Hello all. We have been a camping family for 7 years and now have upgraded our travel trailer to a Heartland with a slide-out. We are new to slide outs, and it seems strange to be "hanging in space" with our couch and dinette. I've seen some other forums that are split as far as for and against slide-out jacks. Any words of wisdom for us? Any other tips for slide-out newbies would be appreciated as well!
Slide out Jacks-Do or Don't
- Thread starter Mrscheez
- Start date
jimtoo
Moderator
Hi Mrscheez,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.
I'm sure you will get some more opinions from our other members soon, but I don't think the manufacture recommends them. The slides are built strong and I can't remember seeing any in use in my memory.
Join us at a rally when you can, check out the Heartland Owners Club. You will meet lots of great folks.
Enjoy the forum.,,, I am moving the thread to a better area for slides also.
Jim M
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.
I'm sure you will get some more opinions from our other members soon, but I don't think the manufacture recommends them. The slides are built strong and I can't remember seeing any in use in my memory.
Join us at a rally when you can, check out the Heartland Owners Club. You will meet lots of great folks.
Enjoy the forum.,,, I am moving the thread to a better area for slides also.
Jim M
alex00
Well-known member
I would say no to the slide out supports. There are several reasons, but the big ones are, they are not necessary, and they could damage your unit. Slides get all the support they need from the frame and components. It seems weird at first, but after a few minutes, you'll realize it is as solid as any other portion of your trailer. Secondly, if you have the slide jacks and lose tire pressure, or the ground settles you could add too much stress to the slide, causing damage.
You'll get way more bang for your buck installing BAL stabilizers, Steady Fast Stabilizers or JT strong arms. I used JTs on my last unit, and loved them. I bought, but have not installed the Steady Fast for my new unit. I have never used a kingpin stabilizer or slide jacks, but from what I understand they still allow some movement. Trust me, get some leg stabilizers and you won't look back. It will make your trailer rock solid.
We use the slide out stabilizers, they are not jacks. You apply enough pressure to keep in place, no more. They do help with side to side rocking, especially in a strong cross wind. As far as the myth of damage when a tire goes flat, it is a just a myth. There is enough room above the slide to raise it 2"-3". If a tire should go flat, it will settle half the sidewall height, the distance you have from the ground to the rim. If your sidewall is 4", it will settle 2". If this myth was true, a flat tire will damage your stabilizer jacks as well.
greatwhitenorth
Member
And you know this is a myth because you've tried letting air out with stabilizer under a slide? I've personally seen one of these stabilizers crack the bottom of he slide when the trailer settled during a good rain. OP, I've never used them, & have never had any issues because of it. Look around where your camped, very rarely see anyone using them.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
I've never felt the need for slide out supports.
Actually I have had a tire go flat on me. After we had an explosive tire failure enroute to St. Louis, we had 4 new tires installed. After set up and day later, we returned to find a flat tire, the rim was cracked. Had no problems then or since.
Shortest Straw
Caught In A Mosh
We have never used slide out supports. IMO if the slide needed supports to stabilize your coach it would come with them. It is also my opinion that if the slide was actually designed and needed to support your coach more folks would have them.
GOTTOYS
Well-known member
Out of all the RV parks I've been in, I don't think I've ever seen anybody use them. I don't see a need for them. If my rig rocks a little I don't care. I'm not going to take a chance on damaging anything. It would be interesting to see how many people on this forum use jacks under their slides. I bet it's very few..Don
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
I have them for our trailer, and I won't leave home without them!
Our dinette is in the slideout, and if you have three or more people eating at the table, the trailer (mostly the slideout) would bounce side to side when moving about in the trailer.
As someone mentioned earlier, you put them up just enough to be tight under the slideout without raising the slideout higher than it is without having them under there.
As for the tires going flat . . . this is a myth.
I guess that would be an issue if you didn't have leveling jacks on the ground since they would hold the trailer even if a tire went low or flat!
Anyone here not use those when camping?
Our trailer is rock solid when setup now . . .
I level the trailer first with my old screw-up jacks to actually hold the weight of the trailer, then I put the built-on stabilizer jacks down just for extra security before I even put the slideout out, then put the stabilizers under the outside edge of the slideout.
Our dinette is in the slideout, and if you have three or more people eating at the table, the trailer (mostly the slideout) would bounce side to side when moving about in the trailer.
As someone mentioned earlier, you put them up just enough to be tight under the slideout without raising the slideout higher than it is without having them under there.
As for the tires going flat . . . this is a myth.
I guess that would be an issue if you didn't have leveling jacks on the ground since they would hold the trailer even if a tire went low or flat!
Anyone here not use those when camping?
Our trailer is rock solid when setup now . . .
I level the trailer first with my old screw-up jacks to actually hold the weight of the trailer, then I put the built-on stabilizer jacks down just for extra security before I even put the slideout out, then put the stabilizers under the outside edge of the slideout.
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
Probably not because they don't want or need them . . . but because they just don't want to spend the extra money for them!
Neither are rear stabilizers and leveling systems, but we use them and go to great lengths to install them.
GOTTOYS
Well-known member
X 2 Waste of money...Don
Bought a set to use on the slide out on our previous TT. Found out they were a waste of time. Been setting in shop for years. Recently discovered that one of them works great as an adjustable support to put under the roof ladder for when I need to use it. If anyone is interested in the left over one, PM me and I can bring it to the VA national rally for you.
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