Schwintek Slide issues

[GrumpyDad]

One big tip with this type of slide is that they need a lot of lubrication. a dry teflon spray is what I use, and that has made a big difference. I spray that lube all over the tracks EVERY trip before I retract the slide and things have seemed to work a lot better. It's a hokey system where they rely on aluminum sliding across aluminum.

Not saying that fixes every problem, but can help prevent some of them, and has worked for me anyway.

[Patjjensen]

I’ve got a ‘17 HT RSTS 28.5 with 2 Schwintek slides. I’ve had problems with the kitchen slideout the whole time I’ve owned the trailer. I was barely able to open or close the slideout when finally it stopped working. The motor on the range side locks up after moving about 2” while the other side keeps going. I replaced the motor and the cables upon a recommendation from an rv repair shop and that didn’t work. I swapped motor drive cables from one controller to another and everything worked again. Replaced the bad controller and I’m up and running again.
However, now that I’ve read Puddle Pirate’s story I’m wondering if the controller burned out as a result of too much mechanical resistance somewhere in the slideout mechanism. Probably a good idea to check out the amp draw opening and closing the slide. Thanks for sharing the great work in resolving your slide issues.

[maryk12001]

We bought it from Hamiltons in Saginaw.

[Puddle Pirate]

The Big Side by side Frig is gone , out of the RV, it was a 22 cu ft, with ice maker, installing a 11 cu ft over and under-- this work is on my 321RST--- have have problems from day one on the Schwintek Slide-- Jayco has spent at least in labor and parts 8 grand--- as you have read before this I figured out the problem-- and working on it almost done--this slide is now operated daily for the past 2 weeks with side by side out of it, no more problems, more photos to follow of the work being done-- putting a 300 pound empty weight frig at the end of the slide-- that person should be tared and feathered ---


Sorry the system mounted 3 of the pictures sideways, not me

[TxLoser]

Wow. How’d you get that fridge out of there? Looks nice so far.

[atlantaM3]

Question on the plates you put on the slide floor. What are the dimensions and thickness of the plates? About what did it cost to get them made? Done at a local metal shop, or special ordered somewhere?

Did you install them with the slide out, or still in the unit? Assuming the screws are about 1/2" long?

I have been thinking about doing something like this as my unit has a very large super-slide, and want to avoid issues with the rollers and floor. Its movement is 'jerky' going in/out.

[Puddle Pirate]

First, removed the doors, and anything I could take off, of course measured the door opening, I also have after market stairs that are solid, rated for 500 pounds, built a short height plat-form to roll out the fridge from its hole, was able to put it on a moving blanket, pulled it towards the door, angled it just right, then pulled it out the door with the furniture pad, and helped it down the stairs, the stairs are very solid, did this by my self also. The fridge weighs about 300 pounds, empty.

[Puddle Pirate]

Originally Posted by atlantaM3

Question on the plates you put on the slide floor. What are the dimensions and thickness of the plates? About what did it cost to get them made? Done at a local metal shop, or special ordered somewhere?

Did you install them with the slide out, or still in the unit? Assuming the screws are about 1/2" long?

I have been thinking about doing something like this as my unit has a very large super-slide, and want to avoid issues with the rollers and floor. Its movement is 'jerky' going in/out.

I will get the info for ya later today, I got the late Aluminum from a local metal supply, and they cut it to the size I needed, it only cost a few bucks per cut, it is Aircraft quality hardened Aluminum , the cost was about a $80 bucks, the screw were stainless steel cost $30.00 local screw supply house-- with square heads 120 screws--

These plates were installed with the slide out of the RV, when the shop and I was replacing the rollers with the after market heavy duty ones.

But you can install the roller plates with the slide in the RV, the only thing is you will not be able to start the first set of screws, so at the beginning the plate will float, because you will not be able to get anything on the screws to secure them in place, it will work just fine, because of the 14 or more screws you will have holding the plate in place-- you may have too use a 4x4 and a jack to take some of the pressure off the location of the plate install.

I believe the plate was 1/16, I will have to measure it--will be there later today.

Alro Industrial Supply was were I got the plates and had them cut to what I needed, your size my be bigger-wider based on the size or length of your rollers.

[atlantaM3]

thank you, that will be super helpful.

[Bakedalaskan]

We had a Voltage with triple Schwintec slides and had all the problems you all discuss. All the problems went away once we figured out to deploy the slides before putting down the leveling jacks and retracting the jacks before retracting the slides. The leveling jacks twist the camper just enough to bind the slide outs. These slide systems are not set up with the jacks down so it makes sense to deploy them with the jacks up. Yes the owners manual and your dealer will tell you to level the camper then deploy the slides but there is the problem. How did we figure this out? If we stopped for a quick overnight where we stayed hooked up to the truck with no jacks down the slides worked like butter but every time we unhooked for a longer stay we had trouble with the slides. We also noticed that the more uneven the parking spot the worse the slides worked. You are all saying it can't be that simple. It was for us and I have replaced motors and checked track alignment and looked at the floor and rollers. We even had our local dealer say " What kind of slide system is that? Ain't never seen one like that yet." We gave the dealer a copy of the Schwinteck service manual and a rundown of the system.(That was several years ago when the system first came on the market) Check the side gaps in your slides with the jacks up then down and you will see how the camper twists to bind the slides

[TxLoser]

There may be something to this. When I’m at the dealer opening and closing the kitchen slide to show them how it’s not performing as I’d expect, it works quite well. At home(leveled) or in campground(leveled), it labors a bit more and seem to stutter ever so slightly. Also, when I’m level and look at the info page in one control, the front and back of trailer are off each other a little. So there’s twist happening.

[Puddle Pirate]

My issue was the same , any way I sliced it, level-hooked up to the trk an so on, but here you can see a level picture that is out of level, and was the same for not leveled--- in past picture post here.


But good to know info for sure---Now that the rollers were replaced with slightly larger ball bearing ones, now my slide weighs in at about 800 pounds, and each one of my rollers are rated for 400 pounds each now times 8 we have weight to spare and is running perfect I am at the 5th wheel daily rebuilding the kitchen space and relocating the new fridge 11 cu ft from 22 cu ft to a space between the frame rails now and not on the slide any more and plates on the bottom of the slide in question 14 footer, and the floor rebolted down , and rollers all shimmed level, and reinstalled on a level frame--- and removed the fridge, I have no more problems at all, level or not -hooked up or not---getting back to be a happy camper again

[Puddle Pirate]

Well it can be done, removing the fridge, down grading from a 22 cu ft, to a 11 cu ft. and finding a place for it, reducing the slide weight down 200 plus pounds, and its working great-it was part of the problem solved for me.

Let me just say there was some work in it, first had to rewire 120 lines, then had to rewire the inverter line for the new location, and remove the water line from the old position of the heavy fridge (and plug a hole in the slide and a little plumbing), and rebuilding of the cabinets.

The end results are I am as low as 1.75 amps bringing the slide in, and as low as 2.75 going out (also pulling a topper out). increased counter top space, added lights, added a stainless steel stove backing, and a large cabinet and draw.

Everything is working awesome, effortless ---

Here's some photo's , almost done--- just some trim work----

1. First photo the starting point---
2. Picking location of the new fridge
3. Removing the large fridge
4. Taking things apart
5. Wiring and plumbing MODS
6. End results

And yes the system loaded up some photos sideways again---lol

I also found some ground issues that were on and off on the ground to one controller, that has been ID'd and will be resolved shortly

[DrSmart]

Awesome outcome. Probably the most improved results of any slide-out mod ever done. And a beautiful finish.
Congrats Puddle Pirate!

[RedHorse1]

Puddle, I may have made a mistake. I showed the Bride the pics of your work.
Is your new fridge an absorption or a compressor type? I’m guessing the latter due to the ventilation needs. Your work is super! The “new” kitchen looks great.

[Bookemdanno]

Wow...that's awesome work!!

[Puddle Pirate]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Puddle, I may have made a mistake. I showed the Bride the pics of your work.
Is your new fridge an absorption or a compressor type? I’m guessing the latter due to the ventilation needs. Your work is super! The “new” kitchen looks great.

Its a compressor , that's the only way to go I believe, much less of a fire hazard in my book, early power test on this unit is showing about 9-10 amp dc draw to the inverter, which is half of the 22cu ft model---and that is running chill down, and defrost at the same time. I have plenty of vent space 3-4 inches on either side and a inch on the back side and 1-2 inches on the bottom in the metal frame. But the real story is how much easier that slide is working, the 22cu ft model loaded would be around 375, and doing some research I found a lot of trailers did not place a full size fridge in the slide let - lone on the end of a slide, so I figured to put a smaller one in-between the trailer frame rails, weight is 117 , unloaded, I will be taking it out for a road test next week. And wait to see what I am doing to the island and sink-- thats next -- because i do not have a fridge sticking out from that slide

And thks it was some work, I will not kid you, try to work with draws that have no sides, backs etc! what a pain.

The other real beauty is that fridge is 398 at home depot so it will cost me a hole lot less than a repair on a propane frig if you know what I mean, LOL

[Puddle Pirate]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Puddle, I may have made a mistake. I showed the Bride the pics of your work.
Is your new fridge an absorption or a compressor type? I’m guessing the latter due to the ventilation needs. Your work is super! The “new” kitchen looks great.

Heres the finished well except for a little touch-up---and the slide has operated great with the fridge out of there-----

[Puddle Pirate]

This is the critical number---before you buy a jayco do this measurement 2.5 inches and make dam sure you do the top also, if the measure is not 2.5 do not buy the unit, you will regret it down the road you will have major problems, have been working with LCI with my problem. Picture loaded side ways, high def----this measurement go's for all Schwintek units for Jayco.

[DarkEagle]

I have had nothing but trouble with schwintek slides. I will never own a RV with that system. Everything from won't roll in to water following the tracks into the RV. And I agree that General RV is terrible.