01 Excella Slideout Owners???

fred bartlet · 09-16-2007, 12:25 PM

Hay, I want to hear about your slideout stories?? I love this model and have been working on it for several years now.

I have stated some up grades, as a StainlessSteel galley backsplash, disc brake conversion, Hensley hitch, and new wood floors soon. I've managed to damaged the carpet in the kitchen/hall way, so a new maple floor is in the works. At least I can sweep out the hall way and don't have to wash the rug. I'm also changing all the running lights to LED. It will be $200+ but should be worth it in the long haul. Bulbs burn out and the water leaks into the lens covers too.

What have been your favorate projects???

**jcanavera** · 09-16-2007, 12:57 PM

That's the trailer that got me interested in purchasing an Airstream. I am curious because we didn't want as much carpet and attempted to delete the carpet at build time in the area of the slide. Airstream wouldn't do it because they said that the stainless steel rollers that the slide out used would cause wear marks on a bare floor. That's why carpet was there.

Jack

ctdair · 09-16-2007, 03:48 PM

We special ordered a 2004 30ft Slideout with out carpet under the slide,the slide floor itself the dinette is carpet but the floor fron the bathroom to nose is wood look vinyl floor , I have peered under the slide from inside looking for lost ball bearings and the vinyl is cut out under the slide. The floor was not installed well from the factory and had cut/tears objects underneath , Airstream made it right and we are happy with the all vinyl floor.

**jcanavera** · 09-16-2007, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctdair

We special ordered a 2004 30ft Slideout with out carpet under the slide,the slide floor itself the dinette is carpet but the floor fron the bathroom to nose is wood look vinyl floor , I have peered under the slide from inside looking for lost ball bearings and the vinyl is cut out under the slide. The floor was not installed well from the factory and had cut/tears objects underneath , Airstream made it right and we are happy with the all vinyl floor.

We did our order in September 2003 and were turned down flat. Interesting that you were able to do it and Jackson Center said no to us. Maybe it depends on who took the request. Now we can see where the rollers hit the carpet when the slide moves out. If we take the vaccum over it, the crush marks come out easily.

Jack

ctdair · 09-17-2007, 05:38 AM

We took delivery August 03 of our 04 perhaps after having done Ours they felt another not warranted , We complained immedialty about the floor damage although due to our schedule it was several months till it went back.The floor damage was not a slide issue put quality control cleaning issue. We have not had any problems since with the floor. As a matter of info when we where at the factory to fix the floor the wife exspessed an interest in pergo flooring replacement and the factory allmost went with it to appease Our anger over the qaulity of the first floor. There where some issues they where concerend with doing as a retro fit versus had it had pergo from the start so just vinyl replacement.

fred bartlet · 06-10-2008, 04:34 PM

After five years of camping, the fully carpeted floor in the galley area has gotten very dirty and never has worked well. So I shopped for a natural maple flooring to match the maple cabinets and found an engineered(plywood) plank flooring. It can be nailed or glued down, and I glued and stapled it for good measure.

The first problem with this install, is the slide out will push over the wood floor when its in and will not want to slide on that surface, so I only cut into the carpet at the refer point and continued around to the door way. It seems that AS will not install this way but I find it a good compromise. The depth of the plank is only 3/8" and the carpet is a full 5/8".

I measured and cut out the carpet and pad, leaving extra to roll under the finished edge next to wood floor. I could not buy the trim I needed to finish the wood plank, so I made a solid wood edge myself. I found that gluing and nailing do not mix but I managed to get it done by only installing a single plank at a time. I installed in a pattern that one can see by the pictures and made it all that much harder but looks great.

Triming out was almost as much fun. I had to make my own shoe trim, and finished it before installing. A coat of wax to clean up and this is what it looks like.

vlamica · 08-18-2008, 09:50 PM

Hello Fred,

I loved this post. Great job on the floor install. I too have a 30' S/O 70th anniversary edition. I just installed "traffic master" maple flooring in the trailer. This product is new and about the thickness of linoleum. Each strip glues to the other like pergo. I am reading your post and starting to worry. The previous owner removed the carpeting and installed cheap ugly linoleum and it had to go. I didnt see any marks on the flooring from the slide and didnt consider that it might make contact with any rollers? I went from the bathroom to the front coach. I am afraid to roll in the slide at this point? should i be?

Thanks Vinnie

fred bartlet · 08-19-2008, 07:58 AM

Vinnie, I might try using something in front of the slide before you move it in. Because I didn't remove the carpet in front of the slide, my wood floor has remained purfect and no slide roller marks. I was ready to use something on the floor to protect it from the rollers but l was lucky. You can't travel with it out, so try a piece of vynl or carpet scrap to move it in on. Good luck and post some more pictures of your project.

vlamica · 08-19-2008, 10:38 PM

Hello Fred,

I operated the slide tonight and watched the way it moves. The rollers are mounted in the flooring and the slide moves over them as it comes in. There doesnt seem to be anything that contacts the flooring as there is atleast 1/2 inch of clearance. I must have misunderstood your post and thought that there were rollers on the slide itself and they would try to climb over the flooring as it makes its way in. I will get some pictures up soon. i am just waiting on new hull liner to go around the front then the couch goes back in and i can work my way back.

**jcanavera** · 08-21-2008, 09:53 AM

I'll have to look closer at mine. I know at build time I specifically asked for no carpet and was told no by the factory because of the slide unit being on rollers. I know that on the rear side of my slide I can see crush marks in the carpet which would support the theory that the slide unit does ride on some type of roller. If it was floating over the carpet, there really shouldn't be any depression.

Maybe they have used a couple of different concepts over time?

Jack

vlamica · 08-21-2008, 04:04 PM

Thats interesting. Maybe there are a few different concepts. Infact if the rollers were on the slide itself it seems that it would have better support to hold the weight when its all the way in vs. the stress to the outside wall and structure when hitting bumps. I do have supports that have to be placed in between the wall and the slide when in motion. Maybe to keep the bouncing down to a minimum. I will look again but i didnt see anything coming in contact with the floor. I do know that when attempting to slide out from the completely closed position the slide moves only 1 inch at a time until its out about 5 inches and then it slides consistently until all the way out. Thats a problem im sure. Will be digging into that? Overvoltage, binding?? not sure about how the slide was treated by the last owner.

Thanks Vinnie. Good dialogue

ctdair · 08-21-2008, 04:20 PM

The rollers on My 04 are attached to the slide. I haven't looked underneath lately to see if they are wearing/rubbing on the subfloor. I do feel the ball bearings I lost under the vinyl and need to try to roll them out and get with a magnet after they are in the open area under the slide. The bearings came from not latching the dinette drawer fulling and the drawer slide came apart in transport and lost the bearings.I had no signs where the bearings where for a couple years and now can feel them if I check the floor with hand. Jack I am still guessing after completing My trailer they elected to not accept Your order for full vinyl floor as it must have not turned out the way they liked. I am still happy with mine and see no issues as of yet other that the initial quality problem caused by the factory not cleaning well and rivet bits where under the vinyl and there where cuts evident in the surface on delivery.

vlamica · 08-21-2008, 05:19 PM

I think the concept is probably better on your 04 and thats why they made the change. Infact if you think about the supports being placed behind the facia of the slide and the inside wall when you hit a bump the slide will still dip toward the floor and wear things out. Just a thought but maybe mine needs to be secured under the lip of the front drawer supports when in transport. I hate to rethink their concept but i plan on owning this unit for many years and want to extend its life. Maybe it gets supported there and on the upper facia. Not sure.

ctdair · 08-23-2008, 07:10 AM

Well I took a side trim piece off the dinette and there is a roller attached to to floor.I didn't really peer underneath to see if my earlier statement that I observed rollers attached to the floor was valid. Based on memory and Jacks carpet crush observation there must be.I did get out the objects under the vinyl there was there bearings I knew about and rivet remains as well as a screw.