Thor Forums

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Beau388

There are current three different slide mechanisms being used by the major manufactures. Schwintek by LCI is the most common and is named "In-Wall" slides because the slide mechanism is located in the coach's walls and rollers under the slide roll on the coaches floor. These in-wall slides require the coach to be level before operating. The engine should be running and the parking brake set to operate the jacks. Once level the ignition switch must be in the off position to operate the slides.

The second most common is the flush mounted, electrically powered slide where there is a geared track under the slide. The gears are on a common shaft and the tracks are fastened to the underside of the slide and contain ball bearings so the slide moves easily. The manufacturer installs the slides with the coach on air bags. Thus recommends the coach be on the bags when the slides are moved. To extend the jacks the key must be removed from the ignition, then the bags will deflate and the jacks level the coach.
Finally there is the in-floor straight out and the in-floor level out. These are hydraulically powered and made by HWH and LCI they are found on the more expensive coaches and require the engine running on bags to extend the slides. After the slides are out and the bags deflated the coach may be leveled using the jacks.


New to the world is air leveling where the bags are used to level the coach and there are no jacks. As small electric air pump is used to keep the coach level when the engine is not running.

I have an in floor slide and it does not require engine running to extend or retract. In fact with key turned on my slides are locked and cannot be operated.