Opening slideout part way?

FlyingW · 11-17-2007, 03:21 PM

Has anyone experienced any problems from only opening the slideout part way? We are going to have guests stay in the RV over Thanksgiving and I can only open the bedroom slide part way. Currently, we always open all the way and close all the way. Thanks for the help,
Christian

FlyingW · 11-17-2007, 03:21 PM

Has anyone experienced any problems from only opening the slideout part way? We are going to have guests stay in the RV over Thanksgiving and I can only open the bedroom slide part way. Currently, we always open all the way and close all the way. Thanks for the help,
Christian

Pusherman · 11-17-2007, 03:47 PM

There have been a few times where we have overnighted at truck stops where you cannot open the slides completely. We opened our slides (with the approval of our neighbor) only slightly so as to access the bed and living area.

I see no harm opening the slide partially.

RVJeeper · 11-17-2007, 04:33 PM

We had a problem once when we opened our kitchen slide, then realized there was something caught between the slide and the inside wall. We retracted the slide partially, removed the obstruction, then put it back out fully. That night we had a torrential rainstorm and experienced a leak around the slide. We theorized that when we partially retracted the slide, then put it back out that the weatherstripping didn't seat properly. Haven't had the leak appear again operating the slide fully out and fully in.

NeilV · 11-17-2007, 05:30 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FlyingW:
Has anyone experienced any problems from only opening the slideout part way? We are going to have guests stay in the RV over Thanksgiving and I can only open the bedroom slide part way. Currently, we always open all the way and close all the way. Thanks for the help,
Christian </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Many slide don't seal completely and may not be properly supported unless they are completly opened or closed.

GG1 · 11-17-2007, 06:40 PM

The slide may not seal good in wet weather also HWH says do not extent the slides part of the way and then retract them continue to extend all the way out before retracting.

ichn2go · 11-18-2007, 03:38 AM

I too have heard the same as GG1. Never retract a partially open slide. Continue to extend it to full open THEN retract it...Like it full open best, but sometimes you gotta do , what you gotta do...Good Miles

rvten · 11-18-2007, 06:10 AM

Why can it not be used closed up? Our old 35U was usable that way.

MrG · 11-18-2007, 06:22 AM

Be careful if you partially open and then close slide. Front slides especially will creep open a very little while driving. The best way is as stated above and open fully and then close fully holding slide switch on a second or two after slide is closed

Hikerdogs · 11-18-2007, 07:06 AM

The 2 main reasons Winnebago doesn't recommend partially opening then closing slides are:

1. Most slides use 2 cylinders with an equalizer cylinder between them. The equalizer is supposed to provode the same amount of hydraulic oil to each extension cylinder so the slide moves out with both ends parallel. If the calibration is slightly off one cylinder may extend or retract more quickly than the other. It' no big deal if there's a slight difference when you fully extend before retracting since the slower cylinder will catch up once the faster one is fully extended.

If you only partially extend the slide and one side goes our farther than the other there's a possibility the slide will bind when it's retracted.

2. The upper and lower gaskets are meant to seal tight against the inside lip of the upper and lower surfaces. They only come in contact with these surfaces when the slide is fully extended. Again it's probably no big deal unless it's excessivly hot or cold, or there's foul weather

Tom-NC · 11-18-2007, 01:49 PM

I always open my slides all the way and then retract them as statred by Winnebago and HWH. When I can't open slideout in bedroom to sleep we sleep with it retracted and just crawl over each other. I usually get to crawl over but that is OK and it seems very cozy that way.
If you use it opened part way there will be air flow around gasket. Hope this solves your problem.

swyates · 11-20-2007, 09:22 AM

We have used out bed slide partially out on rare occasions when we are in rest areas or other areas where it won't go out all the way. In our case (05 Adventurer 38J) the bed slide uses a much simpler mechanism with only one hydraulic cylinder and doesn't have to lower as do the "flat floor" slides up front. Therefore, other than some air leaks around the seals, I don't think this is a big problem, but I would never leave one of the big dual cylinder slides up front partially out.