Fleetwood Fema Trailer Slide-Out

[tncampman]

Hello All! I am new to the travel trailer gig.............and loving it!! I have a quick question that I am hoping someone will be able to help me answer.

The trailer I purchased is a FEMA Trailer (no worries......I aired it out!!) it has a slide on it and the only way to get the slide out is to crawl under the trailer with an adjustable wrench and crank the slide out one turn at a time.

Does anyone have an easier suggestion for doing this?? I know you can actually but a motor on it with a switch on the inside, but wanted to see if someone had come up with a better idea to do it manually

Thanks!

[GPW]

TN, That does sound like a big PIA ! You have a pic of the area/mechanism in question? ... Schmaybe ' you could find a suitable motor/device from a Fema trailer dealer, or some type of hand crank , like those found on stabilizer jacks ??? ... Guessing the manufacturer was just trying to save a buck ... Most of the people here who lived in them , knew Nothing about trailers , and everything was done by the maintenance personnel ..

[tncampman]

GPW - You are right it is a huge pain!! I will take a pic and post if for you to see if you have any other suggestions. Thanks

[tmh462]

We had one of those go through the shop a month or so back, and I fabricated a socket to go on the end of my cordless drill to run it.
Depending on what the end of the shaft looks like on yours, you may be able to modify an old tongue jack motor to use.

Have you changed any of the electric appliances over to LP yet?

[Ray,IN]

Look closely on the opposite side for a place to insert a crank. There will be a shaft through to the slide mechanism if it is made for a hand crank. Mine has a hand crank in case the motor fails. The cordless hand drill would be the best and cheapest option for either with the hand crank shaft or your present method, just like rear stabilizers.

[Randy the sly old fox]

While they carry the Fleetwood name - these FEMA trailers were meant more as mobile homes - not Travel Trailers - they were meant to stay in one place for quite awhile. That is why the slide is a manual only operation. There are also no holding tanks and other things found on Travel Trailers. BTW Fleetwood no longer makes TT - but does still make Mobile Homes.

[tncampman]

Hello -

I know I originaly posted this thread but I wanted to put it out there to see if there were any more ideas on how to make my manual slide out a little easier to deal with on my FEMA trailer.
I've made 2 trips with it so far. Nothing far from the house but it has been awesome. Everything works, it pulls like a champ, no swaying nothing. My wife is a much more pleasant camper now.....well worth the money. :-)
I scratched the whole adding holding tanks idea. Everyone wanted $600-$1000 to install them. I havn't messed with TT much so I am not real sure about doing it myself. Even then no one is real clear as to what size tanks actually fit these things. So me and my little blue portable tank have become the best of friends.
Happy Travels to all!!!

[Ray,IN]

If you are still interested in installing holding tanks, fresh water tank, etc. You should get some ideas here: Plastic-Mart - RV HOLDING TANKS :
some elbow grease and time are required, otherwise it is not difficult for a DIY guy.