Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.
Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Paul Clayton
Table of Contents
A Complete Guide To RV Slide Outs 5 Things You Must Know
I’m a full-time RVer, and I usually travel with my wife, two boys (4,6), and two German shepherds. Space is premium in our rig, and I could never go back to not having an RV slide out.
I mean, RV slideouts open up a rig and make a huge difference in the overall space, especially if you’ve opposing slides in the same room.
Slideouts make our RV roomy, and being able to pass someone without squeezing by in the galley is a game-changer.
But, I’ve to admit, having an RV with a slideout comes with a share of additional maintenance. But not a ton. After all, slide-outs have more roof surfaces and joints, potentially leak points.
However, as long as you properly maintain your unit and get it serviced regularly, you should never have a problem.
What’s less obvious about RV slideouts is how they fit your rig’s floor plan, camping needs, and personal preferences.
Our guide below will detail everything about RV slideouts, how they work and how to pick the right slide system.
What is an RV Slide Out and How Does It Work?
An RV slideout, commonly known as an RV slide, is a hard-sided “pop-out.” It’s a cut-out portion of your RV, which extends or retracts to extend the livable RV space.
Usually, the slide is moved from the retracted to an extendable position through hydraulic, electrical, or manual.
Most slideouts are a combination of electrical/manual or hydraulic/ manual. So, when one of the systems fails, you can always use human energy/hand crank to move the slide.
The electric slideouts are more convenient because the operation is through the simple push of a button.
Slides in an RV are a crucial part of your RV’s overall design and are particularly handy for RVers who feel claustrophobic in their rigs.
Depending on the slide’s location, extending one will add space to your living room, kitchen, dinette area, or bathroom.
5 Different Types of RV Slide Outs Technologies
In the section below, I’ll walk you through the types of RV slide technologies and how they work.
Knowing the different RV slideout technology is important, especially when picking out a new unit and wanting to understand what might be better and the differences between various units.
It also helps you know how to maintain and troubleshoot if a system gets stuck.
1) Schwintek Slide Technology
The Schwintek slide system has been around for about a while. It’s not the most popular technology, and its bad rap has to do with misuse more than anything else (we shall see later).
Schwintek technology consists of aluminum channels or rails mounted on the top and bottom of the slideout. It’s similar to a rack and pinion-style system attached to the side of the slide.
It also has two electric motors which drive the worm gear system and the pinion in and out, using the aluminum track.
From personal experience, the Schwintek is a reliable slide technology; most of the time, you’ll see a similar mechanism on your RV wardrobe slides or closet.
However, Schwintek’s reliability stretches only to slides that aren’t too long and too heavy. The Schwintek slides are ideal for lightweight and shallow slides like a small bedroom extension or wardrobe slides.
What’s nice about the Schwintek system is that if there’s a failure or the motor gives out, it provides a manual override. So you can push the slide in.
You can reset or put it in manual mode and still have the slide-in, which is nice. And this is one of the primary reasons I’m a fan of Schwintek, especially when it’s used on smaller slides.
2) Rack and Pinion System
Next is a good, old-fashioned, and most popular RV slideout technology.
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a rack, a long tube with teeth at the bottom, and the pinion, a gearing arm going across that’s attached to a motor.
The whole point of the rack and pinion system and how it’s designed to work is that from the motor, the gear turns and either extends or retracts the slide in or out.
I like the rack and pinion slide technology because it’s effortless to operate, space-conscious, and has a few moving parts that could break or require maintenance.
The only negative thing about the rack and pinion technology is that it’s rather heavy and requires holes in the frame that must be reinforced.
Generally, however, the rack and pinion technology is the most tried and tested technology. It’s also the oldest technology and probably what you’ll see on units 20 to 30 years old.
They’ve used the rack and pinion style for a long time, and you tend to see it most commonly on high-end units.
It’s also popular on units that don’t focus on weight. If weight is a factor, and they’re trying to keep it down, manufacturers generally switch to Schwintec or cable-driven slideout technology for that.
Otherwise, the rack and pinion is a great system regarding user serviceability.
The only thing that can fail on the rack and pinion is the motor. While it’s extremely uncommon, when it does, you need to go under the RV for manual overdrive.
3) Cable Drive Slides
The cable slide-out technology is less popular than the previous systems, probably because of the price. It’s among the most expensive slide system.
However, it’s for a reason. The cabled slideout technology is ultra-light, yet it can accommodate the bulkier and heavier slideouts.
Aptly named the cable and pull system, this slideout technology relies on cables and pullies to extend and retract the slides.
The technology consists of eight cables running on both sides (4 on each). The cables run through a series of pulleys, and a gearbox retracts or extends the slides.
All the mechanical components that make the slide works are above, at the top, and on the inside.
So, from the interior perspective of your RV, the slide will stick in or protrude into the main part of the RV by several inches.
In my opinion, the cable and pulley system is okay for small slides, and where you run into problems, it’s likely with the larger slides.
While the cables are strong, some connectors at the end and other parts need to be done perfectly to prevent the system from sagging or failing. Plus, the cable will likely stretch and sag over time, so you must be careful and be at the top of your maintenance game.
The only thing I don’t like about this technology is if you have a cable failure, you’re not going to have a way to retract the slide in and secure it unless you fix it. The cables are what hold the slide in.
That’s my only gripe with cable and pulley RV slideout technology. If they came up with a redundant way to fix the cable or even run an auxiliary cable as a backup option, that’s something I would prefer.
Again, my biggest issue with this system is that if the cable fails, there’s not much you can do with the slide unless you get the cable fixed.
4) Hydraulic System
Now, back to rack and pinion styles, there’re two versions: one that uses a hydraulic pump and the other that uses an electric motor.
The hydraulic version is simply that. It uses a hydraulic cylinder to extend and retract the RV slideouts.
While the hydraulic system is much more complex than the electric version, it generates more power and is ideal for bigger, heavier slideouts such as the kitchen and living room.
It’s also much faster than electric slideouts and makes perfect sense if you install multiple slides. The same system can power different slides.
However, with a hydraulic system, you’ll miss the independent control of your slides. In short, you’ll have to follow the order in which the slideouts deploy, typically from the lighter slide to the heaviest slideouts.
In some cases, you’ll have individual control of the slideouts. Still, in most cases, it’s one button that extends all the slideouts in a certain order depending on how the hydraulic fluid is routed throughout the system.
If you have a failure, it’s still possible to retract the slid outs, thankfully. That’s one of the nice things about the hydraulic RV slideout technology.
However, you still need to fix your hydraulic system though. And if you’ve ruptured a line, it can prevent other parts of your system from working, including your landing gear or other slides. This is the only reason I’m not a huge fan of hydraulic slides.
5) Power Gear Slide Out System
The power gear slideout system is uncommon but used in situations with much heavier slideouts that Schwintec slide technology can’t handle.
This technology relies on an electric motor to expand and retract the slideouts. The sliding mechanism is installed under the slide and hidden from plain sight. It means you’ve to step up to access the slide.
I like this system, and while it’s not designed for heavier stuff, it works well and is reliable. Plus, it’s user serviceable, and in the event it goes out, you can still get your slide out to go in and out manually.
More importantly, it gives you a nice slide, and there’s nothing exposed outside. All your components make up essentially the first two/three inches of your interior of the actual bed space beneath
Are RV Slide Outs Worth It?
The worthiness of RV slides depends on how you camp, and that’s from personal experience.
For example, I’m a full-time RVer, living with a family and two dogs, and I can’t imagine my rig without a slide.
The slide opens up the space and makes my rig roomy. They also give me more usable counter space to work with.
But to be honest, though, I was initially against the idea of slides. And for good reasons, including frequent breakdowns and maintenance.
I’ve had to replace the weather seals, reseal the roof, and much more. All the things I was afraid of when buying
Despite all these annoyances, it’s still a worthy purchase. Having the extra room makes hanging around inside, cooking dinner, playing with kids, etc., much easier; I can’t imagine spending time in the cramped hallways of an RV without slideouts.
On top of that, many RV manufacturers hardly make RVs without slideouts.
However, even with the marvelous real estate, sometimes, it makes sense to get an RV without slideouts.
For example, if you’re a weekend warrior who spends a huge chunk of your waking hours outside, you would opt against the slides to reduce maintenance and points of failure.
Or if you’re only camping in nice-weather places where you want to be out all the time, having a slide doesn’t make sense.
We also initially had an RV trailer and did a lot of long-haul driving while spending the night on the side of the road, so that was a different story altogether.
If our kids grow up, I also see us getting a well-designed RV without slides, like an Airstream.
But for the time being, getting stranded in a week’s thunderstorms with my family and two dogs makes me question if the three slides in my RV are even enough.
Purchasing an RV with a Slide Out
The trick to purchasing an RV with a slideout is first evaluating the floor plan not only with the slideout but with it in.
Ensure you have a floor plan that keeps the RV usable, even when the slides are in. It’s important when you’ve overnight stops or when there’s extreme wind.
The thing is, slide configurations vary, and some are particularly useless, while others have little that’s inaccessible.
Many RVers will assume the slide will always be out, but some are unusable with the slide in.
For example, we have a few cabinets we use for food that can’t be accessed when the slide is retracted. So, we don’t put our foodstuffs there when on the road.
The good thing is dealers will always have the slide open. So, do your due diligence, and be sure to explore the floorplans and check on the accessibility of the different RV amenities when the slideout is retracted.
In addition, you also want to be sure your slide technology has a manual override. It’s pretty terrible to have trouble with the motor and not be able to move your truck because the slides can’t get back.
Last but not least but a unit with a ladder is installed. You’ll need to get up there to do the maintenance work on your slide. A slide with an awning is also a perk, especially regarding protection against leaks.
Best Practices of Using an RV Slide Out
You must follow some guidelines to keep your RV slideouts functioning in the best condition. Here’re some of the best practices to keep in mind when operating an RV slideout:
Only Extend the Slide Outs When Parked
When getting ready to drive, always ensure your RV slideout is in a retracted position. It’s not only for safety purposes, but it also has to do with aerodynamics.
On the other hand, if you plan to store your RV for an extended period, you must always retract the slideouts.
The walls and construction of the slideouts are generally weak and more vulnerable to damage than the RV walls. And therefore, if debris, snow, and other elements accumulate during storage, it could deteriorate the slide out.
Consider your Parking Options
Slideouts can extend as much as three feet outside the RVs main frame, so you must have enough space to accommodate the extension.
I would suggest that you have an extra eye watch over you when parking and extending your slide out to avoid damage.
“Support your RV Slide”
Don’t fall for these gimmicky jack things that go under the slide and “support” the slide’s weight.
Trust me, the engineers and creators of the RV slide designed the side walls, the frames, the roof, and everything to take that slide room with weight.
The problem with putting a jack stand underneath, then what happens is the camper will settle over time, and the slide won’t be able to settle with it. This will result in the slideout falling out of alignment, which often happens more than you think.
Use the Slide when Fully Extended
An important rule regarding RV slideouts is “in, all the way out.”
Remember, RV slides use rubber bobs seals on both the outside and inside edges. Now, when the slideout isn’t in or out, there’s no contact between the rubber seals, so it’s not watertight and will allow water and air to draft in. When you’ve it halfway, nothing is keeping the water out.
Manufacturers also recommend that you don’t walk on the slide out when it’s not out. The reason is that the flush-floor slides aren’t fully supported, and when you walk on one edge of the slide out, it’s like a crack or splinter.
Keep the Aisle Clear
You must also ensure enough room on the aisle when retracting your slide-in.
Flip-flops, shoes, and other smaller objects are dangerous and can throw your slide out of alignment. If the slideout pathway isn’t clear, it may lead to jamming, and continual resistance could damage the rails or bur the motor.
Maintaining an RV Slide Out
Talk to an honest repair shop, and they’ll tell you that slideouts are usually the number one repair item. They break, jam, kea, twist, and get stuck.
However, with proper care and maintenance, you’ll never have to worry about the slides breaking.
I’ve had my slideouts for over 12 years, and I’ve only had a few issues with mine. It took less than a day to fix.
While I can’t say about all mechanisms, most are usually pretty basic, and if you’re mildly mechanically inclined, it’s easy to resolve them.
But before then, my best advice is you maintain your slideout.
One of the effective maintenance tips is lubricating the slideout seals. I would suggest the 3-in-1 RV Care Slide out Silicone Lube. It’s waterproof, dries fast, and is an effective lubricant. It also inhibits rust and doesn’t collect much dust either.
Slideout inspection is also part of our yearly maintenance. We generally check for any abnormal wear or damage and see what needs to be replaced.
Generally, I like to do my maintenance at least twice a year. However, depending on where we travel, I might do it more. For example, I tend to do it frequently if we’re going to the coast, where we might be going through more of a salty type of air condition. Same case when going on a dirt road.
RV Slide Outs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Are RV slideouts worth it?
A: Yes, RV slides out are worth it, especially if you’re looking to extend the livable space in your RV. They make your rig more spacious.
Q: Are RV slideouts a problem?
A: The negative side of RVs slideouts is they heavy, bulky, and mechanical objects that can break. However, with proper care and maintenance, they should last long
Q: What is the most reliable RV slideout?
A: The rack and pinion system is the most reliable RV slide technology and a reason behind its popularity.
Wrap Up
That’s everything you need to know about RV slideout. They’re an awesome addition to you, RV, and fantastic when they’re working.
Get an RV with a slide, and you’ll enjoy more space! However, proper maintenance and care are necessary to avoid getting stuck somewhere because your slide won’t go in.
