Greetings RV Earthlings....I have a rear slide out for our queen bed. It is a unique design (KZ, Outback and a few others have used it over the years). For us, it’s allowed us to tow a smaller trailer, 24ft., yet have it extend to 29ft. when we stop and deploy the rear slide. We have had minimal issue with slide adjustments over the years. It’s worked almost flawlessly…credit to KZ for design and build. Actually, this KZ has been an outstanding trailer.My question is this. Has anyone that has one of these slides ever slept in the bed without deploying the slide out? I know that it’s not recommended and I do utilize a homemade 2x4 support brace under the bed to provide stability during transit. I’m thinking of those rare occasions when I just need to sleep a few hours in a Wal-Mart or rest area. No, I don’t boon dock in Wal-Mart parking lots….but once in awhile on the road, it would be nice (and safe) to catch some ZZZZZZ’s after a long day on the road without pulling out the big rear slide out.Do you sleep with the slide out in?What, if anything have you done to brace it to carry the weight of 2 people? (not bantamweights either!)Thank you

I can't understand why it would not be reccommended to sleep on it when in. My couch is in the slideout - and it i perfectly OK to sit on it if the slide is in. I also don't understand why you have to brace a slideout for stability during transit. I would imaging the slideout is more stable when it is in and would not need support.

Depending on the design, the slide may only be supported by a narrow strip while it's in. If that is the case then putting much weight on it can bust the strip (what I did) or according to one manufacturer (N. Woods mfg), pull the floor out of the bottom of the slide walls. So I would support the slide with the 2X4 if you proceed that way.

I think the KZ is a hard-sided slide-out / pop-up style slide - out, that's just half the height of the wall, but slides out like a pop-up end, except it's hard sided. It slides on a rail, and if the weight on the bed is too much, it could potentially break down the slide rail (kind of like a slide rail for a kitchen drawer).The OP supports the underside of the slide, between the bottom of the slide and the floor with some extra support, so when bouncing down the road, it will not breaks the rails or slides. It would be like extending a drawer on your lower kitchen cabinet and then attempt to stand on the drawer and jump up and down, only the slide is on the inside of the camper. I'm assuming, when the slide is in the outward position, there is some support, much like a pop-up end.I've never had experience with a set-up like that, but I would think if you have the bottom of the bed supported (inside), I would think it should work. But perhaps the reason it's not recommended, is because unsupported weight could misalign, not just the rails, but could put too much weight at the top also, causing a misalignment there too.Not knowing your floor plan, is there any way you could use the dinette as a bed or the couch, or does the slide cover these when in the "in" position? Sleeping bag on the floor is also an option?

DutchmenSport wrote:I think the KZ is a hard-sided slide-out / pop-up style slide - out, that's just half the height of the wall, but slides out like a pop-up end, except it's hard sided. It slides on a rail, and if the weight on the bed is too much, it could potentially break down the slide rail (kind of like a slide rail for a kitchen drawer).The OP supports the underside of the slide, between the bottom of the slide and the floor with some extra support, so when bouncing down the road, it will not breaks the rails or slides. It would be like extending a drawer on your lower kitchen cabinet and then attempt to stand on the drawer and jump up and down, only the slide is on the inside of the camper. I'm assuming, when the slide is in the outward position, there is some support, much like a pop-up end.But perhaps the reason it's not recommended, is because unsupported weight could misalign, not just the rails, but could put too much weight at the top also, causing a misalignment there too.Not knowing your floor plan, is there any way you could use the dinette as a bed or the couch, or does the slide cover these when in the "in" position? Sleeping bag on the floor is also an option?this is a perfect description of my trailer and rear slide. Thanks for the assist. The drawer analogy is spot on. My concern in the alignment and the slide guides attached to the ceiling.I've never had experience with a set-up like that, but I would think if you have the bottom of the bed supported (inside), I would think it should work.

OP here again.....sorry for the weird quote copy from Dutchman's post....somehow this line got included in my comments...not intended..I've never had experience with a set-up like that, but I would think if you have the bottom of the bed supported (inside), I would think it should work.

Sleeping with rear queen slide “IN” | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

harley4275
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
I had a KZ with rear queen slide and keep stuff on it when in travel and have slept on it when 'in' , but I also had an adjustable support under it when ever it was not out.
EcoBullet
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. I ask because if I stop at Wally or a rest stop for some shut eye, I want to be as stealth as possible.....i.e. no slides deployed, no signs of setting up the camper...chairs, bbq, awing etc.. Just stop, sleep and move on. The way it should be.

Most RV's allow you to sleep in them without putting out your slides. It appears that mine does not.

an extra 20 seconds spent pulling out the slide is not the issue...but I appreciate the insight.......:R

Why not compromise and don't set up the "chairs, bbq, awing etc..."? Merely having a slide out for a few hours of sleep is not going to decrease your stealth very much. I think most folks would see your rig anyway.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2014
Speedogomer wrote:
2012Coleman wrote:
I can't understand why it would not be reccommended to sleep on it when in. My couch is in the slideout - and it i perfectly OK to sit on it if the slide is in. I also don't understand why you have to brace a slideout for stability during transit. I would imaging the slideout is more stable when it is in and would not need support.

The difference is that when your couch slide is in, the bottom of the slide is supported from the cieling, and resting on the floor of the trailer. When the rear slide is in, the bottom of the slide is just hanging in the air, and the cieling is supporting all the weight. Many of the older rear sliders are well known for pulling the supports out of the cieling, which is why the OP uses home made supports.
Ahh - thanks for the education - the drawer analogy didn't do it for me... Thanks!
W_E_BGood
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
Our '11 Keystone Outback 250RS has a king rear slide, Keystone specifically said to NOT sleep/put extra weight on the bed while the slide is in.
I built a single-leg support out of 2 1/2 inch PVC that is in place anytime we're moving the trailer on the highway and...when we've had to sleep on the bed while in (like when I ran out of propane the night it got down to 29 degrees :S ).
HuckFinn410
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
The dinette gets covered up by the rear queen slide when it's in. The couch is about 4 ft. long and "unsleepable", the front bunks would be occupied by youngsters......
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
HuckFinn410 wrote:
OP here. I ask because if I stop at Wally or a rest stop for some shut eye, I want to be as stealth as possible.....i.e. no slides deployed, no signs of setting up the camper...chairs, bbq, awing etc.. Just stop, sleep and move on. The way it should be.

Most RV's allow you to sleep in them without putting out your slides. It appears that mine does not.

an extra 20 seconds spent pulling out the slide is not the issue...but I appreciate the insight.......:R

I Don't know your floor plan, but could you not sleep on the dinette/bed. I know we could with our slide in.
dadmomh
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
While yours is an "expandable", not a hybrid, this exact question appears often on the hybrid side of the forum. Makes no sense to me, but according to all who own them, no, you should not sleep on them unless fully deployed. Completely understand your reasons - we had a HTT before moving to the dark side - and were faced with the same issues. For sure I wouldn't do it at a Walmart or similar, but if you can find a Camping World with overnight facilities, I would not be concerned about deploying. We routinely use a couple of CW on our trip to FL every spring and had no issues setting up the bunkends. There is usually a full mix of styles of RVs and you just blend in.
HuckFinn410
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
OP here. I ask because if I stop at Wally or a rest stop for some shut eye, I want to be as stealth as possible.....i.e. no slides deployed, no signs of setting up the camper...chairs, bbq, awing etc.. Just stop, sleep and move on. The way it should be.

Most RV's allow you to sleep in them without putting out your slides. It appears that mine does not.

an extra 20 seconds spent pulling out the slide is not the issue...but I appreciate the insight.......:R
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
6.7 tow rig wrote:
Why not just take the extra 20 seconds to extend it and know for sure? If you dont have that much extra time to waste while traveling I suggest a different hobby

I agree but with the older ones, rails have to be installed on the outside and then the slide deployed, manually, from the outside. Lot of outside prep and work. Not real conducive for a quick few hours of sleep, in a rest stop for example, as mentioned in the original post.

It takes a lot more than just pushing a button.
HuckFinn410
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
6.7 tow rig wrote:
Why not just take the extra 20 seconds to extend it and know for sure? If you dont have that much extra time to waste while traveling I suggest a different hobby

Or, I could just bring you along to answer all of life's questions.....