Fifth wheel slide out max weight???

[ghislainpthomas]

Hi guys. I had a few RV's from diesel pushers to fifth wheels to bumper pulls. After all this, I am now looking for a fifth wheel again with a 10 foot slide out to modify so I can replace both windows by doors to roll in and roll out with our Harley. The toy hauler doesn't offer the living space we like and using the slide out to haul the bike would be great! Our full dresser Ultra Classic weight 900 pounds. Anyone could help me to figure out if the slide out and it's motor could take this weight? seams to me like a perfect set up but my wife doesn't 🙂
Thanks guys !!!

[ghislainpthomas]

Thank you all for the help. Deep inside, I guess I knew it was risky since I never saw that kind of set up before. I figured that if I removed the stock dinette, the couch, add the weight of 4 people at dinette and 3 at couch + the 200 average pound allowed by manufacturer as storage under the dinette benches, I would be very close to safety, my bike being 900 pounds. Thanks again.

[rhagfo]

ghislainpthomas wrote:
Hi Jim, I appreciate and respect your advice very much. I did not buy the RV yet so I won't be able to talk to the manufacturer until I know which brand I am getting and don't really want to buy one if I can't make it for what I need so I am a little stuck in between here. I'll keep searching and hope to find the right answer. Thanks again.

Call the prospective slide manufacture then.
As stated many slide outs state that no load should be placed on them when retracted.

[Miles_Away]

TucsonJim wrote:
I know that most of us try our best to give trustworthy advice on this forum. However, with the kind of question you're asking, significant damage and safety factors can come into play. Our best guesses and research may not give you a 100% correct answer.

If it were me, I'd give the slide out manufacturer a call and ask to speak with one of their engineering staff. There are a lot of static and dynamic loads that come into play along with calculating the moment arm of the load. Unless somebody on this forum is a mechanical engineer working for the slide manufacturer, they won't have all the facts to make an informed decision.

I would think that you may get a better response from manufactures before you buy that after they have your money in their pocket. I would go with the above advise and do your research before you buy. Be sure you speak with their design staff and not their sales staff, who may try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[Old-Biscuit]

Slide outs are self supporting with MAX weight load when FULLY EXTENDED

Flush floor slide outs (those that tilt up when retracting/drop down flush to floor when extended) have minimal weight load support when retracted and/or when in motion.

Floors are typically 1" plywood but that subfloor is only fully supported when extended

Probably support 900# bike when extended but the floor would probably sag when slideout is in transition & retracted position for travel.
Plus bike would be tilted towards outside........not so stable

Might be better off with a Toy Hauler and remodel it to your liking

[ghislainpthomas]

Hi Jim, I appreciate and respect your advice very much. I did not buy the RV yet so I won't be able to talk to the manufacturer until I know which brand I am getting and don't really want to buy one if I can't make it for what I need so I am a little stuck in between here. I'll keep searching and hope to find the right answer. Thanks again.

[TucsonJim]

I know that most of us try our best to give trustworthy advice on this forum. However, with the kind of question you're asking, significant damage and safety factors can come into play. Our best guesses and research may not give you a 100% correct answer.

If it were me, I'd give the slide out manufacturer a call and ask to speak with one of their engineering staff. There are a lot of static and dynamic loads that come into play along with calculating the moment arm of the load. Unless somebody on this forum is a mechanical engineer working for the slide manufacturer, they won't have all the facts to make an informed decision.