Side Kitchen Long Term Wear?

[Okie Guy]

I am thinking about trading up to a 5th wheel. Has anyone with the center kitchen(like the 3400) had any problems after long term use? I am curious about the gas lines for the slide out. This is the one thing which I am leery of on the center kitchen. It would be just my luck to have a broken gas line and blow the thing up.

Thanks in Advance!
Phil

[Montana Sky]

Phil,
I have not had any issues with the stove, microwave or fridge in the kitchen slide on my 3400RL. In October I finished my 3rd full summer (over 18 months) and more than 14,000 miles of use. So far so good.

[JH Sechelt]

Hi Phil,

The last 2 trailers we've owned have been center kitchens with slides. Never had a problem with the Gas or power going to anything in the slides. DW wouldn't be with out all the counter top space these units give us.

J&D

[bsmeaton]

I guess thats one of those questions that you can never say yes too - we never hear from those again after they blow up.

Couldn't resist - sorry, that was bad!

I am curious how they do the gas lines in the kitchen slides, and I had the same concern. Are they all connected to one big flex line?

[stiles watson]

The truth is that under the right (or wrong) conditions, anything can go wrong with these RV's just like a stick house. There doesn't seem to be an accumulation of evidence that would support the fear of failures you are discribing.

Think about it, in a stick house a short can develop (like squirrels chewing wire in the attic) and burn it down, but it is not common. Gas connections or valving in you kitchen stove develop leaks over the years and BOOM if you don't catch it. It is not common, but it does happen in stick houses.

Because we move these estates-on-wheels around, we need to be a bit more vigilant about things that might go wrong. The only absolutely safe way is to forget about owning an RV, but then you lose......your dream.

One thing about staying in touch with this forum is that if any tendencies toward malfunctioning occur, you will hear about it here....and soon.

[JH Sechelt]

Brad,

Our fridge & stove are in the one slide, and there is a 1/2" by 30" Flex hose going from the 1/2" Black Gas pipe under the trailer to a 3/8" ? copper pipe in the slide. These slides only go out about 2', not like the 3' slides on the other side. The flex hose really doesn't seem to move a whole lot when the slide goes out & in. I feel better about the gas flex hose then I do about the 120v electrical wire bending in & out.
Anyways I'm sure after 5 to 6 years it really wouldn't be a big deal undoing the 2 ends of the flex hose and putting a new one in.
Or just trade the trailer in on a new one.....say 5' longer .

J&D

[lawrenceb42106]

We had a 2001 3295RK with elect and gas lines in the slides with no problems with either. we put @90,000 miles on the unit. Now have a 3400RL with the same setup and no problems with them either. @35,000 miles on this one. Just a good ideal to check every now and then to be safe.

[bsmeaton]

Thanks J&D - sounds like a pretty good system. I kept thinking about Rich's short that arced through the hydraulic line as a result of chafing on the frame.

It would seem when you are ready for that extra 5', there are plenty of new choices!

Brad

[sreigle]

Our 2003 3295RK had the kitchen in the slide with propane lines in the slide. We had it four years and one month, living in it fulltime for three years and five months of that time. Never a problem with the propane connected with the slide.

[Okie Guy]

Thanks for all the response. I knew I could count on the fourm for help.
Brad you crack me up...but you have a good point.
Thanks
Phil