20' Series Set-up and pack up sequence Expanda

[Lap Dog]

After some advice please ... fact or fiction

Visited a site a while back and the manager asked us if we were newbies (was it that obvious?) and if we wanted some advice. I was happy to say yes.

He said that if you should keep the legs down while you retract the club lounge and the beds (20' outback expanda). Reason being if the legs are up the van chassis may bend and the lounge will cross thread and not retract properly.

This makes some sense to me but it does add 10-15 minutes on to our schedule. I haven't seen this mentioned here. Anyone have any view on this?

Thanks.

 

[Crusty181]

Rubbish. The van would need to be twisted like a licorice strip to "cross thread" the slideout mechanism. It would be very difficult to flex a caravan chassis enough to affect the slide out, and even more to affect the bed ends closing. The van sitting unaided on its suspension would be more "relaxed" and free of any flex pressure, than when un-naturally wound up in opposing corners (im certainly not saying you would be able to place that much pressure on the chassis with the drop jacks, but the drop jacks are more likely to place undesired pressure on the chassis than the van resting on the suspension.)

Did he have any advice on WDH's and tow licenses???, there always good ones for the experts.

 

[Dobbie]

Agree with @Crusty181 !

The stabilisers are not legs and not designed to do anything but stabilise.....never use them to take too much weight.

and it's always preferable to get the van level before you drop the stabilisers....otherwise you're just creating problems.

Did that guy have any more advice? He reminds me of the old farts who sit around in parks like vultures looking for prey. When someone in a new van drives in they attack like March flies.....do this, do that.....we know best.

I'd certainly forget that bit of advice.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Yep I'm with @Crusty181 and @Dobbie

The slide out mechanism is mounted on the side of the slide and not the base, so even if the chassis was to twist, which is also pretty far fetched using the legs anyhow, it would not affect the slideout.

The motors are synchronised by a slide controller and can be calibrated to ensure it goes in and out straight (I've had to recalibrate mine)

Because the lounge in our 21 needs to be out to walk to the back of the van, sliding it in is the last thing we do.

 

[Dobbie]

You lot with slide outs are really suffering......

from being handicapped in moving around when not slid out to potential twisting of the whole thing ...

Just a question out of curiousity as we can't afford a slide out and thus don't have one....I'm assuming there's some way of manually operating it if your batteries are low.....and are they waterproof (or as much as you could expect)?

:rain:

Damn...I've digressed again!

:focus:

 

[Crusty181]

You lot with slide outs are really suffering......

from being handicapped in moving around when not slid out to potential twisting of the whole thing ...

Just a question out of curiousity as we can't afford a slide out and thus don't have one....I'm assuming there's some way of manually operating it if your batteries are low.....and are they waterproof (or as much as you could expect)?

:rain:

Damn...I've digressed again!

:focus:

Im with you @Dobbie, theyre posers. When I ordered my Expanda I deleted the slide out from the design much to their horror, and after much discussion, negotiation and finally a tantrum (from us and them) they conceded. The slide out became standard in 2014 (before we ordered our van) so our van is the last 20ft Expanda in captivity not to have a slide out, and a collectors item for being the only 2014 20.62.1OB without a slide out ... possibly making it worth $150k plus to a collector.

Ive mentioned this before; Jayco removed the slide out but didnt do a single thing to balance up that significant weight black hole. We ended up with a 3ton van and a 140kg ball weight. We almost needed a reverse mounted WDH upside down above the hitch to stop the back of the car lifting off the ground. (lucky we have a Navara) That's how we got away with our massive drawer bar box. We also had that 100kg + slide out weight added back to our GVM giving us around 600kg carry capacity .... adding even more rarity and value to our highly collectable artifact

 

[Bellbirdweb]

You lot with slide outs are really suffering......

from being handicapped in moving around when not slid out to potential twisting of the whole thing ...

Just a question out of curiousity as we can't afford a slide out and thus don't have one....I'm assuming there's some way of manually operating it if your batteries are low.....and are they waterproof (or as much as you could expect)?

:rain:

Damn...I've digressed again!

:focus:

There is no manual override for the slideout, but it will operate as low as 8 volts.

As for waterproofness, they do have seals which seem to work, I've never had any leaks

 

[Crusty181]

There is no manual override for the slideout, but it will operate as low as 8 volts.

As for waterproofness, they do have seals which seem to work, I've never had any leaks

I recall heaing or reading (and this wouldn't be the first time Ive completely made stuff up) that there was some kind of disengagement function so the slide out could be pushed and wound or gravity fed in and out. ??

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I recall heaing or reading (and this wouldn't be the first time Ive completely made stuff up) that there was some kind of disengagement function so the slide out could be pushed and wound or gravity fed in and out. ??

I thought that too, but reading the manual, there only seems to be an electronic manual override.

Not sure how a manual override can be electronic, nor how it's useful

 

[Lap Dog]

That's for your help. I realise that people are having a bit of fun about having a slide out but I remember back in the day having a fight over elbow space at the dinner table and I ain't going back to that....

The dealer told me when I bought the van that there was a manual override ... He pointed generally in the direction of the front seat (not the one with the battery in it). I'm a bit lazy and will only have a look if I am out of battery. thanks again.

 

[chartrock]

That's for your help. I realise that people are having a bit of fun about having a slide out but I remember back in the day having a fight over elbow space at the dinner table and I ain't going back to that....

There are some members on here that are a bit like that. But they also come up with good advice so you tolerate them.

 

[Crusty181]

There are some members on here that are a bit like that. But they also come up with good advice so you tolerate them.

um ..... :barbershop_quartet_member:

 

[warren cook]

Hey,

Another tip I believe I read on here was to keep your finger on the button when sliding in or out until the motor actually stops making a noise. Someone had an issue with the calibration of the slide out and Jayco told them to do the above so it stayed even on both sides.

Not sure on the validity but I now do it every time, maybe some of the more mechanically minded can explain whether its bogus or not.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Hey,

Another tip I believe I read on here was to keep your finger on the button when sliding in or out until the motor actually stops making a noise. Someone had an issue with the calibration of the slide out and Jayco told them to do the above so it stayed even on both sides.

Not sure on the validity but I now do it every time, maybe some of the more mechanically minded can explain whether its bogus or not.

Yep that's how you recalibrate them as well

 

[warren cook]

Good, I wont question myself everytime i'm standing there doing it now, cheers @Bellbirdweb

 

[Dobbie]

Another silly question.....we've seen some people in caravan parks with a control box of sorts on a cable.

Is that the control? I'm assuming it's wired to the 12v.

Apologies for obvious stuff for you lot with slideouts but I've never really looked at them. I guess they can't be fitted retrospectively.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Another silly question.....we've seen some people in caravan parks with a control box of sorts on a cable.

Is that the control? I'm assuming it's wired to the 12v.

Apologies for obvious stuff for you lot with slideouts but I've never really looked at them. I guess they can't be fitted retrospectively.

I've not seen that style of controller on a Jayco, they normally just have a switch mounted inside for in and out.

On the mobile command trucks at work we have 2 slide outs and it has a controller on a cable like you are describing so we can watch the moving parts as they are being operated.

Took inspiration when I designed it from the vans I've seen.

Price tag was slightly different

 

[Smirke]

While in queensland last year, saw a large heritage van in the park we were in with a slide out. I don't think they made them with slide outs, but could be wrong.