Bus & Slide out conversion company!

[RV Mech Tech]

Here's a company that does bus and slidout conversions and they have installed a slide out in a 1989 Winnebago Chieftain:

www.morrisonsvipcoach.com

check out the pics of their conversions.   

[fgutie35]

The price for a 6ft. slide, is three times the price of my Elandan!

[tiinytina]

oh man.... I sooooo would love one for the couch area and one for the galley....  and when I told Pat the price tag... :)rotflmao
ah well......
Tina

[Peter_Crowl]

The price for a 6ft. slide, is three times the price of my Elandan!

No..No..it's an economical alternative to trading up to a unit with a slider. They said so right there on the website.

$22,500? Really?

Let's see...a quick check of Ebay Completed Listings reveals about 20 Class A motorhomes woith slides that sold for that or less as low as $9.500.


Huh.....you'd really have to love your rig to dump that kind of money into it.

[RV Mech Tech]

Yes they are pricey  and at those prices it would be better  to trade up to a unit that already had the slidouts (if there is one available for the earlier years for certain models) - I posted this so members could see what's involved and see the construction pics to give anyone who may want to attempt doing this  an idea of whats involved  including building the frame of the slidout, opening the hole up in the side etc.- there are CWVRV  members who have access to shop and carpentry equipment and tools and the necessary skills and I will bet that they could do this for a quarter of the price ( or less) themselves -   something to consider and the pics would be  great to see and there would be information for the resource list as well - I would like to see an 'eyebrow' model with a slidout ! - something to think about !   Y!

[Peter_Crowl]

Absolutely. If there was a way to DIY a slide into the Elandan I'd be very interested - my comments referred only to the price of rice ... so to speak.

What do they use for the actual slide mechanism? Building the enclosure can't be that difficult.

[Oz]

orrrrrr.....  I've seen travel trailers in the junkyard with slides...  Hm?  Buy the whole thing for a song, remove the slide and operating systems...

[RV Mech Tech]

I agree about the price being too much but at the same time they are skilled workers and they cater to people who have an extra bank account or two and their website presents an opportunity to others who want to take on a challenge and have the required facilities to take on a job like this-  Peter, there are several manufactures that  produce the mechanical  devices for slidouts not only in RV's but other applications such as wheelchair lifts, truck hydraulic and mechanical tailgate lifts etc. - three of the common RV manufactures are Power Gear, HWH, and Lippert and there will more than likely be more as time goes on - any fabricator will purchase any of these systems according to their specifications and requirements and  costs as well and  these would be new systems - another possibility is the salvage yards where you could purchase the complete mechanical linkage and system off of an RV that has the same size slidout as you would want to install - that way you could get everything you would require and build the enclosure yourself keeping the costs down  and the pics on their website could serve as a general guide for anyone thinking about doing this-  one of the other things that would have to be done is reinforcing the existing coach structure to handle the extra weight and also that extra weight would be loaded on a chassis that may not be rated for that weight -in other words the gross vehicle weight would increase and that would have to be taken into consideration when looking at a particular RV and may not be possible on some RV's ( I can just imagine the extra weight on those 'Full Wall' slidouts on  newer coaches!!!)  - also these slidouts on their website are all 'above floor' slidouts and not sunken in like some RV's where the slidout sits in a recessed hole in the floor when the so.  is inside and drops down when extended -  so having a shop do this conversion would be cost prohibitive for most  but is possible for someone to do to their own - it would be interesting to know what other members think  and maybe even suggest some cost cutting measures  - check out those  companies Pete for more info on the devices   

[fgutie35]

If I had the proper tools, I wouldn't mind trying it as a summer project. Only problem is that slides tend to be very prone to leak. Something I would like to avoid all together even if I have to give up two to three feet of lateral space.

[ibdilbert01]

Those pictures are GREAT!  Thanks for the link.   I've been pondering doing this to a Winnebago for some time now.  Really doesn't look too complicated.

[Peter_Crowl]

Weight...indeed...good thing I have bigger fish to fry  :~)

[RV Mech Tech]

Here are some more sites for bus conversions - I know I should submit them for the resource list but I thought I would list them here and Mark can change them over to the resource list later- a) www.buses101.com  b)  www.busconversion101.com   - lots of links   c)  www.walkercoach.com   - they have a pic guide for  "DYI  slideout drive & parts"   d) www.busrvparts.com -  do a general search on the net for more info as there are to many sites to list - also these sites have info on installing subsystems on the buses and there may be some usefull info there for vintage RV's.   

[Peter_Crowl]

Thanks Mike!

After a quick review - and some further digging  - I have to believe that putting a slider into a coach that's not designed for it is risky at best. If you had a motor coach - an actual over the road bus - then it's probably workable but RV's like ours lack the chassis capacity, and the bodies would suffer from the structural weakening of the Big Hole.

I see that a slide out adds 600 to 1,000 pounds. Even retracted that's a heck of a balance issue - not to mention the aforementioned impact on the GVW.

But the darn things sure do make the living space nicer.

Peter
Slip Sliding away
in Denver

[ibdilbert01]

When I find a 73, d27 in my price range, I'll take pictures the weekend I add the slider....    :)rotflmao

[Peter_Crowl]

We went to an RV Super Sale today - one of those deals at The Stadium.
Many used Class A units. $35 buys an excellent 2000 Diesel Pusher with Slide Out and a Washer/Dryer.
$25-27 buys a nice but not as oppulent 1999-2002 rig  - V10 gas powered - with slide out.

So putting what they want for an installation into one of ours really doesn't make economic sense.

[ibdilbert01]

"So putting what they want for an installation into one of ours really doesn't make economic sense.

Remember three things...

1. If you do it yourself it will cost a fraction of their price,
2. Sometimes we spend more than our rigs will ever be worth because we like the style or looks of the rig.
3. There is nothing economical about restoring one of these old rigs,   

[Peter_Crowl]

"So putting what they want for an installation into one of ours really doesn't make economic sense.

Remember three things...

1. If you do it yourself it will cost a fraction of their price,
2. Sometimes we spend more than our rigs will ever be worth because we like the style or looks of the rig.
3. There is nothing economical about restoring one of these old rigs,   

I agree with all but the cost. True  - if you're able to scrounge up the mechanism and can weld / fab the enclosure yourself etc., it wouldn't cost near their price. But if you're one who'd do a hybrid - hustle up the parts and then work with somebody to fab the box and mount the guts...I bet you - and by you I mean me - would be into it at least 5K.

To do it on a cool Eyebrow Winnie because you love it --- I get that. To do it on my '84 Elandan...I think would be a waste...and in either case would be a dicey deal WRT weight and balance.

Peter
Project Speculation is fun
in Denver