Slide floor sagging when retracted

[BillM321]

Hello all,

I got the trailer out of winter storage yesterday and I noticed the floor on the slide appears to sag in the middle. We never sit in the recliners when the slide is retracted. Nor has anybody ever stepped on this corner (to the best of my knowledge). When I extend the slide it instantly "picks up" away from the floor as it moves out, so it isn't dragging on the linoleum flooring....as of yet.

Maybe it has always been like this and I just never noticed it, but I am wanting to know if there is anything I can... or should do about this.

Here is a pics of the retracted slide for those not familiar with the floor plan of a 22MLE:




When the slide is retracted, the floor nearest the Slide room walls sits about 1/2" off the trailer floor:




But in the center where the recliner and fridge sit, it is only off the floor a little bit. Enough to get the lip of the tape measure under there so maybe 1/16 of an inch?



It looks to me like the outer edge of the floor has sagged, as you can also see the trim molding has a gap.


Like I said above, when the slide is extended the floor "picks up" and is the proper height.



Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[flyfshrockies]

BillM321 HI Bill. I not sure how your unit is in normal circumstance but we have a 2600RB that has a long slide for the dinette and recliners to live in. Our slide floor is very flexible as it moves and is stored for travel and has not changed and is perfect when extended. In my mind the sag of the slide floor has more to do with the unsupported weight than it does with something being wrong. Think about the thin flooring base trying to hold up the weight that is on it and no floor joist to stiffen it. At this point in time I simply keep an eye on things to make sure it is not changing with use. We have towed ourunit for about 7k miles in 15 months and have about 90 days of staying in it, so far no change in slide floor sag when retracted. We do store stuff under the dinette putting heavier items to the wall side to reduce strain on the forward/inside unsupported span. I am sure others will weigh in with their ideas and thoughts. Many good heads on this site.

Dave

[howson]

I got the trailer out of winter storage yesterday and I noticed the floor on the slide appears to sag in the middle.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Bill,
Your 22MLE's slide is a Schwintek, what Lippert calls and In-Wall Slideout. The weight of the slide is supported by rollers that are just inside of the exterior wall. The floor of our GD Schwintek slides are (relatively) thin plywood, so it is not surprising the unsupported weight (when the slide is retracted) results in a sag.

The picture below is an example of how the slide is supported on rollers. (It's a 337RLS' Reflection bedroom slide but it's the same idea.) I believe the reason the floor appears to "pick up" is because as the unsupported inner edge of the slide's floor makes it's way out it is supported by the rollers.

IMHO there's nothing you need to do.

I hope that makes sense...

Howard

[Rabbit]

I’ve notice a similar sag on previous TTS and made it a point to avoid stepping on the unsorted edge when the slides were in. There’s no support until the slide is fully extended

[Mike & Rebecca]

BillM321 ,I believe our 2022 260RD has a similar sag as you describe. Unfortunately I didn't notice it until we brought it home from the dealer. I've taken good pictures like you and submitted them to GD customer service to keep on record for our trailer (assuming they retain submitted problems.)

I posted here in the forum as well about the issue.

In our case I am concerned because our slide sags to the point that about 2 feet of the center portion of the interior edge of the slide actually makes contact with the linoleum main floor. I'm positive that over time we'll end up with a nice 2 foot wide wear mark in the floor.

So far I have prevented damage by placing a thin carpet runner under the front edge of the slide when I retract it. The slide makes contact with the carpet instead of the floor.

As Howard mentioned, I'm not sure there's much that can be done to stiffen the front edge as there's no room for support on the underside of the slide.

Like yours, ours lifts away from the floor within about a foot after extending. I'm watching carefully for any worsening.

[Beachcamper]

Would adding additional rollers closer to the edges help?

[Mike & Rebecca]

Would adding additional rollers closer to the edges help?

Vivian, the sag is at the middle of the interior (unsupported) edge of the slide. So I don't think the rollers have any impact. It's really an issue of the long edge of the slide not being strengthened/stiffened enough to keep it completely level across it's length. In my case "perfect" would be if the entire slide were about an 1/8th of an inch higher off the floor - at least then the slide wouldn't be rubbing on the main floor.

[Yoda]

These might help protect the floor.https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slide-Out...Pair/125964135
https://www.amazon.com/Lippert-13499...0724147&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.com/AP-Products-0...724147&sr=8-31

You might be able to make your own out of plastic runner available at HD Lowes or Ace.

[JBill9694]

Am I the only one concerned that the 2x4 supporting the rollers in the photo in post #3 is just cantilevered out from the wall? Even if the 2x4 doesn't pull free there's going to be a lot of flex to it.

[BillM321]

Bill,
Your 22MLE's slide is a Schwintek, what Lippert calls and In-Wall Slideout. The weight of the slide is supported by rollers that are just inside of the exterior wall. The floor of our GD Schwintek slides are (relatively) thin plywood, so it is not surprising the unsupported weight (when the slide is retracted) results in a sag.

The picture below is an example of how the slide is supported on rollers. (It's a 337RLS' Reflection bedroom slide but it's the same idea.) I believe the reason the floor appears to "pick up" is because as the unsupported inner edge of the slide's floor makes it's way out it is supported by the rollers.

IMHO there's nothing you need to do.

I hope that makes sense...

Howard

I am confused now that I see the picture that Howard posted. I have seen many posts online about how the slide rollers rub on the trailer floor....and hence the need for the slide slickers to protect the vinyl flooring. That implied to me that there were rollers attached to the underside of the slide floor and those supported the weight of the slide as it rolled across the vinyl trailer flooring. But from Howard's picture it looks like the slide rollers are stationary.

But back to the point at hand.......it looks like short of rebuilding the slide floor with something more substantial, the only thing I can really do is insert some of those Slide Slickers or some upside down carpet remnants whenever I retract or extend the slide.

Thanks!

[Yoda]

Am I the only one concerned that the 2x4 supporting the rollers in the photo in post #3 is just cantilevered out from the wall? Even if the 2x4 doesn't pull free there's going to be a lot of flex to it.

John you have a point, especially with only 3 screws holding it on the aluminum framing. howson Howard - can you verify this is what were seeing, or was something else added before the slide was installed. I know the slide vertical frame itself supports the box weight, but is what is in the picture stout enough? Curious

BillM321 Bill there is a post here somewhere where a member made stepped wedge supports for the floor for travel. I believe his was sagging too and he wanted it supported better. I think he wanted to use the couch in the in position. I did a quick search but could not find it - sorry

Keith

[howson]

I am confused now that I see the picture that Howard posted. I have seen many posts online about how the slide rollers rub on the trailer floor....and hence the need for the slick slickers to protect the vinyl flooring.

In my 315RLTS Slide Slickers are needed for the two thru-frame slides, not the bedroom's Schwintek. Each trailer may have different requirements based on size and type of slide utilized.

[howson]

Yoda and JBill9694 -- I have no idea what the completed build looks like once the slide is ready to be installed. Remember this is only one example. I'd hesitate to draw conclusions based on one picture of one trailer in the middle of a build.

[BillM321]

Yoda - I know that thread you are referencing.

https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ine-22mle-2021

That is how I discovered this issue in the first place. I thought gujuryu had a great idea and I wanted to copy it. So I went out to the trailer to see what the gap was to make my own "travel wedge" and that is when I discovered there was only about 1/16" of a gap on my retracted slide.

[Yoda]

Yoda - I know that thread you are referencing.

https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ine-22mle-2021

That is how I discovered this issue in the first place. I thought gujuryu had a great idea and I wanted to copy it. So I went out to the trailer to see what the gap was to make my own "travel wedge" and that is when I discovered there was only about 1/16" of a gap on my retracted slide.

Bill Have you contacted GD customer service? - This should be covered by thier warrentee. When you call have you Vin handy.