Slide out supports

[Badboy]

Dose any one have advice to give me on slide supports do's and don'ts.:o

[SAD]

Don't...........

[X-Treme]

Don't...........

X2........

[webslave]

One hazard concerning them... Whether Internet Folk Lore or not is anyone's guess. I don't know anyone that has them, so, I can't speak from first hand or second hand experience, but, the folk lore makes sense to me...

In theory, if you have enough tension on the slide supports to do any good, any settling of the trailer overall, on the suspension, stabilizers settling in the ground (and we all know that it is usually a good thing to "snug" stabilizers down after a 12-24 hours), etc, could lead to an "over load lifting" of the entire slide. In particular on "rack and pinion" slide mechanisms, the theory is that it could lift the slide enough to slip a tooth or two on the pinion gear putting the slide's timing off by a tooth or two. If you leave the slide support loose enough to avoid that happening, you might as well leave them off altogether. Whether that could happen or not, who knows?

Slides are designed to be self supporting and the majority of the ones I've owned are designed such that the weight that has the most "leverage" is static, i.e., the outermost lever point is cabinets or kitchen appliances and therefore aren't subject to a lot of up and down stress that would cause "bounce". I, personally, don't see the need for them given the abundance of stabilizers for wheels and main frame units on trailers; if you stabilize the main frame adequately, bounce or destabilizing motions should be minimized, in my mind's eye, enough that the perceived risk of slide stabilizers causes me to avoid them.

If, on the other hand, your trailer is set up at a seasonal site and the frame is supported by block or brick around it's circumference and has "settled" for a couple of seasons, I don't see where they could hurt, but, then again, if the main frame is supported in that fashion and the slides were constructed properly where the support comes from the walls mating with the trailer's walls, I would again think they would be unnecessary...

Just my thoughts on the matter. I carry enough "stuff" and, personally, don't think I need to carry more for a problem I don't think I have...

[Badboy]

tHANKS TO ALL FOR THE IN PUT i GUESS that answers that thanks to every one for the in put and I will not be doing that.:thumbsup:

[mhs4771]

Just think what would happen to your slide if you had one of those supports and you had a tire go soft. Probably wouldn't notice it inside the rig, but what kind of pressure would that put on the slide mechanism

[allentx1]

I have 4 slides and would not use the supports. Too many cons to consider the extra expense and the extra weight.

[rhagfo]

I have 4 slides and would not use the supports. Too many cons to consider the extra expense and the extra weight.

I agree!

Keep up the maintenance on the slides and you should not have any issues.The slide mechanism on my main slide was a little noise a little grease and white lithium grease in the correct places now quiet and smooth.

[BOBYT1630]

I bought a pair at cw, got talked into them. Anyone want to by them cheap?:(

[gbsb]

I have a 40 foot toyhauler with three slides and three axles. We are full timers. I have the supports for the two large slides, I use them when we are set up for the winter along with the stand for the 5th wheel pin. I also use jack stands in front of and behind the axles. I can't use the jacks that go between the tires for stabilization because my tires are to close together. George

[SAD]

I have a 40 foot toyhauler with three slides and three axles. We are full timers. I have the supports for the two large slides, I use them when we are set up for the winter along with the stand for the 5th wheel pin. I also use jack stands in front of and behind the axles. I can't use the jacks that go between the tires for stabilization because my tires are to close together. George

I would absolutely NOT use them.. The slide is designed work without them and the the weight of the slide against the outer wall is part of the design of the slide seal.

Using the supports is most definitely detrimental to your RV.

[golfpro]

supports for slides has always been an issue on the forums, the main reason people do not use them is if you have a flat over night your slide can be and more then likely be damaged and thus costly repairs.