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Slide locks


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Morning all,

 

Did a search and didn't find an answer so hopefully someone has an answer.

 

Does anyone use slide locks of any sort while in transit? Are they necessary? My last TT had a Schwintek slide with the motor locks and slide locks weren't necessary apparently, but with the new TT and a different style slide, I wonder. There was some slide lock literature provided with the pile of paperwork I got at the time of purchase but I wasn't sure if it was relevant.

 

Thanks.

Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....!

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I bought our trailer and then came back to pick it up a few weeks later. The previous owner had the slides in when I got there. It was my first time pulling any 5th wheel and first time pulling anything with a HDT. I was going about 45 mph in a 55 mph zone as I was concerned about staying in my lane and not going off onto the grassy unpaved shoulder. I only got about a mile down the two lane highway in Northern Georgia, when the kitchen slide on driver side was out about 10 inches and over the double yellow line. Because of my speed, I had maybe 4 car following behind me. The second of which was a police car. I had just flown up to SD to establish domicile and get a SD driver's license a couple days earlier. I had brand new MT (LLC) plates. I was legal but it still made me nervous.

 

After a few miles, I got to a place to pull over, LEO drove on by and I found a couple guys to hep me push the slide in. A Craftsmen tool box I had fit perfectly on top of the slide and kept it in place while I drove it up to Raccoon Valley SKP Park. (The rest of the trip is another story). With some help from an experienced Escapee, I was able to replace a sheer pin on slide mechanism before driving it back to Ohio.

 

If I found some used or cheap slide locks, I might buy them just for such an emergency. I have not seen them for sale though, let alone cheap.

 

Jim

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2001 Volvo 770, Detroit 60 Series, Gen 2 Autoshift

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Our slide locks were nothing more than lengths of pipe with rubber tips at each end. They were sized to be a tight fit between the slide flange and the wall when the slides were in. You could fashion something similar from a wooden closet rod and some crutch tips.

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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My ancient Jayco came with slide locks. I have just always used them. At the very least, they snug up the slide seal to keep out water intrusion.

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Spent $20 today on 1" dowel and some rubber tips. Enough to make to slide locks for two slides. Considering the cost, no reason not to use them. Lot cheaper than the fancy ones, and if it prevents a problem, its cheap insurance.

 

Thanks everyone.

Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....!

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My fiver has a large, heavy kitchen slide with a lot of upper cabinets. It has a hydraulic slide mechanism with the rams on the underside of the slide. I noticed a couple of times in my side mirror that the top of the slide would tip out a little when I went into just the right angle of a turn. It is a little disconcerting to see your slide tip out like that. The bottom of the slide never moved out at all and when the g force from the turn ended, the top of the slide fell back into place. There was nothing holding the top of the slide in with the slide mechanism, so I decided to add some slide locks at the top of the slide. I have not had any problems with the slide tipping out since then.

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Jim and others who need slide locks. Purchase cane r crotch tips at Walgreens or similar store. You need 4. Then go to Home Depot or lowes and buy a wooden dowel to fit the tip. Cut the fowl slightly shorter than the distance from the inside wall to the metal lip on the slide. It will take some trial and error. It should be a slight wedge to install, not loose. Cut the other dowel and you now have 2 slode locks, enough for 1 slide.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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