The bays on our Silversides are very short and we have a lot of stuff packed into our "Picnic Stuff" bay. I would like to build a tray and install full extension slides to pull that tray out with.
I know there are ready made slides that run about $700 for the slides and I have to construct the tray bottom and sides. I can handle that construction, but the budget is keeping me away from those slides.
I have found some 48" full extension slides that are rated for 400 lbs for $228. (They are like giant drawer slides)
Is this the way to go? Has anyone else created something that fits into a low budget? And allows for a basic pull out drawer. I would like it to be full extension approx. 48" or so in depth. The width of the bay is 54" clear side to side.
i am open to just about anything that will make getting our "Picnic Stuff" in and out easier. Any suggestions and/or pictures????
Here is a crazy idea: if you can install 2 U-shaped rails on the top corners of your bay that are twice as long as the depth of the bay itself (protruding into the bay on the other side) you could make a suspended tray that goes out all the way out using some sort of regular wheels and common stock iron or aluminum.
I used some Accuride slides to build a really long slideout tray for my travel trailer. They worked great. I think I ordered them from Rockler. The compartment under the bed was almost the full width of the trailer so the stuff in the back was impossible to get out before the slideout tray.
You might be able to cobble something up with garage door track and rollers.
I used some slides like the ones you are talking about Dave and they work .......... after a fashion. I've never regretted spending enough to do it right the first time and this is a situation where I should have spent more initially. It depends how much weight you plan to extend. In my case its a 3/4 plywood frame that supports a mechanic's toolbox and several parts drawers. It goes in and out sort of like its supposed to but its a hard heave to get it moving its more than the slides should be supporting. If I was doing it over I'd bite down hard and buy the heavy slides.
Go with wheels on drawer slides all the little bearing get full of dirt and don't work been there done that
good luck
I can't draw so will try to explain.. start out with two 2 1/4 box tubing 1 ft long 1/4 inch wall and two pieces box tubing desired slide length(6ft) basically tube in side tube/ Like a trailer hitch; .is opposite of slide out room application..bolt two short pieces to floor leave enough room for inside tube to extend Thur about 3 inches put a bracket to support floor about 1 inch tall on both ends of inside tube then build floor. addition of rollers on deep end of inside tube will help with rolling out and in..if your only talking couple hundred pounds will be a little heavy when starting in but not $1,000..if you want more capacity add cam rollers for inside tube to roll on..I push my 15ft slide out room out by hand ( must get them motors hooked up soon) I have done this in bays .I did use the cam roller 1inch carry 3600lbs and they glide in very easy with little pressure.in fact needed a latch to keep in place..Cam rollers at bearing supply $21 each tubing 2ea 1 ft pieces with 1/4 wall and two 6ft pieces $30 dollars..Just a idea.Bob PS you'll loose about 4 inches in bay height
Barn door hardware is pretty accomodating.
The best I found for a roll out are called linear wheels you can buy those with a v groove and the rail or flat wheels and make your own rails they will handle the weight
good luck
My wife loves to cook, I swear she goes camping to cook, My son-in-law is wanting to build a slide out fold down outdoor kitchen in 1 of the 4104 bays. Maybe next year..
Rick
The V groove wheels can be purchased from McMaster Carr, http://www.mcmaster.com/# (http://www.mcmaster.com/#)
Lots of goodies to drain your wallet! ;D
Joey beds are available from rv surplus places pretty reasonable, I picked up some 92 inch ones for 60 bucks and 48 inch ones for 50, Bontragers still had a good sized pile of the smaller ones last time I was there.
Thanks for all the replies, this is a picture of the slides I saw, they have a 500# capacity.
Do you think these will work? I can build supports to hol;d the slides to the bay walls.
Same answer as above Dave. Those look like the ones I bought. I'm probably carrying about 500# on mine and its too much. Do like all the other guys are telling you and use something heavier.
Bob is right. I have a cabinet full of bus manuals with slides just like that. It rolls on tiny ball bearings and they decided to fall out of one slide, bearings all over the place and impossible to reinstall.
I now have the drawer sliding just on the metal part with no bearings. Stiff, but at least it works.
try
http://www.slim-track.com/heavy_duty.html (http://www.slim-track.com/heavy_duty.html)
Guess I'm kinda partial to the Joey beds, just bolt them into place and forget about them, and very heavy duty. When I was pricing slide assemblies I ended up buying the complete setup from Bontragers for less.
Wow, what a lot of great input and ideas. However the real answer lies in doing it right the first time , and that requires spending more than I have to get the job done. I know that the heavier slides are the way. Joey beds are probably a good way to go but I am 2000 miles away from them so I guess they are out.
Thank you guys for some really good input and way to go. i will keep you posted as to what I finally do.
Dave
You can built something like this, use low carrying track & lock the drawer with an wedge so the wedge will carry the load while shaking down the road & keep the drawer from moving. The track will be carrying the load only to open & close.
May work.
wrench
Another idea is instead of expensive full extension slides, you use an outboard support such as a swing down trailer wheel.
(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.southwestwheel.com%2Fstore%2Fimages%2FProduct%2Fmedium%2F4747.jpg&hash=aedb908687d1bad1f0d187f62e244c2d8a9a681b)
http://www.ronthebusnut.com/detailDisp_1650020.html (http://www.ronthebusnut.com/detailDisp_1650020.html)