This Video goes over the entire installation process. Use the Video Chapters to go straight the part of the video that provides the detail you need.
The Problem
Most travel trailer and Fifth Wheel slides do not come with pre-installed skis or skids on the bottom. Our Grand Design Solidtude Fifth Wheel did come with Skis on the living room, passenger side, but not on the Kitchen, driver side.
Water dripping down the side of the slide can continue to wrap around the bottom of the slide and get the bottom of the slide wet. Sometimes the bottom of the slides are just plain wood, sometimes they are special water protected wood. Many slides bottoms are covered in a material that is designed to keep the water out but also breath like Tyvek protective barrier used on homes. Unfortunately this is very inadaquate protection from slide floor water damage.
The side of slide should be designed so the water dripping off does not wrap under the slide and soak into the slide bottom and floor.
Most RVs used to come with carpeted floors which would not be be damaged by the slide coming in and out. Modern RVs have vinyl, wood or tile floors. When the slide comes in, the bottom of the slide can make marks on the floor.
The Solution
Slide Skis are made from ABS plastic and wrap around the side of the slide and cover about 6 inches of the bottom.
Installing the Duo Form Skis to the bottom of the slide had two purposes
1. Provides a drip edge to the slide of the slide and keeps water from getting to the slide floor bottom.
2. Protects the floor of the RV when the slide comes in and out.
The Installation
Installing the skis is not difficult and can be done by anyone with some DIY skills. The hardest part of the installation is jacking up the slide just the right amount being sure not to damage the top of the slide.
The slide must be lifted to position the ski under the front edge of the slide.
Steps
Open the slide about 90 percent leaving about 8 inches still inside the RV.
Position the jack under the slide, making sure the jack and the slide are well supported.
Jack up the slide about 1 to 2 inches, and put a safety block under the front of the slide
Remove the screws that hold on the bottom bracket.
Remove the old ski using a putty knife if there is an old damaged ski.
Access the quality of the wood on the floor.
Dry the wood completely before installing the ski.
Clean off any old adhesive, sealant tape or sealant with a putty knife and mineral Spirits.
Measure the approximate length the ski needs to be.
Cut the ski to length making sure you cut it for the right or left side. (Cut about 2 inches too long)
Test fit the ski in place, making a mark with a silver sharpie of the final length.
Trim the length
With the Ski in place, trim the plastic anywhere it need to be trimmed to fit the front of the slide.
Apply at least one strip of the double sided tape that came in the duo form ski kit, the lenght of the ski.
Apply at least one strip of butyl tape the length of the ski.
Make sure you leave a length of the non-adhesive backing to use a pull tab.
Put the ski back into position and confirm the front and back of the ski are properly placed.
Peel the backing off the double sided tape and the butyl tape
Use a mallet or a roller to make sure the tape has made good contact with the slide.
Screw the bracket back into its original position using new #10 Stainless Steel Screws, 1.5 to 2 inches in length
Use ProFlex RV sealant to seal all edges of the bracket, where it makes contact with the slide and th newly installed ski.
You will have to move the slide in and out to get to the portion of the bracket that is concealed by the RV wall.
Allow the sealant to dry overnight.
Move the slide in and out completely to make sure it moves smoothly.
Run water over the side of the slide to make sure it is dripping off the edges as designed.
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Please leave a comment below if you want to share your experiences, but if you have a question for us leave it in the comments section of the youtube video above as we will respond to it quicker there.