Trailers where slides do NOT block access?

[coolmom42]

My travel partner is wanting out of his current Coachmen trailer, to upgrade somewhat and have something with a slide. He wants something with a better quality of materials and insulation, easily set up for boondocking and cool winter camping.

We've looked at floor plans from Grand Design, Lance, and Jayco. We want a bedroom with a door, a slide, and a bathroom with the sink inside it. The trailer has to be fully functional and accessible with the slide IN. We have to stay towable with a F150 and want to keep dry weight around 5000. We don't need or want bunks--just the 2 of us. We've looked at Olivers, but are deterred by the 7' width, small baths, and the price tag.

It appears that every Grand Design floor plan in our weight limit is set up so the slide blocks either the kitchen or bedroom. Plus the refrigerator is in the slide and we don't want that.

The only Jayco model that otherwise fits our needs is the 24RBS. The kitchen area has a funky angled countertop that looks like it will bump up against the slide, and block access to the bathroom and kitchen, when the slide is in. Does anyone have any first-hand observations about the usability of the trailer with the slide in?

The Lance 2295 MIGHT work, although I don't care for that giant entertainment center blocking off the middle. The Lance 2375 has the angled counter section like the Jayco 24RBS. But again a person can't tell about the slide clearance.

None of these trailers are conveniently located to us and we would like to have some input before making a drive to see one. Any input from real-life observations is appreciated!

[Copperhead]

Checked out a couple of videos on the 2500RL and it seems bedroom access not there when slide retracted. Looks like problem opening fridge due to kitchen counter when slide retracted. Agree on bath

Oops! My bad. Was looking at another model.

[2012Coleman]

coolmom42 wrote:

lawrosa wrote:
OP hasnt been back, but we should ask what year f 150 he is towing with..

OP can you let us know what truck and year? Possibly we can make slightly heavier offerings

And he said he wants a weight limit of around 5000 lbs..

Also OP whats your budget?


If you can afford the grand designs the 2600 rear bath is ideal... Man a 36x36 shower is great... Slide in nothing blocked...

This would be my ideal trailer. Great TV viewing too...

5800 lbs
600 TW

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2018/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2600rb

OP has been busy cleaning the kitchen and doing laundry, LOL.

Budget is adequate for the Grand Design.

Tow vehicle is 2015 F150 3.5L Ecoboost, Supercab, 145" wb, 4x4. Tow rating is 10,700, GCWR is 16,000. Payload is 1530 lb. The numbers line up for that trailer.

BUT it appears to me from the floor plan that the slide is going to block the bedroom door when the slide is in. Am I wrong?

Generally we would prefer a shorter trailer for more choice in sites.

Yes - I would say you are. Go to the link and click on the 360 degree vew and swing around to this part of the TT. The slide does not block the door when in.

[rbpru]

We have a 2010 TT with a short 16 inch deep slide that usable with the slide in. No bunk and the bath across the back.

I have not seen the same layout since.

Part of the problem is the new demographic is the young family with kids. So 30 plus feet and bunks are the norm.

I doubt you will find an off road, cooler weather, TT, that is less than 6200 lbs dry, unless you go to an under 20 ft model.

Keep in mind that floor plan is the most important item. It remains when all else is accepted or forgotten.

Good luck

[DutchmenSport]

In this case, SoundGuy, it sounds like the OP's travel partner and himself are at odds, or having a disagreement in mind-sets regarding the issue of slide or no slide for their next camper. Correct me if I'm wrong, but sounds like they travel together (with one camper), so they have to reconcile their individual concerns.

I just presented both sides of the coin above. Like any "couple" that live together, they have to have an agreement. Either one has to realize slides are not all that threatening after all, or there has to be acceptance on both sides for a non-slide (longer trailer). I was just trying to give the OP some positive ammunition.

[SoundGuy]

coolmom42 wrote:
...I don't want to be stuck at the back of the world with a stuck slide and a non-usable trailer.

DutchmenSport wrote:
I'm really NOT being mean spirited here, but asking a genuine question. If you are really that concerned about slide failure, then why do you want a camper that has slides? Why not get a camper that does not have slides and then you'll never have to worry about slide failure.

Maybe if you read the entire discussion you'd know the OP earlier said - "FWIW it's not me that wants the slide, it's my travel partner. I am going to raise the option of a non-slide but longer model. Will do some looking."

Seems self explanatory to me.

[DutchmenSport]

coolmom42 wrote:
...I don't want to be stuck at the back of the world with a stuck slide and a non-usable trailer.

I'm really NOT being mean spirited here, but asking a genuine question. If you are really that concerned about slide failure, then why do you want a camper that has slides? Why not get a camper that does not have slides and then you'll never have to worry about slide failure.

When we considered our first 2 travel trailers, I was adamant about getting a trailer with NO slides for the very same reason. I had heard and read too many stories about slide failure, leaking seals, and a lot of other issues. So we experienced cramped living quarters in a non-slide trailer for 2 trailers (almost 10 years).

Fast forward. Third camper was still suppose to be one with no slides, but when we saw "it" there was no hesitation. Before signing the dotted line on trailer #3, I had the salesmen walk me through extracting and retracting all 3 slides with no power, emulating total failure. This eliminated all my fears about a slide getting stuck in the open or closed position.

I never gave it a moment's though about sitting on the furniture inside the slide with the slide in. All the time we've had this trailer, using the slide "in" apparently hasn't affected anything. However, I do agree, maybe not every camper can do this. (Check with your dealer before buying that camper and get straight answers about your specific model. That's the only sure way of knowing.)

The third slide is a closet slide in the bed room. Now, it has clothes hanging in it, if the slide is out or in. That's a LOT of weight with all that clothing on hangers and such. The slide continues to work perfectly fine, in or out, on the road or in a campground.

I do take preventative measures on the slide seals about twice a year and treat them with some nice cleaner and conditioner to keep them soft and clean. I think this extra measure has been a good thing, also in elevating fears of slide leaks, as each nano-speck of every seal is inspected and treated twice a year.

Another thing, today's technology has improved greatly from what it was 10-15 years ago. Slide failure is not as common as it use to be. The important thing to know, is how to retract the slide in the event of failure. If you have this knowledge, there's no reason to fear power failure. At best, you pull the slides in and head for home or straight to a repair shop! It wouldn't be the first time someone had to have their vacation plans cut short, or ended up a day or two in a motel while getting an emergency repair done on their camper.

However, let me go back to my original question above. If you are really concerned about slide failure, and this is your biggest fear, then don't even consider a camper with a slide. You you NOT enjoy the camper as you'll always have to much paranoia. Look for one without slides and then you can truly enjoy yourself trouble free, never having to even consider taking a chance with something, because it simply doesn't exist in your world.

[JIMNLIN]

We've used our bed (bedroom slide) all the time when were on the road. No need to slide it out for just a one nite stay..
Same with the dinette/couch big slide. No issues in 21 years of doing so.

Now if the owners manual says not to then it probably would be a good idea to follow instructions.

I didn't read through all the replies but I would recommend the OP go to each trailer mfg website and look at their floor plans which can change from year to year.

[SoundGuy]

Lantley wrote:
The slide is not intended to be used when it is in. Yes there maybe times that force you to use slide while it is retracted. In those cases use slide gingerly as the floor is typically unsupported.
Pretending slide is fully functional whether it is in or out is foolish.
The manufacturer is not going to approve using the slide while it is retracted because it was not designed to be used that way.

As has been asked of others making this same claim where's the documentation to support your argument that a "slide is not intended to be used when it is in"? :h I use mine all the time and have for 5 seasons now, no issues at all. :B And as mentioned much earlier in this thread, there's NO caution of any kind in the owner's manual about doing so. 😉

[Lantley]

The slide is not intended to be used when it is in. Yes there maybe times that force you to use slide while it is retracted. In those cases use slide gingerly as the floor is typically unsupported.
Pretending slide is fully functional whether it is in or out is foolish.
The manufacturer is not going to approve using the slide while it is retracted because it was not designed to be used that way.

[dodge_guy]

coolmom42 wrote:

Copperhead wrote:
If it can’t be used when retracted without damage, begs the question if the trailer should be towed anywhere. If it can’t handle a couple of people when sitting still, the rolling earthquake that goes on with some roads should effectively destroy it.

Possibly this lack of support DOES have a lot to do with the slide failures that people experience. There are many examples on this site of trailer frames/suspensions destroyed by rough roads... why should the slide be any different.

12 years were th a flush floor slide. They are not supported when in the in position. The only thing that isn’t supported is the floor. I’ve never had one issue with the slide and it’s been towed close to 20k miles! On all sorts of roads.

[SoundGuy]

coolmom42 wrote:
Just to explain my reasoning.... we are about to be 2 retired adults doing extended travelling with the RV. We have some 3 week trips from TN to Idaho under our belts, and are planning 2-3 long trips (4 weeks or so) each year, and possibly to Alaska. We stay mainly in national forest campgrounds often in remote locations. It's not like we are weekend campers at KOA a couple of hours from home. I don't want to be stuck at the back of the world with a stuck slide and a non-usable trailer.

Our current couple's trailer is the first we've ever owned with a slide and when deciding to buy it I still did have some trepidation about the slide. In earlier years we did a lot of long distance traveling / camping with our boys, often thousands of miles from home, and the one thing I wanted to avoid was having to deal with a slide issue of any kind so far from home. Forum pundits ramble on all the time about how rare this is but I can recount numbers of times we were camping somewhere and a campsite neighbour would be bitching about slide issues he was having with his rig ... and no, I'm not exaggerating. That's why in those days I knew that for us our decision to travel with a non-slide trailer was the better choice and it's only now that our boys are older, no longer camp with us, and we usually now camp no more than a day away from home that I'm willing to take the chance with a slide model. Yes, our current slide could fail but it's just a small sofa slide, I do know how to retract it manually, and biggest advantage of all - it doesn't interfere in any way with interior access so if it ever did fail it wouldn't be a trip ending calamity. Despite what those slide pundits will always tell you there are good arguments in favour of non-slide trailers. Although to date we've not had any issues with our current slide I'd have definitely considered the new non-slide Coachmen Freedom Express 204RD I mentioned earlier, especially if long distance traveling was part of intended use, but it wasn't in the lineup at the time. Sometimes K.I.S.S. is the better choice. 😉

[ktmrfs]

coolmom42 wrote:
Just to explain my reasoning.... we are about to be 2 retired adults doing extended travelling with the RV. We have some 3 week trips from TN to Idaho under our belts, and are planning 2-3 long trips (4 weeks or so) each year, and possibly to Alaska. We stay mainly in national forest campgrounds often in remote locations. It's not like we are weekend campers at KOA a couple of hours from home. I don't want to be stuck at the back of the world with a stuck slide and a non-usable trailer.

similar to us. we use the trailer close to 3 months/year and have put over 30K miles on it. Lots of backroads, FS campgrounds about 1/3 of that time grandkids are with us.
we load supplies onto the slideout couch and slideout dinette cushions on virtually each trip. On the order of an extra 200 lbs on the big slide. and often at stops slides in, we use the dinette for DW and I for a quick lunch stop.

After 8 years now never once has the slide failed us, nor have we had any issues or indications that the extra weight or use of slide while in has even started any issues.

Now we do take care and watch what we do. Think of it this way, the slide already have significant weight on the floors. either from furniture or in some cases a FULL fridge, counter, oven, and pantry in the slide loading the floor.

[coolmom42]

Just to explain my reasoning.... we are about to be 2 retired adults doing extended travelling with the RV. We have some 3 week trips from TN to Idaho under our belts, and are planning 2-3 long trips (4 weeks or so) each year, and possibly to Alaska. We stay mainly in national forest campgrounds often in remote locations. It's not like we are weekend campers at KOA a couple of hours from home. I don't want to be stuck at the back of the world with a stuck slide and a non-usable trailer.

[coolmom42]

ktmrfs wrote:

coolmom42 wrote:
So I emailed the Jayco dealer nearest us, asking about the 23RL slide. I asked if it could be used when not extended. One of their people replied, saying he went out and looked at the trailer in question. (Which I am impressed, if he did that.) He said that the slid is the type that is flush with the floor when extended, and that means that it is unsupported when it is retracted, and the dealership would not recommend using it when retracted, unless some type of support was placed underneath.

Seems like that was an honest answer, but it left me with a couple of questions.

1) Are all Jayco slides designed this way? (Will email back about this.)
2) Does this mean that a slide that sits up higher when extended, DOES have support under it when it IS retracted? As best I can tell, Lance trailer slides are slightly elevated above the rest of the trailer floor when extended. So I am going to contact Lance about this, and get their version.

this is a typical response from dealers and slide mfg on the flush with the floor slides. yes, when in, the front is up maybe 1/2". and I'm sure that it is possible with lots of weight or lack of care it could become a problem if you use the slide when in. So, I suspect it is somewhat of a CYA response.

In our trailer, when the slide is in everything is accessible, and the dinette is in the slide. we often just run the slide out about 6" for a little more room, and even that much movement drops the slide almost to the floor. It only raises up in the last few inches of inward travel.

We've literally used the dinette slide to each quick lunch with the slides in at least 100 times, and no issue. Now would I cram 6 people in the slide with it in, probably not. nor would I jump up and down on the floor with the slide in.

I hear you on the CYA thing. And no doubt 2 medium size adults sitting quietly in a small slide, is a far cry from 4-5 large people and children jumping around in a super slide. But it's pretty clear to me that the dealer does not want the slide used while inside. So there must be some basis for that. Given Jayco's 2 yr warranty, they don't want that trailer back in because of abuse of the slide.

[coolmom42]

Copperhead wrote:
If it can’t be used when retracted without damage, begs the question if the trailer should be towed anywhere. If it can’t handle a couple of people when sitting still, the rolling earthquake that goes on with some roads should effectively destroy it.

Possibly this lack of support DOES have a lot to do with the slide failures that people experience. There are many examples on this site of trailer frames/suspensions destroyed by rough roads... why should the slide be any different.