# 2010 Outback 210Rs With Failed Slide Rails



## striddle

After returning from our last trip, my wife noticed that the bed "looked funny". I inspected it and found that both ceiling rails had ripped loose from the ceiling and bent down about 3". Two screws on each side had pulled through the channel and it had started to buckle. After I had recovered from the sickness from seeing it, I took some pics and sent an email to Keystone. A week went by and NOTHING. I called them and told them my story. I mentioned that I had emailed and she checked and said a woman named "Christine" was taking care of my "case" and I should hear something from her. I mentioned I had pics and she advised to email them to [email protected], so I did. NO RESPONSE. That has been another week and NOTHING. I realize the camper is out of the one year warranty but it is a 2010 model and has only been used less than 10 times. In my disgust, I have fashioned a temporary repair that allows the slide to function for now. I pulled the screws out and put the largest fender washers I could fit in the rail under the heads and reinstalled them. That pulled the slide back up to the ceiling (somewhat) and allowed the trolleys to slide. The rails will have to be replaced with new in order to repair it correctly. Is this something you guys have seen on a unit this new? I might "expect" it on an older unit but not this one. It looks and smells new. I am disgusted. Do you think I will ever hear from Keystone?


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## thefulminator

You are going to have to keep pestering them.

I have to ask a few questions. A 3" drop from the ceiling means that the whole slide out box had to rotate a significant amount. If the slide out box was able to rotate while retracted for traveling, then either the slide out wasn't locked in correctly or the back wall of the trailer flexed. There have been cases where the rear wall of the trailer breaks loose from the side walls. Take a look on the outside of the trailer at the molding that runs up the back corner on both sides. Look for gaps between the molding and the side walls.

Have you been carrying anything in the slide out while traveling? I called Keystone when we bought our 21RS and asked how much load it could take. They said no more than 50 lbs. My dealer had told me I could put whatever I wanted in there at time of purchase but I knew that wasn't right. You will find a lot of posts on this site about home made slide out supports that are used to prevent the slide out from bouncing while traveling and causing this problem.

Just be prepared because Keystone is going to ask these kind of questions when you do finally get in touch with someone.


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## pearldrop

That happened to us as well with our 2009 210RS. The rails bent right from the ceiling. The screws were fine but the rails literally bent and ripped from the ceiling. We did not go through Keystone because we knew we would get a hassle as we were out of warranty. We replaced the rails with stronger ones from unistrut. My girlfriend works at a machine/welding shop and she could not believe how thin the metal rails were given the weight they were carrying with the slide out king bed. She thinks Keystone cheaped out when they decided on the rails to use for the slide out as at some point they would likely fail.

I hope you get a positive response from Keystone. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!


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## striddle

thefulminator said:


> You are going to have to keep pestering them.
> 
> I have to ask a few questions. A 3" drop from the ceiling means that the whole slide out box had to rotate a significant amount. If the slide out box was able to rotate while retracted for traveling, then either the slide out wasn't locked in correctly or the back wall of the trailer flexed. There have been cases where the rear wall of the trailer breaks loose from the side walls. Take a look on the outside of the trailer at the molding that runs up the back corner on both sides. Look for gaps between the molding and the side walls.
> 
> Have you been carrying anything in the slide out while traveling? I called Keystone when we bought our 21RS and asked how much load it could take. They said no more than 50 lbs. My dealer had told me I could put whatever I wanted in there at time of purchase but I knew that wasn't right. You will find a lot of posts on this site about home made slide out supports that are used to prevent the slide out from bouncing while traveling and causing this problem.
> 
> Just be prepared because Keystone is going to ask these kind of questions when you do finally get in touch with someone.


I have inspected the outside of the trailer. I really don't see how I could not lock in the slide correctly? It is either latched or not latched? The top of the slide was compressed very tightly against the back wall and I fully expected to find cracks but I found nothing. I am amazed that the flange took the strain. IMHO, proof positive that the rails hold way more weight than they think, if the slide can move that much.

As for carrying anything on the bed, we never carry anything heavier than a pillow on the bed while it is slid in. I have always been paranoid about that.

Are the rails tied into the back wall or just held in place by the screws and the slide trolleys? Just wondering in case I have to tackle this on my own.


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## Chris210RS

The same thing happend to my 2009 210 RS. I just ordered my replacement rail from Keystone from my local dealer. It was 12.00 to 15.00 to ship it. I think upgrading the rail sounds like a good idea. If it costs 12.00 to replace it couldnt have much metal in it. I will replace this one and start using a support during travel. If that doesnt work common sense should have told me it was to good to be true.


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## rdvholtwood

It looks as if this is an ongoing problem/defect with these rear slide out models, I, too have had problems, and fortunately Keystone has contacted me. Our is a 250RS - 2009 model, and, like yourself feel that this shouldn't be happening. When I talked to keystone last week, I had mentioned that there where others on our forum that where having the same problem. For me, they offered to replace the rails. At this point, I am waiting to hear from the dealership in our area to set up an appointment to have them replaced.

A member here - Camping479 - had mentioned that in his research found that these rails are rated for no more than a load of 100lbs and that they are meant solely for guiding the slide in and not weight bearing. Also, that there the guides attached to the bed which sit inside the rails are adjustable such that would take the weight of these rails. I plan on trying this after I have the new rails installed. At this time, I am trying to get hold of Keystone support to discuss this adjustment with them.

For now, though, I would suggest that you keep calling Keystone and writing to them. If anyone else here has this issue they should also do the same. We need to let Keystone know this is an ongoing issue.

Keep us posted on your progress.


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## sptddog

pearldrop said:


> That happened to us as well with our 2009 210RS. The rails bent right from the ceiling. The screws were fine but the rails literally bent and ripped from the ceiling. We did not go through Keystone because we knew we would get a hassle as we were out of warranty. We replaced the rails with stronger ones from unistrut. My girlfriend works at a machine/welding shop and she could not believe how thin the metal rails were given the weight they were carrying with the slide out king bed. She thinks Keystone cheaped out when they decided on the rails to use for the slide out as at some point they would likely fail.
> 
> I hope you get a positive response from Keystone. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!


Any chance you can post a link to what you bought from Unistrut? I'm inclined to just make this mod - change out the rails, add some washers (because I think I read on here that folks have done with the factory rails and had success), and supporting during travel. It sounds as though if the bed is in the open position, the rails would just unscrew and be replaced with new pretty easily....


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## camping479

Before you install heavy duty track I would make sure there is no other issue with the rear slide as far as needing adjustment or failure of some other component. 3" is a lot for the slide to drop down and the ceiling track keystone used is not designed to carry much weight, if they were supposed to carry more weight they would have to be much heavier duty than what's there. If you install heavier track to carry the load it might cause a problem with the ceiling.

I'll be curious to see what Rick finds out when he talks to keystone.

Mike


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## pearldrop

sptddog said:


> That happened to us as well with our 2009 210RS. The rails bent right from the ceiling. The screws were fine but the rails literally bent and ripped from the ceiling. We did not go through Keystone because we knew we would get a hassle as we were out of warranty. We replaced the rails with stronger ones from unistrut. My girlfriend works at a machine/welding shop and she could not believe how thin the metal rails were given the weight they were carrying with the slide out king bed. She thinks Keystone cheaped out when they decided on the rails to use for the slide out as at some point they would likely fail.
> 
> I hope you get a positive response from Keystone. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!


Any chance you can post a link to what you bought from Unistrut? I'm inclined to just make this mod - change out the rails, add some washers (because I think I read on here that folks have done with the factory rails and had success), and supporting during travel. It sounds as though if the bed is in the open position, the rails would just unscrew and be replaced with new pretty easily....
[/quote]

My DH is off getting our new fifth wheel so I am not sure which rails he used. He never felt the same about the trailer anymore so we sold our 210RS and bought a fifth wheel.

While it is not a good idea to put on really heavy duty rails, the rails he used were appropriate for the weight it would carry. And the rails are carrying some weight in the closed position. They are thicker than the ones Keystone used, but not so heavy that it would make the ceiling fail because of the weight. He did tell me that he used metal tapping robertson screws (same length) and washers rather than use the same ones Keystone used. FYI,it is super easy to make this modification. It took him about an hour and a half by himself to do it. As you figured out, you just slide out the bed and the back wall is now carrying the weight of the bed.


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## Dave_CDN

We had this same issue during one of our first outings with our 2010 210RS. We had the dealer repair it and replace the damaged overhead rails.That repair lasted the rest of the season and a portion of the second season before we experienced a second less dramatic failure, this time only one of the "trolleys" detached from the overhead rail the other carried most o fthe load. This time the dealer contacted Keystone for instruction on a repair procedure and instructed to reverse the bracket and install a self-tapping screw to block it from disconnecting again . That failed , I believe due to the shaft head in the trolley being compromised, instead of being round it had been stressed by the previous failures and became more oval then round in shape. I found some pan head bolts that fit perfectly into the trolley at a hardware store and since installing them have not had a repeat failure. I now noticed that we have 2 stress cracks in the corner of the rear slide opening. We will be contacting Keystone to see what they recommend for repair of that subsequent issue.

What is most disppointing in this posting is Keystone's indication of this not being a known issue. I personally have opened 3 cases with Keysotne on this issuse and have read on these forums of several other exact or VERY similiar failures. It would be my expectation that Keysotne would certainly be aware of the issue and have a documented reliable service bulletin for dealers to use to permanantly repair this issue. I feel that in my case both times we went to the dealer he fixed the symptom but never addressed the underlying problem. If they use this method of repair your issue make ure you get the "trolley and bolts" replaced as well as the rails.


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## rdvholtwood

I've heard back from Keystone and has asked them to ask their technical dept if there are any instructions relative to the traveler (wheel) adjustments that Mike had mentioned previously. Replacing the rails solves the problem temporarily and I mentioned that we are interested in what we can do to avoid this issue in the future. They said they would get back to me if and when they find anything out. I also invited them to browse the forums here. At this point, Keystone had indicated that they had heard of the problem and were working with individuals on a case by case basis. So, if you are having the problem, call Keystone.

As soon as I get any more information, I will pass it on.


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## 4ME

I keep mine with a 2x4 support set-up underneath the bed when sitting and traveling. It only comes off when the slide is ready to go out.
I have slept on it with slide in and the support ther many times. Just make a 2x4 rectangle that fits snuggly and leave the bottom piece loose to slip under while holding up the other three pieces.


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## rdvholtwood

4ME said:


> I keep mine with a 2x4 support set-up underneath the bed when sitting and traveling. It only comes off when the slide is ready to go out.
> I have slept on it with slide in and the support ther many times. Just make a 2x4 rectangle that fits snuggly and leave the bottom piece loose to slip under while holding up the other three pieces.


Can you post a picture?


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## Silvrsled

pearldrop said:


> While it is not a good idea to put on really heavy duty rails, the rails he used were appropriate for the weight it would carry. And the rails are carrying some weight in the closed position. They are thicker than the ones Keystone used, but not so heavy that it would make the ceiling fail because of the weight. He did tell me that he used metal tapping robertson screws (same length) and washers rather than use the same ones Keystone used. FYI,it is super easy to make this modification. It took him about an hour and a half by himself to do it. As you figured out, you just slide out the bed and the back wall is now carrying the weight of the bed.


I too would like to know what rails you guys used. One of our rails just split at the end and was going to order a new one from Keystone but would rather get a stronger rail if possible. in the mean time, I made a front support out of some large PVC and it's adjustable to support some of the weight. Seems to help.


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## pearldrop

Silvrsled said:


> While it is not a good idea to put on really heavy duty rails, the rails he used were appropriate for the weight it would carry. And the rails are carrying some weight in the closed position. They are thicker than the ones Keystone used, but not so heavy that it would make the ceiling fail because of the weight. He did tell me that he used metal tapping robertson screws (same length) and washers rather than use the same ones Keystone used. FYI,it is super easy to make this modification. It took him about an hour and a half by himself to do it. As you figured out, you just slide out the bed and the back wall is now carrying the weight of the bed.


I too would like to know what rails you guys used. One of our rails just split at the end and was going to order a new one from Keystone but would rather get a stronger rail if possible. in the mean time, I made a front support out of some large PVC and it's adjustable to support some of the weight. Seems to help.
[/quote]

My husband will be home hopefully Sunday night so I will post the link to the rails and associated rollers probably Monday.


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## Silvrsled

pearldrop said:


> My husband will be home hopefully Sunday night so I will post the link to the rails and associated rollers probably Monday.


That would be great. Thanks.


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## msbrown51

What product unistrut was used. I need a fix fast as the dealers here are slower than...


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## msbrown51

Please list the size or product number of the unistrut. I need to fix it faster than the 2 weeks to get the part!


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## TwoElkhounds

Back when I owned my 25RSS, I used the simple support in the pictures below made from some scrap 1X4' and a couple hinges. The hinges allow the upper and lower bases to rotate and give you the ability to wedge the support in tightly. I never had any problems with my rear slide.



















DAN


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## msbrown51

Looking for the Unitrack rails. What style or Model Number?


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## pearldrop

msbrown51 said:


> Looking for the Unitrack rails. What style or Model Number?


My husband is out of town. He will be back tomorrow morning and I will post the link to the product and rollers.


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## striddle

Update: Spoke with a Keystone customer service rep who seemed very nice. He said he had reviewed my pics and my case and would like me to get it to the nearest dealer to have it looked at. The dealer we bought it from is about 3 hours away but he found a dealer about 1 hour from us. He gave me their number and said to have them inspect it for further repairs needed and get back in touch with him. There was no committment to pay for the repairs but it sounded like they were going to help in some way. I contacted the dealer and he was booked until early Sept., which is fine. I have made a temporary repair that will get us through our Labor day trip and then we will take it down to them. The dealer said he would have to bill me for the repairs and file a claim to Keystone, which I wasnt crazy about but it will work.

More updates as they come!


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## pearldrop

Silvrsled said:


> My husband will be home hopefully Sunday night so I will post the link to the rails and associated rollers probably Monday.


That would be great. Thanks.
[/quote]

Hi,

For those of you interested in the unistrut that we put into the 210rs here are the links:

http://www.unistrut.us/index.php?WP=cat_detail&CAction=Find+Part&P=p1000

http://www.unistrut.us/index.php?WP=cat_detail&CAction=Find+Part&P=p2750

The Rails are P1000 and the trolley assembly (rollers) are P2750. We painted them white to match as they are grey but we should have powder coated them. The rails cost us $66 Cdn and the rollers $75.28. They were't cheap and my husband has an account with them through his company so I'm not sure if this is preferential pricing or not. But this is much sturdier than the ones Keystone used. Plus they rolled much nicer. My husband and I always had to push the bed in and out together (really all I did was help guide) and afterwards, he could do it on his own.

Hope this helps.


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## msbrown51

Thanks for that. It is pricey. I found the manufacturer of the rail which is the "hanging roller track" system Keystone uses. Funny that it's used for doors according to manufacturer. This would explain the light apparent light duty of the tracks. I wonder how long those roller wheels will last. Anyway link to company: http://hangingdoorhardware.com/pocketdoors/pocket_door_track.htm. It's really problematic getting parts from Keystone (dealers). Hoping this will work without too much cost. I would prefer to get from Keystone as I will have to cut down the track to size but maybe I can get it without having to wait 2-3 weeks for a delivery to the dealer(if they bother to help me). Then of course I have to wait for them to let me know they have the part....


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## striddle

Well, here's the rest of the story. My camper was repaired by the dealer. They improved the repairs I had already made to the rails(installing fender washers). They said the rails did not require replacement. The good news is that it was less than $200. I called Keystone today to report to them what was found and look for help. Matt was the guy I was dealing with and he acted as if I had never spoken to him. I explained the situation and he agreed that the design was poor and that most customers had fashioned some type of prop for transport. He also said that Keystone was not going to help on the repairs because my camper was 2yrs old. I thought, what was I even doing wasting my time with them? I wish he had told me that up front instead of leading me to think that they were going to help by saying to get back with him after the dealer looked at it. He said he would pass it along to upper mgt that they should have a heavier system or a transport prop provided but there was nothing they could do about the existing models. Unbelievable. You can bet I wont buy Keystone the next time. I am a service mgr by trade and I wouldn't stay in business long treating my customer this way!


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## CautiousCamper

I had a similar problem develop with both rails in my 2007 26RS. I didn't even bother calling Keystone a year ago about this since there is no warranty and I wasn't going to debate the merits of their engineering. Sometimes you just have to let your wallet talk somewhere else. I reinforced the rails when I saw the last 6 inches or so start pulling away from the ceiling, but they need replacing. I ordered 2 from the dealer to be installed next week. One little tidbit of advice to save a couple of bucks for anyone: If you order some small parts from Keystone like my rails, you can ask them to have the factory deliver the rails in another trailer that is being sent to the dealer.(if you aren't in any hurry) That way the parts can have a free ride to the dealer. It doesn't make up for poor engineering and my cost to replace, but it's better than nothing. As a point of interest, I travel long distances with the trailer and with poor highways, the bumps and strain have taken their toll. I caught on too late, via this forum that I should have a bed support. I used it this year, and will continue to use it. The best ideas are here on this site.


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## Snow

Can anyone post pics of their supports they made??? Sounds like one of those "mandatory" mods everyone should be doing, yet very little in the way of posted pictures..

btw, great site lots of info for the first time outback owner ..


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## bbwb

Hi Snow:
Here is the one I made:
http://www.outbackers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33404&st=0&p=414376&#entry414376
It is kind of putsy to put together but is working well for me.
bbwb


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## 2011 210RS

There is a product that i have used in the past constructing work/test tables. Its actually very easy to work with and is extremly sturdy.
Its called 8020 and you can buy either metric or standard. It is aluminum.
http://download.8020.net/2011_Product_Catalog/Fractional_Section_9_8020_Catalog_17.pdf

Now I have some repairs to make.


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## moonshot

I wrote about my rail issue and replacement some time back. I bought a spare scissor jack from Harbor Freight and it has worked great for the past year or so. The only drawback is that it is quite a bit of overkill. I am going to make a much lighter one from aluminum in the next few weeks.


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## thefulminator

Here is mine.


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## kenmoffat

Is this a problem in later years? I'm looking at a 2013 used 210rs.


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## sl93z

I just had this happen to the starboard rail on my 2007 28 RSDS. Used a couple fender washers to fix it but after reading this I think I will go with the Unistrut replacement channel and roller (thanks pearldrop  ). What concerns me more is the crack that developed on the outside of the trailer where the aft starboard corner of the bed pushes in (bottom right from rear) . This crack goes horizontally from the bed hole corner to the edge where the rear and starboard panels meet. I'd hate to see it give way and the whole thing rip apart as I'm going down the road.


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## rdvholtwood

kenmoffat said:


> Is this a problem in later years? I'm looking at a 2013 used 210rs.


I don't know if Keystone ever addressed this problem with the newer models; however, I along with others had issues with my 250RS (2009), I called Keystone and they arranged rail replacement at a local RV Dealer. They installed 2 new rails with both new screws that were spaced 
2" apart. I've not had any problems since; when I was still on the road. I am now a seasonal camper so I don't have any problems now. What I am not sure is if, I was still on the road, if that would hold true.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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