How to protect carpet from slide out rollers

[MT flyfisher]

My wife and I went to Wilkins RV in Bath, NY last Tuesday to buy a new Kountry Aire that we had ordered several months ago.

Among a number of disappointing issues with the trailer (the subject for another forum topic), the carpet was ATROCIOUS!

It looked like there were faint grease track lines from the slide-out rollers, and then larger marks where the rollers rested on the carpet with the slide-outs retracted. Someone from the dealership had apparently tried to remove some of these marks before our arrival(reportedly with a mild cleaner) and in doing so had left sizeable stains and and very noticable abrasions in the carpet fabric.

In addition, there was a large dark stain in another area not caused from a slide-out (who knows where that came from), the carpet had not been vacuumed prior to our initial walk through, and to put it in a nut shell -- my wife and I were both VERY disappointed with our first Newmar and Wilkins RV experience -- not a very good way to start things off.

Anyway, we've left the Kountry Aire at the dealership for the next couple weeks to replace the carpet, along with a laundry list of other items than need to be fixed (including one hydraulic leveling jack that was leaking hydraulic fluid all over the asphalt).

My wife and I have ordered a better quality carpet from a local carpet store (I don't know why Newmar puts such cheap quality carpet in the top of the line 5th wheel??), that is a slightly darker shade than the original carpet, which may cover some of the future slide-out track marks.

However, I was wondering what, if anything, do you experienced Newmar owners do to protect your carpets from your slide outs? (Wilkins sells those plastic floor runners for about $50.00 per pair, but maybe there's something that would work as well for less cost.)

Thanks for your help.

John

[MT flyfisher]

My wife and I went to Wilkins RV in Bath, NY last Tuesday to buy a new Kountry Aire that we had ordered several months ago.

Among a number of disappointing issues with the trailer (the subject for another forum topic), the carpet was ATROCIOUS!

It looked like there were faint grease track lines from the slide-out rollers, and then larger marks where the rollers rested on the carpet with the slide-outs retracted. Someone from the dealership had apparently tried to remove some of these marks before our arrival(reportedly with a mild cleaner) and in doing so had left sizeable stains and and very noticable abrasions in the carpet fabric.

In addition, there was a large dark stain in another area not caused from a slide-out (who knows where that came from), the carpet had not been vacuumed prior to our initial walk through, and to put it in a nut shell -- my wife and I were both VERY disappointed with our first Newmar and Wilkins RV experience -- not a very good way to start things off.

Anyway, we've left the Kountry Aire at the dealership for the next couple weeks to replace the carpet, along with a laundry list of other items than need to be fixed (including one hydraulic leveling jack that was leaking hydraulic fluid all over the asphalt).

My wife and I have ordered a better quality carpet from a local carpet store (I don't know why Newmar puts such cheap quality carpet in the top of the line 5th wheel??), that is a slightly darker shade than the original carpet, which may cover some of the future slide-out track marks.

However, I was wondering what, if anything, do you experienced Newmar owners do to protect your carpets from your slide outs? (Wilkins sells those plastic floor runners for about $50.00 per pair, but maybe there's something that would work as well for less cost.)

Thanks for your help.

John

[Shaun and Amy]

Hi John,

I feel bad for you about your first Newmar/Wilkins rv experience. As I had said before we had a few minor issues, but Wilkins is fixing them, by getting the parts I need to fix the problems. I think all new campers have little problems.

I think that the rollers on the carpet is just something that can't be really fixed. I think you just always have to check them to make sure the rollers are working properly.

My only suggestion relates to the new carpet your putting in. I would want to make sure it it isn't much thicker the original. If it gets too thick it's only going to make it harder for the rollers to roll over it.

Well, I hope it gets all fixed up you soon and you have good luck with the rest.

Congrats!
Shaun and Amy

[MT flyfisher]

Hi, Shaun -

I'm sure that everything will get resolved in due course, but I am hoping there is something to better protect the carpet. Wilkins says that the slide didn't need to be adjusted, and if that's right, the rollers really seem to lay heavily on it the way it is now.

We were very careful to check the carpet thickness before we ordered the replacement carpet. What we're getting appears to be the exact thickness of what Newmar had installed - we're just getting a better grade (or so we hope!).

Incidentally, we did not order the day/night shade option in this trailer, which was a mistake, because the lights shine through the shades (with both down) much more so than the prior 3 trailers we've owned (from 2 different manufactureres). I wish we'd been told just how transparent the window shades we before we ordered our trailer -- you could almost watch a golf ball's flight at 200 yards out on a cloudy day with both shades pulled down now!

John

[Hitchhiker]

Some have posted that they made these slide protectors out of an office chair pad by cutting strips to the needed width and length with tin shears. The molded tacks on the bottom holds them to the carpet when the slide rolls over them. One chair pad from Office Depot would probably due the entire rig.

[MT flyfisher]

Thanks, Richard. That's something I had thought of, but didn't know how to cut it.

John

[rebelsbeach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by MT flyfisher:
Thanks, Richard. That's something I had thought of, but didn't know how to cut it.

John </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Lay it on a piece of plywood and score it with a razor knife... or box cutter for some of you folks.

[Shaun and Amy]

Hi John,

We had the regular shades before so we opted for the lined shades this time around. After hearing your description, which I thought was very carefully written and funny , I'm glad we got the lined ones.

Those office chair pads sound like a good idea. I'm considering that myself now.

Shaun and Amy