Slide-out - yea or nay?

[LuckyDuck]

I’m not pro or con, but when we shopped for our trailer, we went without one. Our 212QBW was enough space for two of us and no slide meant less weight and one less thing to worry about breaking or leaking. We also don’t need as wide a campsite. We’ve done some long trips and not having to mess with a slide on those one-night stays is nice.

All that said, when I go into friends’ rigs with slides, I do get experience a little “trailer envy.” The extra space makes it feel like a cabin rather than a small trailer. Maybe one of these days, we’ll move up.

 

[wordsmyth]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I’m making notes to have in hand when looking at floor plans. [emoji1360]

 

[jetlag]

Our 5th wheel is our first camper. last fall in Wilmington NC, we met up with a friend who sold his motorhome with slide outs and bought an older one. Can't remember the brand, but it is beautiful inside. It has no slide outs, and wife and I said no way. It is definitely too cramped. Watching TV would surely give you a stiff neck as it was located over the driver's station. We certainly love ours with 3 slide outs

 

[ARoamer]

And another downside, the possibility of getting things caught when opening or closing them!

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f7/just-crunched-a-drawer-in-my-slide-help-93650.html

 

[Jagiven]

Our 23B is the first camper with a slide. Its not big. But it really adds a LOT of floor space. Very nice on rainy days. In 10 years, I have had zero issues. I would get another camper with a slide.

I know a number of people with campers. Only one has had slide issues. It was a hydraulic actuated slide. It was also the hydraulics that failed.

I know way more people that have had water intrusion issues on the main roof.

 

[Happy wife / happy life]

Dw and I have had tt’s with and without slides ( 1 with 3 without ). Our current tt is without. We had trouble with the slide leaking on the one we had. Now DW and I are not big people ( I’m 5’10” and DW is 4’ 9” ) and we don’t take the grandkids with us and we don’t own a dog so extra floor space really doesn’t matter that much. We do miss the slide on rainy days , but those are few and far between for us. We also don’t spend a lot of time inside. For us without the slide is just one less thing to deal with and maintain.

 

[Iraqvet05-JAY]

I am pro slide.

Our first full-sized camper (26BH) didn't have a slide. On days when it rained and we were stuck in the camper all day, the choke point of that camper was the narrow area between the dinette table and the kitchen sink.

We traded than camper in for a 28BHBE that has one slide but weighs 2500 lbs more so I had to get a more capable truck. The singe slide makes a huge difference in floor space and I wouldn't go back to a camper without a slide. I can access the fridge and bathroom with the slide in. We have had the 28BHBE for almost 4 years and have never had an issue with the slide.

 

[bucko-JAY]

What I miss the most about my tent camping days were the years of no gear failure on a trip. I'm in the no slide camp. I take a six to eight week summer trip. If a slide, or anything that would cause my trailer to be unusable, failed early and ruined that trip, I would be devastated.

On mine at least, the sliders can be opened and closed manually, so it would not be a devastating event. A ratchet and correct socket in the basic tool box is all that's needed.

 

[gypsmjim]

We have a permanent setup. Being the avid campers that we are, if its a nice weekend in January we might go camping. After all, the furnace is awesome and as long as the snow is less than a foot, we can drive up our driveway.

If there is snow on the roof, we can't get the slide out and can't camp. If we camp and it snows, we can't get the slide back in. Slides are notorious for leakage.

Our previous trailer was 50 years old when we retired her, so we are in it for the long haul.

Slides are for campers that are fair weather people and trade every few years.

 

[Route 66 Traveler]

And another downside, the possibility of getting things caught when opening or closing them!

We found out our 36 inch flat screen TV could be folded up like a pretzel.

One edge caught the edge of the slide and it almost got folded in half. My wife casually asked "Can you fix it?" No problem....went to Amazon and upgraded to a 42 inch.....

At least no other damage.

 

[Packerbacker_TX]

Slides or not to slide..

I see something out there that is piquing my interest, and I can immediately see the pros, but I know nothing about the cons side of slide-outs.

Any insights or wisdom will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Rick

Rick - My Jayco has 3 slides. 2 of which use Schwintek motors. I'm not sure what the other uses (old school). I've run into issues with the Schwintek motors going out of sync and binding up. It's a real PITA to deal with. On the flip side, our maiden voyage the old school slide out farked up as well. Came off the rails or misaligned somehow?

I was considering an Airstream style (no slides) moving forward. Like others will say "less stuff to break". Besides, who doesn't like an Airstream. All you need to do is be able to afford one. Kinda like a Tesla! lol


regarding the "auto level" system - Apparently it doesn't know what "level" is and only uses the last setting for reference. I have to manually reset level every time if I expect it to be level each time. I suppose you could simply park on a level cement pad every time an never have that issue, but easier said than done.

 

[old RV guy]

Rick - My Jayco has 3 slides. 2 of which use Schwintek motors. I'm not sure what the other uses (old school). I've run into issues with the Schwintek motors going out of sync and binding up. It's a real PITA to deal with. On the flip side, our maiden voyage the old school slide out farked up as well. Came off the rails or misaligned somehow?

I was considering an Airstream style (no slides) moving forward. Like others will say "less stuff to break". Besides, who doesn't like an Airstream . All you need to do is be able to afford one. Kinda like a Tesla! lol


regarding the "auto level" system - Apparently it doesn't know what "level" is and only uses the last setting for reference. I have to manually reset level every time if I expect it to be level each time. I suppose you could simply park on a level cement pad every time an never have that issue, but easier said than done.

Speaking of Airstreams, I was doing my weekly checkup on the MH at the storage facility and noticed someone had brought in an ancient Airstream, 25' or so. The inside is totally trashed and outside looked as though it had been sitting on the back forty for a while. The frame looked good. Would love to have that thing in the shop for a project.

 

[Eric H.-JAY]

When I saw this thread I expected to see an original post date from 25 years ago.....

 

[Capt. Bill-JAY]

Having owned 3 RV's with slide outs & 4 without slides, I can tell you the extra floor space is really nice & i wouldn't buy a unit without slides! Also when you go to sell it in todays market units without slides are harder to sell & will bring less $$$$ because the market has shifted to slide preference!

Happy Trails

 

[Murff]

Having owned travel trailers in one form or another since 1983, I'd side with the pro slide. We have had everything from tent trailers to 35 footers, mostly without slides. Our current White Hawk is the smallest one ever made at just under 25 foot tongue to bumper and 20 feet inside and, with the slide open and the Murphy Bed up, it feels like the largest rig we have ever owned!

In the 1980s, I asked a longtime RVer what his ideal RV would be. He replied, "one that is 16 foot pulling it and 40 foot when set up!"

I must say, a rig with a slide, makes it feel like that.

Murff

 

[Randy G-JAY]

Don't be this RV'r.

 

[m16303]

Added room

I’m for the slide out. It gives you more room with less trailer. Yes they can break down, but hopefully you will get many, many years of enjoyment before or if that ever happens.

 

[Jacjayco]

Have had both, slide is now my preference.....

 

[frozen]

Our slides have operated hundreds of times over the years (6 RVs). We've had 2 failures; a broken bolt on a gear box and a disconnected cable. Neither left us stranded. Slides are worth the minimal risk of problems.

 

[deano-JAY]

Everytime, I open and close it, I pray hard, really hard

x2 it is nice to have lol till it doesn't work