Schwintek getting repaired

[Dogrunr]

My 2012 Infinity 3850RL has been at the dealer since the end of September and is still waiting on parts (as of yesterday) from Dutchmen. Yes, the slide is a problem again! Sadly, this is a year following the catastrophic failure of my Schwintek bedroom slide which nearly resulted in it dismounting from the unit onto US 101 while the trailer was moving on the highway. (This event was described in detail in a previous post in this forum). Back then, Dutchman performed a factory repair at their Clackamas OR Kustom 5th wheel factory. To Dutchman's credit, after voicing that my confidence in their premier unit had been severely damaged, Dutchman extended my factory warranty for an additional 2nd year. Unfortunately, at the end of my second season, I am having to use that extended warranty for no less than 11 deficiencies that includes (again) the bedroom slide that had never work satisfactorily since I took possession of the unit in April of 2012. Beginning at the PDI, the bedroom door which is actually attached to the slide wall in my unit always binds preventing the door from closing. This will be the fourth time the slide had been repaired under warranty. Granted I am a cop and no engineer, but this unit was not my first 5th wheel. In my opinion, the schwintek system is not appropriate for such a large slide (poor design) that combined with lacking craftsmanship and materials are causing the repeated slide problems discussed on this forum.

I realize that all 5th wheel rigs are pretty complicated animals and things do go wrong. I also recall having some issues with my previous rig- but not over and over again on the same problem! Regretfully, I am at the point that if the slide fails again this coming season, I am going start all over again(time for a new and different brand of rig!) by filing a lemon law compliant with my state's AG office. In my state, four repair hits on the same significant defect under 30 months from the purchase date qualifies. I will give Dutchmen the five chances. I really do hope they get it right this last time because I purchased the unit because it was a great fit for what the spouse and I wanted.

Mark

[GOLDENYEARS]

Perhaps it is time for a class action lawsuit against Dutchmen/Thor. After having the problems/experience with my kitchen air unit and having to re-engineer/fix (I am just a retired fireman) it myself I am just worried about the things that I cannot see! For example: I can see the studs in the wall through the outer skin, there is a pronounced bulge where they are. It looks like there is starting to be a problem with the front overhang bulging out/delaminating where it goes from vertical to horizontal. I could go on but will stop for now.

[sundancer 87]

Class action has crossed my mind lately. As a retired firefighter myself I know the purpose for having things work correctly, if they don't it's time for a different dog.

Here's a tidbit learned today. The circuit breaker in the switch/breaker panel has a breaker marked 'general purpose'. So far I know this breaker controls the big microwave oven, the big livingroom TV, the outlets on either side of the master bed and the fire place.

Here's where it gets touchy, it is possible to have both heating elements in the queen bed on, the TV on, the fireplace on and even the microwave operating all at the same time. Not that big of a deal yet until you factor in the circuit breaker is rated at 15 amps and the wiring to the furthest point, the bedroom outlets, is super heavy duty, industrial good ole 14/2 with ground. That's just with what I learned today is on that one circuit, could be others or the whole damn place excluding the water heater and the A/Cs. Couple all that with the crappy way they connect wiring makes one wonder.

I am willing to throw in on a class action if enough people are interested in doing so. We may never live long enough to see any fruitful action but someone in the future may benefit from it.

[GOLDENYEARS]

Wow, add all of those up and it could be a heck of a load. I will have to look at my panel when I get back to my house in rockport, tx next week.

I may be taking down the walls in the belly and see just how stuff is put together where things are hidden.

For what it is worth, I have one of those fancy EMS systems that monitors the health of the power going into the rig. it shuts down when the power is below, above or the power box at the park is not wired properly. It also gives a constant readout of the voltage on each leg as well as the amps being drawn. it has saved me several times when there have been brownout conditions. My winter neighbors in Texas do not have one, last year i bet it shut down 10 times in one 24 hour period guess who replaced stuff? It was not me.

Stay safe brother, perhaps some day our paths will cross here on earth, and if not, that big firehouse in the sky.

[sundancer 87]

If it's in the big firehouse in the sky I'll be the one fighting over the outside tailboard position.

[Infinityrver]

I do read many different forums. I can't remember if it was this forum or another one. Someone was having an issue or felt uncomfortable with the wiring in their camper. An electrician had chimed in and let that party know that in your home electrical wiring is under strict code. Unfortunately, these campers are not under the same set of strict electrical code. I don't believe any electrician has been involved with wiring these units. Go figure.

I pulled my basement wall apart mid October. What a wiring fest. I was in there to check for the heating duct work. They did just as well as they did on the air ducts. Ya know how that was! I sealed all the ducts with sheet metal tape. Then I cut bubble wrap insulation and taped that beneath the metal duct work. We were in 17 degree weather today loading up for my Florida trip. Nice heat, now!

[sundancer 87]

I took a look at my furnace scheme the other day. I found a few feet of extra flex duct, a duct routed where it had an extreme angle to it where right behind it was a larger access hole that allowed much less of an angle. I took some carpet scraps and wrapped one duct work that went through a hole that was large enough to pass two ducts.
After all that I was in front of the stair return air vents. Lots of cold air pouring from those vents so I did some tests. The end result is the bottom stair vent sealed off. I used an anometer before, during the test and after and sealing off the vent didn't have any effect on the return air scheme.

Last week I put 3M plastic on the windows to keep the cold air from falling into the room. That stuff actually works ans is worth the price. Also, the garage is cold enough to hang meat but it's just a garage to me so I used two inch foam board and applied it to the garage passage door to the stuck out slide. When it gets a little warmer I'll do those windows in the garage too.
All this doesn't seem so major but when added together some of the cold air infiltration and cold air absorption has been mitigated. Now we're getting closer to that R40 factor, maaaaaaaybe a 4 now.

[GOLDENYEARS]

I had actually given that brick and stick window stuff a thought. Did you use the shrinky stuff or just plain clear visqueen? Been thinking about making some sort of roll up windows out of clear plastic they use for boat canvas. This could be adheared to the screen with some velcro or perhaps the two part canvas snaps. I may try a test just using some Saran Wrap on a window set and see what kind of a difference it makes with my thermo gun.....

not sure what I will find when I open the wall in the belly. I will report when I do it. Remember I have the 3750fl.

[sundancer 87]

Originally Posted by GOLDENYEARS

I had actually given that brick and stick window stuff a thought. Did you use the shrinky stuff or just plain clear visqueen? Been thinking about making some sort of roll up windows out of clear plastic they use for boat canvas. This could be adheared to the screen with some velcro or perhaps the two part canvas snaps. I may try a test just using some Saran Wrap on a window set and see what kind of a difference it makes with my thermo gun.....

not sure what I will find when I open the wall in the belly. I will report when I do it. Remember I have the 3750fl.

I used the 3M heat shrink plastic for the windows. Only available at ACE hardware but it does help. The tape that comes with the plastic is some good stuff. I used alcohol and cotton swabs to clean the metal frames. I didn't try and follow the curve of the frame so I just ran the tape down and across the straight lines and off onto the wall. Used the hair dryer to remove the wrinkles and that's it.
I can tell you that when sitting in the big slide on the couch I don't feel the cold air on the back of my neck. It was 22 the other morning when I got up, I touched the metal frames and they were warmer than the walls and the plastic itself wasn't freezing cold.
I've been monitoring the exterior/interior temperatures and I'm noticing a 15 degree difference on the inside.
I don't keep the rig overly warm because our furnaces devour propane and it's only me and the dog to keep warm so the temperature differential is significant in my opinion.

[macman83]

This is just a heads up to all of you checking out what is behind the walls of that pass through basement storage. Be prepared to be shocked. When I first took home my Voltage 3905, I had read that the heater ducts would come from the factory ripped and leaking. Our first trip was in March, and I wanted to make sure that we would be comfortable. I opened the back wall of the pass through in my brand new trailer to take a look at the heater hoses and MY GOODNESS what a mess. First thing I notice is that the heater duct for the garage is torn completely in two. Some 3M foil tape took care of that. Next, I notice that my subwoofer for the surround sound is hanging from 1 small angle bracket, and sitting on top of another heater hose and a run of 110 volt wire. A few minutes with a screwdriver, a few extra screws and cutting 3 feet of speaker wire out of the tangle of wires made that potential problem go away. Then I look over at my 110/12 volt charger/converter. It is screwed to a piece of flakeboard, and is hanging crooked, from 1 screw attached to one of the overhead beams. That, along with the piles of sawdust under there was enough to make me regret paying that large amount of money for this cobbled together rolling wire tangle. After the initial shock of seeing the rats nest, I started in to clean-up all the different things that I saw wrong. I am still working on some of the projects, but I am getting there. The point is, once you get a good look under there, you might not want to look again without your tool box.

[sawpilot]

You have many brothers in arms that regret putting "large amounts of money" into the Dutchmen brand. While other Thor brands aren't any better, the Voltage and Infinity were supposed to be the top of the line. What a waste. And macman83, if your slides are still working, consider yourself lucky, you still have that coming.

[sundancer 87]

A lot of us have discovered many attempts at QC while trying to make something work. Welcome to the club of 'don't leave the couch without your tool kit'.

The more time you spend in these things the more you'll find to repair, replace, install and/or look the other way.

Freezing in Peggs, well, until today.

[Sinecure]

With everything I've read in the past 8 years, I've come to the conclusion that all RVs under $300,000, whether towable or drivable are "thrown together" and will leak. I paid what I did for this Voltage thinking I was getting quality, and while I have not had any issues other than the AC Vent Ducts, I am now leery that every time I use it I will have to repair something.

[GOLDENYEARS]

Originally Posted by macman83

This is just a heads up to all of you checking out what is behind the walls of that pass through basement storage. Be prepared to be shocked. When I first took home my Voltage 3905, I had read that the heater ducts would come from the factory ripped and leaking. Our first trip was in March, and I wanted to make sure that we would be comfortable. I opened the back wall of the pass through in my brand new trailer to take a look at the heater hoses and MY GOODNESS what a mess. First thing I notice is that the heater duct for the garage is torn completely in two. Some 3M foil tape took care of that. Next, I notice that my subwoofer for the surround sound is hanging from 1 small angle bracket, and sitting on top of another heater hose and a run of 110 volt wire. A few minutes with a screwdriver, a few extra screws and cutting 3 feet of speaker wire out of the tangle of wires made that potential problem go away. Then I look over at my 110/12 volt charger/converter. It is screwed to a piece of flakeboard, and is hanging crooked, from 1 screw attached to one of the overhead beams. That, along with the piles of sawdust under there was enough to make me regret paying that large amount of money for this cobbled together rolling wire tangle. After the initial shock of seeing the rats nest, I started in to clean-up all the different things that I saw wrong. I am still working on some of the projects, but I am getting there. The point is, once you get a good look under there, you might not want to look again without your tool box.

Ya ever wonder what happened to "pride in workmanship"?
Ya ever wonder "why there always is enough time to do things over the second (and third time) ". BUT "never,, NEVER enough time to do things right the first time"?

The same goes for the engineering of the components and how they go together.

Then there is the cleaning up. It is surprising to me there have been no fires so far. At lest that we know about.


Here is the ultimate example:

What do you call a man or a woman whom finished at the bottom of their Medical School and passed their boards with a 71% (assuming a 69 is a fail and 70 is a pass)?????


You call them DOCTOR!!!!

[lakebuster]

Originally Posted by Sinecure

With everything I've read in the past 8 years, I've come to the conclusion that all RVs under $300,000, whether towable or drivable are "thrown together" and will leak. I paid what I did for this Voltage thinking I was getting quality, and while I have not had any issues other than the AC Vent Ducts, I am now leery that every time I use it I will have to repair something.

Bring on another thousand, I thought boating was expensive but beginning to realize this another expensive hobby, maybe I should start gardening!!!!!!

[sawpilot]

Getting back to the theme of this thread, my coach went in today to have the Schwintek slides repaired. The floors in both the front lounge slides are being replaced along with a list of other things under warranty. CW is ready to do the work starting Monday but the parts haven't arrived yet. I'm leaving town for work for a couple of weeks before Christmas and they agreed to take it in and hunt down the parts. Should be ready by the time I get back. I have to say I've been impressed with the attitude of this CW. If the work is as good I'll be a happy camper. Time will tell.

[72mach]

Yep the area behind the pass through is a mess for sure, I don't know if the vents into the storage area are supposed to be ducted so as to meet the 'heated' claim but mine has the vents but no ducting. There was numerous other issues with pee poor workmanship also. My only consolation is that we paid what I hope was a rock bottom price for this lump of lead.

[sawpilot]

Well par for the course. My coach is at CW for the slides. Parts were ordered back in October and CW has a confirmation number verifying the order at that time. Guess what? Dutchmen hasn't sent them yet and can't seem to find the order! CW is flabbergasted! Is anybody at Dutchmen competent? As we've all discovered, what a waste of time and money.

[lakebuster]

Ya'll are scaring me, never even thought about the slide until I came to this forum, my raptor had two hydraulic slides and one electric cable slide (bedroom slide) never had a major issue with the TH just bought to small……..now second guessing my decision!

[Infinityrver]

Lakebuster,

Everything's fine until you have an issue. You may never have an issue.

Well.........hopefully, you don't.