Community Forums

GCSuper · 11-06-2020, 05:42 PM

I think I know the answer, but...
We finally completed our RV garage for our new Ventana. Love being able to work on it, pack for a trip, etc. Garage is 21x50 so plenty of room for slides to be out, but I like the extra room when they're in. Anyway, if the coach has been sitting and is aired down, can the slides be operated ?
I don't want to fire it up just for slides. I actually did it once on the big slide without thinking about the air situation. Didn't hear or feel anything out of the ordinary, but don't want to damage anything either.

R.Wold · 11-06-2020, 06:12 PM

No worries either way.

stang37 · 11-06-2020, 06:26 PM

I don't move my slides unless aired up. My understanding is they were installed with the coach aired up which make things aligned. I did sent an email to Ventana customer service in 2016 asking the question and was told to only move slides while aired up and to verify seams also. No problems with slide so far.

woodosgood · 11-06-2020, 07:10 PM

You will hear different theories about the best way to operate your slides. Keep in mind that some Newmar models like 2016 and newer Dutch Star and up models have a hydraulic full-wide slide, while the Ventana and lower models still use electric motors on all slides.

A tech at Newmar gave me some useful advice about slides. He said to be safe, always be "aired up" when operating the slides, as that is how they are installed at the factory. Another thing to consider is to look at the "reveal", which is the gap between the sides and bottom of the slide out and the "body" of the motorhome. If the "reveal", or gap, is uniform, then operating the slides is OK. So if the reveal is uniform when aired up, but is not uniform when the air is dumped, then the motorhome body has twisted and operating the slides may not be advisable. If the gap is uniform when aired up and after dumping the air (like on a level concrete pad), then operating the slides would be OK whether aired up or not.

R.Wold · 11-06-2020, 09:57 PM

I guess I need to do a little experiment. I have a slide that’s been misaligned from time to time. Tomorrow morning I’ll air up and run them in and out, and from now on to be safe, I’ll only operate them with full air. I’ve never heard a word about this before.

Algoma · 11-07-2020, 08:21 AM

Personally, I store my coach with the jacks down and leveled. I can then operate the slides without airing up. If you want to air up, you can do this via the air connector above the generator and a compressor. That way you don't have to start the engine.

ddowntown · 11-07-2020, 10:22 AM

For 3 years I have used the FWS in and out while in the garage without issue, the garage is perfectly level and it’s always plugged in to 50 amp shore power. Maybe I have just been lucky, but so far so good, I hate to fire it up just for a few minutest because they say it causes extreme wear....

R.Wold · 11-07-2020, 01:17 PM

well air’d it up with my home compressor as directed above to 100psi, ran the slides in and out, no changes, but it is easy enough and seems like a good policy.

alank · 11-07-2020, 04:47 PM

In the OP's situation, I would run the slides in and out anytime. He's setting on a flat cement floor, not much danger there.

While the coach is setting on air, the air will allow for the tires to be uneven and not induce any twist in the chassis/coach. When you dump the air, the bump stops in the bags sets down solid against the axles, which may not be level if setting out in the yard, so that can induce twist in the chassis. In the event the axles aren't parallel to each other, I would suggest airing the bags before operating the slides. The OP's axles will be parallel on the cement floor.

Generally, when I park, I open the slides, dump the air, level with the jacks.

GCSuper · 11-08-2020, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Wold

well air’d it up with my home compressor as directed above to 100psi, ran the slides in and out, no changes, but it is easy enough and seems like a good policy.

Something I haven't even thought about. And, my compressor sits just a few feet from the front of the coach.

R.Wold · 11-08-2020, 06:33 AM

Pics are as follows: I set the regulator to 100 to protect the coach system, made a double male adapter and hooked it up (my coach has a valve at the fitting), and the last pic shows the coach at 100psi not running. Easy! I’m going to run an air line to my coach parking area for convenience.