Slide-outs, or slide rooms, are the rule, rather than the exception, in later-model motorhomes. For those of you who do not know that a “slide-out” is, it’s a portion of the coach which actually moves out when the coach is parked and retracts when it’s time to drive. Thus, the owners of the motorhome get a larger living room, kitchen, etc. because the slide-out makes the room bigger.
Modern RV’s have as many as four or five slide-outs per unit.
The only real problem with slide-outs is, however, they don’t always work very well. Some indeed work fine, but in actuality they are fairly complex units sitting within a coach which itself is large and complex. The science of slide-outs has, indeed, not kept up with their popularity.
We have a trial coming up against Fleetwood for slide-out defects–three slide-outs that won’t close all the way, leaving gaps through which bees, moisture, ants, vermin, etc. can get in. My clients, elderly retired folks, can’t rest easily in the coach and also cannot get warm on cold evenings. Definitely a problem, but Fleetwood likes to take it to the mat sometimes.
We’ll keep you posted on trial progress and outcome. Thanks for reading.
Bob Brennan