Cable driven slideouts mechanism

Yes, they all can have their issues. We used are last camper with two slides extensively for three years and never an issue. Would not hesitate to have this type of slide again.

Thank you to all who replied to my question. I feel much better about the cable slide system having heard about your experience with them. It seems that some issues do pop up as with anything mechanical. But overall, these systems appear to have improved greatly over time.

Thanks again.

Happy travels.
Bill

Cable slides are as reliable as shaft driven slides. They are not foolproof. But neither are traditional slides. The cables occasionally need adjusting but it is a simple procedure. Cables break,hydraulic lines leak,wires can short out or have bad connection. None 9of the systems are foolproof.
In have 5 cable slides on my OR unit and I have had no major issues. I camp regularly and extend and retract my slides frequently.
The advantage of cable slides is they do not require driveshafts. As a result smaller main beams can be used because they do not have to have large hole bored into them to accommodate the shafts.
The smaller beams are lighter and there is a lot less heavy hardware. In the end the unit can be 1000-1500 lighter vs. using shaft driven slides.
When the slides were first introduced they were new and most techs and people in the field were unfamiliar with them. However cable systems have been around a few years and the learning curve has improved dramatically.
As mentioned more units have incorporated cable slides into their units.
Cable slides are nothing to fear. They work as well as the other slide systems and provide significant weight reduction as well

Cable slides work great until they don't work great any more. Then it is really very tough to find anyone that really knows how to fix and align them properly.

It's best that you learn as much as you can about them and learn to fix and align them yourself. Then you'll have no problems.

Bill, I have had an Open Range since May of 2008 and have had no trouble at all with any of our 3 slides. The cable system will take around 200-250 pounds per slide off the weight. Here is the link you can copy and paste. www.norcoind.com/bal/products/oem/accuslide/index.shtml Good luck in your decision on these but more companies are going to them.
If folks are getting cutting then one of two reasons for that can be
1) Improper adjustment or 2) The slide was jigged out of square when the framework was put together and welded. This will also cause rubber cutting.

wborst wrote:
I am considering the purchase of a Montana High Country with the cable drive slideouts. I would like some feedback from owners who have experience with these systems. Are they as reliable as the salesman says? This is the only thing about this brand that gives me pause.

Thanks for any feedback you have to offer.

Bill Borst

We have the cable system in our Suites, we've only used it one season but it has worked great so far.

In the fall of 2012 we went to Goshen to take a tour of the Keystone Montana Plant, the guy giving us the tour told us most of the industry was going to cable systems (they were building the 2013's at that time) and that they were as well. When I asked him why he said efficiency and weight. He was right, looking around at other campers mostly all of them are using those cable slides for the bedrooms. I know it's lighter, not sure it's more efficient, probably cheaper, oh wait "more affordable". Good luck

Dan

We have a 2013 Montana High Country with three slides. Snow birded with it last winter and moved the slides out and in 4 or 5 times a month in the summer with no issues. Our only warranty issue was an overheated light fixture that needed to be replaced. I think that someone installed the wrong bulb, because I've inspected all the other light fixtures and none show the burning/discoloration of the defective fixture.

The two front living room slides on my Cardinal are cable slides and have not had one bit of problems with them. On the other hand the other three slides are hydraulic and I have had trouble with one of them since new. I have to keep adjusting it to get it to close properly.

We had a problem that was addressed during the PDI - the kitchen slide cable system was making an unusual "scraping" noise. The tech readjusted (loosened) the cable slightly... no problems since then. The camper is approx 4 months old.

I have that slide mechanism on our bedroom slide. We have had no issues. Operates very smooth. I was concearned at first but now I am very happy with it.