Advantages or disadvantages of an AS slide out

[carver 1]

Recently the question of a slide out model came up in my search for a larger AS than my 25'. Although I have owned several ASs I know nothing about the Slide out models. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

>>ron<<

[AtomicNo13]

I had 2 34's in a row, both had slides, both had frame failures!

[Isuzusweet]

Old Chinese proverb......What slides out, may not slide back in (ever try to get a tent back in the bag ?). Who are you going to call on a Sunday, as you prepare to head home and the person that has booked your site is waiting to get in?

It's one of the reasons I have a classic motorhome.

Cheers
Tony

[Farmer Dan]

Ron,
We have an '02 30' classic w / slide. We love it! It only moves the dinette out by about 20" but that is enough to open the front area and make it comfy for extended periods. We have had no troubles with ours. I tow with a 2010 F150 and 5.4 w 6 spd tranny.

Dan

[GCinSC2]

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f483...ut-127941.html

Is this your question from a couple of weeks ago?

[carver 1]

I did not know that the Admiral posed that question on the forum. Sorry for the redundancy.

>>ron<<

[Ahab]

Virtually everyone I know who has either the Airstream or other brand has had either leakage, dust infiltration, or operation issues. If you're willing to put up with that for 20" of questionable space, go for it.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by AtomicNo13

I had 2 34's in a row, both had slides, both had frame failures!

curious...where were the frame failures?

[AtomicNo13]

Both developed cracks on the street side, right behind the a frame as it hits the frame rails.
I have seen others where the frame cracked behind the curbside axle mounting plate.
All on 34s

[pappy19]

I've talked to numerous "sliders" and none of them have expressed any problems at all. We personally have never had any leaks or dust and the slide has always worked perfectly. I guess it's possible that the 34' slide is just long enough to cause a frame issue, but not for my 2002 30'. We really love the extra width with the slide out and doubt we will ever go to a non-slide. Our slider always gets a crowd at any of the rallies. About the only complaint we had was the carpet in the kitchen and living room, which is being changed out to oak flooring this winter at the mother ship along with changing the couch to 2 recliners. I will pick it up this spring and send a few pictures.

[Jack46]

At one time we considered purchasing a used 2005 30' Classic slide. We sure liked the extra room and it was priced right, but we ultimately decided not to pursue it for three reasons: extra weight; challenges in using the slide in less than level setup situations; and feedback we received regarding reliability issues.

[Patricia720]

If you read any of the RV magazines, the "Action Line" sections often highlight problems with slide outs. It seems that they slump, get out of alignment, leak and stick in place. A couple years ago, during a tour of the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, Ohio, the guide was asked about the AS units with slide outs and he said, "We tried them for a short time but, as you see, we no longer make them." I have noticed that if you put some time into preventative equipment, supplies and maintenance they have less problems. There is an entire aftermarket of covers, lubrications, supports, etc. for slide outs. Since you are looking for something larger than 30' I assume that access to remote campgrounds is not an issue. Using slide outs in the confined space of backcountry areas is sometimes discouraged or not possible.

[Fly at Night]

Before purchasing the FaN, looked at a really nice used fifth wheel with a slide-out. The slide-out was out when the salesman showed it to me. Yes, the interior roominess was impressive.

However, a few days later they moved the trailer and the slide was not out. When I took a closer look, noticed the slide was not flush with the side of the trailer. It was sticking out a good two inches. That turned me off all slides - although, I am glad to hear many AS slide owners are not experiencing issues.

[Eric 28]

We have a 2003 Safari 28SO (slide out). We so far have had no issues. We don't run the slide out when traveling. Every thing is accessible with the slide in.

[hickory]

We have a slide on our 30' Classic. No problems what so ever.
We love it, I know it is only 20" but we have two recliners and still have a table to set at.
No wet spots, no dust problems, tow with a Dodge 2500 so no weigh issues.
Had to go back to regular trailer.
Hickory

[SeeMore]

I suspect there are units that have problems but mine has NOT had an issue during it's 12 years of service. Preventative maintenance is limited to lubricating the tracks and gears annually, wiping the rubber gasket with protectant (303) frequently, and not leaving the slide awning extended during gales. The 20" extension adds about 14 square feet of space which is a significant add to living space in a 28' footer.

We have camped in every situation from boondocking to RV resorts. Our slide has never been restricted from opening due to space limitations by trees or intrusion into an adjoining site including parks where slides are restricted. We do use our dinette at rest stops as it does not restrict access to or use of the interior spaces.

If you are level enough to operate your refrigerator, you can use your slide too, so I wonder what was meant by the earlier comment. I have encountered quite a few Airstream Slide-outs in my journeys and have yet to meet an owner displeased with their unit. A common question in those discussions is, "Have you had a problem?" and the reply has been negative.

I was told Airstream quit production due to low sales volume as the number of slides produced was ~84 units for all models and years which is less than a month at current manufacturing levels.

My experience with owning a slide mimics Pappy19.

[jcanavera]

I've had no issue with my slide either. One of the easiest ways to mess up a slide is to extend it or retract it when the stabilizer jacks are retracted. This causes the frame to have excessive torque on it. Dealers were notorious for units on the lot to extend those slide outs without the jacks down.

The basic issue that hurt the sales of Airstream slides were the heavy hitch weights of the slides and the cost that they added to an already expensive trailer. My net cargo capacity of my 30' Classic is 660 lbs when traveling with full water. That pretty much puts me at the published gross of my trailer which is 9,100 lbs. With that in mind I usually only have one trip a year where I will tow with full water. I also have a 3/4 ton van that can handle tow trailers up to 9,900 lbs. I also had to upgrade to a class V hitch that is rated for 1,400 lbs of weight.

I do love the slide and have no regrets. I don't think we have any slide users on the forum who have posted significant slide concerns. Airstream did their homework on the slide and produced one of the best slide out units of any manufacturer.

Jack

[AtomicNo13]

If I recall, my one and only cat scale ticket reflected a 1476 pound tongue weight! Whopper!

[SeeMore]

If weight is a significant issue, look for a 28' Safari slide-out unit. The lighter weight cabinets, laminate counter tops, and shorter overall length of mine causes it to weight in at 6,760 lbs with a tongue weight of 980. The GVW rating is 8,600 so after adding 560 lbs for full tanks (gas & water) I still have 1,280 of cargo capacity.

[jcanavera]

Airstream addressed the weight issues with the later years. I think the frames could carry another 1,000 lbs over my 2003.