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.

I spend a lot of time in National Parks. Most have pullouts, rest stops, observation points. It is great to be able to pull off the road and be able to use the restroom, cook a meal, and or take a nap. Of course, I do the same during road trips and often use rest stops.I would only buy a TC that had full functionality without opening slides. In fact I bought a TC without any slides. I do not need to find a campsite with room to operate slides. I often "stealth" camp. Without slides I can spend the night just about anywhere without needing extra space and without making it obvious that I am camping. Slides add to the mechanical complexity, add weight, and increase the potential for leaks and water damage. Typically most of what you get from slides is floor space and not much else of functional value.

We use ours to travel during the day, do activities, eat meals, etc and then find a place for the night. We often stop and enter the TC for different things such as eating, grabbing snacks, changing clothes, bathroom breaks, etc. An average day probably had 8-10 stops. To have to open a slide adds to the inconvenience plus a lot of wear and tear. Think 9 slide cycles per day for 50 days each year and that will go up to 150 days when I retire soon. It's also impossible to stealth camp if the slide must be out. And if you do stealth or boondock, it adds time to bugging out in an emergency.We won't buy a TC with a slide because of the inconveniences. We don't think the added space is worth the headaches, lost storage, extra weight, extra cost, added leak potential and possible problems.

I wouldn't buy a TC with a slide that blocked the entry door when its "in". Some slide configurations only block some of the interior space. Others, especially the double and triple slide TC's, there is no way to use the unit without putting the slides out. Our 1121 is totally accessible with the slide in, and the side-door 1161 which was produced alongside the 1121 is also fully functional with the slide in.I also don't want any plumbing or appliances in the slide, and I realize that I'm probably way out of step with most RV owners opinions on that (no problem). I would buy a no-slide TC before I'd buy one with either of those designs. Unfortunately, that means Lance doesn't make a TC that I would buy today. The no-slide models are all too small for us, and the ones with slides all either block the door or have plumbing and/or appliances in the slide. :):)

There are those that trade off space when parked vs not pressing a button. Mine is partially blocked, so I can't say how much a pain a full blockage would be. Maybe someone who actually has one that blocks the entry and doesn't like it will post. Seems like most complaints are from those who don't have one.

My single slide allows me to squeeze around the corner when it is in, but I hate to think about its malfunction. So my worry would not be if I need to move the slide a bit to get in, but how the emergency operation looks like. I do have emergency crank for my slide, but knock on the wood, have never used it.

Importance of accessing TC without opening a slide.

51 Replies

Bedlam
Moderator
Jun 20, 2017
You're never trapped. There is an escape window or hatch to get out of the cabover. If you have proper isolation from the truck battery, you then just need to connect jumper cables between the TC and truck battery to operate the slide.

It seems there there is way too much fear of the unknown in this thread due to lack of knowledge.
travelnutz
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
Freep,

Wrote:

"We need to open the passenger slide a bit to get in and it's never been a problem for us. The main issue we have is we would like to be able to close it up tight when we go to bed on a cold night."

And then something was left on by mistake and the battery went dead over night. Trapped inside and that dang slide just won't move! Might want to give that some thought before your wife pounds knobs on your head!!!
billyray50
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
DSSAMP wrote:
Well to each his own I guess. I have a Host Mammoth triple slide. Love it. Takes 9 seconds to open all three slides. Have yet to find a rest stop or a NP site where I can't open all three slides. But I understand those that don't want anything to do with slides also...

I love our TC slide. Takes 5 seconds to open enough to gain access to bathroom, fridge, and whole camper. Never go back to a non slide TC.
work2much
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
Well since it was raining almost all day in Portage AK I was bored fixing little things around the truck and camper.

17 seconds to fully open slide. 18 seconds to fully retract. It seems to take 1 second longer to re-seat the slide into the camper. There must be some unsprung resistance to open.

5 seconds to open enough to get my 250 pound frame easily into the camper.

Hopefully the rain will stop tomorrow or I might find something even less interesting to occupy myself.
Freep
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
We need to open the passenger slide a bit to get in and it's never been a problem for us. The main issue we have is we would like to be able to close it up tight when we go to bed on a cold night.
zb39
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017
DSSAMP wrote:
Well to each his own I guess. I have a Host Mammoth triple slide. Love it. Takes 9 seconds to open all three slides. Have yet to find a rest stop or a NP site where I can't open all three slides. But I understand those that don't want anything to do with slides also...

This. We just got back today from a quick trip. We don't stealth camp ever. So slides out at night is not an issue. I have been doing it for many years in much bigger rigs than the Host.
Rest areas and truck stops are number 1 when we just want to sleep for 8 hours.
work2much
Explorer
Jun 18, 2017
jimh425 wrote:
work2much, have all of your failures been with the Arctic Fox? When are you trading? :)

Yes, all three on same (current) camper. I feel pretty confident now that I have resolved the issue. The first time it was a defective motor gear. AF doesn't manufacture that and they sent me a replacement right away. The second time the pin that connects the drive motor to the slide main drive shaft broke. I had to use what I had on the road to get it to stay closed while I drove. It snapped opening the slide at the hardware store where I purchased a larger grade 8 bolt, drilled out the pin holes and fixed it at the hardware store in about 1/2 hour.

Other than crappy sealing on the roof from the factory and a subsequent leak at first rain (my fault for assuming I didn't need to inspect/reseal a new camper) when it was new we have had a pretty good run with this camper. It is lived in daily and driven almost daily now so time will tell.

There isn't too much I can't repair myself.
DSSAMP
Explorer
Jun 18, 2017
Well to each his own I guess. I have a Host Mammoth triple slide. Love it. Takes 9 seconds to open all three slides. Have yet to find a rest stop or a NP site where I can't open all three slides. But I understand those that don't want anything to do with slides also...
TxGearhead
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2017
We have 2 RV's...the Montana 5th wheel and the Bigfoot. Basically his & hers. I dread the time I have slide failure on the Montana. I know it's going to happen. It's junk anyway. I love the Bigfoot. Simple minimal junk to break. Yes, the Montana slides make it roomy. But I'm not driving for days to get somewhere and stay inside and watch TV. My wife...a different story. I can get to bathroom in the Montana with the slides in, but not the refrigerator. My theory for the TC is keep it simple, just a place to sleep and cook a meal. I think I would just get another Class C if I wanted bigger with slides.
jimh406
Explorer III
Jun 18, 2017
work2much, have all of your failures been with the Arctic Fox? When are you trading? :)

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Importance of accessing TC without opening a slide.

51 Replies

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