RV Drawer Upgrade

[Gadget_Man]

I’d like to replace all of my RV’s drawer slides with the new soft closing drawer slides. I think they would work well in an RV, since they require extra force to open, which should prevent unwanted drawer openings while going down the road.

Has anyone in the forum tackled this type of project yet? If so, what brand of drawer slides did you use? I’m currently looking at the KV (Knape & Vogt) slides sold on Amazon.com.

Thanks.

Craig

[westend]

Here's a tip for eliminating any latches or hardware used to keep drawers closed while transporting: Buy some small circular neodymium magnets (1/4" OR 3/8" work well for me). Drill a hole in the cabinet face frame just a bit more than the depth of the magnet. Drill a corresponding hole in the drawer front (your dowel centers work well to establish these positions). Epoxy in the two magnets. You can cover the magnets with wood filler or a piece of dowel glued into the hole and the magnets will still work great without being seen.

I started using these neodymium magnets a few years ago and they work very well, have no moving parts, and will never need replacing. Good luck with the cabinet work.

[Gadget_Man]

Padlin wrote:
Might want to just get one set of glides to try.

That's exactly what I did. Please see my above post from 11:18 PM yesterday.

Thanks.

Crai

[Padlin]

As far as I know the Blum's have always been considered te gold standard, but I've not tried the KV's nor have I heard anything wrong with them.

Which ever you choose, do check on how they are installed. The dimensions of the drawer, bottom and side clearance, are fairly critical to proper installation. Don't know about the KV's but you can get full instructions for the Blums on their web site. I've found it best in the past to build new boxes for drawers and just reuse the front screwing it to the new box but then I'm a hobbyist, not a pro.

Here's the instruction sheet from the Woodcraft site on the Blums Tandems, you can see how much tolerance you have.

Might want to just get one set of glides to try. May well need mounting brackets depending on how the cases are built. I also found a right angle drill/driver (Bosch) a good tool for this kind of project.

[Dick_A]

dockmasterdave wrote:
As a professional furniture maker, I would say to go to a cabinet shop supply house and get Blum tandem slo close. I will fire the first person who brings something into my shop labeled KV.

I'm not sure what your issues are with KV but I have used many of their products for over 45-years.

[Gadget_Man]

I started on my drawer upgrade today. You can read my results on this thread.

Thanks again for your help!

Craig

[Gadget_Man]

Larry,

Thanks for the detailed info. This will definitely help me.

Craig

[LarryJM]

LarryJM wrote:

Craig P. wrote:
Larry,

Are those standard slides or the soft closing type?

I'm pretty sure they are just the normal slides nothing special except for the ball bearing and full extension attributes. They are definitely not self closing.

Larry

I did a little more looking and I'm pretty sure what I used was the standard K&V 8400 series medium duty slides (100lb non self or soft closing). I haven't had any issues with them coming open since they were installed almost 5 years ago and I have some oriented in front to back and side to side in the trailer. The ones I used have a rubber bumper where the slide section has bendable/adjustable "TABS" that catch the bumper when the slide is closed and hold it in the closed position. I do notice they now have both the self and soft closing and even an RV model with stronger retaining springs for mobile type applications. Probably the RV model would be the best if not too much more expensive than the less fancy standard 8400 series, but IMO the standard series should work fine for most applications.

It also looks like neither Lowes or HD now carry the full line of K&V model slides and I even had to special order some extra short (10" or 12" IIRC) ones for one set of drawers.

Larry

[bhh]

A good place to look is http://www.wwhardware.com

No association other than as a customer.

[Jean_S]

If you have a drawer that is particularly prone to opening underway, go to the boat store and look at the latches that have to be opened by putting a finger thru a hole in the drawer and pulling the latch. We had a heavy drawer under the sink that would stay closed no other way. The hole can be neatly finished with a little sandpaper and stain, and there is no pulling against the joinery to work stiff hardware.

[LarryJM]

Craig P. wrote:
Larry,

Are those standard slides or the soft closing type?

I'm pretty sure they are just the normal slides nothing special except for the ball bearing and full extension attributes. They are definitely not self closing.

Larry

[Gadget_Man]

Larry,

Are those standard slides or the soft closing type?

[LarryJM]

Craig P. wrote:
I’d like to replace all of my RV’s drawer slides with the new soft closing drawer slides. I think they would work well in an RV, since they require extra force to open, which should prevent unwanted drawer openings while going down the road.

Has anyone in the forum tackled this type of project yet? If so, what brand of drawer slides did you use? I’m currently looking at the KV (Knape & Vogt) slides sold on Amazon.com.

Thanks.

Craig

I did a major drawer upgrade to our trailer and pics along with descriptions in the captions are in THIS ALBUM. I used regular full extension ball bearing slides and the drawers stay closed and there is an adjustment to set the force to open the drawers. These are the 100lb slides you can find at Lowes and probably HD and I think they are the Knape and Vogt.

Here is a quick pic of just the slides I used




Larry

[kds102]

The latches you are showing the link to are make in the USA they are southco latches.

[wa8yxm]

Standard equipment on my RV. Which is why I had to install locks to keep them from opening when I'm driving.

So, how did i lock 'em.... I will describe two drawers

The kitchen has a stack of 4, between the top two I put a large eye bolt..Likewise another directly below it between the bottom two.

A dowel rod passes through the eyes.

Another drawer is held closed by a bungee cord across it.

Cubbord doors with velcro around the knobs (Bi-parting doors) or hook and eye or modified hinges (I took the pin out anddrop a cotter key in to lock it.

Everything is LOCKED before hitting the road tomorrow morning.