Importance of accessing TC without opening a slide.

bighatnohorse wrote:

work2much wrote:
I have seen a few comments on TC forums and other RV forums regarding the benefit of entering without having to open a slide.

I was just wondering what the thought process is.

Mechanical or electrical failure with the slide in.
Lance, for one, built several models with no mechanical override feature to move the slide.

Well, we have had three. Fortunately all I could fix with tools I carry. Broken gear motor which couldn't be fixed by crank handle as it binded the motor and didn't allow the manual crank to work. I had to remove the motor and otherwise secure the slide for transport. This while the camper was pretty new. AF stepped up and replaced the motor with updated model that had a steel gear.

And just within the last month a pin that connects the motor to the slide shaft assembly broke again requiring a roadside fix and subsequent stop at the next town in Alaska with a hardware store to buy a bigger grade 8 bolt and drill and replace the connection. That has been holding now well.

Slide failure is a legitimate concern and complexity that is worth considering especially if you are traveling roads less travelled.

It's actually the first thing we look for when entering a TC, a TT, a 5th wheel, etc at a dealer or at a RV show. What can be used or accessed without moving a slide or slides? If required, we simply leave and go on to another. A deal breaker for ANY RV for us would be the need to open a slide to enter, or use the toilet, or access the fridge or the bed and we have had many with slides and no slides and is why we keep the RV's we presently have.

We are very fussy old farts and not about to change as we like comfort and convenience and a slide that doesn't block our using wanted comfort features anytime anywhere which would totally eliminate "convenience" for us. BTW, we also always take our Siberian Husky with us too and all of us have plenty of room in our 11'4" Lance TC that has zero slides. Our Carriage Carrilite 5th wheel is totally usable with the big slide in or it would be gone!

We use CG's or boondock and have been extensively RV'ing now for 52 years so we have seen about all and know what works and what doesn't or leaves a lot to be desired. You won't find us staying at a Walmart but you might at a Cracker Barrel or the like only for an overnight when traveling from point A to Point B which is our destination. The plus is that after driving for hours, we can get out of the RV and sit down to a good dinner before hitting the sack.

We are not remotely cheap at all nor do we need to be but to pay $30+ to sleep for 8 hours is insane in our thinking. We do NOT need any hookups of any kind and are truly self contained in all our RV's we've owned. That means plenty of onboard water, propane, plenty of gray and black tank capacity, always for the last approx. 30 years have had an inverter and presently have a 1500 watt to 2500 watt inverter and a good sized battery bank, a 2000 watt Honda generator and larger, and or course, furnace heat if necessary.

We much prefer fans and/or a nice quiet power roof fan with fan speed selections and a thermostat in the roof hatch with an outside weather cover like a Max Air rather to listening to any A/C on the roof roaring away and sucking so many amps. If it's too hot to sleep with the fans, we won't even go there! Why go to a place to be uncomfortable? Not very smart! Simple as that and eliminates any of the miserable problems before they can happen!

I still feel bad for him. Being 900 miles from home and totaling the camper, helluva way to end a vacation.

Everyone pulls a shot now and then. Some shots you get away with, some bite you in the posterior.

jimh425 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
I think it's a little different than say forgetting to raise a tongue jack expense wise. I'm guilty of that with farm implements. I usually wonk the jack and have to buy a new one. I do that about once a year. Not this year yet, but I'm sure it's coming. Ripping a jack off is costly to fix but ripping a slide off is terminal.

And yet, some of us haven't left a slide out in over a decade. Or in my case, either of my two slides.

And that is why before you ever move your rig you do a 360* walk around: checking the tires, tie downs, looking for open windows, hatches, compartment doors, entry doors, retracted slides and jacks. and any road or overhead hazards you need to avoid. It takes just a minute to make sure that everything is correct. I do it every time , no exceptions. It saves a lot of grief and expense

SidecarFlip wrote:
I think it's a little different than say forgetting to raise a tongue jack expense wise. I'm guilty of that with farm implements. I usually wonk the jack and have to buy a new one. I do that about once a year. Not this year yet, but I'm sure it's coming. Ripping a jack off is costly to fix but ripping a slide off is terminal.

And yet, some of us haven't left a slide out in over a decade. Or in my case, either of my two slides.

Bedlam wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
Been reading along with interest.

This was posted on another forum I frequent. Glad I don't have a slide, never needed one anyway.....

"Drove to an adjoining parking lot to park the truck between 2 semi trailers and forgot to put the slide in. Needless to say, the camper is totalled.
Luckily, I was only 914 miles (13 hours, 40 minutes) away from home
Making for a rather unpleasant, expensive trip to the Laconia Bike week.
I just wanted to say, I can't tell you how much I've appreciated your helpfulness, knowledge, tips and experience. I won't be doing a truck camper again. dry.gif

Thought you might like to read about his misfortune...

That would be no different than someone forgetting to raise the stabilizer or tongue jacks before moving a trailer or forgetting to raise camper jacks and fasten tie downs before taking off with a truck camper.

I think it's a little different than say forgetting to raise a tongue jack expense wise. I'm guilty of that with farm implements. I usually wonk the jack and have to buy a new one. I do that about once a year. Not this year yet, but I'm sure it's coming. Ripping a jack off is costly to fix but ripping a slide off is terminal.

Don't know they guy and he posted no pictures but I'm pretty sure it's ugly.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Been reading along with interest.

This was posted on another forum I frequent. Glad I don't have a slide, never needed one anyway.....

"Drove to an adjoining parking lot to park the truck between 2 semi trailers and forgot to put the slide in. Needless to say, the camper is totalled.
Luckily, I was only 914 miles (13 hours, 40 minutes) away from home
Making for a rather unpleasant, expensive trip to the Laconia Bike week.
I just wanted to say, I can't tell you how much I've appreciated your helpfulness, knowledge, tips and experience. I won't be doing a truck camper again. dry.gif

Thought you might like to read about his misfortune...

That would be no different than someone forgetting to raise the stabilizer or tongue jacks before moving a trailer or forgetting to raise camper jacks and fasten tie downs before taking off with a truck camper.

There are people who have gone into a low tunnel or bridge too. Oh wait, there are people who have backed into an obstacle. They shouldn't have reverse.

Maybe nobody should have a TC. :)

We have had both non/slide and now the AF811 w/slide. Love it because we can travel farther and stay out longer because of the extra space. We travel with 2 dogs. We recently finished a 5 state loop to visit Arches, Bryce, Zion and Death Valley.

Just like with TV antennas, the accident happens, although I can't imagine how you can't see side slide in your mirrors.
Than I see hundreds of drivers who change the lane without looking in the mirrors every day, so maybe that was one of those?
Easy prevention, just like with antennas - make a marker. I have aluminium stick that secure top of the slide. Would I start forgetting stuff, I would rest it on steering wheel, so I know right away something needs checking.