Finally yanked the slide strap out of the floor

Magumba · 12-18-2009, 05:52 PM

Guys,
I was putting the slide out yesterday and forgot to remove the slide strap fitting in the floor. I was surprised to see it was fastened by two inch screws. Probably would not hold much.

What are your opinions of the slide hold straps usefulness?
Thanks.

fun time · 12-18-2009, 06:24 PM

Your question is one I have wrestled with for years. On one hand, and the following is a true story, I would not be without it. A good friend of mine had purchased a new DP several years ago (not a Winny brand). While going down the road the couch slide opened with his daughter sitting on it. It opened half way then banged back in causing his windshield to blow out. I am not making this up. Very scary to say the least. He is a real believer in locks for the slide outs now. His coach did not have the locks. I have owned two Winny's and my current one has the strap and my other one had a locking mechanism. I use it but often wonder just how much good the strap would really do in a situation like the incident above. I guess the bottom line is I will keep mine intact if for no other reason than piece of mine.

imgoin4it · 12-18-2009, 08:12 PM

When I had my Journey I pulled the strap out of the floor. Had an Adventurer before that and the straps on it had a frangeable link which i broke several times and had to replace the strap. After pulling the anchor screws out of the floor I reattached the anchor point but never used the strap. After a couple of years I removed the floor bracket and left it out. Never had a problem. When it pulled the bracket out of the floor there was no "strain" at all. The slide never slowed or hesitated. I think the strap is for show.

RVThere · 12-18-2009, 08:32 PM

With my old 2003 Itasca Suncruiser, my wife was demo-ing the slide out for some friends when I was not home and forgot to take the strap off.

She pulled most of the moulding off the edge of the slide out on the top strap connection. The floor connection held tight. I had to re-screw and re-bend the edge of the slide out.

We always kept the strap on when traveling but I think with the attached storage compartments, the slide was pretty heavy and not moving anywhere by itself.

indiana journey · 12-18-2009, 08:39 PM

When we were going through the "walk-thru" with our tech on our new 2004 journey he told us to remove it and don't use it. He said they had replaced many trim strips on coaches with the strap. Ours has never been used since we purchased our coach and we have never had any problems.
Indiana Journey

tomsm · 12-19-2009, 04:23 AM

I received the same advice as indiana. I've never used it and never had a problem.

rvten · 12-19-2009, 04:25 AM

When we had a 2001 Adventurer. I took the strap and stored them. Removed the bracket from the floor also. Those little screws that held the bracket would never hold that slide in.

I also asked the question from Winnebago about the use of the straps. Was told (I used to have an e mail reply I used to carry) that they were just comsmetic. To give peace of mine to the onwers.

What I always found funny. Was they give you some type of strapping or lock bar for front slide but never for the rear slide.

mrschwarz · 12-19-2009, 06:35 AM

We had an 01 Suncruiser. When we bought it (used), we got the brackets, but no straps. When I redid the floor, I removed the brackets and did not reinstall them. I never missed them.

Magumba · 12-19-2009, 01:36 PM

Thanks for your help.
We were told by the mechanic when we bought the camper to not use the strap as it was mostly cosmetic but I decided to use it anyway. I figured it can't hurt.
The slide moved with very little hesitation as it pulled the mount out of the floor. Who knows it may have been done before as the screws held pretty tightly in the rug.
Stay warm, lots of snow here in Pennsylvania.

Bob and Vicki · 12-19-2009, 04:51 PM

Pulled ours out first time we opened the slide. Threw it away. Never had a problem after that.

Bob Schuerger
2006 Meridian 36G - Chestnut

AFChap · 12-19-2009, 04:56 PM

Never used ours ... and eventually removed the bracket on the floor when I got tired of looking at it.

wagonmaster2 · 12-19-2009, 08:06 PM

I never figured the strap or connectors could hold against the power of the slideout motor mechanism, but always wondered if there was enough strength there to keep the slide-out from just slipping out by itself. We use ours but from the angle it connects to the slide-out wall it looks like the room would go out a ways before the strap could hold it.

I pulled the wall connector out on a previous Fleetwood I owned but haven't done this one yet.

Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

Dunnpe · 12-19-2009, 11:43 PM

Ditto here, showing of the rig to friends and forgot the strap was there and bingo it popped, never plan on putting it back. It did do a little damage to the molding which I fixed. Not going there any more.

DAN L · 12-20-2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magumba

Guys,
I was putting the slide out yesterday and forgot to remove the slide strap fitting in the floor. I was surprised to see it was fastened by two inch screws. Probably would not hold much.

What are your opinions of the slide hold straps usefulness?
Thanks.

if you have ever had a slide start to extend as i have with no input while traveling over the portland to vancouver I-5 bridge

, you would appreciate the value of the locking straps.

hydraulic pressure will easily rip the winne fittings off of the floor so remove the straps before running the pump.

i installed a strap for the rear slide also.

i also cut 2x4 lumber pieces to length and install them on top of the slide outs when they are retracted. i use ribbons on the lumber to remind me that they are there.

if you want more info on my particular slide malfunction, a long story, check my previous posts on this subject.

Hikerdogs · 12-21-2009, 08:12 AM

It's interesting that of all the responses against using the straps (9 so far) 6 people choose not to use them because they've made the mistake of tearing the fitting off the wall or off the floor. Another 2 are are not using theirs on the advice of a salesman. It seems only those who have had the experience (or have friends that have experienced) of a slide moving continue to use them.

There's no doubt the straps or screws are no match for the hydraulic cylinders. They're meant to help keep the slide in place should the hydraulic system fail or in certain windy conditions. On our 2007 Alaska Caravan the host parked a little too close to the boulders marking the perimiter of his campsite. He opened the slide without surveying the area and much to his surprise moved a boulder about 3 feet in diameter with the storage compartment door. If the cylinders are tough to move a several hundred pound rock what are the chances a couple screws could over power them.

On the same trip one coach developed a leak in the hydraulic line going to the rear cylinder on the main slide. After some work to get the slide back in place they were able to hold in place with the straps until they could get it to a repair shop.

We have never had any problems with the slide but always use our straps. I find it hard to believe Winnebago would install something like this for "cosmetic purposes". If the locks aren't necessary why would they waste the money on them. This day in age only the efficient well run companies are going to survive. Adding unnecessary equipment would certainly be at the top of the bean counters list of items to eliminate.

lakewoodpaul · 12-21-2009, 09:03 AM

I too pulled off the moulding on my 03 adv.and stopped using the strap, however while driving into a severe headwind in western N. Dakota I heard a slapping noise that sounded like my patio awning was flapping,while watching it in my pass. side mirror I again heard the noise but saw that the patio awning was not moving. What was moving was my living room slide. The wind was catching my slide topper and bellowing it out and pulling the slide out about 6 in. and than it slapped back in. You can bet I used the strap after that. Furthermore I wouldn't take too much stock in what a salesperson tells you, if the engineers design something into a product you should probably use it unless its a design flaw.

AFChap · 12-21-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

if you have ever had a slide start to extend as i have with no input while traveling

Quote:

It seems only those who have had the experience (or have friends that have experienced) of a slide moving continue to use them

It might help to define "start to extend" and "slide moving" ...does that mean the actuator actually engaged/pumps kicked in/etc ???

We have had a slide creep out a bit while driving on a couple of occasions, but it didn't go far. Pullover, cycle slide all the way out and all the way in, problem cured for short term. Replace slide solenoid, problem cured for long term. As stated before, I don't believe we ever used the strap on our large slide even onde. The bedroom slide didn't have one. I do have a telescoping slide-stop gizmo I used to secure the large slide until we got the solenoid replaced, but do not normally use it.

From what I know of hydraulic systems and human nature, I figure the danger of damage from using the strap, and especially the telescoping slide lock, is far more likely than any serious problem from not using a lock. If I had different type of slides (electric & gear driven or something else) my opinion might differ.

Hikerdogs · 12-21-2009, 11:51 AM

To me using the locking straps is much like wearing seat belts. 99% of the time you probably can go merrily on your way without them. It's the remaining 1% of the time you're protecting yourself against. If they're in place and something goes wrong you probably won't even know they did their job. If they're not in place when you need them you'll certainly know it.

Robert Rice · 12-21-2009, 04:33 PM

Having just gone through the painful process of bringing in the slides manually on my 02 Journey, I can tell you that it takes quite a bit of hydraulic power to move those slides! They just aren't going to move by themselves. If hydraulic power is applied inadverdently, no strap is going to hold it.

DAN L · 12-21-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

It might help to define "start to extend" and "slide moving" ...does that mean the actuator actually engaged/pumps kicked in/etc ???

We have had a slide creep out a bit while driving on a couple of occasions, but it didn't go far. Pullover, cycle slide all the way out and all the way in, problem cured for short term. Replace slide solenoid, problem cured for long term. As stated before, I don't believe we ever used the strap on our large slide even onde. The bedroom slide didn't have one. I do have a telescoping slide-stop gizmo I used to secure the large slide until we got the solenoid replaced, but do not normally use it.

From what I know of hydraulic systems and human nature, I figure the danger of damage from using the strap, and especially the telescoping slide lock, is far more likely than any serious problem from not using a lock. If I had different type of slides (electric & gear driven or something else) my opinion might differ.

you didn't read the last part of my entry.

to make a very long story short, my aft slide (bedroom) extended 9 inches while on the bridge and stopped.

when i finally was able to pull over and retract the slide, it self extended 9 inches again.

after replacing the extend and retract solenoids 3 times, it still does this.

i found that if i leave the retract solenoid release valve open about 2 turns and use the locking strap (about $35 from winnebago.com) that i installed and use lumber in the top, my slide stays retracted.

hwh still says that the problem is the solenoids, but after replacing 3 sets of solenoids, i am not so sure.

my temporary work around solution is working ok for now.