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Old 06-21-2015, 01:54 AM   #1
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Slow slides??

Pirate here, 2014 Voltage Epic 3800

Haven't used the trailer all that much...trying....

Bedroom slide is not that big, and travels in and out at good speed with no issues.

Huge living area slide moves slowly.

Ready to head out, retracting slides, living area started to move in and then really got slow, so ran it all the way back out, then in. Moving slow, but steady. Went out and pushed on it and wife (er, BOSS) said that seemed to help.

Today setting up in Fillmore, Utah...how weather... living area slide moved out slow and steady until all the way out.

Is this as it should be?

Does one need to lubricate the slides for quicker movement?

How does one do that?

Thanks,

Pirate
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Old 06-21-2015, 05:42 AM   #2
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Old 06-21-2015, 03:08 PM   #3
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Question...were you plugged in or have the generator running? These high torque motors love power and if running on only batteries, could be at the bottom of the power curve with respect to battery power.

Cale
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Old 06-21-2015, 03:58 PM   #4
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Cale,

Have done it both ways this trip. Leaving home, plugged in. I have a separate transformer, meter and panel down where I had a concrete pad poured for the trailer. So good power there. But slides were slow.

Then in and out on battery in Green River, UT as the Generator was giving me fits.

In the KOA in Fillmore, out while plugged in. But the bedroom slide went out about 4" and stopped, Mama ran it back it, then ran it out and it went all the way out as usual. Pretty good "speed". Its the big living area slide that worries me!

Pirate
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Old 06-21-2015, 06:17 PM   #5
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Definitely look into the video posted. Since we move about every three months, I always wash and clean the tracks prior to retracting the slides. I also use the stuff in the video to lube the mechanisms as directed. I have done all the slides from the outside, but nearly impossible to do them all on the inside once fully retracted... One could pull them half way in and do both sides, but that goes against the "rules" of running the slides fully in or out until they stop....


Cale
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Old 06-24-2015, 08:27 PM   #6
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I agree the main living room slide with the couch moves the slowest on mine also. I don't see anyway to lube the inside of the bedroom or kitchen slide. That living slide could be done from the garage on one side & main door on the other. I do lube mine but have only done it from the outside.
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Old 06-25-2015, 10:18 AM   #7
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After I lubed mine, they have improved in retracting and extending. Also make sure that you do not have too much extra weight in any of the storage areas in the slides. I made the mistake once and had a lot of water stored in one of the under-dinette areas and it caused the slide to noticeably retract slower.
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Old 06-25-2015, 01:34 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjcarte View Post
After I lubed mine, they have improved in retracting and extending. Also make sure that you do not have too much extra weight in any of the storage areas in the slides. I made the mistake once and had a lot of water stored in one of the under-dinette areas and it caused the slide to noticeably retract slower.
Very good advise and something I don't think I would have thought of.

As I'm sitting here thinking of what I have in storage in that slide area....I think I'm good! Mostly extra paper products i.e. paper plates, tissues, napkins, etc. and in the large drawer - the dinette table....we removed the blow up mattress from that draw which weighs a lot more than the table top!

Thanks for the tip!
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Old 06-26-2015, 02:37 PM   #9
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Pirate,
Just passing along some of my hard earned knowledge:
Apparently from talking to many service shops, there is a problem with schwintek slides that lies in wait to create problems. I have had many lengthy discussions with engineering at Lippert about the issues with my main slide, which has been replaced entirely once already and continues to have issues. The root cause of the issue is the opening that is framed in the wall. The H-column, where the bearing blocks and pinion gears reside, does not have enough strength in the structure to resist the torque load from the motor when driving the large slide. The H-column relies on the aluminum wall studs to provide the strength to resist the torque twist. When the slide slows down, it is because the column is deflecting (twisting) in the wall of the trailer, and causes the rack block and v-roller to bind.
The easy way to tell if you have a twisting issue is to remove the trim strip on the inside of the trailer that covers the joint where the wall meets the vertical H-column. If there is any gap between the H-column and the wall frame, the column can twist. My solution (I had a 0.380" gap) was to purchase an aluminum angle .188x2x1.5" and cut it to the length of the column, then thru bolt from the outside to the inside. This creates a support structure that prevents the twisting due to motor torque.
The cause of the issue is jointly with Lippert and Dutchmen, as Dutchmen does not make each wall frame to specification within Lippert tolerances, and Lippert does not make the column structurally independent to work with increased wall gap.
Hope that helps.
Jeff
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Old 06-29-2015, 01:02 PM   #10
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Do you by chance have photos of the modification you performed? Has it improved the slide performance?
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Old 06-29-2015, 04:04 PM   #11
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Matt,
I have a pic I took of the design concept that I sent to Lippert when the engineer and I were troubleshooting the problems, but that is all. The repair is not yet complete. This is the 2nd time in less than 10 months that our slideout has failed, and it has always started with it slowing and jerking, then eventually strips the gears or breaks the shaft. I have an RV repair shop locally who will be completing the repair later in July.

This is the comment from the Lippert engineer:
I don’t see why that wouldn’t be more than enough to not only fill the gap but reinforce the H-column from twisting. We have two motors, 300:1 and 500:1 I’ll try to get something on the gear for you. If you make a million on this idea don’t forget about me!!!

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Old 06-29-2015, 06:05 PM   #12
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Anyone else having trouble with this thread bringing up Page 2?
-Jeff
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Old 06-29-2015, 06:06 PM   #13
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Never mind, I guess my post forced a page 2.
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Old 06-29-2015, 06:30 PM   #14
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Pics of repair

I tried loading pics without success. Repair hasn't been finished yet, shop is still working on it. I was forced to have a shop do the repair per my design.
The engineer at Lippert saw no reason it would not substantially reduce the H-column twist and make up the gap.
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Old 06-30-2015, 02:36 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ACDRescuer View Post
I tried loading pics without success. Repair hasn't been finished yet, shop is still working on it. I was forced to have a shop do the repair per my design.
The engineer at Lippert saw no reason it would not substantially reduce the H-column twist and make up the gap.
I look foward to your pictures.. have you scrolled down when replying to manage attachments? Thats where most attach pictures.. hope that helps.
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Old 06-30-2015, 02:43 AM   #16
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Jeff,

Thanks very much for the input.

My lube should arrive tomorrow and I will follow the video and lube the slides.

While I am in there, I will have your response handy and see what I find.

Thanks again,

Stuart
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Old 08-03-2015, 04:05 PM   #17
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UPDATE:
Reinforcing the H-column was successful at removing the twist, but I was continuing to have issues. I ended up taking the Voltage V3200 to Lippert's service center to have the mechanism evaluated. Lippert discovered that the WALL of the Voltage is not within tolerances (out of square severely) and the mechanism cannot be installed within the acceptable tolerance limits. A Dutchmen rep was brought over by Lippert to document the issue. I have had absolutely NO RESPONSE from Dutchmen about the wall, how or if they would repair it, and so far cannot get a price to replace the wall from anyone.
I found a shop with full refurbishing capabilities who estimated the repairs to the wall at over $7500. It is very apparent that the wall was built improperly.
I am back to the dwg board again, working with my selling dealer to see what can be done.
Though I WALKED IN to the customer service center at Dutchmen and discussed the issue, as well as provided Lippert's findings IN WRITING, Dutchmen continues to refuse to return any phone calls or even talk with me about the problem.

NO CUSTOMER SERVICE - that is all I can say.
Jeff
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Old 08-03-2015, 08:34 PM   #18
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I hear you about Dutchmen Customer Service...I have called and emailed about broken welds on my steps for a month now....no reply at all.

I had gear clicking (assuming teeth skipping) last week and the gib came loose from behind one motor...while investigating and having the wife run the slide with me on a laddder, I noticed considerable flexing of the frame while the slide was running...I am trying to envision something to run vertically inside and out to force the frame and wall to be a single unit...

Cale
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Old 08-04-2015, 12:01 AM   #19
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Cale , I would stop using the slide as when mine failed the first time it was catastrophic gear failure and the first thing we noticed was the clicking. It stripped the gearing and damaged a shaft causing the entire mechanism to require replacement. I was told by Lippert that if it had been corrected before the gears stripped it would have saved several components.
Apparently by reinforcing the column if the mechanism is not precisely in tolerance it causes other areas to fail.
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Old 08-04-2015, 10:28 AM   #20
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Jeff...

Quit trying to resolve this by yourself. Get an attorney involved. I'll bet they'll return his/her phone calls.
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