Slide Locking Bars

[bdpreece]

I have had coaches with slides before but never one that had bars to lock them in place. Both of my large front slides came with screw type bars to hold the slides closed. It seems to me like the area where the bars attach to the slide is not all that strong plus if you were to forget and try to run the slide out with the bars in place it looks like you could do a lot of damage. I seem to have problems enough remembering to move the seats forward so as to not catch on the slide on the way out. Do people actually use the bars?

[MLMath]

Brain, we've not used ours and we don't think they would be much good.. Our front slide you can only put one on one end and the back slide you can't get to either end.. They only gave us one when the coach was new.. I ask a tech at the service center, back when there was one at Elkhart, and was told that if the brake was working right you shouldn't need them, if not the brake needs adjusted.. We also were afraid that we'd forget it and tear the slide up.. Ours is stored in a compartment outside and has never been used..
Mike M..

[mikron]

I'm glad I'm not the only one to forget the drivers seat. On our coach if the moved the slide 4" I would't have to move the seat. there is 8" at the other end that they could move the slide. This coach is a 2008, we had a 2000 and I think it's the same body but 2'-0" longer. We can if we want use two screw style bars. I don't like them, they push on the slide seal.

[Diplomat Don]

bdpreece.....I have one lock on the front of my large slide. It is right behind the driver's seat. When I don't use it, I can hear the slide move in the opening when I drive since it's right behind the seat.

I put a red dot on the slide button to remind me to remove the lock and slide the seat forward. I've caught the seat on a couple of occasions.

[Rex]

I always use the locking bars. To solve the problem of forgetting to remove or install them, I placed Velcro on each bar, and over the slide switch. I put Velcro on a small RED ribbon. When the locks are in place, the ribbon hangs across the switch. The ribbon always reminds me to remove the lock bars, and the ribbon is then attached to the bar before the switch is operated. Hey, works for me!

[DennisZ]

Brian
I always use my lock bars, all that hold the slides from rolling out are a couple of shear pins. It also seems like I get less rattle when the locks are in.

Dennis

[1ciderdog]

I don't have a bar to lock the slide but it is on my list of things to get. Crossing Utah in November we experienced severe cross winds and I could see the slide moving out about 1/2 inch near the top and it did make a rattling or thumping noise. I figuered I would only use it during periods when we had strong cross winds. It bothered me to see the slide moving, if only a little, in the rear view mirror.

[mfire1339]

My locking bar is in the garage someplace.



Mike

[chiefdave]

We use our manual slide locks every time we travel. When we contacted Monaco we directed to use them all the time. They were developed to help support the slides when traveling. We attached bows on them that hang over the top of the side so my wife can see them prior to extending our slides. All I can say is we have never had a slide issue. We have 2 front slides that a 14'6" long. I emailed Monaco technical advisor and here's the answer I received:
It goes on the top of the main slide while driving to keep the slide from bouncing

Bob Presson
Monaco RV LLC
A Navistar Company
Senior Technical Advisor

[Barrier2]

My one slide Dynasty came with Two Locking Bars which I always used. Unfortunately when I brought my MH in for the first Norcold Recall the Tech was unaware that the lock bar was in place (it was mounted low behind the driver seat and I was unaware that the slide would be moved for the recall). The Tech must have engaged the switch repeatedly until he realized that there was something wrong. The slide surround was bent, and must have twisted. I am still suffering with this. The wood was repaired the bent trim straightened but the Ceramic tile under the sink, microwave and cabinets ( my unit has the large Drivers side slide) were cracked and broken about 8 tiles worth.Evidently the Lock Bar caused the Slide to twist and the two rear rollers to angle. The shop took full responsibility and after a long process replaced the Tiles. Locating the replacement Tiles was a problem due to the inability of Monaco in properly packing and shipping the Tiles, it took two shipments to get new tiles not cracked and broken.
I still may have a Hydraulic hose leak problem above one of my compartments where it connects to the cylinder.
Robert

[LewF]

Brian, searching the forums you will see reports of the slides moving out while driving, not just a small distance but all the way out. I have used them on our current and previous coach (2007 Endeavor) and think they do hold the slides in more firmly and stop some noise. There should be a socket in the coach wall at the top of the slides with locks. the forked end goes into the socket and the large foot with the rubber covering goes to the inboard edge of the slide. We use a reminder similar to the idea Rex showed above, we velcro a warning sign over the slide control switches that has to be removed to operate the switches.

Good luck, I highly recommend using the slide locks. It is noteworthy that many higher end coaches have similar locks that deploy and lock automatically so I guess they was the extra support as well.

Lew

[bdpreece]

Thanks for all the great replies!!
Well it looks like the consensus is at least on the Monaco products we should be using them. I know my wife says she can hear the slide moving around but being deaf as a post it does not bother me. I like the ideas of having some type of marker to help remember to remove them before opening and maybe it will help me to remember to move the seats forward as well.

[LewF]

Brian, here are some pictures that might be helpful.

The lock bar.



Lock Bar Socket



Lock bar installed.



On the warning sign, I just printed a warning on a 3x5 card and stuck it over the switches with velcro so I had to take it off to get to the switches. For info, I forgot to put it on once and sure enough tried to move a slide with a lock in place. I quickly realized my mistake so did no damage.

Hope this helps.

Lew

[MSgt]

When we bought our 2008 Ambassador from DeMartini it did not have the slide locks. I complained and they sent me cargo locks that were not big enough to work with my slides.

As with eveything else on this coach the only problem was support from DeMartini.