Latest Slideout Issue… Schwintek Maybe?

[ATCguy]

It seems my rig is really starting to show its age & mileage lately… as I seem to be here more & more often with issues. As the title states, here’s my latest.

Moved the rig twice in the past week, and ran the slides in & out as usual. Except instead of what I’ve considered the ‘normal’ pops & creaking sounds during their travel, has now developed into a couple of LOUD pops… and I think I’ve discovered their origin.

After retracting the slides last Sunday before departure, and as I did my final walk around before leaving… I looked at the slide, and noticed this:





It seems that something above the lower Schwintek rail… behind the wall… is “sucking in” the body of the rig to the point where it’s ripping the screws right out of their holes. This is undoubtedly the POPS I’m hearing when retracting & extending the slide, as each thread pulls thru the siding.

On the flip side… when extending the slide, everything goes back into place. And I hear those loud POPS again as each thread gets pushed back in.





Now with their history, my mind immediately begins to think Schwintek issue. I know the basics of the Schwintek system, but have never actually laid my eyeballs on exposed parts. But it’s my understanding that the motors are only at the top… or, is this not correct? If so, then what could be behind the wall down at the bottom rail to have come loose, and do this?

(as a side note, I have 3 rails on each side of the slide: top, middle, bottom. Is it possible in this configuration I have motors at the top AND bottom?)

Yet, on the other hand, this issue is ABOVE that lower rail… about 3 or 4 inches in fact, and that makes me think it isn’t a Schwintek issue at all. But there’s nothing else there. Certainly nothing that would actually “pull” the sidewall of the rig inward, and yet not make it bulge when the slide extends.



It’s only a minor annoyance right now, it I’m sure it’ll grow to be a major issue if I don’t address it soon. So I’m open to input from those of you who’ve actually done some work on your Schwintek hardware.

[sundancer 87]

The motors are located on the top, behind the seal.
If you were to remove that trim you'd only see the rest of the slide wall. That trim section is there to hold the seal in place.

Your three rails are controlled by the rack gear which is inside the columns in the room.
Nothing between the rails except the rack in the columns.
Could be the seal is dragging on the slide but as much as you roam it seems impossible the seals would be dragging on the slide.
Maybe some baby powder or some sort of silicone lubricant would mitigate the problem until,
until you find a dealer that has a new unit just for you.
Frank said it last week, IT"S TIME MAN!!!

[ATCguy]

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

?..the problem until you find a dealer that has a new unit just for you.

Frank said it last week, IT"S TIME MAN!!!

HAHAHA!

Yeah, I know… I know. I’ve thought about it, and even done a bit of shopping. The trouble is, after nearly 7 years of full time use now, and over 70,000 miles… I’m actually thinking of settling back down again. I know where i wanna settle, but just haven’t been able to find the right place just yet. I’ve had some nice potentials, but something has always not quite right to pull the trigger.

But if I do, then I won’t want or need a big rig like this one just for just winters down south… or the 3 or 4 short trips I’d make the rest of the time.

So that leaves the question: what should I get? A big full-time rig that I might not need in a few months, or… a smaller rig that may not be suitable if I’m out on the road another year or so?

So until I get the sticks & bricks issue settled, I’m trying to keep this one maintained, roadworthy, and still have some trade-in value when I do.

[ATCguy]

Originally Posted by sundancer 87

…Your three rails are controlled by the rack gear which is inside the columns in the room.
Nothing between the rails except the rack in the columns…

Back to the issue… just thinking out loud here. Question::

Is it possible that the rack gear down there has torn loose in some way, become slightly askew… and is being pushed backward when retracting the slide, resulting in the part that’s still attached pulling the sidewall in?

[sundancer 87]

It might be possible. The rack is affixed inside the columns on either side of the room. From what I understand the racks are screwed into a wooden structure and we know how wood things hold up in the RV.

I think that's where some of the earlier crack and pop may have originated.
Maybe you could hold you hand on the column and deploy the slide and see if you can feel something that might not be right.
The slide can't go out any further than the big fancy header at the top of the slide unless it pulls loose.