Slide out tie down

nij_tp · 11-02-2014, 06:50 AM

I was reading another post about drivers map light and someone had helpful put a bunch of links, So I am perusing the parts catalog (courtesy of winnebago) and I see these tie downs mentioned. I do have a slot in the slide and on the floor but no 'tie down'. Obviously winnebago thought that a tie down was needdd else they wouldnt have put them in. So my questions are 1) what exactly do the tie downs do? 2) do you think I should have a word with the selling dealer ( large (ish) chain of rv and camping stores) if this is a required item and its missing?

Thanks in advance.

Ramets · 11-02-2014, 06:55 AM

Slide out tie down? What's that all about? Never heard of that one.

Clay L · 11-02-2014, 11:10 AM

It is to prevent the slide from extending while driving. It is supposed to keep the slide from coming out a little in some conditions like a passing truck causing it be sucked out some.
When I bought mine new the bracket on the trim piece was already pulled out and the trim broken because someone had tried to extend the slide with it in place. They replaced the trim piece. I used it a few times and almost forgot to remove a couple of times.
Then at the factory I talked to Winnebago customer service and he said the thing really wasn't needed and didn't know why they included it.
I drove over 60,000 miles in all kinds of wind with no slide movement at all. When I replaced the carpet with laminate I removed the slotted bracket from the floor.

I would give you my strap but I have no idea where I put it.

bsamole · 11-02-2014, 11:36 AM

i have driven over 110,000 miles without the tie down and no problems.

"007" · 11-02-2014, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramets

Slide out tie down? What's that all about? Never heard of that one.

He maybe talking about the MANUAL LOCK's and AUTO LOCK's, 2/3's the way down in this thread.

spanuts · 11-02-2014, 05:19 PM

007 you have 2 blue flames and 6 yellow what does mean
thanks in advance

JBDISCOVERY · 11-02-2014, 05:35 PM

We have slide tie downs in our 1999 Discovery. The slide retracts and pulls tight to the side of the coach. The tie downs secure the slide in case the slide might move out. We use it always because it is a safety factor. Makes us feel safer. Glad FW put them in our coach.
Regards,
JimB

"007" · 11-02-2014, 06:35 PM

Spanuts, here is the break down on your campfires for the amount of posts you post.
That's in ten years, so you have away to go, good luck and keep at it.

peggwn · 11-03-2014, 08:06 AM

he first time we took our Suncruiser in for a repair, the service guys suggested NOT using those tie downs. 1. It would be awfully unusual if the slideout ever slid out on its own or because of a passing vehicle. The hydraulics would have to fail entirely before any of that happened. 2. One will forget that the titedowns are in place and when the slideout is extended it will rip the tiedowns off, either from the floor or the wall, damaging either the floor boards or the trim on the slideout. So, we packed them away and haven't worried since. Good luck.

AFChap · 11-03-2014, 09:23 AM

Ours came with a tie down strap for the lounge slide. As mentioned above they are a great way to quickly remove the trim on your slide out. I eventually removed the ugly metal bracket in the floor that it was supposed to hook to. We've traveled with this motor home for 10 years, and over 90,000 miles, and not had a problem. I always wondered if my slides need to be secured with a strap then why did the bedroom slide not come with one?

Hikerdogs · 11-03-2014, 11:59 AM

The "tie downs" are actually Winnebago's first version of a travel lock. As mentioned earlier it's intended to keep the slide in place when traveling. In some of the early wind tunnel tests the upper rear corner of the slide would move away from the body under certain circumstances.

Our 2001 Adventurer came with them and we used them for the entire 100,000+ miles we drove the motorhome. The only time we had a problem was when an uneducated technician chose to extend the slide without first removing the straps. The straps are no match for the hydraulic cylinders so you can guess what happened.

I do believe they serve a purpose. Some friends of ours broke a hydraulic line to the slide on a trip to Alaska. Without the straps the slide would slowly extend as they drove down the road. With the straps in place they were able to get to the nearest dealer for repairs without the slide extending.

As a side note there's been several discussions on this subject over the years. In the scheme of things there seem to be as many if not more people who don't use them than do use them. That got me curious so a few years ago I read dozens of posts on the subject. It seems that about 80% of those who don't use them have at one time either forgot to remove them before extending the slide, or had a dealer technician do the same thing.

Personally we always used ours. I find it hard to believe that Winnebago would go the expense of the design, parts, and labor involved if they didn't think it provided value.

NeilV · 11-04-2014, 03:37 AM

I have always used mine as they not only lock the slide for travel but pull in the top of the slide to prevent water infiltration from the top when driving in the rain. The top of the slide can kilter out on some of the early models especially if you drive with a front window open.

Bedroom slide on those coaches is a different design with no basement hanging from it and just one cylinder located under the bed inside the coach without the need for an equalizing piston. Since the piston is above the floor instead of under it then it automatically pulls the top of the slide in tight while in the living room with the pistons under the floor the slid cantors against the bottom of the opening and tends to leave the top not pulled in as tightly as the bottom.

Ray,IN · 11-05-2014, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hikerdogs

The "tie downs" are actually Winnebago's first version of a travel lock. As mentioned earlier it's intended to keep the slide in place when traveling. In some of the early wind tunnel tests the upper rear corner of the slide would move away from the body under certain circumstances.

Our 2001 Adventurer came with them and we used them for the entire 100,000+ miles we drove the motorhome. The only time we had a problem was when an uneducated technician chose to extend the slide without first removing the straps. The straps are no match for the hydraulic cylinders so you can guess what happened.

I do believe they serve a purpose. Some friends of ours broke a hydraulic line to the slide on a trip to Alaska. Without the straps the slide would slowly extend as they drove down the road. With the straps in place they were able to get to the nearest dealer for repairs without the slide extending.

As a side note there's been several discussions on this subject over the years. In the scheme of things there seem to be as many if not more people who don't use them than do use them. That got me curious so a few years ago I read dozens of posts on the subject. It seems that about 80% of those who don't use them have at one time either forgot to remove them before extending the slide, or had a dealer technician do the same thing.

Personally we always used ours. I find it hard to believe that Winnebago would go the expense of the design, parts, and labor involved if they didn't think it provided value.

The above-in red, is really unusual and improbable IMO. Our MH has the ty-down strap on the front of the slide, not much good if the rear of the slide is subject to moving out.
My strap is stored in my toolbox, never used.