under the slide?

[wiredgeorge]

I put vinyl floor in my camper. The floor has been scratched by the slide when it is pulled in. What is under the slide that allows it to retract on carpet and not rip it up and scratches vinyl? Are there rollers under there? Does anyone understand what is under the slide and what might be done to fix the scratching? I have seen elsewhere on the web that slides have "rollers"?

[chuckster57]

Grand Designs uses a number of rollers at the edge of the floor to allow the slide to retract/extend above the vinyl floor. It also requires setting the room height so that the front lifts up early when extending and falls late when retracting.

The number of rollers depends on length and components installed on the slide. The leading edge is also tapered to allow a “flat floor” when extended.

Can you post some pics?

[wiredgeorge]

Pictures of the scratch? The slide?

[Logan X]

It could be as simple as large pieces of sand or small rocks getting trapped under. the slide. I try to sweep really well under as much of the slide as I can reach.

[wiredgeorge]

It could be as simple as large pieces of sand or small rocks getting trapped under. the slide. I try to sweep really well under as much of the slide as I can reach.

The scratch locations (4) appear symmetrical. On each end and two equally spaced towards the middle. The ones in the middle are very faint and not noticeable and the locations for the scratches on the outside are right on the outside where the slide is pulled in. If it were debris, then the spacing wouildn't be regular I think.

Pics of the slide? Here is an old thread I started when I wanted to know how to manually retract or open the slide if there was a problem with the motor; pics are attached of the underside:
http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32525

Since the slide scratched the vinyl first time I pulled the slide in, I use four 6" wide strips of very thin plywood under the slide but this is a pain. Would like to know if there is a better solution... that is why I asked about rollers or such as there are quite a few campers out there that have vinyl floors.

[sourdough]

George, I had uhmw 12" strips installed on the ends of each slide and one in the middle of the large living room slide (too much "stuff" in the middle of the kitchen slide); so far so good.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=868

[wiredgeorge]

George, I had uhmw 12" strips installed on the ends of each slide and one in the middle of the large living room slide (too much "stuff" in the middle of the kitchen slide); so far so good.

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=868

Which strips and when you say "installed" does that mean permanently attached to the slide? If so, could you describe or post a pic?

[hankpage]

My Cougar did not have rollers, it only had plastic glides on the edges that were stapled to the bottom of the slide floor. With slide retracted I would GENTLY lift the slide corner on the inside and clean them when they were leaving marks on the carpet. One staple worked loose and was pulling the carpet so I removed it ... no room to drive it in so I pulled it out in pieces. Before that I considered gluing wider furniture glides in their place. ( maybe the ones with carpeted bottom in your case) As mentioned, yours may just have sand or some debris stuck in them. I found that I had more room to work on them by stopping the slide just before it was fully in and the floor dropped down. Hope this makes sense and helps, Hank

[sourdough]

Which strips and when you say "installed" does that mean permanently attached to the slide? If so, could you describe or post a pic?

They are permanently attached to the bottom of the slides. Countersunk screws on the end outside the slide wear bar and adhesive on the rest. Been there 3? seasons now. I'll try to get a pic a little later.

[JeLo]

They are permanently attached to the bottom of the slides. Countersunk screws on the end outside the slide wear bar and adhesive on the rest. Been there 3? seasons now. I'll try to get a pic a little later.

reviving an old thread, we installed a new vinyl floor in our 5er and we're looking at options to keep the new floor scratch free when retracting the slide. Did the UHMW attached at the bottom of the slide worked as planned? I was thinking of using a similar material ( teflon, UHMW, etc) on the floor in front of the slide everytime we move it but it wouldn't be user friendly, mind sharing an update on your fix?

JL

[sourdough]

They worked just fine and had no issues once the strips were installed. I have a different trailer now but I had them completely cover the bottoms of the slides with uhmw on this one - it has worked well for me.

Why is your slide scratching your floor? It would seem to indicate some kind of damage to the bottom of the slide or something stuck under it? You can use uhmw strips from the front to the back edge of the slide which would help on the scratching which is what I had on the last trailer. To get it that far (if it's not on the outside edges) and keep it in place the slide had to be hyper extended so the leading edges of the uhmw could be attached - a difficult procedure (the dealer did mine).

As far as material Teflon was my first choice. We then priced it vs uhmw. It was astronomical; something like $800 running ft./linear ft. - something. The service manager just grinned and said he didn't think I wanted to be doing it. UHMW has similar qualities (it is used as a frictionless weight bearing product) and is much cheaper.

[wiredgeorge]

They worked just fine and had no issues once the strips were installed. I have a different trailer now but I had them completely cover the bottoms of the slides with uhmw on this one - it has worked well for me.

Why is your slide scratching your floor? It would seem to indicate some kind of damage to the bottom of the slide or something stuck under it? You can use uhmw strips from the front to the back edge of the slide which would help on the scratching which is what I had on the last trailer. To get it that far (if it's not on the outside edges) and keep it in place the slide had to be hyper extended so the leading edges of the uhmw could be attached - a difficult procedure (the dealer did mine).

As far as material Teflon was my first choice. We then priced it vs uhmw. It was astronomical; something like $800 running ft./linear ft. - something. The service manager just grinned and said he didn't think I wanted to be doing it. UHMW has similar qualities (it is used as a frictionless weight bearing product) and is much cheaper.

There is a wide plastic type strip across the front of my slide and it is held there with bolts; two on the very outside and towards the middle. When carpet was originally installed. never noticed them but when I install vinyl LVT on my floor, the floor scratched first time the slide was retracted. I now put 1/8" plywood strips under the slide where the slide has those screws or bolts. I bring the slide in about 12-18" and set the plywood in place as the slide tips up very slightly at that point and then bring the slide in or put it out with not further damage.

[JeLo]

thanks for the replies. my questions and concerns about the possibilities that the slide scratch my new floor was based on previous experience with my Fleetwood pusher. the main slide damaged the new floor on day 1. So yesterday we carefully and slowly brought the slide in and out a few times and at no time the slide touched the new floor even though the carpet has been removed and replaced with infinity woven vinyl flooring. I will have to check it again once the new furniture are installed in the slide, right now there is no weight at all on the slide. the sofa bed and dinette has been removed.
JL