Slides in or out

[RMcNeal]

Always have slides in when hooking up or when not level. Stress on motors, connection points for slides and their frames, as well as stresses on the frame of the trailer around the slide openings could cause major problems. No need to temp fate. I have enough problems as it is.

[Mark7]

Either way. Sometimes wife is packing up or getting her stuff ready for the next leg of our trip and I’m doing all the outside stuff to include hooping up. Camper doesn’t seem to care either way.

[DaveK]

I believe owner manuals will tell you to operate slides when the rig is level.

It's not logical to think that a 30+ trailer doesn't flex when you lift the hitch. My wife accidentally tried retracting a slide once when it wasn't level and the bedroom slide wouldn't move.

Bottom line, I'm not going to take chances with something as significant as slides.

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by Dee_Dub

When you connect your trailer to your tow vehicle do you ever have your slides out.
Yes - It's important - Why
No - Doesn't matter

ALWAYS in, you don't want any unnecessary movement stressing the mechanisms.

[laverdur]

Yes. To help prevent frame damage, slides should always be in before retracting stabilizers/jacks. When hooking up the rear stabilizers/jacks should be up to allow the front to be raised to hookup height. Immediately before hooking up, with the hitch about 6" in front of the pin box, I connect the 7-pin cable. Then, when backing the TV to hookup, I hold the brake controller paddles together to prevent the Monte from being pushed and possibly damaging the landing gear. Once hitched, while still holding the brake controller paddles and do a gentle pull test to be sure the rig is really hitched.

[Ozarkwoods]

Here are my thoughts, slides in whenever there is a change off level. I will always have my slides in before raising my stabilizing jacks. To change level to meet hitch height stabilizing jacks need to be up.

Friend of mine had some work done in town three days ago on his new Newmar London Air, they had to stay the night in the parking lot. His front jack sunk through the asphalt. He made a grave error and attempted to move his full wall slide in before trying to re-level. Did damage to the slide and the mechanism. Took five guys half a day to get the slide in. Now he will be making a trip to the factory for repairs.

[Falcon]

Originally Posted by prndl

Lot's of comments about stress on the frame. Where do you get stress on the frame? The slides are not structural components of the frame. The trailer frame does not care if the slides are in, out, or missing.
Now driving with the slides out or maneuvering in a space with them out could be a hazard but probably only to damaging the slide hitting something or someone or blocking the view rearward. Could also cause the slide to be offset in orientation.

If your slides have no relationship with the frame, they would have to be floating. I'll bet your drives are connected to the frame and I'll bet the slide itself fits in a hole in the frame with associated guides and tolerances.

[Wirewon1]

We have Persian cars, and they are wily creatures. Also very fluffy! Can’t put them into vehicle until the a/c is running, it’s usually hooked up by then. So they get stuffed into truck then I check all cupboard doors for the wooden sticks we use to keep them closed, and then I pull slides in.

[jeffba]

fluffy Persian cars.......

[Wirewon1]

Originally Posted by jeffba

fluffy Persian cars.......

Darn Spell check! If I knew how to post pictures of them in our rig I would!

[northern lights]

A fluffy Persian car would be safer to ride than a magic carpet.

[phillyg]

Unless contra-indicated by your manual, I believe it's important to have the frame leveled before running the slides in or out. I notice slides out on units on dealers lots without leveling, but it doesn't make it right.

[jeririgged223]

No... have been told that it can cause the slides to bind up

[mtheo]

I do it either way. Have you never used yours while traveling and made a quick over night stop and not disconnected. If it is level, I've been know to just settle in for the night. IMHO

[DaveK]

Ok if level. That's the key.

[prndl]

Originally Posted by Falcon

If your slides have no relationship with the frame, they would have to be floating. I'll bet your drives are connected to the frame and I'll bet the slide itself fits in a hole in the frame with associated guides and tolerances.

The slide is not part of the trailer structure. It brings no strength or loss there of when it is in or out.
If the trailer frame or attached structure could twist or deform to such an extent that the slide would bind you would also see damage to the interior/exterior walls evidenced by cracks. Pull aside the slide wiper seals and see that you have a lot of space between the slide and the slide frame.

[Frank64]

Always have slides in before hooking up
Also disconnect from camper and level before opening slides

[Goliath-goes]

My slides are first thing in prior to hooking up and last thing out after leveling. My kitchen slide is extremely heavy and jerks and bounces if camper isn’t completely level. Very smooth if it is

[R.S.O'Donnell]

We do open the BR slide of our 3121 for overnights when "on the run" connected to the truck. We don't open the LR/K slides unless the jacks are down.

From the owners manual:

Basic Slide-Out Tips
Before operating any slide-out:
1. The RV must have a fully charged RV battery (having the shore-line cord plugged in may NOT be enough).
2. Turn off all necessary lights and 12V components prior to extending/retracting.
3. The RV must be leveled and stabilizer jacks extended.
4. Make sure the room has clearance, inside and outside, to extend/retract.
5. Make sure water and debris are removed from the top of the room before retracting
6. Avoid injury by keeping all body parts out of the way of the slide-room.
7. Make sure other parties are clear of the slide-out before extending/retracting.
8. DO NOT ride in the slide-out when extending/retracting.
9. DO NOT step on the floor of the slide out when the room is retracted. The slide out floor is not supported by the main floor and stepping on the floor may cause structural damage to the slide room.

[Mikendebbie]

What? The slides go out? I always wondered why the theater seats were so close to the TV.