I built 3 prototypes and eventually settled for ordering the slides from liftco. I wish I had used one of my designs instead... The liftco unit is nice but it feels half assed compared to the rest of the coach.
Design 1) 8" channel with 1/2 nylon pads mounted above frame, (you could probably get away with 6". I used 2x6x.090 square tube with laser cut slots and a sprocket for motive power. (similar to a rollback tow truck)
Design 2) Similar to a cantilever gate. I used 4 steel sliding gate "v" rollers and built a ladder frame from two pieces of 2x2x090 parallel to each other (8" apart)with angle welded to them for the V rollers.
Design 3) 8" channel with nylon, two pieces of 2x2x090 welded in a ladder (6" apart) at the same angle as the inside of the channel. With this design I planned to use hydraulic power to operate the slide with a cam lock to keep it closed, (similar to rippers on a box scraper for a tractor)
Designs 1 and 3 were intended to use grease. I realize it's probably hard to visualize from the descriptions. I feel like the liftco slide is really maxed out at 1k lbs. I think the custom designs could have supported 5k easily. I'll take some pictures when I get by the shop.
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