Rockwood 2608BS slideout restriction?

[Hanks Travel Trailer]

Question for other 2608bs owners. We've had ours for about 2 months, and only made 2 short trips. Love the design because we could stop at a rest area and have full access to bedroom, bathroom and kitchen wo putting out slides. However, we've been told by both dealer and Rockwood that sitting in the dinette to eat lunch could pull it out of attachment to the wall, due to the floor not fully supporting the dinette. Basically they said don't use the dinette. Bed OK, theater seats OK, but not dinette. Any other 2608bs owners have experience with this issue? Can 2 lightweights use it with care?

[mac1_131]

This question comes up from time to time with varied answers.

We've used ours carefully a couple times.

The most sensitive area is the lip of the floor right at the edge. We try to step over that and slide carefully directly into the seats.

[TeachTexas]

When we had our 2608 we were told by Rockwood not to use table or sofa in slide while it was in. They said it did not have any support underneath to handle the extra weight while in because it was only supported by the wall and associated bracket. There was about an inch gap between floor of slide and main floor. When we looked underneath you could see all the way to the wall.

[Jean D]

We don’t sit in the chairs with the slide in our friends with the same model do eat lunch at their table. We bought our trailers in different states and neither of us were told anything about not using the table with the slide in.

The morning of a travel day I pack a lunch in our small cooler and we either eat in our truck or if the rest area has a picnic table we eat there.

[Hanks Travel Trailer]

No one told us about this limitation either. I stumbled onto it on YouTube, then called Rockwood and dealer to confirm. They confirmed. I'm a little put out about it, as the accessibility when traveling (for lunch) was a draw. We've dined at the table with slide in once, and no harm done. Next I'm going to see if I can do something to reinforce the setup, and of course be mindful of the problem. I find it hard to believe that the static load of 2 people simply sitting in the dinette is more stress than the dynamic load of repeated bouncing down the potholed interstate highways.

[Hanks Travel Trailer]

I think I've got the solution to this problem. I purchased from Menards 4 commercial sized doorstops. These are the rubberized wedge shaped stops that you stuff under a door to keep it open. I wedged each of these under the weak "false" floor attached to the underside of the bench seats, ie, one under each lower corner of the benches just under the drawers. When you sit on the bench, the added weight is supported by the doorstops on the kitchen floor, not the wall screws on the cantilever end, ie, slideout wall. I suppose they can be left in place while traveling, but must be removed before operating the slide. They do lift the carpet a small amount, but no biggie. I'm not giving up the convenience of dining at the table when traveling!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Hanks Travel Trailer

I think I've got the solution to this problem. I purchased from Menards 4 commercial sized doorstops. These are the rubberized wedge shaped stops that you stuff under a door to keep it open. I wedged each of these under the weak "false" floor attached to the underside of the bench seats, ie, one under each lower corner of the benches just under the drawers. When you sit on the bench, the added weight is supported by the doorstops on the kitchen floor, not the wall screws on the cantilever end, ie, slideout wall. I suppose they can be left in place while traveling, but must be removed before operating the slide. They do lift the carpet a small amount, but no biggie. I'm not giving up the convenience of dining at the table when traveling!

Sounds like a great solution as long as you remember to remove them before operating the slide.

[Hanks Travel Trailer]

At my age, never trust memory for important stuff. Will be adding "remove/replace 4 doorstops from dinette" to my pre-flight checklist. Will be added just before "is wife in truck?"

[Roaminaround]

We owned a Nash trailer of the same floor plan before our 2608BS. Never gave it a thought. We sat numerous times in the dinette for lunch while traveling with the slide in. We’ve had this trailer for almost 3 years and about a year ago I noticed a drop in the level of the big slide. Had to relevel the table as a result. Since then we hear a pounding/beating sound when the slide is going out the last foot or so. It sounds like the gears are hitting the under side of the floor. I wonder if this is damage due to sitting in the dinette with the slide in. Any thoughts on this.

[Hanks Travel Trailer]

Probably a good idea to have an RV service place or Rockwood dealer take a look at it. Rockwood told me that the usual damage, if it happens, is that the dinette pulls away from the outer wall, ie, pulling the screws out of the wall. Maybe lay under the slide as it's operated and see what's happening. Also check between dinette and outer wall.

[Jackbo]

I was told the same thing by a former Forest River employee that installed slides
at the factory. He worked at the dealer near the factory were i bought the trailer.
He also recommended putting "wedges" under the bed frame if using the bed with the slide retracted. Since we were driving back to our home in SC from indiana where we bought our trailer and would be spending a night with the slide retracted he cut a couple wedges out of wood like Hanks Travel Trailer recommended. Rubber door stop will work.

[tmkwasinski]

If the slide is in, don't sit on the sofa/theater seats nor at the dinette. Doing so could bend the slide edge which in turn will damage the vinyl floor. While I haven't done it, I saw first hand the damage caused by this error..