Adding a slide out

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by Camper Crazy

Hope you can connect with the help you need.CC

Help they need? The help they need is honest evaluations, and someone to tell them the truth and not just what they want to hear.
I wish them the best of luck in this process, but telling someone to “Go for it” when they are about to jump head first into a major soul crushing pile on mess would be a crime.
I told them to ask Jaskson Center, (The Experts) and see what they have to say.

I’ve been shot down many times on the forum over projects I dreamed up...
Hydrolic tongue jack, Manual Furnace blower switch, 2nd AC on a 23D, the list goes on.

“I” just think there are to many moving parts to this project.

[HabaNaHaba]

Originally Posted by GMFL

Help they need? The help they need is honest evaluations, and someone to tell them the truth and not just what they want to hear.
I wish them the best of luck in this process, but telling someone to “Go for it” when they are about to jump head first into a major soul crushing pile on mess would be a crime.
I told them to ask Jaskson Center, (The Experts) and see what they have to say.

I’ve been shot down many times on the forum over projects I dreamed up...
Hydrolic tongue jack, Manual Furnace blower switch, 2nd AC on a 23D, the list goes on.

“I” just think there are to many moving parts to this project.

Hey, this is hubby, lol. 2+ years of research. We looked at al lot of sob, trailer, 5th whl, & motorhome,. Them we started shopping for AS slide out model. All in all, the slide outs are expensive, and hard to find. A simple 16-20" slide, 6-7' long, is not only affordable, it's also suprisingly simple. They can b mounted above the floor, no frame work, the weight is supported by the side posts, and we'll install it under the existing Zip Dee canopy. Going to fabricate aluminum reinforcement for the opening, and use the original skin with 2 factory windows instead of 3. Very little n extra weight, and has a 800lb rated load, far less then we plan on using. Of course we'll post the progress here. Maybe in the slide out section.

Our AS, C-mor, has practically been a member of the family going on 15 years, we look forward to 15-20 more.

Moderator, it's ok if you want to move this to the slide out section.

[GMFL]

Post pics of your progress, can’t wait to see.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by HabaNaHaba

. . .
. . . A simple 16-20" slide, 6-7' long, is not only affordable, it's also suprisingly simple.
. . .

Originally Posted by GMFL

Post pics of your progress, can’t wait to see.

x2 ^^^^^^^^

Originally Posted by OTRA15

. . .
Document one Airstream to which a person has added a slide-out, which was done completely and within the structural limits of the original Airstream, and is presently licensed and registered to travel on the highway . . . and waterproof [open and closed] . . . and I will buy you a beverage of your choice.

Originally Posted by OTRA15

. . .
Total labor hours, material costs, and photos would be interesting for all to see IMO.
. . .

God bless the dreamers!

[AlinCal]

Here you go.....https://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-Airstr...kAAOSwwRBcskML

[skyguyscott]

I heard once, but never confirmed, that back when slide outs were a new thing, AS management wanted engineering to come up with a slide out AS.

According to the story, the engineering team balked, saying the monocoque design would be compromised by a slide out.

AS management, according to the story, fired the engineering team and hired one that built the resulting slide out.

Can anyone here confirm that story?

Personally, I have been in SOB slide outs, and the extra space is kind of nice, but IMHO, not for an Airstream, if you understand Airstreams are by design to be light weight, structurally strong, long-lasting RVs. The extra foot or two gained comes at a huge cost in weight, and I don't believe they are air or water-tight.

Plus, IMHO, from a design aestethic, they just look, um.... inelegant from the outside.

[HabaNaHaba]

We'll document this project here. Looking forward to that cold beer..!

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by skyguyscott

I heard once, but never confirmed, that back when slide outs were a new thing, AS management wanted engineering to come up with a slide out AS.

According to the story, the engineering team balked, saying the monocoque design would be compromised by a slide out.

AS management, according to the story, fired the engineering team and hired one that built the resulting slide out.

Can anyone here confirm that story?

Personally, I have been in SOB slide outs, and the extra space is kind of nice, but IMHO, not for an Airstream, if you understand Airstreams are by design to be light weight, structurally strong, long-lasting RVs. The extra foot or two gained comes at a huge cost in weight, and I don't believe they are air or water-tight.

Plus, IMHO, from a design aestethic, they just look, um.... inelegant from the outside.

I'm speaking as an owner of a Slide Out. I like it. That's what really caught my attention when I went in.

I don't regret my decision to buy a slide and the OWNERS of slides are AFAIK are proud of their trailers.

Airstream has provided the production records and they documented 617 Slide Outs manufactured from 2000-2009. something about the economy might have slowed sales down and that ended production.

And didn't the Panamerica and Eddie Bauer "violate" the classic design with their rear hatches?

And the only of the above statements that I can't prove is the Slide Out owners being proud of their Slide Outs but the limited units on the market and strong prices they have sold for speaks well for them.

I've read all the comments about this project in this thread and I've got to add many were a good bit on the unnecessarily rough side.

Slide Out Society Alumaslider II 2019 Campout is this October.

Gary, a Slide Out Owner

[HabaNaHaba]

We're planning on being at alumaslider.

As far as the rough comments, no worries... Lol. We're having fun, C-mor has been a project since we adopted her, and it continues.

There are companies that have done this mod, and we may still go with one of them. We've been quoted $7.5-15k. not that bad really, as opposed to a different unit. But for now, we're working on it ourselves.

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by GCinSC2

I'm speaking as an owner of a Slide Out. I like it. That's what really caught my attention when I went in.

I don't regret my decision to buy a slide and the OWNERS of slides are AFAIK are proud of their trailers.

Airstream has provided the production records and they documented 617 Slide Outs manufactured from 2000-2009. something about the economy might have slowed sales down and that ended production.

And didn't the Panamerica and Eddie Bauer "violate" the classic design with their rear hatches?

And the only of the above statements that I can't prove is the Slide Out owners being proud of their Slide Outs but the limited units on the market and strong prices they have sold for speaks well for them.

I've read all the comments about this project in this thread and I've got to add many were a good bit on the unnecessarily rough side.

Slide Out Society Alumaslider II 2019 Campout is this October.

Gary, a Slide Out Owner

Gary,
Being a slide out owner do you believe it to be feasible to add a slide to a non slide out unit?

[GCinSC2]

I’ve never studied the question, I’m not an engineer and I have never done any panel work on any AS. I have seen the significant frame cutout that Slides were built on but the OP is proposing an above floor mod.

But a guy that has studied the project for two years has given it a lot of thought.

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by HabaNaHaba

We're planning on being at alumaslider.

As far as the rough comments, no worries... Lol. We're having fun, C-mor has been a project since we adopted her, and it continues.

There are companies that have done this mod, and we may still go with one of them. We've been quoted $7.5-15k. not that bad really, as opposed to a different unit. But for now, we're working on it ourselves.

Just be very wary of quotes on projects, as many projects once undertaken seem to go past their quoted price many times over; once they have your trailer taken apart, what are you going to say, "no", to added costs?

The furniture moving companies do it all the time; give out a low quote; once your stuff is in their truck, jack up the price, as your stuff "weighs more"; if you don't pay, you forfeit your stuff and it goes to auction.

Goodluck with your project; if there is one tip I can give you, is this one; measure twice, cut once.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

Just be very wary of quotes on projects, as many projects once undertaken seem to go past their quoted price many times over; once they have your trailer taken apart, what are you going to say, "no", to added costs?

The furniture moving companies do it all the time; give out a low quote; once your stuff is in their truck, jack up the price, as your stuff "weighs more"; if you don't pay, you forfeit your stuff and it goes to auction.

Goodluck with your project; if there is one tip I can give you, is this one; measure twice, cut once.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

Tony,
Come on..... what about the Coosa Board for the slideout floor.... strong.. stiff, light weight. I would use nothing but.

[HabaNaHaba]

Oooooh... Now we're talking! Coosa board, that's a product we could use. We have aluminum sheets, we can glue them on for a great look...

[HabaNaHaba]

We could use it for the whole slide box..

[GMFL]

Coosa Board it a GREAT product.

[HabaNaHaba]

Thanks!! I've redone drawings already. Use that for the floor, sides, roof. We're gonna bend alum channel for the outer skin shape, then mount the windows. Then we'll fill it with structural foam, plane it down and glue the interior panel to it. Them it's just a matter of attaching the seals & hanging it. Simple, right... Lol!

[skyguyscott]

I do wish you all the best on this project. I know that the slide out owners are happy with their rigs. As someone once said, that's why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors!

Yes the PanAmerica was also AS chasing the market, rather than leading it. And it was measurably less successful than the slide outs (only 19 built). Some of the key design elements like the rear hatch did, however, live on in the EB, TB units. I don't think the PA provided enough storage space to be great toy hauler, and the hatch was too small for big bikes.

But like the slide outs, neither are in production any longer. Perhaps you can improve on the original design.

[Sea-lovers]

If you successfully make that modification, you could likely make quite a nice living doing it for others. That said, I would not sacrifice either of my Airstreams in an attempt to make them something they never were intended to be simply for my own pleasure.

Then again, I'm a purist and think Airstream should have let Scamp, Casita and Oliver have the fiberglass market.

It's kind of like a child: I wish one of them would have (fill in the blank) but I love and accept them for who they are.

Good luck!

[Aerowood]

I personally would love to tackle a project such as this, sounds fun to me. There’s all kinds of naysayers on this forum they say something can’t be done because they can’t do it or lack the willingness to try.

If you are willing to to do the research for the project then I say “go for it”