When you’re planning to use your RV to fully experience the beauty of nature on your next trip, discovering your RV slide out is sagging can be a real bummer.
Slide outs are used to create more space in an RV. However, because these things are made of aluminum, they’re likely to sag.
To fix your sagging RV slide out, you’ll first need to know the reason behind the sagging. In this post, we’ll help you determine the reason behind the sagging and learn how to fix a sagging RV slide out.
Ways to Fix a Sagging Slide Out
There are different ways to fix a sagging slide out depending on the problem causing it. Let’s go over each problem and its respective solution.
Check the Brake’s Arms
The slip of the brake’s arms could be the problem because it withdraws the arms, resulting in sagging.
The sagging can also be caused by the drop of the inner floor’s outer edge from holding the slide out’s weight.
In both cases, sliding the slide repeatedly in and out will realign the brake’s arms and solve the sagging.
Cracked Bolts or Lost Accessories
Supporting heavy weights can cause the slide’s bolts to crack. Check your hardware for cracked or lost accessories and replace or fix them to get rid of the sagging.
Check the Slide Seal
If the sagging is in the seal, put a woodblock under the sagging area to bear the weight of that area.
Unscrew the track nuts at the hanging end with a wrench, and then use a probing tool to push against the rail and shift the weight.
Check the Slide Tracks
If the tracks are sagging, loosen the tracks’ nuts and spin them into their proper place. You’ll have to replace them if this doesn’t fix the problem.
Loose Screws
The sagging of your slide out might be because the screws need to be tightened. Check the screws and tighten them if they’re loose.
Leaks and Rust
Search for any leaks or rust in your RV slide out and repair them quickly to prevent them from getting worse. In case there are leaks in the frame, resort to a professional to repair them.
Adjust the Slide Out
A sagging RV slide out can often be fixed by examining its adjustment points. The RV’s slides are held up by a bar. You can change that bar’s position as you want by moving it in the desired direction.
If the sagging is in the front, loosen the nuts on both bar sides and move it out or in to get the proper height.
To adjust the back, loosen one or more nuts at each adjustment spot and retighten them once done.
Adjusting a Horizontal Sagging RV Slide Out:
- Release the holding bolts on each of the slide out bar’s end hooks.
- Press outside to align the room horizontally or insert a probing tool into the space between the room and the carriage.
- Fasten the bolts to ensure proper alignment after fixing the sagging.
Adjusting a Vertical Sagging RV Slide Out:
- Release the holding bolts on each of the slide out bar’s end hooks.
- Detach the jamming lock.
- Position the room height and fix the sagging by moving the vertical adjustment bolt downwards or upwards.
- Secure the jamming lock and the bolts after fixing the sag and positioning the room.
Add Slide Out Support
Using additional slide out supports may prevent or reduce sagging. You can buy these from any hardware store like Home Depot.
How to Prevent Slide Out Sagging in the Future
Here are a few simple tips that can help you prevent slide out sagging moving forward:
- Try to not overload your slide out by distributing the weight applied on it in a balanced manner.
- Inspect and adjust your roller track on a regular basis to detect and fix any sagging before it gets worse.
- Prevent future fractures by inspecting and replacing any faulty seals to avoid leaks and keep your slide out walls dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to level your RV slide out
- Make sure you have a fully charged battery.
- Remove everything from your slide out room and clear the space.
- Ensure you have enough room to extend your slide out.
- Loosen the leveling jacks to make your RV level before extending the slide out.
- Install balancing jacks beneath the RV to keep it from shifting or you can replace them with wooden blocks.
- Lock the travel lock if it’s on your slide. Press the button to extend your slide out.
What is the cost of repairing an RV slide out?
The cost of the repair depends on the RV’s size, the problem with the slide, and the amount of work needed to fix it. Slide out repair prices range from $500 to $2000.
Is it best to keep your RV slide in or out when storing your RV?
It’s best to store your RV with the slides inside because there’s a possibility of damaging your RV and facing such problems as leaky seals, damaged slides, or cracks if you store it with the slides out.
What is the lifespan of an RV slide out?
In general, the lifespan of a slide out is 10 years before it becomes a prevailing problem. The frequency of the movement of RV slide in and out is the main factor in their failure.
Wrapping Up
While RV slide outs can be helpful, they can also be quite the hassle, especially when they start to sag. Hopefully, we hope our guide on how to fix a sagging RV slide out has helped you deal with your sagging problem.
Learning how to fix a sagging slide out is good and all, but avoiding having this problem in the first place is even better. Try to keep your RV slide out in good shape by checking and fixing it regularly to enjoy it for the many years to come.