The Lug_Nut report. Through the years we have seen motor home and trailer slides multiply. First there was one, then two, and soon after three and four. In the last couple of years the full wall slide has made an appearance. Is that it? Are we done with slide out innovations? It would appear not.
The Monaco Dynasty, for one, is now offering a five slide. Now, more than four slides, two each side, five does not sound very appealing. After all, what can an additional slide offer that can not be accomplished with a good four slide floor plan? Well, apparently, lots.
Monaco’s fifth slide is actually a slide within a slide, or telescopic. The design is capable of expanding the salon area by as much as five or six feet. This is a very dramatic difference from the normal two or three feet offered by there competitors. It also opens up the possibility for some all new floor plans. The floor plan shown in the photos is the Majestic V.
Why is this such a great design? After all, anyone could just add a 5 or 6 foot slide and have the same effect. Wrong. The beauty of this design can be quickly seen when the slides are in the retract travel position. The interior is still livable. You can get to the bathroom and move about just as you could in a conventional 4 slide. Any single slide much deeper than 36” would render the interior nearly unusable in the travel mode.
So, hats off to Monaco on this one. Their innovative designing may have made what was considered great even greater.
With An Innovative Product – Lug_Nut – Peter Mercer
Pingback: url
Pingback: site
Marty
Well. here we go again. Something else I can dream about but will never own unless I hit the lottery. Oh well, it’s got to be good for somebodies economy.
Thanks
Marty
Lug_Nut
Bubba, Well, hopefully the extra slide could be left not extended then it would be about the same as any 4 slide. Thanks for your input.
Bubba
Sure hope he’s not next to me when the grill is going.Going to be awful hot in the extra slide,not to mention the paint burning.
Lug_Nut
Ex11B, That sounds like an interesting floor plan. Thank you for sharing the unique design and floor plan of your rig with us and for your input on this topic.
Ex11B
I own a 2007 Damon Tuscany 4055 with 5 slides. In 2008 I believe they “split” my couch/kitchenette slide into two separate slides creating the 6 slide model. I am quite taken with my unit’s floorplan as it has a room divider across half the width that effectively divides the front, living/entertainment front portion from the mid-coach eating/food prep area. With the more-or-less standard rear bedroom this gives a 3 distinct living spaces and a multi-room feel to our rig.
As delivered, a second flat screen TV was installed on the “back” of the divider facing into the dinette. We removed it, installed shelving and doors to match the others in our coach and improved our dry good storage by about 6 cubic feet.
Lug_Nut
Neil, You never know what will come next. Some will like it, others not. Thank you for your very imaginate input.
Lug_Nut
Manuel Enos, I don’t know that the jacks would be any less sable, however there certainly is much more weight. The full slide is a nice option. Thank you for taking the time to post and for your input on the topic.
Lug_Nut
mommajoyce, Yes, there are other consideration involved when dealing with additional slides. Thanks for bring up some good points and for your valuable input.
Lug_Nut
John Adams, I agree with you, 6 slides seems too many and offers nothing better than 4. This telescopic however is very interesting. Thank you for your great input.
Lug_Nut
Herb Jones, If you read my earlier blog regarding no slide coaches you would probably feel the same. They offer a lot of bennifits. Thanks for posting your experience.
Lug_Nut
Mark, I hope not. Lighter vehicles are needed to reduce fuel consumption. Actually alluminum wheels can handle higher weights than the current steel wheels. Thanks for your input on the topic.
Lug_Nut
Beth, That is a very important thing to many, including me. Accessing what you need with the slides in is a requirement for most. Thank you for pointing that out and for your input on this topic.
Lug_Nut
Carl Stark, You hit it right on the head. Everybody likes what works for them. Thanks for the very fitting input.
Neil
I’m waiting for the full-on, TrailManor-style slide, so I can have a 2 story Class A when parked. Of course, the results would probably be like a Friz Freleng cartoon, with the contents of the first story all smashed. I’ll bet those clever engineers at Monaco could figure it out! hehehe
Manuel Enos
Little more stress on those already overstressed jack stands. Oh well, nice idea but I am happy with one long slide out that lets me in most any park even the cramped Lazy Days in Tampa!!
mommajoyce
correction: The result of all those slides will be VERY, VERY POOR milage, which exist today!
mommajoyce
Let them keep sliding out. I guess a six slide is next! The result of all those slides will be VERY, VERY MORE milage, which exist now! You might get 1
mile or less from a gallon of gas, because of all that weight! oops, I forgot a GAS CARD comes with the RV….lol! Don’t forget about trying to keep the RV cool or heated from the wear and tear of the insulation around the slides!!!!!!
John Adams
The 2009 Damon Tuscany #4056 had 4 slides in the living area.
Sofa, Dining, Kitchen, Computer work station. plus 2 bedroom slides.
I don’t see it in the 2010 lineup. They also built a #4055, 5 slideout unit.
In looking at the floorplan, I don’t really see a difference in the 6 slide versus 4 slides. Plus you have 2 “walls” in the middle of the living area. People on the sofa can’t see the people at the dining table. Looks like something designed just so they could advertise more slides.
Herb Jones
We do not have any slides, it was hard to find! We go to many old parks and even with no slides it can be a tight fit.
Mark
Next the coaches are going to need 4 axles and steel wheels to take all the weight!!
Beth
Can you access the frig and microwave while going down the road? When we have a long haul to reach our next destination, it is pretty nice to have some popcorn and a soda and not have to stop.
Our main issue with the multi-slides is lack of use while go down the road. Nice to hear about the bathroom accessibility!
Carl Stark
We enjoy the full slide on our “08 HR Admiral. It works for us. I agree with the premise that we all have our personal preferences. If my Full Slide works for me, and you prefer 12-slides, I’m happy for you and me. ENJOY YOUR RVing. Enjoy the scenary. Carl.
Lug_Nut
Art Armstrong, Actually, I think they are already there. There are units that have full wall slides on both sides. Thank you for that great thought.
Lug_Nut
William Robinson, Jr, I tend to agree with your statement. Most resistance on many options are probably people that have never had one or that. Great observation, thank you..
Lug_Nut
River, I am happy you enjoyed the article. Thank you for your input. You are quite correct regarding the drive behind the North Americain market. Spiked hair cuts never appealed to me, but I see some young people must like them. Thank you for your very fitting input.
Lug_Nut
Vegasdan, Perhaps, but each slide weighs far less than a full wall slide. I have 4 slides in my coach and have never had an issue with any of them. Thanks for your input on this topic.
Lug_Nut
Constance, The telescopic slide I beleive, can be stopped with only the first stage extended. This would be an aid in narrow campsites. Thanks for your comment.
Art Armstrong
I’m waiting for the mega slide……………right down the middle of the RV. The entire living area, from just behind the driver/passenger, both sides would slide out. Oh what a concept!!!
BTW when we bought our triple slide in 04 our kids called it the “pop out camper”.
Art
William Robinson, Jr.
I want one! Now where did I hide that wining power ball ticket? I’ve found that most people that don’t like multiple slides, have never owned a rig w/them. I can watch my 40″ mid-ship TV w/the slides in, while I’m RVing at the Wal*Mart camp ground!
River
Ok, two slides, three slides, four slides, five slides, six slides. Slide out, slide up. Maybe some other nice stuff. One slide is enough for me, but maybe not my crazy half-brother who sold the family farm and bought a Lamgorghini and a 45′ RV with mirrors on the ceiling and a patio on the roof.
Some of my neighbors may want no slides and some want no actual RV at all…maybe just pop-outs or maybe an extra room on the front of the tent is what they want.
The REAL issue here is that in this society – in America-, the MARKET is what drives the demand; not what some few non-buyer folks think. So if you disapprove of a product, you won’t buy it, but you just have to realize that the reason that someone made that product in the first place is that they clearly and undeniably perceived a demand for it. That’s what is behind the market-driven economy in America that got us this far.
You know, the market for a product tells you whether it can be successful. Not the opinions of a narrow slice of folks. You don’t like it, and you probably won’t buy it, but you just don’t understand the total market. Other folks may like it and buy it. It’s not an indictment on you whether they like it…see? Look at all the multi-slide units available out there, even though they may not park where you park at night.
After all, who would’a thunk that there would be such a healthy market for 45′ buses with mirrored ceilings and corian counters when viewed from the market in the ’70s and ’80s? Huh?
Good article, Lug_Nut. Thanks. And nice photos, too!!!
Vegasdan
You’ll have to start carrying slide shear pins by the gross now.
Constance
So now that “take my house with me camping” guy can encroach onto my site even more than he does now!
Lug_Nut
bilyb, That’s an interesting note. As far as “Just another problem”, yes, so can any slides, even one. That should not halt progress or we would have zero slides now, ans many would not like that. Most are prepared to deal with some issues of having the room slides provide. Thank you for your input.
Lug_Nut
John Adams, Interesting. I was not aware, and don’t really understand, that were a 6 slide coach. With all separate slide positions, the only question it bring to mind is why? Thanks for that heads-up and for your interesting input.
bilyb
it was invented by national rv. fof course they went bankrupt, them monaco bought some of their designs into use. just another problem area
John Adams
My dealer has a Damon with 6 slides on his lot.
But none are telescopic.
Lug_Nut
Cj Walkerr, We don’t all have to like it or want it, it is a choice. Different strokes for different folks. Thanks for your comment.
Lug_Nut
Ken Locarnini, Well, slide-ups? VW use to have a pop-up in their camper van. Thanks for your input on this topic.
Cj Walkerr
Ridiculous! enough said!
Ken Locarnini
That’s awesome! Wonder how that will work though with the cramped RV lots one encounters often. Guess we’re going to have to redesign the parks at some point. The RV is finally becoming liveable. Can’t wait for the slide-ups to start appearing!