New owner here too with slide out floor problems

[pixdenny]

You know that feeling when you’re checking out a used car that seems too good to be true, and you just haven’t found the issue yet?

Looking back, I appreciate the dealer not letting it leave without attempting a repair—I just wish I’d known how costly a proper fix would be.

I need help. On this 2011 Cherokee 39p Should the floor be flush with the sidewalls or mounted into the wood support? I’m not finding support beams in the slide-out walls and have no idea how to fix this.

We hired a guy who keeps saying he’s waiting on Forest River for a replacement floor, which seems odd. So I started calling around and found 12’ OCB for just $20 a sheet in my town. It’s 1/2” thick, so I’d likely need to glue and sandwich a couple together.





Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[pixdenny]

Awe nothing yet I’m sending I a scope cam to see if there is water damage in the wall but right now I’m honestly just thinking about boxing the entire slide out along the bottom with like 2”x2” that look like molding , then anchoring into hopefully what so far seem like solid studs by each window . This way I have a new spot to add screws to hold this up for now because I’m currently in a 2-4wk time crunch and If it’s from the factory designed to be flush that repair is going to be expensive and take forever .

Lmk what u think I’ve attached some pics I’ll update with what my camera finds .

Wood piece for box in reference idea .

Finger where I’m felling a stud

Thanks

 

[pixdenny]

def solid feeling wall no sogginess let’s hope stud is solid too

 

[pixdenny]

Bump …. Is this normal around here no advice???

 

[Oaklevel]

A 2011 Cherokee 39p is a destination trailer ?? If so you have a couple things against you. More than likely not too many own them on here as they did not sell too many in the first place and they are about 15 years old.

I doubt forest river has parts available for a 2011 so I think you are being told a story.

The Lowes vapor barrier is a nice touch. Honestly pictures are great but not sure what issues we should be looking at.

The slide floor should be close to the level with trailer floor and the slide should fit square in the opening........ the side framing is either metal or 2x2 wood studs....... not sure about your model.

Maybe I can stir some others to respond.

 

[Oaklevel]

I am confused so just throwing a few things out there. It does look like the plywood (0970 pic) has dropped 2-3 incheches below the slide.

 

[bikendan]

Yep, destination trailers are not a large group on RV forums. Only a handful of FR Towable divisions even make them.
I can move your thread to the Cherokee sub-forum since Cherokee is probably the biggest seller of destination trailers in the FR family. I know there are a few 30P owners there.

 

[pixdenny]

The Lowes vapor barrier is a nice touch. Honestly pictures are great but not sure what issues we should be looking at.

The slide floor should be close to the level with trailer floor and the slide should fit square in the opening........ the side framing is either metal or 2x2 wood studs....... not sure about your model.

Maybe I can stir some others to respond.

Thank you !

The repair done by the dealer is pretty jerry-rigged. They sandwiched what looks like a smaller slide-out floor from another trailer with plywood on bottom. The left side is solid—they actually added a new stud in the wall to support it. But the right side is a different story. The wood is rotted, and I’m not sure what to do. I’m running out of time

I might just brace it up when I get to my site. Even though the screws are backing out, it still holds weight well. The problem is that it’s come loose and is sagging on the right side. There’s clear water damage, and the screws that were holding up the repair have fallen out. The damage isn’t new they found the damage before delivering it to me and their fix did indeed raise the floor on the inside .

My biggest question: What’s normally here? Is there supposed to be a stud, or is the floor flush with the railing? I can’t get to the bottom of this … I honestly think the floor from factory is flush with the railing on the left and right sides and the bracket helps hold it plus the stud in the wall?
Idk


Also, the repair guy I hired was weird. I think he just pockets the service call fee and then drags things out forever. When I asked what parts he was waiting for, he got super defensive. Ordering an entirely new floor makes no sense in my case—there’s already some structural support that can be reinforced, and 12’ plywood isn’t impossible to find.


I even sent a camera into the wall to check for additional damage beyond the right-side stud that holds the floor. Everything looked good—no water damage to the walls, and the slide-out studs (one at each window) are in perfect condition.


Right now, I’m thinking of just lag bolting the existing repair into the stud on the right side Window to reinforce it … Does that sound like a reasonable fix?

The other option is like 2x2 ‘s boxing in the entire inside of the slide out to create new studs for my floor … the 2x2s would be mainly held by the studs in the walls by windows and the studs at the corners of the slide out .


Thanks for getting this conversation going and I totally get what ur saying about it being rare.

It’s clear this model sat at dealerships its entire life .

 

[pixdenny]

I am confused so just throwing a few things out there. It does look like the plywood (0970 pic) has dropped 2-3 incheches below the slide.

Nailed it ! This repair was a quick repair done about 3 months ago after I purchased it by the seller. It’s working fine besides the fact my floor is raised higher and now the right side is bowing

I’m trying to find a way the re support the left side despite the rotted 2x2 or rotted old flooring or whatever is there.

Think quick and easy would be a long lag bold with large washer into the very nicely intact stud near the window .

Infact I added new pictures when I sent a camera into the wall what size lag bolt would be recommended ?

Heck I bet a 7” > screw would even do it but since I only have two spots to support the floor on the left side in current state maybe the lag bolt into the window stud and a large screw into the corner stud ?

Thanks for taking time tying to picture it and understand .

I’m still having a hard time even figuring out if from the factory how these floors are mounted …

Looking from the outside straight at the side of the slide out … from factory would the floor be flush with the metal bracket (inset) or are they like this repair is . Under the side raiil ?

My gut tells me flush .

But either way there is likely a stud here behind this breaker mines just rotted ..

What’s wired is the other sides stud was also rotted but the seller seemed to put fresh stud in there I think they just missed or forgot to put fresh stud in left side .

Which I guess is another option to take it allllll appaert and put fresh studs on sides and get one piece of plywood instead of too..

Actually this is rather pay some one to do ..

 

[Hitechpete]

Nailed it ! This repair was a quick repair done about 3 months ago after I purchased it by the seller. It’s working fine besides the fact my floor is raised higher and now the right side is bowing

I’m trying to find a way the re support the left side despite the rotted 2x2 or rotted old flooring or whatever is there.

Think quick and easy would be a long lag bold with large washer into the very nicely intact stud near the window .

Infact I added new pictures when I sent a camera into the wall what size lag bolt would be recommended ?

Heck I bet a 7” > screw would even do it but since I only have two spots to support the floor on the left side in current state maybe the lag bolt into the window stud and a large screw into the corner stud ?

Thanks for taking time tying to picture it and understand .

I’m still having a hard time even figuring out if from the factory how these floors are mounted …

Looking from the outside straight at the side of the slide out … from factory would the floor be flush with the metal bracket (inset) or are they like this repair is . Under the side raiil ?

My gut tells me flush .

But either way there is likely a stud here behind this breaker mines just rotted ..

What’s wired is the other sides stud was also rotted but the seller seemed to put fresh stud in there I think they just missed or forgot to put fresh stud in left side .

Which I guess is another option to take it allllll appaert and put fresh studs on sides and get one piece of plywood instead of too..

Actually this is rather pay some one to do ..

I had a similar problem with my 2 year old Cedar Creek 38EFK 5th wheel kitchen slide floor. I ended up replacing the complete rotted floor with a recycled plastic sheet. My floor however was only 7’ long. On mine the whole weight of the slide rested on the slide floor, which in turn rested on the floor rollers, the floor was screwed upwards from below into the Aluminium wall frame lower horizontal section.

 

[pixdenny]

Nice work .

You clearly are very handy what would you do in my situation where the repair is semi descent?

Would u bolster and add support to the existing repair ?

What size lag bolt would u put into the stud from the bottom ?

Yours is newer and they used metal on the sides of the slide?

 

[Hitechpete]

If your slide, like mine, has trim pieces (T shaped) on the front/side, I would do what I did:
I removed 4 of the screws attaching the trim to the slide out side, attach long 3” x 2” vertical braces down to the ground, fixed using the same holes.
I would jack up the inside of the slide using more 3”x 2”, wedged between the RV floor and the slide ceiling, to take the weight off the existing slide floor, the drop the floor enough to be able to see clearly up into the walls.
I would remove the black aluminium trims from the sides and use them and adhesive to attach aluminium square section into the walls, then bolt/screw upwards through the floor into the aluminium.

 

[tomkatb]

Looking at mine. Pics 972 & 970 those screws are run into the plywood floor. Carefully. 1” floor as I remember.

The outer are as well but there is a piece of angle iron on the outside holding the long edge.

Running a 2x2 along the sides and running screws up would be good. Assuming the studs in the walls are ok.

Fixing these floors is a hard job. Some shops pull the slide out with a fork truck. As I remember $3000-4000.

 

[pixdenny]

Tom finally some one who sees exactly what’s going on !!!!

Thank you !
what ur describing on urs
then floors supposed to be inset and supported by the sides metal bracket , not the bottom ( unlike my current repair ) So there wouldn’t be any wood showing ?
Makes sense .

So what is in the wall along the bottom where the rails are from factory? Just wood studs ?

It also explains why this repair raised my floor up .


Thanks so much

Yea they patched the floor pretty well it’s holding weight great it’s clear most the support is provided by the iron rail across the long side as you mentioned . The way it is sagging on just the one side I don’t think I need a full rebuild .

Yea I stuck a camera in the walls the walls and studs are in great condition

First

I think I’m going to try a large skinny lag bolt with large washer right up the side window stud . Should hold up the side better I’m just not sure what size and I have to be careful not to split the stud

If not, like the both of you mentioned building an internal brace anchoring to all the window studs then just putting new screws in from bottom will def do the trick .


I don’t want to waste wood and materials already here ..

I’ll keep you guys updated . Im
Not the best carpenter but I know a bolts going to hold more weight than a screw .

Im jus t not sure what size I can get away with as it seems these are all 2x2 or 2x3 studs in slide out walls?

I’ll probably have to snag one of those fancy stud finders to make sure I’m screwing into the stud perfectly . I’m sure a 8” screw would work but I’ll see what I can find as far as skinny lag bolts

Going to have to do math.

How do the studs in the corners of the slide out walls usually work ?

Oh I did have one person recommended pouring a strong epoxy in the wall with the rotted wood . Basically creating a support beam out of epoxy . But idk how to accomplish this when one side od the wall is just soft vinyl …. Obviously it would flex out when the epoxy dries .

But def worth noting for the future

 

[tomkatb]

I have a structural background.

Do not like the screws in plywood. I would want
#1 grade marine plywood.

No idea about the walls.

I have no clue what is on the long side in the room.

I think walls are 2x2’s.

Poor service here. In the swamps south of Okechobee
25 miles on the Seminole reservation. Really wonderful park. They fed us dinner tonight. Traditional corn beef and all the trimmings. Good as moms!

 

[pixdenny]

Nice I’m in nw Florida . Sounds like a meal heh.

 

[pixdenny]

Whew—just saved us thousands!

Sent a 6” 5/16 lag bolt into the only stud inside the wall. Used a Franklin stud sensor and even put my camera inside the wall to watch the process—can’t recommend the sensor enough! It also helped me locate the joist.


Fortunately, I found a solid 0.75” of non-rotted wood along the entire side. I just need a few longer screws or maybe some smaller lag bolts to reinforce it further. Now, I’m checking for clearance when pulling the slide in.

If it sticks out too much and scrapes, I should be able to shave about 1/4” off with an angle grinder.


Cheers to reinforcing the previous repair—this seriously saved so much money!


I can also see how damaged wood can be patched using powerful epoxies in situations like this. Heck, if you filled the wall with 4” of epoxy, you’d basically have a brand-new joist!

 

[tomkatb]

On mine. Those screws (horizontal) in the trim penetrate the plywood floor. You cannot see the floor.

Not sure if the heads of the lag bolts will interfere with the slide moving. My floor is flat. Where you bolt heads are we have a piece of plastic which is a slide.