Slide reliability - Are they reliable?

[logsfam]

Years back I had 1995 5th wheel it had problems with the slide rollers and seals, etc. due to this I have been reluctant to get anything with slides. However I now find myself wanting another RV and plan to do a lot of boon docking. Moving ever few days or so. It seams that it is very difficult to find many units without slides so I am wondering do the units after 2004 or so have better slide mechanisms? Are they dependable enough to slide in and out on a continual basis?

I would appreciate hearing of your experiences and concerns. Thanks.

[Kenneth_Neal]

I've had a lot of experience with Schwintek slides. Stay away. They are grossly under engineered and are only suitable for small light weight slides. I've had to replace 5 motors.

[ktmrfs]

Based on all the people I know that have trailers with slides IMHO they are reliable enouogh that it shouldn't be very high on the decision list. Decide on the trailer you like best, slides or not and then buy it.

IMHO a FAR FAR FAR higher decision point is with the slides IN can I get to the bathroom, fridge, cooktop, microwave, dinette, bedroom etc. water pump switch, lights, sink when I stop at a rest stop or if I want to be ready to go ASAP in the morning.

with many trailer the answer is NO to all or some of these and if they are important to you, look carefully. There are reasons why trailers on lots and show have slides extended.

This was high priority in our case and the answer to all the above is YES.

[trailrider]

joebedford wrote:
So basically you have no experience with them but are calling them junk anyway. At least we have a calibration now.

I have experience with one that wasn't mine. That was enough for me when it almost fell out on someone. But you sound like you know it all so I must have imagined it. Go troll elsewhere.

[joebedford]

So basically you have no experience with them but are calling them junk anyway. At least we have a calibration now.

[trailrider]

joebedford wrote:

trailrider wrote:
I Agree, Junk. Engineered to be light and that's all they accomplished with that design. The only thing holding it in the side of the rv is the little screws holding the frame to the rv wall. Scary!

I guess you didn't look after yours or they were installed incorrectly by a cheap manufacturer.

Say what? I have never had one and never will. If they are installed correctly/incorrectly doesn't change the design. That is all that holds it in the rv, the frame screwed to the wall.

[Dalo]

I have a 13 yr old trailer with a small slide (6 ft x 15"). Never had a problem yet. I think small is the key word. That said, I do think they leak cool air in winter and warm in summer. Also, any slide when in that blocks access to the bathroom or fridge is no good. We like to stop on the road and have a sandwich or use the potty. DALE

[joebedford]

trailrider wrote:
I Agree, Junk. Engineered to be light and that's all they accomplished with that design. The only thing holding it in the side of the rv is the little screws holding the frame to the rv wall. Scary!

I guess you didn't look after yours or they were installed incorrectly by a cheap manufacturer.

[trailrider]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
My '07 5vr has 3 slides....FTd for 7 yrs moving weekly ---slides in/out every week. They are now 10 yrs old

Bedroom slide is electric motor chain driven. TempurPedic Queen bed on platform and under bed storage FULL of some heavy items.
It has been flawless

Living room slides (2 opposing slides) are hydraulic piston driven
One is 6' and 3' has hide a bed sofa in it
Other is 12' and 2.5' deep has dinette, entertainment center/desk and kitchen pantry
They have been pretty good......had to replace a drive gear on long slide due to broken tooth----fatigue crack heavily rusted.

Other than that......operate, seal, no sag/no leaks

I would not hesitate to purchase RV with slides...provided they weren't 'Schwintek' design. That is a problem prone piece of junk IMHO

I Agree, Junk. Engineered to be light and that's all they accomplished with that design. The only thing holding it in the side of the rv is the little screws holding the frame to the rv wall. Scary!

[Bumpyroad]

my chieftain came with a winch to pull the slides in in an emergency. just take the pressure off the hydraulics and winch away. nearly everything to make a RV enjoyable adds complexity. if you don't want it, use a tent.
bumpy

[Chum_lee]

I love well designed slides, but they do add another level of complexity to any RV. Only you can decide if they will work for you. That said, twice now I've seen expensive RV's stuck with their slide(s) extended and they wouldn't retract until repaired with shipped in parts and technicians. One was boondocking, the other overnighting in a roadside rest stop. The big clincher, you can't legally/safely move your vehicle on public roadways in the U.S. with the slides extended.

So with that in mind, you decide.

Chum lee

[mabynack]

I started having issues with my slides a few years ago. The switch burned out and then the solenoid burned out and then the hydraulic line broke. I figured out that the battery was only putting out about 8 volts and that's what caused the solenoid and switch issue. It was arching across the contacts and caused premature failure. Now that I've got the electrical issue fixed and replaced the hydraulic line, everything is working well.

[brulaz]

ktmrfs wrote:
As a backup, AFAIK most or all of the electric slides can be extended or retracted manually. My advice, if you don't know how to do it, look in the manual or ask a dealer to show you how. Really isn't that hard in most cases. A cordless drill will make it much much quicker.

I don't know about hydraulic slides.

With my rack and pinion ram you can't get an electric drill at the gearbox (Maybe with a right-angle adapter). Anyway the manual method is really just for when the battery is dead. And I'd rather get that fixed first (Carry some heavy jumper cables).

If the shear pin breaks or the slide jams somehow, the manual method won't work with my slide.

[SoundGuy]

Bumpyroad wrote:
keep in mind that a lack of slides nowadays will kill a lot of resales.
my BIL and I both bought class As in 1999, he a tiffin and me my chieftain. he had no slides and was warned by the salesman about resale. his widow a couple of years back sold his tiffin and a lack of slides turned off lots of potential buyers.

All it takes for a successful sale is one interested party ... my own non-slide KZ Spree sold in no time at all. :B It's not about slides but about about matching the right buyer to the right trailer at the right price. 😉

[ktmrfs]

As a backup, AFAIK most or all of the electric slides can be extended or retracted manually. My advice, if you don't know how to do it, look in the manual or ask a dealer to show you how. Really isn't that hard in most cases. A cordless drill will make it much much quicker.

I don't know about hydraulic slides.