2017 Passport M199 Slide use when closed

[jimproper]

My question: Is the dining area slide structurally designed to support the weight of two adults to use when the slide is closed? Such as when boondocking or stopping for lunch at a truck stop.

[JRTJH]

The answer to your question is "NO"....

If you look in the Keystone owner's manual, you'll find the statement that the slide floors are NOT SUPPORTED when the slides are retracted and a caution to NOT STAND OR WALK ON THE RETRACTED SLIDE FLOOR.

This is from page 65 in the 2017 Owner's Manual:

8. DO NOT ride in the slide-out when extending/retracting.
9. DO NOT step on the floor of the slide out when the room is retracted. The slide out floor is not supported by the main floor and stepping on the floor may cause structural damage to the slide room

[CBears]

An added note here: When I purchased my new Cougar 25mle in November, I specifically asked the salesman this question and he told me it would be no problem at all using the slide while retracted. I already knew the answer to this question was "absolutely no" but, at Josh the RV Nerd's recommendation, I thought I'd ask the question anyway to see what answer I got.

There is a TON of misinformation out there and lots of it comes from people we might be inclined to trust.

Read the owner's manual!

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by CBears

An added note here: When I purchased my new Cougar 25mle in November, I specifically asked the salesman this question and he told me it would be no problem at all using the slide while retracted. I already knew the answer to this question was "absolutely no" but, at Josh the RV Nerd's recommendation, I thought I'd ask the question anyway to see what answer I got.

There is a TON of misinformation out there and lots of it comes from people we might be inclined to trust.

Read the owner's manual!

NEVER trust a salesman, period. Typically, they will tell you anything to make a sale and typically are the least informed on the workings, weights, and restrictions of the product they are selling. JMO, YMMV

[NH_Bulldog]

A quick observation of the "why" when it comes to not loading a slide room while it is retracted.

When a slide is fully out, the inside front edge is fully supported by the wear bar at the floor, and with the 4 cables attaching the slide room to the exterior wall of the camper. There is no twist that can be applied because the inside front edge is fully supported, and the exterior back edge is structurally a box consisting of a rear wall, two side walls, a roof and a floor.

When a slide is fully in, the inside front edge has no support at all, and the exterior rear edge is now supported by the wear bar and cables. In this position where there is no front edge support, and no structural front wall, it is very easy to induce twist in the slide room which will cause structural damages to the slide.

A simple illustrative example would be an open top cardboard box. Lay the box on its side and you can easily twist/deform the open end of the box. The closed end is a different story, it is much more difficult to twist/deform the box at the fully enclosed end.

Yes, it is an over simplification, but I think shows the "why" behind the recommendation not to use the slide room while it is retracted.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

A quick observation of the "why" when it comes to not loading a slide room while it is retracted.

When a slide is fully out, the inside front edge is fully supported by the wear bar at the floor, and with the 4 cables attaching the slide room to the exterior wall of the camper. There is no twist that can be applied because the inside front edge is fully supported, and the exterior back edge is structurally a box consisting of a rear wall, two side walls, a roof and a floor.

When a slide is fully in, the inside front edge has no support at all, and the exterior rear edge is now supported by the wear bar and cables. In this position where there is no front edge support, and no structural front wall, it is very easy to induce twist in the slide room which will cause structural damages to the slide.

A simple illustrative example would be an open top cardboard box. Lay the box on its side and you can easily twist/deform the open end of the box. The closed end is a different story, it is much more difficult to twist/deform the box at the fully enclosed end.

Yes, it is an over simplification, but I think shows the "why" behind the recommendation not to use the slide room while it is retracted.

just to stir the pot: what about a through the frame electric or hydraulic slide?

[NH_Bulldog]

Same reason, no support or torsion (twist) resistance on the inside edge when retracted. It doesn’t matter what type of slide. Try my cardboard box example.