As I look around at various RV's to eventually figure out what I'd like to buy, one of the designs I really like has a rear-facing slideout. With it in, the bed is a sofa, and if you slide it out the sofa becomes a bed, but if it were to break the sofa would be stuck as a sofa, and I'd have nowhere comfy to sleep.How reliable are slide-outs? If they do fail, is it possible to manually drag the slide-out out?I know I'm being paranoid... it's the price of being an engineer...

Get manuals on the slide. Almost all of them have some kind of override to make them operate when the system fails.

There are a lot of variables in "reliability". Who the manufacturer is. How often is it used. What materials are used in it's construction. I have a 3 slide outs on my MH and never had a problem. They are powered, but there is a method to retract them manually. The premise is that if the unit fails you don't want to drag it out because you might not be able to get it back in and then you are stuck.You might want to if there is a procedure for doing what you want to do in the owner's manual

Think safety. Ours has a manual way if the electric way fails. This is our first slide and have had the same concern. Now i wouldn't have a trailer without one. Extending the width of the trailer is very nice.

I'd be more worried about having to sleep on a sofa bed.Most I can take is two nights.

if it is a sofa bed, you will have no comfy place to sleep, even before it breaks. both of my slides worked fine for 14 years.bumpy

How durable/reliable are slideouts? | Good Sam Community

valhalla360
Navigator
Jul 19, 2014
Ours is 17yrs old and while I've never used it, there is a hole for a hand crank (now where the hand crank is...)
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
if it is a sofa bed, you will have no comfy place to sleep, even before it breaks. both of my slides worked fine for 14 years.
bumpy
Fizz
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
I'd be more worried about having to sleep on a sofa bed.
Most I can take is two nights.
lovemytt
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
Think safety. Ours has a manual way if the electric way fails. This is our first slide and have had the same concern. Now i wouldn't have a trailer without one. Extending the width of the trailer is very nice.
D___M
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
There are a lot of variables in "reliability". Who the manufacturer is. How often is it used. What materials are used in it's construction.

I have a 3 slide outs on my MH and never had a problem. They are powered, but there is a method to retract them manually. The premise is that if the unit fails you don't want to drag it out because you might not be able to get it back in and then you are stuck.

You might want to if there is a procedure for doing what you want to do in the owner's manual
ronfisherman
Moderator
Jul 19, 2014
Get manuals on the slide. Almost all of them have some kind of override to make them operate when the system fails.

Forum Discussion

How durable/reliable are slideouts?

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Turbochargers... durability, reliability ?

Slideout lubrication

1999 Snowriver Slideout

2001 Beaver Slideout

full wall slideout issue - maybe