# Reinforced Rear Slide



## z06 (Jun 14, 2009)

On a roll with the mods. Seeing a couple of reports here where rear slides have broken and inspecting mine I reinforced the lower corners on slide where closing bars push it shut. I added 1/4 thick 2" by 4" by 12" long aluminum angles inside area where the closing bars push. Befroe adding these when clamping slide closed the 4" aluminum trim part that bars push against would flex quite a bit. With these reinforcements there is no flex. Seal contact down each side is better now also. Used epoxy to bond angles in place along with a few extra fasteners.


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## bob pohlmann (Jul 14, 2009)

I like the modification. I have a 2010 250 rs and have been concerned about this problem. I live in Port Orange, Fl, right up the road from Melbourne. Where did you get the pieces that you added? I would be interested in adding them to my unit.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

z06 said:


> On a roll with the mods. Seeing a couple of reports here where rear slides have broken and inspecting mine I reinforced the lower corners on slide where closing bars push it shut. I added 1/4 thick 2" by 4" by 12" long aluminum angles inside area where the closing bars push. Befroe adding these when clamping slide closed the 4" aluminum trim part that bars push against would flex quite a bit. With these reinforcements there is no flex. Seal contact down each side is better now also. Used epoxy to bond angles in place along with a few extra fasteners.


Nice job on the modification to reinforce the slide aluminum.







I have been trying to think of a way to do this and your idea would appear to be a good solution. Did you make those pieces or modify something off the shelf?
crunchman


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## z06 (Jun 14, 2009)

bonefish said:


> I like the modification. I have a 2010 250 rs and have been concerned about this problem. I live in Port Orange, Fl, right up the road from Melbourne. Where did you get the pieces that you added? I would be interested in adding them to my unit.


Got the pieces at a local metal shop. I used 4" by 4" angle and cut 2" off of one side. 3 by 3 would work also but still has to be 2" on one side to clear when slide is in. I did mill a recess down back of one side thickness of angle that goes forward on aluminum part on slide. Keystone needs to make hinges longer so bar moves inboard 1" and pushes against wall running forward and not cantilevered out on the thin aluminum trim part. I have no doubt that mine would have failed sometime down the road without being reinforced.


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## z06 (Jun 14, 2009)

crunchman12002 said:


> On a roll with the mods. Seeing a couple of reports here where rear slides have broken and inspecting mine I reinforced the lower corners on slide where closing bars push it shut. I added 1/4 thick 2" by 4" by 12" long aluminum angles inside area where the closing bars push. Befroe adding these when clamping slide closed the 4" aluminum trim part that bars push against would flex quite a bit. With these reinforcements there is no flex. Seal contact down each side is better now also. Used epoxy to bond angles in place along with a few extra fasteners.


Nice job on the modification to reinforce the slide aluminum.







I have been trying to think of a way to do this and your idea would appear to be a good solution. Did you make those pieces or modify something off the shelf?
crunchman
[/quote]

Modified a piece of 4' by 4' angle. See reply above.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

z06 said:


> On a roll with the mods. Seeing a couple of reports here where rear slides have broken and inspecting mine I reinforced the lower corners on slide where closing bars push it shut. I added 1/4 thick 2" by 4" by 12" long aluminum angles inside area where the closing bars push. Befroe adding these when clamping slide closed the 4" aluminum trim part that bars push against would flex quite a bit. With these reinforcements there is no flex. Seal contact down each side is better now also. Used epoxy to bond angles in place along with a few extra fasteners.


Nice job on the modification to reinforce the slide aluminum.







I have been trying to think of a way to do this and your idea would appear to be a good solution. Did you make those pieces or modify something off the shelf?
crunchman
[/quote]

Modified a piece of 4' by 4' angle. See reply above.
[/quote]
I have a buddy that works at a machine shop and another buddy paints cars, sounds like I need to have some pieces made up.
Thank you for the reply.
crunchman


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## Tyvekcat (Aug 28, 2007)

z06 said:


> I like the modification. I have a 2010 250 rs and have been concerned about this problem. I live in Port Orange, Fl, right up the road from Melbourne. Where did you get the pieces that you added? I would be interested in adding them to my unit.


Got the pieces at a local metal shop. I used 4" by 4" angle and cut 2" off of one side. 3 by 3 would work also but still has to be 2" on one side to clear when slide is in. I did mill a recess down back of one side thickness of angle that goes forward on aluminum part on slide. Keystone needs to make hinges longer so bar moves inboard 1" and pushes against wall running forward and not cantilevered out on the thin aluminum trim part. I have no doubt that mine would have failed sometime down the road without being reinforced.
[/quote]

Hmmmm. I like this too. I never noticed this on my slide. Good idea z06 ! I wonder if it would work on a 07 ? I wonder how the whole 'slide box' is made? 
Is it wood or aluminum? I may try to scrounge up some material.


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## bob pohlmann (Jul 14, 2009)

z06 said:


> I like the modification. I have a 2010 250 rs and have been concerned about this problem. I live in Port Orange, Fl, right up the road from Melbourne. Where did you get the pieces that you added? I would be interested in adding them to my unit.


Got the pieces at a local metal shop. I used 4" by 4" angle and cut 2" off of one side. 3 by 3 would work also but still has to be 2" on one side to clear when slide is in. I did mill a recess down back of one side thickness of angle that goes forward on aluminum part on slide. Keystone needs to make hinges longer so bar moves inboard 1" and pushes against wall running forward and not cantilevered out on the thin aluminum trim part. I have no doubt that mine would have failed sometime down the road without being reinforced.
[/quote]

Would you be willing to post the name and phone number of the metal shop in Melbourne. I will contact them. Hopefully they can make me a set and install them on my 250.Thanks for your help.


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## z06 (Jun 14, 2009)

bonefish said:


> I like the modification. I have a 2010 250 rs and have been concerned about this problem. I live in Port Orange, Fl, right up the road from Melbourne. Where did you get the pieces that you added? I would be interested in adding them to my unit.


Got the pieces at a local metal shop. I used 4" by 4" angle and cut 2" off of one side. 3 by 3 would work also but still has to be 2" on one side to clear when slide is in. I did mill a recess down back of one side thickness of angle that goes forward on aluminum part on slide. Keystone needs to make hinges longer so bar moves inboard 1" and pushes against wall running forward and not cantilevered out on the thin aluminum trim part. I have no doubt that mine would have failed sometime down the road without being reinforced.
[/quote]

Would you be willing to post the name and phone number of the metal shop in Melbourne. I will contact them. Hopefully they can make me a set and install them on my 250.Thanks for your help.
[/quote]

I just bought the medal from the from the shop. I made the parts to fit and installed them. Would be willing to make you a pair and do the install if you want to come down and help out.


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## Dave_CDN (Sep 13, 2007)

This looks like a great mod. I am wondering if you did anything to further reinforce the locking bar mounts ? I notice when I had my failure that one screw holding the locking bracket in place had loosened.


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## z06 (Jun 14, 2009)

Dave_CDN said:


> This looks like a great mod. I am wondering if you did anything to further reinforce the locking bar mounts ? I notice when I had my failure that one screw holding the locking bracket in place had loosened.


I have not done anything yet. May through bolt as has been suggested on this site. Did your screw come loose on bracket on the slide or on the hinge on rear cap?


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## Dave_CDN (Sep 13, 2007)

z06 said:


> This looks like a great mod. I am wondering if you did anything to further reinforce the locking bar mounts ? I notice when I had my failure that one screw holding the locking bracket in place had loosened.


I have not done anything yet. May through bolt as has been suggested on this site. Did your screw come loose on bracket on the slide or on the hinge on rear cap?
[/quote]

It was the bottom screw on the hinge.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

It was the bottom screw on the hinge.
[/quote]
Do you have any pictures of that hinge failure. It would be helpful to see. I had a stripped screw on the slide out brack on the 25RSS. They put an insert in there that just spins. and the top screw on the bracket had a bad head. I had to use an easy out for that one. I ended up drilling a 3rd screw hole to get 2 to hold well.
crunchman


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## 508Kevinp (Sep 21, 2008)

The screws in the bottom part of the locking hinge have stripped out on mine. I plan on drilling it through and putting a bolt. Anyone else have this problem? Do you think drilling it through will work?


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## Dave_CDN (Sep 13, 2007)

crunchman12002 said:


> It was the bottom screw on the hinge.
> 
> Do you have any pictures of that hinge failure. It would be helpful to see. I had a stripped screw on the slide out brack on the 25RSS. They put an insert in there that just spins. and the top screw on the bracket had a bad head. I had to use an easy out for that one. I ended up drilling a 3rd screw hole to get 2 to hold well.
> crunchman


It failed while we were on vacation so I had to fix it at the campground. I did add a couple of pictures to my gallery after I got home.

Damage to overhead track inside

Locking Bracket after repair_Lower Screw was out aproxiamately 1/2" I plug the hole by gluing a small wooden dowel in the hole and then reinserted the screw. It is holding so far and it has been about 2 months.

Hope ths helps.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

Dave_CDN said:


> It was the bottom screw on the hinge.
> 
> Do you have any pictures of that hinge failure. It would be helpful to see. I had a stripped screw on the slide out brack on the 25RSS. They put an insert in there that just spins. and the top screw on the bracket had a bad head. I had to use an easy out for that one. I ended up drilling a 3rd screw hole to get 2 to hold well.
> crunchman


It failed while we were on vacation so I had to fix it at the campground. I did add a couple of pictures to my gallery after I got home.

Damage to overhead track inside

Locking Bracket after repair_Lower Screw was out aproxiamately 1/2" I plug the hole by gluing a small wooden dowel in the hole and then reinserted the screw. It is holding so far and it has been about 2 months.

Hope ths helps.
[/quote]
Thanks for the pictures. When you took the screw out, was it in a stud or did they use the hollow achors like on the slide out? 
I am sure I will have to do the through bolt method at some point too. I already have the bolts in the TT with drill bits and drill. The only time it will break is on the way to or from camping which will require the on the road emergency repair.








Glad your repair is holding.
crunchman


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## Dave_CDN (Sep 13, 2007)

crunchman12002 said:


> It was the bottom screw on the hinge.
> 
> Do you have any pictures of that hinge failure. It would be helpful to see. I had a stripped screw on the slide out brack on the 25RSS. They put an insert in there that just spins. and the top screw on the bracket had a bad head. I had to use an easy out for that one. I ended up drilling a 3rd screw hole to get 2 to hold well.
> crunchman


It failed while we were on vacation so I had to fix it at the campground. I did add a couple of pictures to my gallery after I got home.

Damage to overhead track inside

Locking Bracket after repair_Lower Screw was out aproxiamately 1/2" I plug the hole by gluing a small wooden dowel in the hole and then reinserted the screw. It is holding so far and it has been about 2 months.

Hope ths helps.
[/quote]
Thanks for the pictures. When you took the screw out, was it in a stud or did they use the hollow achors like on the slide out? 
I am sure I will have to do the through bolt method at some point too. I already have the bolts in the TT with drill bits and drill. The only time it will break is on the way to or from camping which will require the on the road emergency repair.








Glad your repair is holding.
crunchman
[/quote]

From all appearance it was in wood, I used the smallest screw driver I had to poke around in the hole and it seemed to hit wood everywhere. I plugged the hole with a small wooden dowel glued in place with Gorilla brand "super glue". When I replaced the screw in the hinge it tightened up nicely so I remain hopeful it is resolved. I also now never tow with out a support under the bunk. I think I will pick up some bolts as well, probably the best insurance to never havingt o use them LOL.

Good Luck with your repairs.

Happy Camping and Safe Travels

Dave


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