Slide outs

[rlohrey]

Been away from here for a few months. I'm now reading a few mentions of 'slide outs' and would like to know some links that would show how these work and hear from some experienced skoolies on wheter they are worth it. Anyone have any help?

 

[ol trunt]

Ditto that request as I am about to start building a slide out as well :?

 

[opus-SKO]

Not many people even suggest sliders on an Entertainer, all that I have dealt with are a pain!

 

[GreyEagle-SKO]

Check out (a bus with no name _ yet)

He did a slide out on the rear of his bus.... gallery link http://www.skoolie.net/gallery/index.ph ... /reprobate

 

[ol trunt]

Thanks GE, Those pics gave me an idea how to get the slide out to work without those long tubes--put the rollers in the inside tube, 2 or 3 on the bottom and one on the top. That will allow for a much shorter mechanism and still support the slide out.

 

[lornaschinske]

Before you guy cut huge holes in the sides of your buses you need to do two things.

#1. Go over to Ian's forum and do searches on both the current forum & in the archives to read up on the folks who added slides to their buses. They will have links to all kinds of info.

#2. Go to two or three RV forums and read up on the problems folks have with slide outs.

HWH sells mechanisms to private converters. They used to have PDFs online but I don't know if they still do. Their PDFs were so informative that David worked out how to build a low priced system for the Eagle. We later dumped the idea because the cost per square foot was far too high. After much reading about the pro's/con's of slide outs we decided against it. Since we were planning a fulltime coach, we knew that the cold weather would cause us problems with a slide out. So many problems. Most folks that are pro-slide outs fall into a few categories: never had them (like the idea of gaining an 18" deep x 10ft wide strip of extra space), haven't had the slide outs very long or use the RV only for week end trips in mild weather, want to keep the "resale" value up on their RV (these folks also don't use the bathroom in their RV because they want to keep the black tank "pristine" for resale value). Downsides to slide outs is they leak water, drafty, mechanism breaks/jams up often. They creep out driving down the road. When the thing breaks down it's generally in the "out" position which means you aren't going anywhere until you get the thing shut down. The RV may suffer from "weak" areas from the installation of the slide outs. For us, it just wasn't worth it. Some RV sites will not let you open up the slide out without hitting a tree (that was from personal observations while living in public parks). I also object to being in a campsite that I am paying for only to have some moron pull in next to us, plant their RV right along the edge of the site then open their damned slide outs into OUR space. And yes, we have had that happen (one missed hitting our food cart by 4"). I bitched, demanded a severe reduction in site rental (didn't get it) and the other RV had to reposition their RV... and NOT open their awning on the other side (no room). Older RV parks are not always wide enough to allow an awning to be deployed on one side of the RV and slide outs deployed on the other. With slide outs, you may need to be looking for "Big Rig" sites that are longer & WIDER. They also tend to only 50 amp power and costs much more. You need to think about how you will use your bus before you stick a slide out in it.

If you go to Forest Camping which is a National Forest Campground Directory, you will find lists of campgrounds. In the descriptions is a section that says what the size of the "parking apron" is. The parking apron is the space where you park your bus/RV AND your vehicles that you drag along. Note the WIDTH and bear in mind it does not take in to account those pesky trees!...

(example from one campground in Lincoln NF in NM)
RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
Group RV Sites: No
No. RV Pull Throughs: 3
Waste Station: Yes
Potable Water at Waste Station: Yes
Average Parking Apron Size: 12' X 43'

Our Fav campground near Clayton GA
RV INFORMATION
No. Full Hookups (includes waste): 0
No. Water and Electric Only: 26
No. Water Only: 0
No. Electric Only: 0

No. RV Pull Throughs: 3
Waste Station: Yes
Potable Water at Waste Station: Yes
Largest Parking Apron Size: 12' X 70'

Indian Boundary... popular campground off the Cherohalla Parkway in TN
RV INFORMATION
No. Full Hookups (includes waste): 0
No. Water and Electric Only: 0
No. Water Only: 0
No. Electric Only: 88

No. RV Pull Throughs: 1
Waste Station: Yes
Potable Water at Waste Station: Yes
Largest Parking Apron Size: 10' X 40'

Cable Cove near Fontanna Village NC (there's only two of these wide ones)
RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
No. RV Pull Throughs: 0
Waste Station: No
Largest Parking Apron Size: 16' X 74'

Standing Indian near Franklin NC
RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
No. RV Pull Throughs: 4
Waste Station: Yes
Potable Water at Waste Station: Yes
Average Parking Apron Size: 10.5' X 52'

Van Hook Glade between Franklin & Highlands NC
RV INFORMATION
Hookups: None
No. RV Pull Throughs: 1
Waste Station: No
Largest Parking Apron Size: 10.5' X 57'

 

[GreyEagle-SKO]

Don't panic right yet...... From my experience with silde outs ( yours may vary)
Good advice to read up on silde outs....... find out which mechanisms they had problems with. You could probably design your own and do better than Lippert.
I have own'd 4 differnt motorhomes, 2 of them with slides, never a problem with either of them. Plus a 34.5ft HitchHiker 5th wheel camper with 3 slides.
The only problem we ever had was with the 5th wheel. The bedroom slide did bind up only because it was a........ Lippert electrical chain driven sildeout mechanism. The other 2 sildeout mechanisms were hydraulic and from a diffent supplier, I never experienced any failures, leaks, or creeping out driving down the hwy. Two of the motorhomes were Holiday Rambler motorhomes and all the mechanisms where hydraulic. They worked faultlessly. You do have to check the fluid levels an adjust them every so often depending on use. The other two motorhomes never had slides.
The slideouts mechanisms do have a crank in backup system in case they do break. While you will run into some cranky neighbors in RV Parks (quote) only to have some moron pull in next to us, plant their RV right along the edge of the site then open their damned slide outs into OUR space. unquote. for the most part never a problem but then we never camped in NM either.
The National Forest Service does have restrictions on the length of some RV's due to the small sites avalable at their parks, but I have never ran into a restriction on width. No need for a BIG RIG Friendly RV Park just because you add a slideout. The only restriction on slide outs will be trees..... Many people fulltime with slideouts, many of them will have as many as 5 slide outs per coach. Adds addition space inside you rig. The areas around the slides are reinforced to withstand the additional weight of a slideout, most slides add appx. 300 lbs per slide. True that 50 amp sites do cost more and older rv parks may not be wide enough but you do not have to stay there,(don't like where you are at) move, (don't like your neighbor) move, rig won't fit in the site) move... Thats the great part of being mobile and living in a condo on wheels..........
Enjoy your slideout. If you want it go for it. When you push the slide out to its out position and you see the extra space it provides you'll wonder why everyone doesn't have have one or two..or more.
Just do your research before you start cutting, remember measure twice, cut once.

 

[rlohrey]

Outstanding help, thank you all. In my mind, once you get past the 'glitter' of the extra room I see leaks, or problem with leaks. Anything man made breaks, no way around that and whereas the extra room would prove nice, the maintenance and mechanics of it moving down the road (closed, of course) boggles my mind. I imagine all the things that could go wrong. I've known and lived 'Murphy's Law' all my life. I've seen good planning on many of the buses on this site and believe the less complex the better. However, as I stated before, I'm curious to how they work and what problems they cause.
I having been trying to learn all I can about bus conversion and have spent many hours on this site. I was at the point of bidding on a few buses last year, but life, fate, whatever stepped in. Cancer was found in my wife's right lung the day before last Thanksgiving and I lost her the week of Christmas...3wks later. Now, I'm rethinking just about everything in my life and a bus conversion has less appeal to me. Well, that's not quite true. I always pictured us as a couple traveling.
Anyway, I'm reading about conversions again. Almost starting from scratch.
It's a unique endeavor. Flat face..rear/front engine, dog house. They all seem to have advantages and disadvantages. I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate having a motorcycle along. I've ridden most of my life and the wife and I were able to take a couple of trips. Her first trip, we went 3500mis in 8 days. More of a whirlwind. I'm now 57yo and choose not to sleep on the ground anymore. I'd rather not pull a trailer. Still pondering on how to carry a bike and not use up too much space. Something to think about and keep me busy.

Thanks to all that have posted on this site, I love it and am now spending much more time on it and being impressed by all that ya'll have accomplished.
Keep posting!

 

[lornaschinske]

Greyeagle... you encroach on the site that I have to pay $375 per month on, you will be either be "readjusting" or moving. I find it hard to believe that you would be so generous in the same situation. Especially when it happens repeatedly. The current neighbours managed to park within their site but the previous one would have parked their fifth wheel in our site if it weren't for the fact the sites are lined with telephone poles (and they tried to climb that!). Spend some time long term in a few campgrounds and then recheck your opinion. People just can't drive their RV or back them into a site! And weekenders are the worst!

 

[lornaschinske]

... I was at the point of bidding on a few buses last year, but life, fate, whatever stepped in. Cancer was found in my wife's right lung the day before last Thanksgiving and I lost her the week of Christmas...3wks later. Now, I'm rethinking just about everything in my life and a bus conversion has less appeal to me...

Sorry about your wife. i faced the prospect of losing my husband a little over a year ago. It's a scary thought. We have both always said that if one of us popped off, the other would keep on fulltiming. And yes, I would not move back into a house.

Lots of already converted/partially converted buses for sale at good prices. Maybe buy one that you can live in and tweak it to suit you.

We do have a plan to pick up a place in TX to park the bus on at times but no house. If we decide not to stay in TX or to buy another place, we can sell the first place and get our $$ back out of it (cheap vacant land that we improve)

 

[GreyEagle-SKO]

Greyeagle... you encroach on the site that I have to pay $375 per month on, you will be either be "readjusting" or moving. I find it hard to believe that you would be so generous in the same situation. Especially when it happens repeatedly. The current neighbours managed to park within their site but the previous one would have parked their fifth wheel in our site if it weren't for the fact the sites are lined with telephone poles (and they tried to climb that!). Spend some time long term in a few campgrounds and then recheck your opinion. People just can't drive their RV or back them into a site! And weekenders are the worst!

Be RVin since Feb 2000, Never had a problem getting into a site, or neighbors like the ones you speak of. My slideouts were always within the site for which I paid. But you are right about one thing....
If I ever had a neighbor like you I would move....
Have a nice day..

 

[lornaschinske]

[ But you are right about one thing....
If I ever had a neighbor like you I would move.....

DITTO! But I don't think it would be a problem. I doubt that I will EVER run into anyone from these or any other forum.

 

[bansil]

On the backing in
Every trip we make to arrowhead campground in UNF,N.C.(2x ayear for last 10yrs) there is always somone attempting to back in a class A or camper trailer,that doesn't know how or can't backup.
This blocks the road as we try to geta convoy of rigs out to the trails.
I have helped guide and actually backin abunch over the years.
Worst ones are the arrogant azz's who do not want help...and after a 1/2 hr decide to manuver around sothey can pull in....we always want to be there to watch they attempt to get out.it amazes me that anyone canrent something 40ft long and not have a clue...or buy and don't learn or practice the basics.
And I agree people that are on forums are not the ones who encroach or bother neighbors,it always seems to be the folks with money and no clue who are showing off their new toy to friends...
Sorry for hyjack

 

[Crazy]

I'm sorry to hear about your wife. Don't give up on the conversion.

I think slide-outs are cool...on someone else's rig. They do make a big difference on interior space. My friend full times and I can't believe how much bigger that couple of feet make. The main reason I wouldn't want one (besides the thought of driving off with it still extended ) is because it defeats the purpose of why I bought a bus, the safety of the school bus body. To put in a slide, you need to cut out structural supports. I'm sure it can be strengthened but I don't want to go through the hassle. If I wanted to look like a fancy pants RV, I would just buy the RV and be done...and broke...more broke than I am.

So when you boil it all down, I guess you can say I'm just lazy. I think I'll change my name to lazycal.

 

[GreyEagle-SKO]

On backing........ in

That makes for some cheap entertainment at the campgrounds....... as long as they are not holding up traffic or doing damage to someone or something.
I retired from the military in 1991 and got my CDL's shortly there after, sure comes in handy whenever you need to back something into a spot....

The people with da money and da big motorhomes are a hazard on the road to themself and others as they zoom around in their 40fters...

Happy trails.....

 

[Crazy]

On backing........ in

That makes for some cheap entertainment at the campgrounds....... as long as they are not holding up traffic or doing damage to someone or something.
I retired from the military in 1991 and got my CDL's shortly there after, sure comes in handy whenever you need to back something into a spot....

The people with da money and da big motorhomes are a hazard on the road to themself and others as they zoom around in their 40fters...

Happy trails.....

I love watching them fly down the Grapevine on I5 at over 70mph while the trucks and myself are keeping at 35mph. Im waiting to get to the bottom ready with the popcorn expecting to see a wreck from failed brakes or a RV with brakes on fire.

 

[rlohrey]

Lorna, thank you and congrats on your continued relationship. Enjoy it.
GreyEagle, funny you should mention the sticks and staples trying to fly: two Oct ago the wife and I were on the bike and headed south into Gainesville, Fl. It was 30min from sunset and 30min from the motel. Florida is cold in Oct and I was in a hurry. I was in the far left lane of 4 and cruising at 85mph. Imangine my surprize when a motorhome passed us...must have been doing 100mph. We caught them on the uphills, but dang he had that thing moving. So, yes they do get up to speed. I'm glad we didn't have to see him stop.

 

[somewhereinusa]

After retiring from driving a semi over a year ago, I still have more of a problem backing without a trailer

 

[rancid0076]

Anymore slide out ideas on how to cheaply do it. I'm gonna be living in mine in about 2 years with 2 kids and need atleast one huge slide out

 

[Diesel Dan]

I know this is heresy (or maybe blasphemy?) but at some point you have to consider whether it's really worth all the work and expense and risk of modifying a school bus to mirror something that already exists pre-made (ie: an RV with slide-outs). It might be easier to modify an RV to fit your other needs rather than completely re-designing a bus. I mean sure, the bus is a sturdier vehicle and has other advantages, but I see plenty of RVs from the 1980s and 1990s roaming around that have not disintegrated yet and would likely end up costing you less than modifying a bus to meet your needs. I have no regrets about converting a bus, but I did not perform any major alterations like roof raise, slide-outs, etc. But even with the relatively simple conversion I've done (still not finished!) I sometimes catch myself thinking: "now why didn't I just buy an RV??", and then I reassure myself that because of x, y and z reasons it makes sense. But I think the more time and money you put into it, the more that equation starts to shift towards it being a boondoggle. Of course most of us skoolies just enjoy building stuff, so you can't take that out of the equation entirely.