Cover underneath trailer

[Ranchhand]

So today I was looking under my 5th wheel today and noticed this cover. I took it off wandering what I would see and it’s absolutely nothing. It is just another square piece of plastic screwed to the rest of the plastic underneath. It does not access anything. Is this piece on here for any particular reason that a newbie should know about.

[chuckster57]

Maybe access to a slide motor? Or access to a blade valve for a holding tank?

[JRTJH]

Keystone usually marks the location of the slide motor with that type of "second cover". The "intended purpose" is to give you the location of the slide motor (if you ever need to access it). If that ever happens, unscrew that second piece, cut a flap with the "hinge side" toward the front of the trailer. In other words, make 3 cuts, about 3" inside the area that piece covers. Fold that "flap" down, access the motor, then, when you're finished, fold that flap back up, tape it in place with Gorilla Tape, then reinstall the cover with the 4 screws. I'd suggest you also tape that flap in place as a second layer of protection against leaks.

Trust me when I say, "Keystone didn't give you anything for free. There's a purpose for everything they do. In this case, it's to help you with "cheap Chinese motor repairs".....

[Ranchhand]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Keystone usually marks the location of the slide motor with that type of "second cover". The "intended purpose" is to give you the location of the slide motor (if you ever need to access it). If that ever happens, unscrew that second piece, cut a flap with the "hinge side" toward the front of the trailer. In other words, make 3 cuts, about 3" inside the area that piece covers. Fold that "flap" down, access the motor, then, when you're finished, fold that flap back up, tape it in place with Gorilla Tape, then reinstall the cover with the 4 screws. I'd suggest you also tape that flap in place as a second layer of protection against leaks.

Trust me when I say, "Keystone didn't give you anything for free. There's a purpose for everything they do. In this case, it's to help you with "cheap Chinese motor repairs".....

If this is correct which you are probably right would there not need to be some access for other slide motors. There is only one of these pretend covers.

[Steveo57]

Originally Posted by Ranchhand

If this is correct which you are probably right would there not need to be some access for other slide motors. There is only one of these pretend covers.

The other slides are probably different types. This access would be for a through frame electric slide where the motor is in the underbelly. The other slides may be cable operated. Do you see cables on the outside of the other slides?

[BamaRam]

On my unit Keystone did not have provisions for slide motors manual access. I went on the hunt and found the motors, then cut the plastic liner as mentioned above. My motors are about 8” from the inside of the opposite I-beam. Not sure why they didn’t use a through frame access hole.