Community Forums

rjw · 02-24-2007, 06:12 AM

i have a 2002 dutch star,new at this,should the slides be lock,when i pick it up they was not,but read that they shoud be,thanks for any imput.

rjw · 02-24-2007, 06:12 AM

i have a 2002 dutch star,new at this,should the slides be lock,when i pick it up they was not,but read that they shoud be,thanks for any imput.

Spoonman · 02-24-2007, 06:29 AM

I would advise locking slides before taking MH on the road. They are there for your safety. Although uncommon, I have had a slide go out on a Fiver I previously owned. Not a good feeling. Just be very careful about unlocking slides before extending.
By the way, what model do you have?Ours has been a great coach and wish you luck with yours.

Lug_Nut · 02-24-2007, 06:37 AM

As a previous owner of an '02 DSDP and for that matter all Newmars, I would use the locks. I know many dealer do not bother, however generally they don't go very far as they may only do a demo drive. Enjoy, that's a nice coach.

Peter

"007" · 02-24-2007, 06:44 AM

Welcome rjw to irv2 and the Newmar forum.

You will get alot of pro's and con's on this one but on all three Newmars I have had the slides have been locked.
One reason is I had a Bounder without a slide and I was pulling a popup when we got cut off by a four wheeler that bumped the passenger front bumper and cause the MH to swerve to the left from just a slite touch of the 4 wheelers rear bumper. The effort to bring the coach under control with popup swinging around in back, if I had slides unlocked the accident would have been alot worse with family on board and when the car was spinning around to come back and hit me again dead center at front passenger wheel.
While this was going on truckers were trying to avoid us also.
So all slides are locked, they are manual, new MH's have auto electic locks so Newmar still seems to think they are needed.

Another reason its a good idea it will keep the slide wall sealed to the gasket so no water or wind noise will make your ride unpleasent.

Enjoy the forum and do post often.

Mahlon · 02-24-2007, 08:49 AM

Just get in the habit of locking the slides unless you're going to run them out.

(btw: locking a slide while you run it out is a Really Bad Idea. Right up there with ignoring Alice's warning about keeping seats, chairs, etc. clear of the slide-out area. Don't ask me how I know any of this, I just do

But at least it's something you'll do a maximum of once)