Permanent snowbird site questions

I'm surprised to see all the recommendations for leaving the slides out permanently. We have been in several Florida parks, as the place starts to wind down, and rigs get prepped for being left behind. I have never seen a single rig left with the slides out. Not saying that it's right or wrong, but when you have walked past a few hundred rigs, all buttoned up for the summer, with the slides tightly closed, I would need to hear a pretty compelling reason to go against the trend.

2gypsies wrote:
Level first.

Slides in when you leave.

No supports.

^^^

What he said.

Level first.

Slides in when you leave.

No supports.

Most of the seasonal sites at our seasonal campground have trailers/5ers left there all year round. The campground is closed 7 months of the year. Most of them leave the slides out all year round. A lot of them have covered the slide seals with Eternabond or something similar.

If we aren't camping, our slides come in. If/when we get a Destination Trailer for our seasonal site, the slides will definitely come in when we leave at the end of the season. We usually camp 4 months of the 5 month season, so 8 months unintended is a long time for water to leak in and do some serious damage. It's not worth taking the risk, to save 30 seconds pushing a button to bring the slide in.

As for leveling, we always level first, then put the slides out. The manual for our slides specifically mentions NOT using supports under the slide out.

-Michael

Put the slides in to protect the seals, cover the tires, you will also be required to put in tie downs in most parks if it is staying for the year due to hurricanes. I haul mine home because we travel in the summer as well but those who leave them do as I said.

For leveling, what does the manufacturer say - - you need to follow their instructions because when to level is a function of how the rig was built and squared up. Some manufactures say level, then extended, some manufacturers extend then level. Follow their instructions.

I'd pull the slides in when not there. Just helps extend the longevity of those interior seals, plus streamlines the trailer so that wind/rain flows easier over the rig.

After years of being on the road we plan this fall to permanently put our trailer on a site in
Arizona, and sell out pick-up. We've always leveled our rig first before we put our slides out. When we leave we will pull our slides in, the main reason is to protect the slide seals and to help keep the inside cleaner. Our slides have a flange that covers the seals when they are in. Have not used any slide supports in the past, need to think about that one, but they seem solid without supports.

Slide supports get mixed reviews with most, IIRC, being against them. If your trailer settles or loses air in a tire, your slide can be damaged.

On the topic of leaving the slides out all year. I know of too many new RV's that have slides that leak. I would pull them in when gone so as to eliminate a problem with leaks and too keep the sun off the slide roof if rubber.

Level then put the slides out. Supports under the slides can not hurt, and will eliminate a problem if the slide is designed poorly.

path1 wrote:
1. Level first, then put slide outs, well "out".

2. Mine were out well over 12 years on one RV. Remember you still have to clean on top, so rain water will flow off. Pulled them in when I washed to check seals etc.

3. No, I don't but some people do. Depends on what you have I guess. Some slide are stronger than others.


(We've had a place over 22 years with different RV's) I would also inquire about other things specific. Every place is different. Propane, do people get it delivered or haul your own? Our place is pretty hard to keep the normal RV sewer pipe. Our place is best to have the hard ABS plastic pipe as critters like to chew thru the thin stuff. You'll find out real quick by asking around about other things that might effect you. Recommend you make friends with a "full timer" in your park to keep an eye out for you when you're not there. If the place gets cold, put a thermometer that is large enough to see from the outside, so someone can look in the window to make sure your heater is working. Little things like that vary from park to park. Your RV will still need... batteries checked, annual inspection and stuff like that, even though its parked. Had ours insured as "second home". Also good idea to use water pump every now and then to make sure you don't have a leak somewhere by listening for the pump to sound off when it shouldn't. If you can have a shed, be prepared to end up with two of everything (hammers, saws, rakes, shovels, etc. One at house and one at your snowbird place:)

More and more at our park, people are getting smaller RV's to travel in and leaving their big rigs parked. Every year one couple camps all the way down from Canada to AZ in what they call their "real RV" which is a very small class C and leaves their newer 40 foot diesel pusher parked. They are Canadian and have seen more of the US than I have.

OK good luck

Great !
I wish I had found you sooner.
You have answered exactly what I was asking for, and more

And yes we are lucky in the fact that a good friend lives there year round.

We are also keeping our 25 footer just for separate trips here and there.
That is a good idea on picking other peoples brains who have experience

Thanks again,

Jack L