Slideouts: Benefits and drawbacks

quote wrote:
Am I wrong in assuming that the camper must be almost perfect level for the slide to work properly?

It should be basically leveled before you open it.

If you try to level it by using the jacks with the slide extended , you stand a good chance that you will crack the frame and filon at the rear top corner .

Using the A/Fox pic as an example: if you stand on the passenger side of the tc, facing the dinette window, the upper passenger side corner above the dinette window can crack from flexing the slideout frame too much.
It didnt occur with the slide "IN" , therefore the slide itself makes the opening square and solid.

I would not suggest doing this but ....My mechanic (using an A/Fox tc as an example only because one was inside the shop at the time) showed me how much the frame flexes with the slide extended , then trying to raise and lower the jack on the same side as the slideout.
It kinda freaked me out, seeing the entire frame twist. I call it the "Chubby Checker demo" (Twist) :R. It didn't seem to matter if the slide was actually in place or completely removed. The frame opening also flexed with the slideout completely removed as well. If you pushed a little too far, it would crack. I guess he felt secure showing me and knows how far he can push it.
He told me this applies to rv slideout designs in general . He was doing his little demo on a few different rvs in the shop, to show that it was NOT a flaw or weakness in just the one A/Fox tc that he was working on.

One other thing that i noticed during times when when i have seen them opened up and apart. There doesn't appear to be too much room for any kind of header above the slide. Maybe that's the reason why the flex occurs ?? There seems to be more room in some bigger fivers and MH's, but i dont remember if they actually install heavy headers in those either. I'll have to pay closer attention next time i see one apart.