Slides out or autolevelers down first?

what does the owner manual say? we always leveled first before deploying the slides.

We have always leveled first on every RV we've owned. The logic; don't slides work better when the unit is level and risk damage if the frame is slightly twisted? RV frames are built to twist and flex during travel by design. Doesn't being level mitigate the risk of racking the slide out frame? Seems totally logical you want the frame box as square as possible before running it in and out.

Seen a guy once in a FW run his slides out first without jacks down. It was a full wall slide and the fridge was in it. The weight of the fridge needed the support of the jacks - and without the jacks the frame flexes which is fine when the slide is in, not so much when it's out. Well, heard a lot of screeching and cracking. He damaged a lot of trim and some flooring and it required 3 men to try and help him push his slide back in so he could deploy his jacks and do it over. Thankfully there wasn't any major damage to the rails or slide frame.

Manufacturers have different rules. You need to look at what yours says for your year. You can’t make a blanket statement. Mine says “ this “ isn’t an answer.
My Marquis is slides ( ride height) then level .. but that may not apply to yours.

Common sense (regardless of what the coach builder says) dictates being level before deploying slide(s). That's all there is to it! Slide mechanisms are not designed to operate when out of level. Read the slide out manual, or call the slide manufacturer.

As others have said depends on the RV. I leveled first. And sometimes 3rd

If you are parked "uneven" the frame flexes and the slides can bind..

But some makers say Slid then level
And the weight of the slideouts can affect the leveling (Should not but can).

I have a Freightliner XC chassis with power gear leveling system. It says to deploy the slides before leveling or dumping the air.

It appears their logic is that with the chassis supported by the air bags is better. They must feel that the jacks will flex the frame when leveling.

The dealer may have read the owners manual. Could be a first. But do read the owners manual as if there will be a test, because there will be on some cold dark rainy night.

jorbill2or wrote:
Manufacturers have different rules. You need to look at what yours says for your year. You can’t make a blanket statement. Mine says “ this “ isn’t an answer.
My Marquis is slides ( ride height) then level .. but that may not apply to yours.

^^^ This.

Years ago we were having this discussion with friends of ours who owned a Monaco at the time.

The owners manuals came out and theirs clearly said slides out THEN level.

Our manual clearly says level FIRST.

To me it makes more sense to level first but I'm not the engineer who designed it. I'll listen to the guys who did.

Always level first. Otherwise if off level the slides can and will go out uneven and may cause damage.

What does your manual say?