Open Range RVs

[Cookie_Mom]

My husband has been opposed to even considering an Open Range fifth wheel because the slide system isn't hydraulic. However, I looked at the specs for them and it says the following: Accu-Slide 4-Corner Compression Slide System. Does anyone know what this means?

[Cookie_Mom]

Thanks for all of your replies and the information you have provided me. That's what I love about this forum - Rvers helping other RVers! As long as Open Range uses a slide system, my husband will never buy one. We own and operate an RV repair/body shop (not promoting the business, just a pertinent fact)and he despises working on the Open Range slides because the system is a PITA. Getting paid to do it is one thing, working on that system if it was his own? Not happening.

[Dandy_Dan]

Vulcaneer wrote:

Cookie Mom wrote:
My husband has been opposed to even considering an Open Range fifth wheel because the slide system isn't hydraulic. However, I looked at the specs for them and it says the following: Accu-Slide 4-Corner Compression Slide System. Does anyone know what this means?

I think your husband may be right to being opposed to look at an Open Range. Not because of the slide system. But because they are not all that great quality. They are very well appointed with creature comforts. Nicely decorated. Lots of good features. But their build quality is quite lacking in comparison to other companies. The trailers of today are a lot better than back in 2011 when I bought mine. But I will never buy a new one.

Now Open Range is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jayco. That is good. But what is NOT GOOD is that Jayco is letting them operate solely independently. So I doubt you will get Jayco quality in an Open Range.

Vulcaneer, Have you looked at a new one? We saw a 388RKS this past week and it was really nice. Just because Jayco bought out OR you make the statement that you doubt that the quality will be any better. Is this speculation or known fact? It came from OR that they merged with Jayco to attempt to inhance the quality/product.

[dpark]

I owned an OR and it was by far the most inferior camper I owned. It was nice, but the build quality was terrible. First year, the roof decking came up and had to have the dealer pull the roof back and fix that...consequently, they screwed the termination moulding down too tight and damaged the front cap of the unit...After many weeks trying to get it fixed right and them not willing to work with me, I unloaded the unit and bought a new fiver. Also the dealer said open range would give me $2500 towards a new camper, but the trade price with money added on and the trade I got at another dealer was exactly the same...Lerch RV in central PA is a shady dealership.

As stated above, they look great, but lack in the craftsmanship needed to be a great unit.

[Vulcaneer]

Cookie Mom wrote:
My husband has been opposed to even considering an Open Range fifth wheel because the slide system isn't hydraulic. However, I looked at the specs for them and it says the following: Accu-Slide 4-Corner Compression Slide System. Does anyone know what this means?

I think your husband may be right to being opposed to look at an Open Range. Not because of the slide system. But because they are not all that great quality. They are very well appointed with creature comforts. Nicely decorated. Lots of good features. But their build quality is quite lacking in comparison to other companies. The trailers of today are a lot better than back in 2011 when I bought mine. But I will never buy a new one.

Now Open Range is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jayco. That is good. But what is NOT GOOD is that Jayco is letting them operate solely independently. So I doubt you will get Jayco quality in an Open Range.

[Randu]

Got to say that this has been one of the more informative threads that has ran in a while. It has given me a different perspective on some of the pros and cons of each type of slide system. Even though the title is "Open Range" I took it as a slide discussion and not necessarily about "Open Range". Randu

[Bandaid]

I've had three fifth wheels each one had a different style of slide mechanism. The first was the rack and pinion. Several times the bolts on the drive shaft, coming off the motor/ gear box, broke, along with bending the square drive shaft tubes. The second trailer had hydraulic slides. Two problems here. First they three slides operated sequentially, so you could not open one slide at a time! A pain when the weather was inclement and we only wanted to open the bedroom slide for an overnight stop! Also, we had a ram under the bed come loose and rotate, breaking a fitting and soaking the rug with transmission fluid. Our latest unit, a 2014 345 Open Range, as with all of the other Open Range trailers, has the cable actuated slides. So far, no problems. I agree with many posters here, each system has Its positives and negatives. At least if the cable system has a failure, everything is easily accessible for repair. I also like the weight saving aspect.

Bandaid

[Lantley]

spadoctor wrote:
JMHO....the cable system has been around since the early 90's....was a dog then and still is. Rack and pinion is the best....if a motor fails a hand crank does the job just fine.

I think you are correct to a point. When cable systems first came out there were more bugs and very few who were familiar with them.
However 20 years later the techs in the field have become familiar with the systems and the engineering has improved. No, cable slides are not perfect,however they are no longer a bizarre method of moving slides.

Parts are available on Amazon and repair videos are on U tube.
A lot has changed since the early 90's.

[PenMan]

spadoctor wrote:
JMHO....the cable system has been around since the early 90's....was a dog then and still is. Rack and pinion is the best....if a motor fails a hand crank does the job just fine.

Good thing we can all have opinions. We have had two types of slide mechanisms, the OR cable and rack/pinion. Never had a problem with the cable system but lots of problems with rack/pinion. Sounds like any slide mechanism can have problems. :B

[spadoctor]

JMHO....the cable system has been around since the early 90's....was a dog then and still is. Rack and pinion is the best....if a motor fails a hand crank does the job just fine.

[PenMan]

We have had our Open Range for over a year and no problems with any of the slides. It is probably the best built TT you can buy (IMO). My family has had lots of RV's so I have had some experience.

[PegLW]

We have an Open Range 345 with three cable slides. We've put over 30,000 miles on our trailer with hundreds of slides openings and closings and not one minutes problem with any of them! They work flawlessly every time. We do perform regular checks and tighten them as needed but that's quick and easy. We think they're great!

[Vulcaneer]

Have had cable slide systems since 2011. Asked the dealer to adjust, on first check up. He screwed it up. A few months later one of the retaining nuts fell off and cable went slack. I repaired easily in 10 minutes.

Later on one of the adjusting blocks went out of line and caught the other opposing adjusting block. Cable broke. Although the slide would continue to operate both ways. Amazon cable repair kit...$20. And 20 minutes work to replace the broken cable. No need to haul it off to a dealer. Easy DIY repair.

Readjusted cables properly and they have operated flawlessly ever since.

I prefer the cable slides to Hydraulic, or Schwintek. I can easily fix the cables myself.

[Trail-Mate]

Mine OR was built in 2010. I have not had any issues with slide system or cable failure.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

Had a Mobile Suites with hydraulic and feared every time we set up. Had landing gear ram failures, slides creeping out while driving down the road and continuous hydraulic leaks. Never again hydraulic. Have had mechanical gear driven slides no problem and now have had an Open Range with 3 slides with the cable system for 3 years and it has operated flawlessly. As another poster said all of the mechanism is inside the unit on top of the slide out of any dirt or weather. I would definitely have it again.

[Lantley]

I not trying to convince anyone as to which is best.
The cable slides have all motors and systems enclosed and out of the weather.Everything is installed above the floor.
The cable slides are not shaft driven. Therefore there are no holes drilled into the frame/beam to accommodate the shaft. As a result a smaller lighter beam can be used resulting in weight savings ans some innovative floor plans. Many of the currently popular front living room floor plans have incorporated cable slides.
CAble slides systems are not foolproof. Cables break and require periodic adjustment to keep them aligned. Cable systems use electric motors and switches that can also fail.
Hydraulic systems break as well pumps fail,hoses leak etc.
Cable systems are becoming more mainstream because they allows for significant weight reduction.
I have 5 cable slides in my RV I have adjusted cables myself twice. MY RV is about 1000-1500# lighter than comparable models. I am satisfied with the cable slides