Slide stabilizers

[TxCowboy]

For those of you who use slide stabilizers, a few questions, please.

1. Do they actually work, i.e., worth the expense as they do stabilize the slides and prevent slide droop?

2. Where does the bracket rest, on the actual geared railing or do I need to make or buy some sort of rubberized pad for where the bracket impacts the bottom of the slide? I do NOT want to damage or penetrate the bottom of the slide.

3. I've not seen slide stabilizers for the forward bedroom slide. That would put the bottom of that slide at about 60 inches off the ground. Is the forward bedroom slide a concern for slide droop?

Thank, all.

 

[GOTTOYS]

I have been in a lot of campgrounds/RV parks have never seen anybody using them, ever. I see no reason to use them. If your slide is sagging or drooping it out of adjustment. Hopefully you will get some other opinions...Don

 

[branson4020]

Never seen them used. Not necessary.

 

[jnbhobe]

Don't think I've ever seen them used either.

 

[TxCowboy]

OK, gang. Very much appreciate the input. Slide stabilizers = no.

 

[JohnD]

Slide stabilizers...Don't leave home without them!

OK, gang. Very much appreciate the input. Slide stabilizers = no.

Actually . . . Slide stabilizers = . . . YES!

Before I had them, our trailer rocked excessively when the slide was extended and someone was moving around in the slide, despite having the trailer jacked and leveled!

Since I bought them . . . now our trailer is rock solid!

I place them under each gear drive on the outer edge of the slide.

Maybe they aren't a big issue on the bigger 5-wheel trailers, but on our 30-ft pull-behind Heartland Trail Runner, I won't leave home without them!

I do notice that on smaller-than-5th-wheel pull-behind trailers that the slide-outs tend to slide out further (generally twice as far) than most of the slide-outs on the bigger 5-wheel trailers!

 

[Crumgater]

Re: Slide stabilizers...Don't leave home without them!

We added the 4 point leveling system to our Elkridge - that lets us get the weight off the springs and onto solid jacks... no more movement in our rig!

I'd say 'no' for slide stabilizers... if you have any shifting, sinking, or air leaks in tires (assuming you're not on solid jacks), you'd put an unwanted torque on the slide gears.

 

[jmgratz]

Re: Slide stabilizers...Don't leave home without them!

Slide stabilizers could cause the mechanism to get bent making the slide inoperable. Would not want to take the chance. The RVs are designed to be used without them. I have seen a few in use.

 

[chiefaret]

I used them last summer while camped long term. They made the trailer much more stable. I didn't put much upward pressure on the mechanism, just enough to stabilize. Would not use in a short term stop, but we were at the campground for 4 months and they worked very well.

 

[Rddocatt]

Re: Slide stabilizers...Don't leave home without them!

Dave,
What system did you use the 4 pt or 6 pt and did you go with Lippert?

 

[bigdob24]

Re: Slide stabilizers...Don't leave home without them!

Even with the SteadyFast system , our 5er still has a little movement.
When I was going through my garage I found a pair of screw jacks I had for my first RV .
When we go south in a couple weeks I have them packed and plan on placing them in the middle to see if they may help when parked.
Never considered supporting the slides..