Securing chairs to back wall?

[Larryect]

Any ideas/tips on where to put tie down anchors?

Heartland Sundance 27RKS.

Twice now the chairs have moved enough while driving to interfere with opening the slide. The slide catches the arm of the chair and damages it and/or the trim on the slide.

There is no tie down point supplied by the factory. I am thinking of putting some eye-bolts into the back wall so I can strap the chairs in place.

Any ideas on how to do that?

I am thinking eye-bolts with wood type threads into to frame near the corners and maybe one in the middle. But I am not sure how strong that would be, or even if there is a good way to find the metal frame.

And, no I can't really check on the chair before opening the slide. Have to open the slide to get into the kitchen/rear area......

[Larryect]

rhagfo wrote:
:h
Do all of you not check for obstructions before running your slides out??

as far as chairs, we have hit some big bumps in the past, never strapped down the chairs, either the dining table, or rockers, never an issue.

You might try re-reading the OP. I have posted 2 different times in this thread that, it is not feasible to check the chairs before moving the slide.

[DutchmenSport]

I check my slides before extending or extracting. But it only takes 1 time for something to be in the way. This happened to me once a few months ago, when the cabinet door caught the edge of the trim in the slide when opening. It ripped the trim right off the slide. I used Liquid Nails and glued it all back on.

But... that did not stop the law chairs from sliding around on the floor and putting a small hole in my wall. Now that they are bungied down, they don't move.

[Goostoff]

I cant get past my front door when the slides are in to check and the slide that catches is the first to come out so I have no option. By the time I can get back there the trim has already caught the arm of the chair

[rhagfo]

:h
Do all of you not check for obstructions before running your slides out??

as far as chairs, we have hit some big bumps in the past, never strapped down the chairs, either the dining table, or rockers, never an issue.

[riggsp]

Our Outback came with straps attached to the floor close to the wall, and the straps have snap catches that wrap across the back so th chairs can be pulled against the wall when traveling and released when parked...no movement in 6 years.

[Goostoff]

Ours came with a strap to wrap around the chairs to hold them together. I put them back to back as tight as I can get them an them wrap the strap around the backs. They dont move at all. Until I figured theis trick out I caught the arm of the chair 3 times and the last time it ripped the trim off the slide and I had to fix that. This year we are getting rid of the factory recliners anyway. They are just too heavy and bulky to move around.

[Larryect]

dapperdan wrote:
I would try the earlier mentioned method of using the floor. If you've ever seen how most trailers are built they "deck" the entire trailer first then build the walls. Just about any place you want to put anchors into the floor you're going to hit half inch or three quarters plywood. Just my two cents tho. Good luck

Dan

Yep, I think that is what I will do. I found tie downs I linked earlier and got some #14 x 3/4 screws. I think that should work with 2 screws per tie down and bungee cords between. My floor is a laminated system as well. A lot like the walls, but I think the top layer is 1/2 inch plywood or so. If that is not enough, I could go all the way through with a toggle bolt or something.

Thanks to all for the replies.

[Larryect]

Veebyes wrote:
Ours came with a strap but we find that turning the chairs back to back with a little push forward on each so that they are against each other with a folded towel between them works just fine. No need to tie together.

Part of the reason that they don't seem to move may be the Equaflex spring hanger system & shocks so the trailer may ride better than average though there are days when it seems like somebody was back there moving things in the cupboards.

Sounds like dining chairs. My dining chairs are mostly okay. They sit inside the slide and I move them away from the table and back them up to the front and rear walls and they seem to stay pretty well. That way they don't fall backwards when I start or stop.

The ones that are slightly walking enough to become a problem are swivel rockers that are supposed to sit sideways against the rear trailer wall to allow room for the slide.

[Larryect]

Bipeflier wrote:
Regardless of how you tie them down, I suggest checking for movement and slide clearance EVERY TIME before extending the slides.

Some units have doors that may jar open and get caught in addition to the chairs. You never know when something may become dislodged and jam the slide. A 30 second visual check is cheap insurance.

True, good idea if you can. However, in my unit you can't get in far enough to see the chair, etc. without climbing over the kitchen counter, until you move the slide out of the way . There are no cabinet doors etc., that can be caught by the slide.

[WeBeFulltimers]

We don't tie ours down and they have never moved in almost 6 years of full timing. Yes, we do move around.

[dapperdan]

I would try the earlier mentioned method of using the floor. If you've ever seen how most trailers are built they "deck" the entire trailer first then build the walls. Just about any place you want to put anchors into the floor you're going to hit half inch or three quarters plywood. Just my two cents tho. Good luck

Dan

[Veebyes]

Ours came with a strap but we find that turning the chairs back to back with a little push forward on each so that they are against each other with a folded towel between them works just fine. No need to tie together.

Part of the reason that they don't seem to move may be the Equaflex spring hanger system & shocks so the trailer may ride better than average though there are days when it seems like somebody was back there moving things in the cupboards.

[Bipeflier]

Regardless of how you tie them down, I suggest checking for movement and slide clearance EVERY TIME before extending the slides.

Some units have doors that may jar open and get caught in addition to the chairs. You never know when something may become dislodged and jam the slide. A 30 second visual check is cheap insurance.

[Larryect]

Looks very similar to what I found. I was thinking Bungee cords would be enough. And, when I find the right length thy will prevent over tightening that could happen with ratchet straps........