioned, you never want to support the slide out if the R/V is resting solely on the tires/suspension.

There is absolutely no reason to move the slides in and out on a routine basis if you are living in the rig permanently.
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Old 07-07-2022, 06:47 AM   #9
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There is absolutely no reason to move the slides in and out on a routine basis if you are living in the rig permanently.
Perhaps not routine but maybe occasional. I'd be concerned about the seals becoming stiff or cracking if they were never cleaned and conditioned.

The day will come when a severe thunderstorm will bring the risk of a tree or an overhead branch falling, or just really high winds and you want to reduce the wind load. We have no idea where someone will be living permanently but bad weather can happen anywhere.

Where we were last winter we had to bring the slides in because they were doing tree and branch trimming and the trimmers wanted to reduce the risk of falling stuff.

Or you have a seal leaking and need to replace it but you realize the slides don't work. Or worse, only one side moves. I'd rather have failures occur on my schedule than in an emergency.

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Old 07-07-2022, 12:28 PM   #10
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...
There is absolutely no reason to move the slides in and out on a routine basis if you are living in the rig permanently.
Things always go wrong on what you don't check. That's Murphy's Law.
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Old 07-07-2022, 01:07 PM   #11
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Things always go wrong on what you don't check. That's Murphy's Law.
And there's nothing to say even with regular use, it won't work the NEXT time you go to use it.

If the with regular use nothing will go wrong theory was correct, nothing that ever gets used would break and that's simply not true.
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Old 07-07-2022, 03:17 PM   #12
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My opinion is no supports (all of the manufactures I have seen recently give this instruction). On leaving them open full time, I'd say just know how to manually close the style you have just as an emergency plan and check the seals fairly often. A leak is the last thing you need if it's your home, they cause extensive damage which is usually unnoticed until it's widespread or compromises the structure of the rig.
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Old 07-07-2022, 09:05 PM   #13
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So are you suggesting to move slides in and out occasionally just to see if they work ? Or another reason ?
We are on a summer site from June to October. When a storm comes we like to bring in the slides. Puts more weight in the center of the trailer and protects the slide out toppers. And I like to know the slides will probably work when we are ready to move.
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