Slideout Rubbing Floor - A Temporary Fix

The edge of the floor of the slide in my coach deflects downward enough so that it rests on or contacts the tile floor during driving, and marks the floor with what looks like aluminum oxide -- a black deposit. It has done this essentially since new. I had some conversation with other D owners and with a dealer service manager, none of which yielded acceptable guidance (the service manager suggested returning to the factory for what sounded like major work, which did not appeal to me).

What I am doing which has prevented the marking is to put spacers between the tile surface and the bottom surface of the retracted slide platform, as follows:

1. After retracting the slide, I slip the tip of a thin and broad (2"wide) pry bar between the tile surface and the bottom surface of the slide platform at the edge of the slide floor (which is carpeted). The location of the pry bar is just rearward of the projecting corner of the dinette portion of the slide platform -- the forward edge of the pry bar is 2" rearward of this corner. This location is about "mid-span" of the slide assembly.
2. In order to get the tip of the pry bar underneath the slide platform, I bump the other end of the pry bar with enough force to move the tip about 1/2" - 3/4" under the platform. This lifts the platform 1/4" - 5/16".
3. I place two rubber spacers between the tile floor surface and the bottom of the platform, one just forward and one just rearward of the pry bar, far enough underneath so that they will support the platform.
4. The spacers are round and flat -- about 7/8" in diameter and 3/16" thick. They are made of slightly soft rubber, and can be sliced off rubber stoppers available at Home Depot, etc. To cut the rubber, I use a sawing action with a sharp knife blade and lubricate the cutting action with liquid detergent.
5. With the spacers in place, I pull the pry bar out from beneath the platform, allowing the weight to transfer to the spacers.
6. After the day's drive, before extending the slide, I replace the pry bar under the slide platform, located as above. While pushing downward on the lever end of the pry bar in order to lift the platform off the spacers, I use a retrieval tool made of ~16gauge wire to move the spacers out from under the platform. The wire tool has a semicircular hook which goes behind the spacers in order to pull them out.

Each operation -- placing and removing the spacers -- takes about 1/2 to 1 minute.

Any questions? Please let me know.

Submited by Don Carroll 2000 37V