# Rear Slide Out Bed Separation



## craigcd (Jan 2, 2015)

Hello everyone!

I have a question regarding the rear slide out bed on my.That being said I know there are several models that have the manual slight out rear bed with load bearing bars off the back so someone has to have experienced this before.

In a recent trip out I noticed that when the bed is extended the wall is separating from the trailer slightly, this is only on the drivers side of the trailer. When the bed is pushed in it looks normal and goes back into place.

Has anyone else had this issue or make a recommendation on a possible fix? Currently my support bars seem to be threaded quite far out, not sure if this is factor but adjusting them didnt seem to change the separation.

I would like to get this fixed and also re-caulk the seal to avoid any issues down the road.

I searched the forum in advance and wasnt able to find a post with this issue! Any suggestions on a possible fix would be great, thanks in advance!

Craig

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/IMG_20150405_105855.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/IMG_20150405_105900.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/IMG_20150405_105904.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/IMG_20150405_105907.jpg


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## Kelvininin (Dec 27, 2014)

craigcd said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> I have a question regarding the rear slide out bed on my 28KRS. That being said I know there are several models that have the manual slight out rear bed with load bearing bars off the back so someone has to have experienced this before.
> 
> ...


I have the same trailer. Best guess is that load bar support has come loose or did come loose from the frame, or the frame itself is failing. I think removing the inside wall below the bed is justified to find, and fix the problem. Hopefully its just a couple of loose fasteners.


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## craigcd (Jan 2, 2015)

Thanks kelvininin for the suggestion I will give that a try, its to bad I cant access the rear wall with the slide in so I will have to do it extended. Have you removed the rear wall? Is it complicated?

I assume there are strips covering screws that would allow me to access the area.

Thanks


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Actually the repair for this will be on the outside. The issue is either failed screws or failed weld n the rear wall.

Put the slide in and pull the white rubber weather cover from the back edge of the trailer, you will find the screws that hold the rear wall to the trailer. The wall studs/frame is made up of 1" aluminum box tubing. You will need 2.5" coarse thread screws. Preferably with the first inch under the head being smooth shank but those may be hard to find. Self tapping TEK screws are a good choice.

You will need to push the back wall forward and drill a small pilot hole through both sides of the back wall tube and the back of the side wall tube if you do not have self tapping screws.

You will want to install a new screw every 6 inches and may need about 15 per side. Start at the bottom and work your way to the top to finish pulling the wall in as you go. I would do both corners even if it does not look like it needs it at the moment. If you are successful the corner trim will pull back to the original caulk line on the side of the trailer.

Re install the rubber weather strip and you are good to go.


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## craigcd (Jan 2, 2015)

CamperAndy said:


> Actually the repair for this will be on the outside. The issue is either failed screws or failed weld n the rear wall.
> 
> Put the slide in and pull the white rubber weather cover from the back edge of the trailer, you will find the screws that hold the rear wall to the trailer. The wall studs/frame is made up of 1" aluminum box tubing. You will need 2.5" coarse thread screws. Preferably with the first inch under the head being smooth shank but those may be hard to find. Self tapping TEK screws are a good choice.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply camperandy. It sounds like you have experience with this repair, I am going to try to tackle it in the next couple weekends.... hopefully the upcoming one. I will take some pictures and post them back to the thread so others can benefit from the post hopefully.

So I assume your suggestion banks on the fact that the screws have failed, in the event that there is a failed weld what is the process? Is there access from the same location to weld? I have several friends that can help me out if so, just concerned about access.

Thanks again for the reply.

Craig


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

No personal experience but this failure mode has been posted on Outbackers in the past and this repair method was successfully employed.

As for access if the issue is weld failure verses screw failure. Once you pull the weather cover off the corners you will see the screw heads that hold the back wall to the trailer, you can try to tighten them and the ones that are failed will just spin. Most likely you actually have both screw and weld failure with the amount of movement seen on the pictures you posted and the repair is still the same if the issue is the back wall corner stud that is failed. If the repair I suggest does not correct the issue then there is possible weld failure of a cross stud, this will have to be accessed by pulling the skin from inside the back wall and installing gussets to the failed weld location. Not easy and not very pretty.

One caveat is if the issue is due to a stud failure on the side wall rear stud. Then there is not much that can be easily to repair the issue. There is no easy access to the wall studs without pulling the inside skin from the trailer.


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## craigcd (Jan 2, 2015)

Well it took me longer than expected to get to the repair but with a camping trip in the coming weeks I figured I better get on this. I spent a bit of time looking for the proper screw for the job and not sure if I ended up with the best option but it seemed to work. I ended up using 2.5 inch pan head screws with an aggressive thread that was reasonably fine. I was hoping to maximize the grip, and it seemed to work, the screw head is a robertson, a hex style head would have been better but I couldn't find the right screw with a hex head so I settled. I stayed away from self tapping screws as I have heard they are no good on aluminium. I drilled a 1/8 pilot hole prior to sinking in the screw which seemed to work really well, it was a bit odd blindly drilling into the wall so hoping there is no electrical in the immediate area which I highly doubt as there were OEM screws present.

So I am hoping the stud isn't broken and I don't think it is based on how well the screws were pulling everything together. Unfortunately I don't have room to extend my slide at trailer storage so I have no idea if the repair actually worked. I will post a follow up in the coming weeks and confirm. As far as I am concerned as long as the stud isn't broken, it is fixed. Regardless I hope I can help someone else out down the road who is having a similar issue.

Picture one is a shot of the OEM screws and the plastic cover removed.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/Trailer%201.jpg

Picture two you can see that I added the new screws in between the OEM screws, I used 12 for the repair and concentrated on the middle section where the issue was but added a couple below and above for good measure.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/Trailer%202.jpg

Picture three is another shot of the same.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/Trailer%203.jpg

Picture four is everything back together.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29679661/Trailer%204.jpg

Thanks for advice CamperAndy!

Craig


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## craigcd (Jan 2, 2015)

*Update*

Was out camping this weekend and was the first time I could slide the back bed out. The repair worked and is holding solid!


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## Jackie-Detrick (Sep 7, 2018)

Hi Craig,

My husband Detrick and I recently noticed this happening on our 2002 Outback 25' trailer... I am doing some reconnaissance for my husband in preparation to making the repair







... I was excited to come across this old post of yours and have found it very helpful, thank you! However I tried to access the old before and after pictures you included in this thread but the links are no longer available in the drop box... Would you by chance still have those pictures and be willing to re post them in this thread?








TIA









~ Jackie


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## Bert (9 mo ago)

craigcd said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> I have a question regarding the rear slide out bed on my.That being said I know there are several models that have the manual slight out rear bed with load bearing bars off the back so someone has to have experienced this before.
> 
> ...


I have a 2018 210 URS (cable slide system on 3 rollers) purchase use in 2020. In 2021 I notice the black plastic on the under side of the slide out began to crack and one corner is beginning to separate also there are multiple cracks forming. I contacted the deal and the replacement plastic is about $200 plus shipping from the dealer. The dealer quote $1,200 to $1,500 for the labor to remove the slide out, old plastic, glue on the new plastic then replace the slide out. Then he said he could guarantee the plastic wouldn't crack again. 
Anyone have any successful ways to repair the plastic without spending $1,500 to $2,000?


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I repaired the plastic under the rear slide on my prior trailer, a 2008 21RS. It had a manual slide out. I pulled it out of storage one spring to find the plastic had come lose from the door side channel on the slide, sagging in the middle and cracked. The bottom of the slide was plywood and I was able to install a grid of pan head screws to hold up the plastic. I made sure to keep the screws away from where the rollers contacted the slide. Once the plastic was back in place, I sealed the cracks with silicone caulk. 

I'm not sure if the power slides still have plywood as the bottom layer. I've felt the one on our current 2013 259RS and it seems less rigid than the one on the old trailer.





  








IMG_0009A.jpg




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thefulminator


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Jul 22, 2012


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## Bert (9 mo ago)

thefulminator said:


> I repaired the plastic under the rear slide on my prior trailer, a 2008 21RS. It had a manual slide out. I pulled it out of storage one spring to find the plastic had come lose from the door side channel on the slide, sagging in the middle and cracked. The bottom of the slide was plywood and I was able to install a grid of pan head screws to hold up the plastic. I made sure to keep the screws away from where the rollers contacted the slide. Once the plastic was back in place, I sealed the cracks with silicone caulk.
> 
> I'm not sure if the power slides still have plywood as the bottom layer. I've felt the one on our current 2013 259RS and it seems less rigid than the one on the old trailer.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information. 
I have used a stud finder and there is a stud running above each roller, so can't anker into those. Guess the best way to find out is to drill a test hole to see if there is plywood to hold the screws.


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