Slideouts, leave them in or out? - Montana Owners Club

jmd80ta · 07-31-2007, 03:16 PM

We have our Monty on a seasonal site at a campground. My wife and I go up there almost every weekend and we pull in our slideouts when we leave for the weekend. Our question, is it OK to do this or should we leave them out? Most other people at the campground leave there slideouts out for the whole season.

I hate to do this because of unpredictable weather but wonder if we are hurting the life of the slideout motor. Also, some of them use supporting jacks for their slideouts. Is this necessary?

Mrs. CountryGuy · 07-31-2007, 03:27 PM

Fulltimers will use their slides and motor more than you will ever dream of, don't sweat the small stuff!

To put in every week is a personal choice, do what makes you feel comfy! Your concern over weather is valid, especially if it makes you nervous all week long while you are back at work and the stick built.

Support jacks, believe that you will hear from most a BIG NO NO on that one!

Enjoy that Monty!

kdeiss · 07-31-2007, 03:27 PM

We leave ours out all summer never a problem we have been doing this for 5 years.We found bringing them in we would have a lot of mold on the slide awnings

Parrothead · 07-31-2007, 03:33 PM

When we were parked for months at a time and left for a week or so we never pulled the slides in and had no problems. Turned off the water and propane, unplugged the awning lights and left. Our awning was very well secured or we would have put it up.
Happy trails.........................

jmd80ta · 07-31-2007, 03:43 PM

Thanks for the quick repsonses and it sounds like we can leave them out or in. We don't have slideout awnings yet so we won't have the mildew issue.

Also, I just did search on support jacks and that is a definate NO!

Thanks

Glenn and Lorraine · 07-31-2007, 03:49 PM

We are full timers and whenever we are parked the slides are out. Even during some very nasty, storming, and windy weather and we have not had any problems. We have folks in Florida who leave their slides out in the summer AFTER they have returned to the north and again no problems.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER EVER place jacks under you slides. That is aHUGE NO NO!!!

rames14 · 07-31-2007, 04:15 PM

We also seasonaled for three years with ours and left the slides out. We only turned the water off and turned off the furnace/AC and water heater. When we arrived each week, we'd turn on the water, furnace/AC and water heater and we were camping. We also left the satellite dish up on the roof. You are correct, supporting the slides can create big problems. Best of luck.

MAMalody · 07-31-2007, 05:41 PM

The only thing I might add is that if you pull the slides in and are gone, you are advertising that nobody is in the trailer. You want to treat it like a stickbuilt home. Put a timer on a light or two, leave the slides out and don't worry about it.

Imp · 07-31-2007, 08:15 PM

I believe I remember Lippert telling us we should bring them in and out once a month to keep them lubricated. We also have left ours out for long periods without any problems.

VanMan · 08-01-2007, 03:04 AM

Ours stay out most of the time. I will, however, pull it (only one) in for the winter when I run a small heater and furnace on low to prevent freezing. This creates a smaller volume to heat.

01RAMer · 08-01-2007, 07:16 AM

If you have a Lippert Hydraulic Slideout System, it says right in the Owner and Service Manual that you should actuate the room once or twice a month to keep the seals and internal moving parts lubricated. There is also a note saying "For Long term storage: it is recommended that the room be closed (retracted)". I would think they are saying this for a reason.

mtpocket2 · 08-01-2007, 07:41 AM

We have a permanent campsite. Ours stay out year round. Never had a problem. I will bring them in 4 or 5 times a year to check if they are working properly. If snow and ice are forecast I try to get them in. Only issue we have had is sometimes spiders come in with them.

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