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  • Slide support + Opening Slide throw level rig off level?

    At campgrounds I have seen several people putting supports under their slide units. Is this necessary? Does this help and if so what?

    If you level your rig and then extend the slide....does it throw any of you off level just a bit? Should I or do you level to just off level (compensating for slide leverage) so that when slide is out it may be perfect?
    2020 Imagine 2400BH
    2017 Ford F350 Platinum FX4/4x4 SuperCrew 6.7L V8 Diesel 9' Bed SRW, Leveled + Airbags

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  • #2
    Originally posted by bellis View Post
    At campgrounds I have seen several people putting supports under their slide units. Is this necessary? Does this help and if so what?

    If you level your rig and then extend the slide....does it throw any of you off level just a bit? Should I or do you level to just off level (compensating for slide leverage) so that when slide is out it may be perfect?
    Bad idea. Don't do it.

    If the camper settles with that "support" under the slide an inordinate amount of stress will transfer to the slide mechanism.

    Translation: it will mess up the slide big time.

    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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    • #3
      Originally posted by howson View Post

      Bad idea. Don't do it.

      If the camper settles with that "support" under the slide an inordinate amount of stress will transfer to the slide mechanism.

      Translation: it will mess up the slide big time.
      Makes sense.....

      Do you level the camper slightly off before you extend slides?
      2020 Imagine 2400BH
      2017 Ford F350 Platinum FX4/4x4 SuperCrew 6.7L V8 Diesel 9' Bed SRW, Leveled + Airbags

      Our Mods

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      • #4
        Originally posted by bellis View Post
        Do you level the camper slightly off before you extend slides?
        I've chased this a few times, but even when I think I get it perfect there's more that comes later to mess it up. The tires are usually hot when setting up, so when they cool they deflate when the pressure drops back to 80psi (and the camper slightly settles). The ground inevitably "gives" under the camper's stabilizers, too.

        So what I've done a few times is figure out "level" with the slides in and then "level" with the slides out while at home with cool tires and on my concrete driveway. I've found the difference so minor I don't even mess with it anymore. The interior doors of the camper will tell me if it gets too far off-level (or the DW will let me know!).

        If you find a better way to isolate the readings and consistently get your camper level, please share it! I'm an unabashed plagiarist.

        Howard
        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

        2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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        • #5
          Originally posted by howson View Post

          I've chased this a few times, but even when I think I get it perfect there's more that comes later to mess it up. The tires are usually hot when setting up, so when they cool they deflate when the pressure drops back to 80psi (and the camper slightly settles). The ground inevitably "gives" under the camper's stabilizers, too.

          So what I've done a few times is figure out "level" with the slides in and then "level" with the slides out while at home with cool tires and on my concrete driveway. I've found the difference so minor I don't even mess with it anymore. The interior doors of the camper will tell me if it gets too far off-level (or the DW will let me know!).

          If you find a better way to isolate the readings and consistently get your camper level, please share it! I'm an unabashed plagiarist.

          Howard
          You can level all you want but when my fat butt sits in the recliner that's in the slide out (notice I didn't mention the DW) it's gonna tweak the level a bit anyway.

          Terry and Patty (Dogs-Sophie and Tessa)
          2020 Reflection 297RSTS - bought Oct 2019
          2021 F350 crew cab, SRW, 6.7L diesel, 14K equal-i-zer hitch

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          • #6
            I use the LevelMate Pro. I originally set it up on a level surface with both slides out and saved my settings. Now when I pull into a site it compensates for the slides before they are extended. I didn't compensate for tire pressure and the unit is spot on.
            Mick & Deb ( Dogs - Freckles & Harley)
            2021 Imagine 2970RL - Took delivery March 2021
            2022 GMC Sierra 2500HD Crew Cab SLT, 1K/14k Equal-i-zer Hitch

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            • #7
              Originally posted by bellis View Post
              At campgrounds I have seen several people putting supports under their slide units. Is this necessary? Does this help and if so what?

              If you level your rig and then extend the slide....does it throw any of you off level just a bit? Should I or do you level to just off level (compensating for slide leverage) so that when slide is out it may be perfect?
              I don't even try to get it "perfect". Side to side, if I'm not off by more than 1/2 inch, I don't do anything to level it. That is because I level with 1" pads under the tires. If I'm 3/4 inches low, a 1 inch pad gets me to 1/4 inch high. If i'm 1/2 inch low, a 1 inch block gets me to 1/2 inch high. You get the idea.

              As for front to back it's easier to dial in because of the tongue jack. I usually try to raise the tongue just a tiny bit above level. That way the condensation from my AC runs off the back of the rig instead of the front.

              So that's what I do...

              Bob
              Bob & Lynne

              2020 Imagine 2970RL
              2019 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD 4x4 Duramax

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Mickdawg View Post
                I use the LevelMate Pro. I originally set it up on a level surface with both slides out and saved my settings. Now when I pull into a site it compensates for the slides before they are extended. I didn't compensate for tire pressure and the unit is spot on.
                That is on my list....just hasn't made it to purchase yet. I already think we spend a fortune on this thing! ha!

                Originally posted by RJAPCOK View Post

                I don't even try to get it "perfect". Side to side, if I'm not off by more than 1/2 inch, I don't do anything to level it. That is because I level with 1" pads under the tires. If I'm 3/4 inches low, a 1 inch pad gets me to 1/4 inch high. If i'm 1/2 inch low, a 1 inch block gets me to 1/2 inch high. You get the idea.

                As for front to back it's easier to dial in because of the tongue jack. I usually try to raise the tongue just a tiny bit above level. That way the condensation from my AC runs off the back of the rig instead of the front.

                So that's what I do...

                Bob
                Have you ever considered something like this:
                https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076X5W1LZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

                ​​​​​​​
                2020 Imagine 2400BH
                2017 Ford F350 Platinum FX4/4x4 SuperCrew 6.7L V8 Diesel 9' Bed SRW, Leveled + Airbags

                Our Mods

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by bellis View Post

                  That is on my list....just hasn't made it to purchase yet. I already think we spend a fortune on this thing! ha!



                  Have you ever considered something like this:
                  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076X5W1LZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it
                  You may want to look at the Truma app. It has a leveling app that you can use for free. I used it with our Class C. It will tell you what corner is highest and exactly how much each other one needs to achieve level.
                  Jerry and Kelly Powell, with Halo, Nash, Reid, Cleo, Rosie, and the two newest additions Shaggy and Bella..
                  Nash County, NC
                  2020 Solitude 390RK-R​

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                  • #10
                    bellis

                    The best advice is definitely to not use slide supports. As described, the risk is that a tire going soft or sinking into the ground could transfer excessive load to the slide support which could definitely damage the slide.

                    Having said the above . . . slide supports under the slide with the recliners and table will add more side-to side stability than any other method of stabilizing the trailer. We use these if camped for an extended time on a solid pad . . .even though I know that there is risk with this choice. I place them after everything has stabilized and the tires have cooled down. The supports only need to be snug to the structure under the slide and are much more effective on concrete than on something soft which also assures that the rest of the trailer support system is not going to sink into the ground putting more load on the struts. We use the ones with the plastic hand adjustments . . . not the ones with the metal rod that could be really torqued up against the slide.

                    See this discussion https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...-slide-support

                    Rob

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                    Cate & Rob
                    (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                    2015 Reflection 303RLS
                    2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                    Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by bellis View Post

                      Makes sense.....

                      Do you level the camper slightly off before you extend slides?
                      I sorta level before extending the slide of my Imagine. If I keep the slide side high at about 3/8" (determined from a LevelMatePro) , I will be very close to a perfect level once the slide is extended and the suspension on that side absorbs the additional load of the slide. Otherwise, with leveling before extending, the stabilizers will be carrying too much load and will be supporting rather than stabilizing. The single large slide on the 2600RB when extended will cause this rolling of the rig which cannot be prevented, so I figured it would be best to let the suspension aid in supporting the rig.

                      Jim

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by bellis View Post

                        That is on my list....just hasn't made it to purchase yet. I already think we spend a fortune on this thing! ha!



                        Have you ever considered something like this:
                        https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076X5W1LZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

                        ​​​​​​​
                        Yes! I just have several other things that I rate higher priority. I hope to get a set of these this year.

                        Bob
                        Bob & Lynne

                        2020 Imagine 2970RL
                        2019 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali HD 4x4 Duramax

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by bellis View Post

                          That is on my list....just hasn't made it to purchase yet. I already think we spend a fortune on this thing! ha!



                          Have you ever considered something like this:
                          https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076X5W1LZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it
                          (Just followed your link now ​​​​​​​). We have been using these Andersen levelling blocks for years. Easy to roll up on to and infinitely adjustable. With the wedge in place, the tires are “chocked” to a certain amount in either direction. We firmly chock the tires on the other side. I had to cut a little off the starting end of the main blocks so that one would fit easily between the tires.

                          Rob

                          Cate & Rob
                          (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                          2015 Reflection 303RLS
                          2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                          Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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