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Old 11-08-2013, 02:09 PM   #1
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Schwintek commits suicide!!

As previously promised, below are photos of the Schwintek (NON) slide system by Lippert Industries and installed by Dutchman.

The mobile mechanic is scheduled to arrive the 15th of this month to see what he can do to get me back on the Interstate.

The first group of photos are the top, forward track that ate itself on the way out.

The next group are the middle and lower track, same side without any damage.

The last photo shows the bottom being two inches from the wall where the slide now sits.
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Old 02-25-2014, 02:43 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
As previously promised, below are photos of the Schwintek (NON) slide system by Lippert Industries and installed by Dutchman.

The mobile mechanic is scheduled to arrive the 15th of this month to see what he can do to get me back on the Interstate.

The first group of photos are the top, forward track that ate itself on the way out.

The next group are the middle and lower track, same side without any damage.

The last photo shows the bottom being two inches from the wall where the slide now sits.
Can you share the resolve on this issue?
Thanks
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Old 02-25-2014, 07:14 PM   #3
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Sure I can. I sent an email in the blind to a schwintek company found with an internet search. Mainly I told this company that the Schwintek name was bantied around RV forums with such negativity that someone needs to know this.
I received an email from the head warranty tech of Keystone that is now doing warranty issues for Dutchman. Apparently the email I sent in the blind found the main man of the company, Mike Schwinaman. He in turn forwarded my email to the new warranty tech.
I was asked a few questions and to send photos. Did that, made an appointment with a dealer in Tulsa and dropped the hauler off early December.
I had received emails from both guys, a phone call from the Schwintek CEO telling me they wanted to make sure my slide was repaired properly and to my satisfaction. Early February the hauler was ready for me to pick up. The warranty tech expedited my parts directly to the dealer but the holidays got in the way so a little more time was needed to effect the repairs.
The slide is better than new but, like many, my fingers are crossed when I have to retract and pull up stakes.
Overall, I'm happy with the outcome and I feel the repair came out better than what the factory turned out.
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Old 02-25-2014, 07:30 PM   #4
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Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I hope mine will work okay. I ran them both in and out 15-20 times. Bedroom seems pretty smooth but the living room is a little sluggish. I don't think my living room slide is as big as yours but I don't know ours is 8'10" long. It has the four recliners sitting on it. I'm sure the slide itself ways more than the furniture. Its a shame they cant handle their own weight...
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Old 02-25-2014, 07:45 PM   #5
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I just measured mine, 13'!!!
A big engineering mistake is the use of the nylon rollers under the floor. I have four or five of those rollers under there, mounted in a cheap bracket that is screwed to the floor. The rollers are on an axle instead of a good load bearing bearing. Cheap system and poor design for what the roller has to do. If I were the engineer I would have one continous roller under there. It would be with bearings and pillar blocks where needed. Of course that would drive down the profit margin and not give me something to ponder.
I think a hydraulic ram could be used in conjunction with the rack system. Here again, a cost factor.
We are stuck with this system, they are across nearly all makes and models. Check out a Thor Palazzio forum and the same concerns and failures are there in the class As.
Any one of the rollers gets loose or out of alignment a problem probably will occur. I've always wondered how they would replace the rollers or tighten them if the screws worked loose.
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Old 02-25-2014, 08:37 PM   #6
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...I've always wondered how they would replace the rollers or tighten them if the screws worked loose.
I'm guessing they'd bring it into the shop... remove the motors, and simply pull the entire slide out of the unit. Then repair/replace the roller (but unfortunately, not upgrade it)... then push the slide right back in.

Thankfully no problems with mine as yet. I've considered using slide-lout supports under my LR slide, but I've read conflicting pro-con reports about them... so my motto for now is the old... If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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Old 02-26-2014, 09:54 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
As previously promised, below are photos of the Schwintek (NON) slide system by Lippert Industries and installed by Dutchman.

The mobile mechanic is scheduled to arrive the 15th of this month to see what he can do to get me back on the Interstate.

The first group of photos are the top, forward track that ate itself on the way out.

The next group are the middle and lower track, same side without any damage.

The last photo shows the bottom being two inches from the wall where the slide now sits.
What were the symptoms leading up to the death of your slide?

Mine has made a loud popping sound since new. I guess I was sticking my head in the sand hoping it would go away.

Yesterday I lubed up the problem area and perhaps it got a little better.

Today I had my wife work the slide while I watched what it was doing. The gear at the top track on one side seem to be skipping a tooth and jerking when it popped.

If I assist it in and out it does not pop.

I really dislike going to the dealership of any issues I can take care of myself. But I'm not sure how to deal with this
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Old 02-26-2014, 10:43 PM   #8
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At the time of the failure I was experiencing a popping sound, sort of sounded like wood being broken.
I was commited and was located where I'd be parked for some time so I jacked it on out and let it pop. I tried to work it in and out once or twice to get it all the way out but it stuck how the pictures show.

I'm like you, I'll spend hours and days working on a problem before I give it over to a dealer. I viewed all the videos that made it sound so simple. I popped one motor and tried to get the slide plumb. I reset the controller to get it plumb, I pushed and grunted and cussed. I ev en put a bottle jack under it and made it plumb but it settled back the way it wanted to be when I removed the jack.

I finally gave up and waited until I was close to having to leave for AZ. I called the mobile mechanic and he did the same things I tried. He said I'd have to take it to Tulsa because he coudn't, at that time, to get it in. I wasn't ready for it to be retracted since I was still living in it so I told him I'd call him back later.
Made an appointment with the dealer, call the mobile guy and we finally coaxed it back in. I headed for Tulsa with it and the rest is history.
Now, prior to the failure I had dry lubed the rollers and racks and gears. I made sure the slide sides we clean and smooth, even waxed them to make less drag on the seals. Made sure I was level, I did all the things but the system had its own idea of when I was to get porked by it.
My suggestion, bite the bullet and have a good dealer look at your problem. Make him watch and listen. One year warranty goes by fast and you don't want to wait until you're at the dunes when IT decides to pork you.
BTW, all the youtube videos do work, if you are dealing with a four foot slide without all the wiper seals and sitting on the floor and not inserted into a rig.
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Old 03-24-2014, 03:02 PM   #9
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Mine is in the shop right now waiting for parts for the exact same repair. I hope my repair goes as well as Sundancers, fingers crossed. Mine would do the same pop sound on one side. It only did it two or three different times, I couldn't figure out the problem. Then it just wouldn't go back in without being "coaxed" with my help on one side. I'm with you Arlan, I hate this kind of crap and hate taking it into the shop. I'm gaining grey hairs each day they have it and it's been a lot of days!
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Old 03-25-2014, 12:34 AM   #10
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Mine is in the shop for this as well…It actually got to where it would go about 6" and then stop and no longer do anything so I would have to use the manual over ride to get it in or out. It really sucks having it in the shop, especially, this time of year!
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Old 03-25-2014, 01:03 AM   #11
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Sorry to hear of your problems. I hope you both get them fixed correctly. And in a timely manner.

I made and appointment to take mine in and the slide started working perfectly. I have run it in and out a dozen or more times. It would not act up so I cancelled my appointment.
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Old 03-19-2016, 11:20 AM   #12
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Pulling up an old thread here...I have been doing some digging and research on the popping noise my living room slide has been doing. Prior to arriving where we are currently sitting, the popping started to occur, upon inspection, I noticed that the shoe on the top rail was sliding back and forth freely, meaning it was not remaining secured within the bearing block.

Also, monitoring the slide during operation, it looks as though the top part of the wall flexes, which I attempted to fix by installing #12 screws vice #10 screws in the rail, with th hopes that the larger screws would actually hold the slide frame securely in the wall, but the outcome was the same.

With spring approaching, I figured I would go ahead and start figuring out the problem...again, the shoe sliding on the top rail has been nagging me, upon reading some literature, and some threads on various forums, I have figured out that it is the shoe, which is supposed to stay fixed within the bearing block, which keeps the gear against the rail, thus keeping the popping noise from happening.

The shoe was redesigned by Lippert in late 2013, as the old shoe would actually break in half and fall into the gears, thus chewing everything up. The new design, which I have on our slides, remains whole, but to replace the shoe, the slide rail must be removed...this is a $6 part...FML. Looking at some of the pics, when the weather clears up, I may look for a way to get the shoe back into the bearing block to see if it can be snapped into place...maybe this will fix the overall problem. Otherwise I will just keep going with it until it finally fils, then pay the $100 for the extended warranty to fix it.

I have attached three files that may be useful for others int he future. Enjoy and good luck to all this camping season.

If anyone is close to Southern Maryland, drop a line.

Cale
Attached Files
File Type: pdf IN-WALL Repair Kits Manual.pdf (3.84 MB, 390 views)
File Type: pdf In-Wall_Assembly_Page.pdf (887.2 KB, 165 views)
File Type: pdf InWallWebD.pdf (695.9 KB, 181 views)
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Old 03-20-2016, 12:22 AM   #13
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Cale,
Let me know when you tackle this task...would love to help and learn. It just a matter of time before anyone with one of the systems has a problem.
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Old 03-20-2016, 01:55 AM   #14
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Cale,
Let me know when you tackle this task...would love to help and learn. It just a matter of time before anyone with one of the systems has a problem.
A few of us have had problems with the slide system. Cale's problem isn't new, only to him.
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Old 03-20-2016, 05:33 AM   #15
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thanks for posting this info. I'm having trouble with one side opening and closing slower than the other......and I have to "help" out along.
Anybody had this?
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Old 03-20-2016, 10:51 AM   #16
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Cale,
Let me know when you tackle this task...would love to help and learn. It just a matter of time before anyone with one of the systems has a problem.
Curt,

Will do, though this may be a summer project, as we are too busy this summer to travel. Have a house in FL to get squared away.

On the bright side, we installed a full size washer yesterday.

Cale
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Old 03-20-2016, 10:55 AM   #17
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thanks for posting this info. I'm having trouble with one side opening and closing slower than the other......and I have to "help" out along.
Anybody had this?
Some friends of ours in CA had a living room slide on a Voltage 3990 that was slow on one side. They helped it in/out for the two years we camped with them. Their bedroom slide became stuck and inoperable, it was from water leaking in one side and the floor boards swelling to the point that it would not slide. They replaced the floor under the bed themselves and all worked again.

Cale
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