2018 Chateau Questions

[kkuff]

I have some questions.

I have a 2018 Chateau with the full-side slide out. After 24-48 hours of having the slide extended, the coach starts to lean (it's no longer level). I called Thor to see if they have slide supports I could buy and they said no. I also looked on line, to no avail. Any advice on how to stop the leaning?

Also, one of the drawer latches in the kitchen broke so the drawer opens during transit, and, obviously, it doesn't close properly. I could not locate the parts on the Thor page earlier. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[16ACE27]

Either manually lean the coach the other way before deploying the slide (preferred) or after the lean has occurred.

Amazon sells the drawer latches:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N77BKGH/

[kkuff]

Thank you for the link. Some other latches came up also, which I may try. I like the idea of a magnetic latch.

I have tried what you suggested about leveling, but it still happens. I will have to try some other things.

Putting out the slide really opens up the coach but I don't think the designers thought it through completely, nor did I when I bought it! Lesson learned!

[16ACE27]

Well, to fix the leaning problem you have to find the cause of the leaning problem.

If the jacks themselves are leaking down then you need to fix the "leaking" problem. This could be seals on the jacks or on the valves.

If the jacks are sinking into the ground then maybe something like SnapPads will rsolve the issue.

[EA37TS]

Does the leaning occur when you are parked on a solid surface such as asphalt or concrete or when you are parked on a softer surface such as grass or dirt?

It is also possible that there is air in the hydraulic jack system and the system needs to be bled. There are different procedures for bleeding the jacks depending on the system installed. You might call Lippert and talk to them is that is the system installed.

Did you buy this coach new or used?

[paulwadley]

Amazon sells slide out supports but you have to be very careful using them. They can damage your slide out if it moves or leans too far. You should have an rv tech check to determine why this is happening.

Paul

[JimOIB]

I have a Four Winds 24F with full slide. It has electric stabilizing jacks and not hydraulic. Not sure what your coach has.

Here is what I do to keep from leaning.

1. While leveling I add one extra lego block to the slide side of the coach to raise it a bit.
2. Run the slide out.
3. Run the slide side stabilizer out making sure there is a jack pad under it. I wait until the jack hits the ground and go another 2 seconds.
4. Run the other stabilizer out until it hits the ground and maybe a half second longer.
5. Do a fine adjustment with the slide side jack one more time.

The coach stays level until the grey water tanks gets about half full since it is on the slide side. However, the lean is barely noticeable.

I do slide first, then jacks. The reason is if the jacks go down first then the coach will pivot on this slide side jack as it goes out - the center of gravity of the coach is shifting and the jack acts like a fulcrum.

I do the exact reverse procedure for putting the slide in.

[kkuff]

The cause of the leaning, in my novice opinion, is the weight of the extended slide. I have electric stabilizers that I deploy last.

[kkuff]

I bought the coach barely used (it had less than 5K miles on it).

I am also USA (Ret)!

When I say "leaning" I mean that it is no longer level. It happens regardless of the surface it is on, hence the opinion that it is the weight of the full-side slide (behind the driver's door to the end of the coach). The full-side slide is a great idea but poor design without having automatic levelers!

[kkuff]

Unfortunately, Amazon only sells (or I could find) only female supports, which I bought. The track does not come out with the slide so I am using a female support with the female slide and it doesn't work. I looked for flat supports but couldn't find any.

[DbleDutch]

Originally Posted by jimbo12

I have a Four Winds 24F with full slide. It has electric stabilizing jacks and not hydraulic. Not sure what your coach has.

Here is what I do to keep from leaning.

1. While leveling I add one extra lego block to the slide side of the coach to raise it a bit.
2. Run the slide out.
3. Run the slide side stabilizer out making sure there is a jack pad under it. I wait until the jack hits the ground and go another 2 seconds.
4. Run the other stabilizer out until it hits the ground and maybe a half second longer.
5. Do a fine adjustment with the slide side jack one more time.

The coach stays level until the grey water tanks gets about half full since it is on the slide side. However, the lean is barely noticeable.

I do slide first, then jacks. The reason is if the jacks go down first then the coach will pivot on this slide side jack as it goes out - the center of gravity of the coach is shifting and the jack acts like a fulcrum.

I do the exact reverse procedure for putting the slide in.

We have the same unit and do the same process.
Only slight mod we do is use an 8"h block under the slide side stabilizer. This keeps the stabilizer contact point farther to the outside (slide side) to provide a wider support.

Original Poster- what model Chateau do you have?

[Bob Denman]

Don't use slide supports. If the coach tries to rock a bit, and the slide can't go with it...

[HarryS]

Originally Posted by kkuff

I bought the coach barely used (it had less than 5K miles on it).

I am also USA (Ret)!

When I say "leaning" I mean that it is no longer level. It happens regardless of the surface it is on, hence the opinion that it is the weight of the full-side slide (behind the driver's door to the end of the coach). The full-side slide is a great idea but poor design without having automatic levelers!

Automatic levelers won't keep the rig level. They just use a controller to make it level in the beginning.

[Bob Denman]

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1600622970

[Ninjatoto]

Since we don’t stay in a lot of places with paved or Level gravel spots I have Made up some jack pads out of treated 2x6x11 “ long and screwed them together in layers 90degrees from the next layer. Screw a little piece of cheap small chain to pull them out later, I’ve been using 3 stacks on boards high, not only is this much larger than the pad on the levelers but the jacks don’t have to extend as far

[Silverbeach]

Originally Posted by kkuff

I have some questions.

I have a 2018 Chateau with the full-side slide out. After 24-48 hours of having the slide extended, the coach starts to lean (it's no longer level). I called Thor to see if they have slide supports I could buy and they said no. I also looked on line, to no avail. Any advice on how to stop the leaning?

Also, one of the drawer latches in the kitchen broke so the drawer opens during transit, and, obviously, it doesn't close properly. I could not locate the parts on the Thor page earlier. Any ideas?

Thanks.

I basically do what Jimbo12 does. I cut pads from a barn mat (4x8 about 40$ at Tractor Supply) and put em under slide side front and back. Sometimes 1 but usually 2. Mud doesn’t stick in em and will last forever. Forget one, lose on big deal, cut another.

[Connieb]

We replaced the plastic drawer catches with these metal ones,so we only have to do it once,as the plastic ones break often. I believe we purchased these at Lowes.

[Glensouth]

Sounds like your leveler jacks are bleeding down.

[cannelle]

We have a Fourwinds 24f with full slideout and have the same problem, I had a quote for adding automatic levelers but there are expensive Cad $6300. So for now I leaned on the opposite side when I set up and most of the time when the slide is open it brings it back to a safe level for the fridge.

[MaceMan]

The drawer latches Thor uses are crap. Replace it with a magnet latch or one that uses a a shaped door part and a cabinet part with 2 spring rollers. I hade to do one drawer latch, so when I saw the low quality of the thor ones I changed them all.