Posted 2005-04-08 8:55 AM (#23566) Subject: Slide Outs
Veteran
Posts: 211 Location: El Paso, Texas
I am considering purchasing a Trails West LQ with a slide out dinette, Anyone out there purchased a slide out trailer? (any brand), and if you did how do you like it, does it leak? does it really add that much more room, is it slow to deploy. They seem to be the rage of the age with trailer manufactures, they are all making them.
Posted 2005-04-08 9:36 AM (#23567 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Elite Veteran
Posts: 634 Location: Tipton, IN
I personally do not have a slide out. I do have two close friends that do have though, as well as my father-in-law's camper. One is on a Sundowner, 2 years old, works great and never leaked. The second one is on Curtis' Bison, he has had it a year in May, and the slide out has leaked since the second time he used it. They keep telling him its fixed, and then it leaks again. My f-n-law has a dual slide on his Wilderness 5th wheel, and it's 2 years old and they work great and have never leaked. As for room, it is amazing the amount of room it adds to the interior.
Posted 2005-04-08 10:15 AM (#23568 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Veteran
Posts: 195 Location: Atlanta, GA
Slide outs are definately the rage. The speed of the slide depends on the mechanism that the LQ manufacturer used. There are several slide mechanisms available, some slower some faster. As far as the leakage, that also may depend on the LQ manufacture, most LQ companies have been installing them for a while so they have plenty of experiance and there for do a good job instaling them and give a good warranty. Although, If you have a blowing rain coming from the direction of the slide you may have some rain blow in, so it would be a good idea to bring it in durring a hard rain. If you have had it out in a rain when you slide it in you may bring a little water in with it, just wipe it up.. A little water will not hurt.. The rubber seals act like a squeagee to remove water. It is also a good idea to keep the seal lubricated, there is a silicone spay lubricant available to use on your rubber seals to keep them from drying out.
Posted 2005-04-08 12:20 PM (#23575 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Veteran
Posts: 115
I have a slide in my Bison and it works great. I've used it for 18 months now in snow and driving rain and have had no problems with it leaking. Be sure to get a slide cover installed though, as they're supposed to really help keep the top of the slide clean and dry. My dealer said he always adds them to the trailers he orders. Otherwise anything that is on the top of the slide ends up on the LQ floor when you pull it in. Slide Covers are like mini awnings that are attached to the trailer and the roll is on the slide. They unwind and wind back up automatically with the slide. They can be purchased at www.campingworld.com for around $200 I think.
Mine is powered by a little electric motor underneath that rolls it out fairly quickly...say 60-90 seconds maybe. The silde really gives you a decent sized area to move around in, especially in a trailer with a dinette. I absolutely love mine and can't imagine not having the extra room now that I'm used to it.
Posted 2005-04-08 11:20 PM (#23593 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Elite Veteran
Posts: 736 Location: Western WA
We are living in a 5th wheel with two slide outs while we build our house - been in it over a year, two rainy seasons in the Seattle area. No leaks in the slide out areas. One suggestion, when you set up, set up slightly off level, with the slide out side slightly lower. Any rain that might collect on top of the slide out will run off. Slide outs add a ton of extra room, its just easier to move around inside with the slide outs. They don't take all that long to move in and out.
Posted 2005-04-11 11:11 AM (#23669 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Expert
Posts: 1719 Location: PA
Not all trailers are e same in quality, therefore not all slides are the same either. I know some brands that leak and some that don't. I am not familiar with Trails West though.
Posted 2005-04-13 11:57 AM (#23792 - in reply to #23566) Subject: RE: Slide Outs
Member
Posts: 16
Location: Horseshoe Bend, Id 83629
Trailers West is a good trailer and they probably are using the current slide pkgs. so you won't be disappointed. The only thing that I see is the fact that many people are paying huge prices for steel trailers w/LQs when you can buy in most cases an all Alum for the same or so close to it that you are better off to go for the Alum.
What is the price of this and how big? I can give you some figures to compare.
Slide Outs
.jpg)
