Slide-out Frame Flexing - Not Closing Flush

[Kemp_H]

In December of 2021 we purchased a new 2022 Thor Chateau 25V Class C RV from Camping World in Dover, Florida (near Tampa.) We have had the RV for about 27 months, and have put 11,500 miles on it as of this writing.

We had a laundry list of ten things that needed to be corrected upon taking delivery. After nearly a year of back-and-forth with the dealer and with Thor, all issues have been satisfactorily resolved. What that means is Thor supplied a bunch of parts and I did all the mechanical and repair work myself. The dealer was useless.

Recently I have been noticing the slide was not fully closing on one of the lower slide corners. The top of the slide pulled into the body of the RV as expected, but the bottom rear corner was not pulling in flush, as it did when new. I chalked it up to a slight misalignment and hoped it would self-correct after the next in-and-out cycle of the slide.

Every time we opened the slide the problem got worse. It went from a quarter-inch gap to a half-inch gap to a one-inch gap very quickly. Last weekend, on a trip to Charleston, SC I watched the entire frame surrounding the rear slide opening flexing as we attempted to pull the slide in.

A bit of close investigation revealed that the rivets holding the slide frame to the RV body were broken and appeared to have sheared in half. In fact, the remaining rivets seemed to be loose. I finally determined that half of the rivets were not landed on any surface, but had simply been installed poking into thin air.

The rivets should have landed on some part of the aluminum RV cage that is the frame of the RV body. But most did not. So, when the slide attempted to retract, it pulled the Schwintek frame OUT of the RV body, rather than pulling the slide INTO the RV body.

After a bit more poking around I was able to find a vertical frame member near the positions of the existing rivets. I found some robust self-tapping screws and installed them next to the problem rivets and into the aluminum RV framework.

The issue was instantly solved and the slide now operates as designed. If I find the screws losing their grip or failing to keep things tight, I will replace them with through bolts and metal backing plates, creating a sandwich of metal that will guarantee continued and proper operation of the slide.

But for now, the repairs are doing their job, and we are back on the road waiting for the next big adventure.

[Vertisce]

Dang. Glad it's resolved. This is also exactly why I didn't want to get an RV with slide outs.

[Kemp_H]

I agree with you about avoiding the slide-outs, but when we were shopping this RV filled the bill, so we went for it. I've had RVs with and without slides, and for the most part, we have not had slide problems. This issue with the current "C" was a minor problem that looked (at first) like a major problem. I believe that, if the slides are correctly installed and properly maintained, they are not necessarily something to avoid. Also, we are fortunate to have the "DIY" gene, so these situations are not particularly daunting. However, I would not wish the problems we've had with this Thor product on anyone who is unhandy. I was told by a fellow camper who saw me looking at my slide that he had a similar problem and the dealer kept his unit for over two months before returning it, only partially fixed. I cannot imagine how frustrating that could be. Anyhow, the problem was easily overcome, and we are ready to hit the road once again, albeit with a fairly complete toolkit on board!

[Chateau_Nomad]

Thanks for posting! Would you mind posting some pics of your work for reference? This is something I like to keep as a reference for potential future slide issues.

With all their potential problems, we love our slide. It allows us to have a MUCH smaller coach for mobile maneuvering and travel, but allows expanding into a HUGE living space when camping. We would be absolutely CRAMPED in our motorhome without the slide! But when extended we have our comfy little hotel suite.

[Kemp_H]

I wish I had the foresight to take photos of the problem before I fixed it... but I didn't. I was focused on resolving the issue without involving an outside repair person or (God forbid) an RV dealer service department. Next time something fails I will take photos before, during, and after repairs.