Community Forums

bevandtomH · 10-31-2021, 08:22 AM

Before anyone asks/says……yes, I know the proper procedure for EC slide retraction and deployment.

In a prior thread, I mentioned that even though you get to ride height, bringing a slide in on UN Level ground can be challenging. We happened to be a site that was leaning towards the drivers side of the coach. Fighting the weight of the slide and gravity made it a battle for the motor. I was concerned it would not made it up the ramp and would have to enlist some extra hands.

Has anyone ever tried to bring slides in while on jacks?

Lots of issues; torque on frame, extra stress on slide motor, not square, and probably more I’m too dumb to consider.

Reason why I would is that on jacks, coach is level. Might not satisfy all the conditions to close all the way but in this case level would allow the slide to come in enough to then retract jacks, get to air ride height, then finish closing.
I would consider this only as a last resort type effort.
Curious to others think.

GrantR · 10-31-2021, 09:26 AM

Maybe I have been doing it wrong for 20 years. I always retract the slides while the jacks are down. Start the engine, retract the jacks. One interesting aspect is to open a window/vent while moving the slides for air pressure normalization.

Ohio44718 · 10-31-2021, 09:33 AM

One article I read stated retract the slides the same way you extended them. Having said that, the previous owner of the rig that I have was adamant to level then extend slides because he had the slide bind on him following Entegra's instructions. Probably similar situation to what you are experiencing. So to answer your question, yes you can open and close slides while on jacks. If you opened your slides originally then leveled and have a remote for your slides, I would stand outside and watch very closely how they line up when bringing them in to make sure you do not scratch your paint in the opening. Maybe bring them in except a few inches, lower the coach and allow it to reach ride height, then bring them in the rest of the way if things look like they do not line up. In your current situation, a whole lot less stress on the motor and shear pins compare to the slides being fully extended.

brobox · 10-31-2021, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrantR

Maybe I have been doing it wrong for 20 years. I always retract the slides while the jacks are down. Start the engine, retract the jacks. One interesting aspect is to open a window/vent while moving the slides for air pressure normalization.

Totally wrong for an Entegra coach. Entegra slides are built totally different than other coaches and retract as the manufacture suggests. I ran into an Entegra owner at a camp ground with the paint badly scratched on one of his slides. He retracted his slides using your method from habit of his old coach. An expensive mistake that took me a cheat sheet to get use to.
People that own Entegras are free to use the slides as they wish, but I have seen the damage the wrong way can cause.

Marcosdad · 10-31-2021, 11:01 AM

I do not hesitate to move my slides while on jacks, but I do not fully close them unless at ride height. PJ/Ted opined that that was OK, but the tolerances are too close to move them into or out of the hole unless at ride height.

J Gunter · 10-31-2021, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bevandtomH

Before anyone asks/says……yes, I know the proper procedure for EC slide retraction and deployment.

In a prior thread, I mentioned that even though you get to ride height, bringing a slide in on UN Level ground can be challenging. We happened to be a site that was leaning towards the drivers side of the coach. Fighting the weight of the slide and gravity made it a battle for the motor. I was concerned it would not made it up the ramp and would have to enlist some extra hands.

Has anyone ever tried to bring slides in while on jacks?

Lots of issues; torque on frame, extra stress on slide motor, not square, and probably more I’m too dumb to consider.

Reason why I would is that on jacks, coach is level. Might not satisfy all the conditions to close all the way but in this case level would allow the slide to come in enough to then retract jacks, get to air ride height, then finish closing.
I would consider this only as a last resort type effort.
Curious to others think.

I always retract the super slide to within 3-4 inches of being fully retracted, while level, for the very reason you stated then finish retracting when aired up. Never had a problem.

bevandtomH · 11-01-2021, 06:56 AM

Thanks, I figured others may have experienced this. Glad PJ said ok. The remote is a real nice feature when you need to see both inside and outside movement.

Ohio44718 · 11-01-2021, 07:04 AM

There is a similar post of someone who had one of his slides bind up even at ride height because the surface not being level. https://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/sli...nt-559056.html

Always difference of opinions if Entegra's instructions/steps are applicable in all real life situations.

brobox · 11-01-2021, 07:58 AM

People are sure free to extended and retract their slides anyway they like. Just passing on 20 years of Entegra experience including one Travels Supreme. The one time I did not use the factory preferred method I did bind the large slide up on the TS. Totally my fault being a newbie on an un-level surface. I do bring my slides in and out while in storage on jacks. But I am on glass level concrete and use the jack to take the weigh off the tires etc. I have never bound a slide up in those conditions. Follow the procedure and less chance of a problem, if not soon or later and bind up can happen, been there on that one too. JME

bevandtomH · 11-01-2021, 09:42 AM

My example and as addressed in the other thread is a ‘what if’ type situation
Hope we never get a site like what we had that would cause me to consider running the slide in a bit.
Caution, would be the word.

alank · 11-01-2021, 07:42 PM

I might suggest doing one thing when retracting on jacks. No matter how level or solid the surface is, if the coach has been sitting on jacks. one may have leaked down slightly, or completely without being noticed, leaving your chassis in a twist.
I would suggest starting the engine, re-leveling so everything is up where it's supposed to be, then retract the slides.
I rarely park on unlevel surfaces, but recently while parked on the grass at a lake, I dumped the air, put down the jack pads, leveled the coach, extended the slides. When I left, I leveled the coach first, then retracted the slides, never know how much a jack pad sinks or a jack leaks down while sitting.

RandyRich · 11-01-2021, 08:06 PM

How about extending and retracting the slides on an Anthem that has been leveled using the airbags? 90% of the time I use additional air system that is built-in to an Anthem and Cornerstone to auto level and not bother with the jacks. I would think extending/retracting slides would be ok as the jacks are up and the coach is on its airbags and its level.

Tim Fox · 11-02-2021, 04:44 AM

I wouldn’t trust air leveling to keep house square. My air leveling always needs to be tweaked.

brobox · 11-02-2021, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Fox

I wouldn’t trust air leveling to keep house square. My air leveling always needs to be tweaked.

Ditto, I used air leveling on the 21 last night on an un-level site. The front end was so high, I used the double dump jack method to get the steps closer to the ground. I would not have trusted the air leveler to extend or retract the slides on this site