Replacing flooring in Super Slide

[Driftwoodgal]

We took our Montana in to have the wheel bearings repacked and have the slides adjusted. They came back with the bad news of the super slide flooring was rotted.

Has anybody ever had this done? What did it cost you?

Anybody ever try to replace this yourself?

Thanks for any informaton.

[Art-n-Marge]

Are you saying the flooring itself, or the subfloor? I've heard of flooring being replaced many times from damage or severely cold weather or just a desire for a change to something different and that changing it is very similar to what is done in a stickhouse except that it is typically done in sections.

But, if one is repacking bearings, then sees rotted flooring from underneath, that would be much more substantial since the subflooring might be involved. I'm actually surprised this isn't noticed more often. From this post I just took a look under my rig and things look just fine. But we don't use our rig on the road as often as many of you, we have never been subjected to severe winter weather, have never driven on snowy, icy, or salted roads, therefore our travels has not been as severe. The worst we've done is some driving when raining but even that was not for very long and it looks like everything underneath has dried off pretty good and therefore not problematic.

Doing this work yourself would depend on skill set, but if compared to a stickhouse, with the right tools, knowledge and skills, and especially patience, it should be able to be done yourself. Cost would also depend on what needs to be replaced and what materials you use in the replacement. If you are a fulltimer, then timing becomes more critical, then hiring someone with flooring construction would be quicker but costlier.

[dieselguy]

See post from Drifty1 in this same forum ... looks to be about $2K for the main slide in their case. A few others have had this done as well. Try the search function. There was mention of a video of just how to go about it on your own posted a while back. I watched it ... it was informative, but the 3 guys doing it had done the job several times before so it looked way easier than it would be for a first timer. It is doable, but you have to have the right equipment, an adequate place to perform the job, and the have the skills to accomplish the task at hand.

[Alwims]

Part one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItckXrP8wa0

Part two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvbqlMQnYEU

If you have mechanical skills, it is very doable. Just be prepared to go back and re-watch the video a few times. The videos are not for a Montana, but the principle is the same, just adopt it to the Monty. I'm still trying to figure out what kind of "right equipment" we didn't have to accomplish this job. I carry a lot of tools since we fulltime, but nothing more special than an electric impact. Don't have a total cost, but it was well below $500 doing it ourselves. The major expense was the marine plywood we used. I will say we did the 4' X 8' kitchen slide and not the big slide. Since the big slide is longer than 8' we would have had to laminate the plywood since it only comes in 8' foot lengths, but can't see where that would have been a problem either.

On edit; I forgot to say, our "adequate place" was in the grass and gravel of the RV Park we were staying in at the time, just made sure we had permission to work on our rig from the owners.

[Drifty1]

I just got our unit back from the shop last week. He charged me 18 hours labor and $200 for mat'l. They replaced the 12 foot slide with marine grade plywood. Since it is that long they had to laminate 3/4 and 3/8 to make it work. I would of tried it myself but after 4 surgerys on my left knee and with 2 replacements I figured I would have someone else do it. Besides since we live in Washington state I would have to do it in the rain.... My total was $2,174.00 with tax. Hope this helps.

[dieselguy]

Bye Ned I guess someone needs the "MacGyver Award" for unsurpassed skills and the ability to adapt to any terrain. I was just spewing out obviously incorrect foresight to the average RV owner who just might have to consider his own version of adequately supporting the entire slide while the floor is out ... how to assemble a floor the size of the main slide ... how to R&R the material on the underside of the slide floor ... how to ensure most everything is still square when the floor is put back into place ... how to secure permission to tackle this job if in an RV park ... how to prepare for securing ones possessions should the job spill over into a second day ... how to know what tools and material would have to be lined up ahead of time ... how to prepare for when all doesn't go quite like the video showed ... and how to enlist a couple of good friends that you don't have to supervise every move. Now where is my Swiss Army Knife and that length of rusty barbed wire I had just a minute ago .....

[Alwims]

quote:Originally posted by dieselguy

Bye Ned I guess someone needs the "MacGyver Award" for unsurpassed skills and the ability to adapt to any terrain. I was just spewing out obviously incorrect foresight to the average RV owner who just might have to consider his own version of adequately supporting the entire slide while the floor is out ... how to assemble a floor the size of the main slide ... how to R&R the material on the underside of the slide floor ... how to ensure most everything is still square when the floor is put back into place ... how to secure permission to tackle this job if in an RV park ... how to prepare for securing ones possessions should the job spill over into a second day ... how to know what tools and material would have to be lined up ahead of time ... how to prepare for when all doesn't go quite like the video showed ... and how to enlist a couple of good friends that you don't have to supervise every move. Now where is my Swiss Army Knife and that length of rusty barbed wire I had just a minute ago .....

I'm just curious as to why you get so negative when someone asks if it is possible to 'do it yourself' on any project that requires more than picking up a screw driver and turning a screw???? Not everyone can go running to the dealer when a project arises. Heck some of us can't afford to pay a dealer their jacked up prices so we have to, as you say, "MacGyver" a lot of projects. There has been many a time I would have liked to go out with friends, but had to stay home and fix something because we didn't have the kind of money you obviously have to take it to the dealer. I'm sure I'm not the only member here that can 'do it yourself' on a lot of projects and has to out of necessity. I grew up a poor Missouri Hillbilly and had to learn a lot of skills that folks with money didn't have to learn. Please explain, why so negative?????????

[Drifty1]

Driftwoodgal,I for one think this project could be done by a couple of guys in a couple of days. I am a retired Steamfitter/Pipefitter and if needed I would still take this project on today if I had a place inside with enough room to lay the slide on it's back. The slide I had done is the one that drops down to make the floor flat. I you would like to get a few of my ideas on how I would tackle the job just send me a message and I could give you a call.

[Alwims]

I just wanted to clarify, if I were not physically able to do a project, as Drifty1 stated about his knees, I would have to find some way of letting someone else do the work. I just see no reason to pay someone to do something I can do. I'm not here to cause trouble or problems, I'm here to visit, get help and help where I can. I just get tired of the negativity on some forums now days. Over the years, I've made many friends and a few enemies because of my blunt ways, but when I've got something to say, I say it.

Drifty1, there is no need to take your ideas private. Our main slide may need work in the future and I would love to hear your or anyone's ideas.

I do want to apologize to the original poster, I didn't intentionally mean to hijack your thread. I guess I'm just having one of those hillbilly moments.

[richfaa]

I do not have the skills or abilities or the tools do a job like that. In fact as I have said before I am not very handy in just about any area. IF I had friends or family that could and would do the job I would gladly buy the materials and anything else they wanted to do the job. It is also a bit difficult to do it in a campground.

I would also take it to a dealer or a shop to have the work done correctly by people who have the skills to do it.

For those that do have many skills and can do their own work no matter how complex that is great and at times I wish I had acquired those skills. I never did and we will now have to pay the price.

[DQDick]

One question I have is that when we took the factory tour a couple of years ago the guide said the our flooring was guaranteed for life. Did they only mean the main floor or are the slides supposed to be of the same material also?

[Alwims]

I understood when we called about other things, "life" means of the original owner. We never called about the floors though. Might just have to make that call Monday. I suspect I know the answer though.

[Driftwoodgal]

Thanks for the replies all. This is a forum to agree and disagree that is human nature, we all have life experiences and handle them differently... thus my post.

Here is the deal, the dealership has quoted us $3500, not sure if that includes the material. I did read the post by Drifty1 and his repair bill before posting my quire.

I am still wondering if others have had the problem with the super slide and what did you do about it?

I am fortunate that a friend builds houses for a living, no he isn't the builder just the guy that frames it and then goes back and fixes all the trim mistakes etc. Yes, he has horrible knees and so do we.

The dealership suggested that we call a claim into our insurance, which we did. I suspect there will not be any coverage for it. This rig has leaked from the first year and we were working in it full time couldn't get into a dealership. We did contact the dealer we bought it from and the said they were contacting Keystone. When we took it in after our first year anniversary we got no help from Keystone. Shame on us for thinking a report would give us some time.

I am very interested in the guaranteed for life statement DQDick. If that is true it will be the first thing I have been able to get from my warranty.

I don't happen to have an extra 4K to shell out of my pocket, if I did I wouldn't be still working.

Drifty1, curious as how you knew you needed your work done. What signs did you have that you needed to replace the floor?

So Montana posters...please feed me information.....thanks.

[Drifty1]

DQDick, life is for the original owner... And that is translated to this.. They will pay an amount they figure it took the factory to in stall the floor in the slide when they put it together at the factory. So that would mean on a table in perfect conditions.. Might be 1 hour of labor and they most likely prorate that to how many years old it is. I have a copy of the warranty in the trailer and had a good laugh at it...

[Drifty1]

I could see that my slide was having trouble coming in on that side. I could tell it was riding hard on the end frames. This was caused by the floor being bad and not having the weight of the slide distributed across the whole floor when it comes in. I checked the feel off the fabric under the slide. If it feels flat and firm then it is good. Mine felt like it was strands of wood fibers and did not feel firm. My other large slide is starting to get a little soft but I am going to wait till next year to fix when I get to AZ.

[Driftwoodgal]

Well, I am happy to report that the dealership suggested that we contact our insurance company. Feeling doubtful there would be coverage the call was made.

Very happy to report that the insurance company is paying for the damage and they will start work on our slide soon.

Thank goodness for Lucy at Camper Clinic, she is awesome.

[richfaa]

That is real good news. It does not hurt to contact your insurance company no matter what. The worst they can do is deny the claim.

[Phil P]

Hay richfaa

I watched a group of guys change the floor in a bedroom slide out at the Kozy Kampers camp ground in Ft Lauderdale once.

That was funnier that watching a three stooges move. But they got it done.

Phil P

[JCJ757S]

So I just bought a 2007 Montana 3500RL about 3 weeks ago (from a used car dealer that also has an RV Park being built adjacent to the dealership). My wife and I are planning to move in full time as soon as we finish (Didn’t Renee my lease in my apartment so we have until July 31st 2020.... it’s intense to say the least. We have been working 12-15 hours a day for 3 weeks now replacing almost everything inside and much our side. Everything is being done by us, we are learning EVERYTHING from scratch.

After tearing out every blind, disassembling every single cabinet (including 55 handles 110 hinges plus stoppers ect), every fixture, every single bulb from every single light (swapping for LED), bathroom vanity, sink, faucet and mirror, and the kitchen faucet, towel holders, tp holder, plus a LOT of mechanical work to Hydraulic System, Plumbing, and Hot Water heater...... we finally got around to ripping up the carpet only to find severe rot on BOTH main slides plus both smaller slides... all has to be replaced completely.... PLUS rot on several small areas of the MAIN decking that is essentially one huge piece of pressure treated 5/6 inch decking.....

To say the least we are overwhelmed. We are up now at 3am researching then off to work at 5 where we will go non-stop until 7:30-8pm tonight. This has been going on for 3 weeks nonstop and we have a long ways to go. I’m 37 my wife is 35 and I recently quit my job to buy this and restore it to live full time. I’ve worked slinging cases for Miller/Coors for the last 14 years until recently when a traumatic work injury paralyzed part of my hand and ended my time there..... I must say it’s the absolute hardest, most labor intensive project I’ve ever done... I never would have thought this project could be worse than life working for the beer distributor��... The good thing is, it’s work that we will actually benefit from in the long run.... that in itself is well worth it.