Slideout and Flooring Problem on Reflection

[Mike Cleary]

We have a 2018 Model year Reflection 337. The kitchen slide out is tearing up the floor. We are going to be going in for repairs (warranty).

We have friends who have the same model year that had the same issue. Their dealer put in an updated (thicker) sub floor as well as a new updated floor covering, as well as updated slides and additional brackets (??). They were told the slideout/floor issue is a known concern on this model and year. That said, he looked at our slideout under the refrigerator and said it looked like the slide out had the additional slides and/or brackets.

Supposedly Grand Design knows about this and has made the upgrade on later models.

Can any of you fill me in on all of this? I don't want a patch job done as a repair.

Thanks very much!

[Superduty]

Mike,
I have a 18, 303. Slightly shorter in length, but more of less same layout. Just got mine repaired for the same thing (GD did approve the repair).
They removed the 3 slide Slides on the underside on the slide (1 each end of slide, 1 center of slide).
They also remove 1/2” of the bottom side trims on the slide(2 corners, and long trim. The black Trim pieces). They are now level to the underneath of the slide floor.
No new rollers. The only rollers are the 4 on the frame by the factory. And they repaired the floor.

When I take this slide out after this repair, it still glides across the floor appx 2-3 inches at the start, until the weight transfers the outside. Same when coming in, it hits the floor slightly before fully in.

I took sand papers and made sure all the rough or sharp edges on the bottom of the slide were removed. I also place a 1/8” board under the middle of the slide, where they remove the factory slider that caused the damage.
The slide will move the board 2-3 inch, but I did grab the board once and there was not a lot of weight there. But so I don’t need a repair again, I will continue to use the board.
It appears fixed. Time will tell.
Here’s what I’m trying to figure out. If the slide is so heavy due to the refrigerator, why is the center area where these problems seem to happen to our trailers and not under the refrigerator?
(Oh, I should add. The slider from the factory, was cut at a angle which was digging into the floor. The outer sliders were level.)
Attachment 20936. The picture is the only one I have. This is the center slider they dug the floor, which was removed.

[nyfingerlakes]

We had our 2018 303rls repaired with the same issue. Our floor tore under the refrigerator end, not the center, like yours did.

[Superduty]

Yours I think is the first I heard of on the refrigerator end. When taking mine in, the night before at a RV resort, another 303 owner there. His floor was tore where mine was. Seems there is no answer to why this is happening yet.

[nyfingerlakes]

Our tear was about 3 inches long, when we finally got it to the dealer for repair. It was just to the right of the island, when looking at the front of the fridge, but at the spot where the slide ended up when brought in. The floor appeared to "bubble" as the slide was coming in, so I was concerned when I first noticed it. The technician at the dealership saw the slide was "bowing" in the center as it was being brought in. Grand Design authorized adding another set of rollers to the center of slide, in order to keep it level. So far, no problems, but I watch every time I bring the slide in.

[Superduty]

The people I met with the same issue I had, the tear was right at the corner of the island to the back of the coach. Same as mine.
He had his 303 in once and they added a roller in the center. You should see the marks in his floor from the roller. They are terrible. He even had some thin sheet metal he use to put in the that area when moving the slide. One heck of an indentation in the metal also.

So, the guy I met and you got a roller in the center. I did not. Hum. Does not make sense. But, all I care about is
that it does not happen again.

Question: is that center roller leaving any marks in your floor?

[nyfingerlakes]

No marks from the rollers - either before the repair or after (so far), but as I said, I'm watching it every time I move it in. I think I've read (if I'm understanding the posts) that some people had plastic "plates" that the rollers ran on in their coaches. I never saw any of those in ours. My guess is that the 12 cu. ft. refrigerators are causing the problems. Probably no issues with the 8 cu. ft. models as they weren't as heavy.

[242 checkmate]

Steve. I have a question on the floors tearing. Did you have a floor problem before you added slide toppers. Toppers do hold pressure on the top of a slide when a slide goes inn and out maybe causing the slide to drag some.Just wondering if this could be some of the floor problems? Jim. (Checkmate)

Yours I think is the first I heard of on the refrigerator end. When taking mine in, the night before at a RV resort, another 303 owner there. His floor was tore where mine was. Seems there is no answer to why this is happening yet.

[Superduty]

Jim,
After the toppers. But what I think is, during the build, GD put 3 wood sliders under the slide. One each end and one in the center. The center one was not level, as the cut was at a angle. That end, dug into the floor, and tore the flooring.
So GD had the dealer remove these 3 sliders, and trim 1/2 “ of wood off the black trim pieces at the bottom of the slide(I call the trim pieces, toe kickers). The trim is now level to the bottom of the slide.
The slide still makes contact to the floor when starting to move out for 2-3”, but there isn’t a lot of weight in that center on the floor now. I think, the toppers do play into this somewhat, but at a very very low percentage.

I have heard that others without toppers have the same problems, in fact, meet a guy at Hidden Ridge two weeks ago. Center slider tore his floor-no toppers on his slide. Then another person reports a 337, floor tore under the Refrigerator area.
Poor design. If it is weight, support should be added during build.

[242 checkmate]

Steve. I understand what your saying. Our is an August 2017build date (2018 337) and from what I see we have five rollers. I have a new piece of toe kick from the damage that was done last fall when the refrigerator was replaced. I haven’t changed it yet but I’ll make sure the new piece isn’t thicker the what I take off. I was just wondering if the toppers could be causing something I had a topper on another trailer and the slide really tipped at the beginning and end of slide movement in and out Jim QUOTE=Superduty;241920]Jim,
After the toppers. But what I think is, during the build, GD put 3 wood sliders under the slide. One each end and one in the center. The center one was not level, as the cut was at a angle. That end, dug into the floor, and tore the flooring.
So GD had the dealer remove these 3 sliders, and trim 1/2 “ of wood off the black trim pieces at the bottom of the slide(I call the trim pieces, toe kickers). The trim is now level to the bottom of the slide.
The slide still makes contact to the floor when starting to move out for 2-3”, but there isn’t a lot of weight in that center on the floor now. I think, the toppers do play into this somewhat, but at a very very low percentage.

I have heard that others without toppers have the same problems, in fact, meet a guy at Hidden Ridge two weeks ago. Center slider tore his floor-no toppers on his slide. Then another person reports a 337, floor tore under the Refrigerator area.
Poor design. If it is weight, support should be added during build.[/QUOTE]