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Bypassing coach safety devices


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I have a hard time wrapping my head around folks who want to by pass safety devices such as slide out control procedures.  Those devices are built in for protection of the coach due to mistakes from the driver, and possible malfunction of such devices.  I was driving behind a coach when their drivers side front slide started to open.  A oncoming vehicle hit the slide causing a wreck.  One person lost their life.  Sad.  It is a requirement of this group to sign posts with the first name, last name initial, year and model of your coach.  

Chuck B 2004 Windsor

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One of the most important safety interlock devices on the slide-out control board is the "ignition lock-out relay". If that is bypassed or not working this exact scenario could easily happen.

Having a slide move out a little while driving commonly called "slide creep"  has happen on occasion but that can easily be correctly. However, having a slide move completely out is a MAJOR problem.

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1 hour ago, Chuck B said:

I have a hard time wrapping my head around folks who want to by pass safety devices such as slide out control procedures.  Those devices are built in for protection of the coach due to mistakes from the driver, and possible malfunction of such devices.  I was driving behind a coach when their drivers side front slide started to open.  A oncoming vehicle hit the slide causing a wreck.  One person lost their life.  Sad.  It is a requirement of this group to sign posts with the first name, last name initial, year and model of your coach.  

Chuck B 2004 Windsor

I totally agree. Just shut the motor down, bring in the slides and restart the engine!!! What’s complicated about this, it’s a heck of a lot less work than trying bypass safety systems and running the risk of take the park trees home with you. Nuff said.

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In my 8 years of full timing I have seen a lot of mistakes coach drivers have made.  One comes to mind when one owner was so caught up in something, he drove off leaving his power cord connected and failed to disconnect his sewer hose.  I was parked in the lot at the Elkhart repair facility when a driver came in driving his Sig.  He circled the parking lot taking off the outside mirrors of 2 coaches parked in the end slots.  A couple  of us had to step in front of his coach to stop him.  His wife came out the front door with a walker followed by the driver cussing us out.  Chuck B, 2004 Windsor

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20 hours ago, DavidL said:

When a slide lock isn't engaged and / or hydraulic failure, then certainly it's possible for the slide to move while underway.

Very common for folks to drive with slide locks not engaged (circa mid 2000's).

I just cannot fathom why anyone would neglect to install the slide lock bars before driving. 😲
It takes what, 2 minutes, and could prevent major damage, or even save a life.

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Guest Ray Davis
1 hour ago, dl_racing427 said:

I just cannot fathom why anyone would neglect to install the slide lock bars before driving. 😲
It takes what, 2 minutes, and could prevent major damage, or even save a life.

I suspect that many readers don't quite know what installing slide locks means.   Many of us have coaches with automatic slide locks and perhaps could understand if  a picture was shown.  My former coach ( HR ) had manual slide locks and the hardest thing for us to remember was to be sure and remove them before opening           I remember in yrs past while shopping for RVs many coaches didn't have any locks and those that did the salesman didn't know what they were for.  Seemed  crazy,    me trying to educate the salesman.

 RV / Motorhome Slide Lock Tips... Dont Forget to Take out slide locks before Operation - Bing video

 Am Tech Sl-1323-1C 13 Inch X 23 Inch Slidelock RV Slide Out Lock, Size: 13 X 23, Black

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Ray,

I blame 2 people for that.  One is the motor home dealer for not educating a new owner on how to use safety devices, and coach owner for not reading the manuals that come with most coaches.  Some dealers have been known for removing manuals from a used coach before selling it.  A lot of owner issues posted on this site are from owners not taking the time to read the manuals.  A motor home is a very complicated vehicle.  There is the actual driving the coach, and then there is the living in the coach.  

 

Then there are the private sales.  Recently on the group there was a new coach owner asking for help after his purchase in a private sale.  The previous owner took his money from the sale, handed over the keys, and essentially said good bye and good luck.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

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I was a control systems engineer/programmer in my early career. You would be amazed at some of the things people would do to bypass safety equipment  in a factory. We have to "Dummy Proof" everything, but the world would always build a better dummy!

When I was in field service, we had strict orders to leave a customer site and call our manager if we found safety systems bypassed/disabled that wasn't related to the original problem.

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Guest Ray Davis
3 minutes ago, BennieH said:

We have to "Dummy Proof" everything, but the world would always build a better dummy

         👍😄

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We full timed 10 years. I made some CYA slide locks, just in case of a failure .

With the slide closed, measure from the inside wall of the coach to the inside of the flange, where the seal is, of the slide.

Get some 2 x 6 lumber, and cut 2 pieces to that length. 

Lay on top of the slide when closed.  We hung a yellow tennis ball on one that we could see, to remind us to remove when necessary.

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