Our flagstaff came with two bars that you are supposed to place on your slide out when retracted to prevent it from accidentally sliding out. Are these a "flagstaff thing" or optional? The reason I am asking is a couple of friends of ours have bought new campers that are not manufactured by flagstaff and have slide outs but have no such safety device. Or have there been further improvments to slide outs and they no longer require these safety bars. I remember when we bought ours a couple just a couple of years ago during the walk through they were pretty adamant about making sure those bars were in place during travel. And of course removed before opening the slide out.
Our 2010 Rockwood Roo came with them and I put in every time. They aren't just a Flagstaff thing but they may be a Forest River thing. I recall a thread on this subject in the past year. Try a search and you should be able to find more info.
Both forest river products I've owned did not come with slide locks one a 2005 flagstaff and the other a palomino sabre 20111.
Both with gear and track slideout mechanisms.
I was also supplied with the safety bars when I purchased my 2011 fifth wheel. I use the bars every time my slide out is retracted in for movement. I use the bars for safety and peace of mind. They were provided for a purpose at the time of manufacture of the RV. I understand some people do not use them and are considered a aggravation and useless. But when my RV was made, maybe the electrical drive system for the bump-out was not reliable
enough to keep the system in safely.
The safety bars when installed, do keep the sealing gaskets and bump-out tight where they are supposed to be. I have traveled over some very rough roads, rough enough to eject everything in the rear cabinets, move the sofa around (as far as the anchors will let it go).
Enough said, I do use them!
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Sid & HRH MISSY, SHIH TZU
2019 WILDCAT 28 SGX
2014 F-250 KING RANCH PS 6.7L/SWD/6R140/BFT
TST Truck System Technologies TM-507SE
DAYS CAMPED 2023 69 DAYS
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Our 2010 Rockwood Roo came with them and I put in every time. They aren't just a Flagstaff thing but they may be a Forest River thing. I recall a thread on this subject in the past year. Try a search and you should be able to find more info.
Mine came with them and I thought I could just tow without them. I did in fact until a heavy wind would hit the smaller slide and push the top of the slide away by six inches. Put them in, problem fixed.
Due to damage caused by clueless (or tired/unlucky) users forgetting the bars and trying/succeeding to open the slide with them installed; I understand that some "helpful" dealers/back shop maintenance guys have just "forgotten" to include them during the PDI.
Also some have even suggested that they be used for clothes rods.
Electro/Mechanical Rack and Electro/Hydraulic (piston) slides need these. Electric motor/cable systems (like NORCO) do not.
The Electro/Rack systems have a motor clutch that can slip under side load (like a curb strike while turning), allowing the slide to start moving outward. Once the heavy slide starts moving, it can fully extend due to its own inertia overcoming the motor clutch. (you can hear the clutch sometimes when fully opening or closing the slide).
The lock bar does not actually "lock" the slide. It just pre-loads rack's pinion gear with a downward force and prevents "easy" movement of the rack outward.
The NORCO cable system does not need the bars because motor rotation is required to open or close the slide and the mechanical advantage works against the slide turning the unpowered motor.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
my Roo came with them and i only use them on long trips or when i'm driving through windy/mountinous areas.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
Mine did not come with them. On a slow, hard, downhill right turn, the top of the kitchen slide moved out 8-12". Got my attention! I went to the dealer and they gave me two slide locks, which are used all the time.
Thanks for all the responses. We do use ours all the time when towing. I was just curious why some manufacturers or models don't come with them. Seem simple enough and they help prevent accidental damage should slide out move on it's own.
Slide-Out "Locking" Bars: My FR Flagstaff Super Lite Travel Trailer 26RLSS came with two bars. I always install them when on the road. I put a lot of effort into getting them tightened in place before moving. No matter how much I try, they rarely stay in place, thus not providing the safety roll expected of them. I have made several attempts at designing small brackets for each to help keep them in place but have not been successful. Comments or ideas?
Slide-Out "Locking" Bars: My FR Flagstaff Super Lite Travel Trailer 26RLSS came with two bars. I always install them when on the road. I put a lot of effort into getting them tightened in place before moving. No matter how much I try, they rarely stay in place, thus not providing the safety roll expected of them. I have made several attempts at designing small brackets for each to help keep them in place but have not been successful. Comments or ideas?
A picture of the bar and how you install it please.
Here is how I do mine with my Lippert slide mechanism.
The slide should tilt in a bit as you tighten them (not much, but you can feel it as the gear set compresses). If you have a gap in the corner (light coming in), it will close as the seals compress.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
That look right. My wife actually puts the slide locks in place when we close up the camper as I am usually outside finishing other things up. Ours stay in place. And we always make sure that those warning signs on a string are hanging inside the coach so we don't forget they are there.
Mine did not come with them nor was any thing said about needing them.
@OP
just me and my gray beard.
If your TT came with the locking bars USE them.
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2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
I install them on an upward angle so any slide movement will cause the bar to slide down and make it tighter, not looser as it would if the bar was level.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
slide lock
Linear Mode
