Alante 26X slide concern?

[stustoner]

Good afternoon, all, on our Alante 26X, when I extend the dinette/sofa slide it seems to me that the bottom portion of the slide starts moving out before the top. When the slide is fully extended though, everything is where it should be meaning there is no gaps between the interior wall and the slide. Conversely, when the slide is retracted there are also no gaps between the slideout and the exterior walls.....everything is sealed tight. Is this normal or am I missing something? There are no leaks during rain storm, etc. I am basing my observations on previous motor home slide where both top and bottom move out at the same time. Can anyone comment on this?
Thanks in advance for any comments

[hawkster]

My dinette and kitchen slides on the precept 31ul work the same. Been using four years no problem. I think it's the slide mechanism design.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by hawkster

I think it's the slide mechanism design.

Yep, it is.

[stustoner]

Thanks a bunch for the above info.......being new to the Alante I thought there was a problem......again, thanks!

[Camper_bob]

Living room slide on my trailer, and now my MH did/do the same thing. So long as the slide moves freely without binding, and seals in and out (which both of mine have), you should be GTG.

These slide mechanisms operate only on the bottom of the slide, so you're naturally going to have some movement at the top of the "box".

That is opposed to a Schwintek slide where it may have tracks/gears/motors on the top AND bottom (the bedroom slide in my coach is like this). Those slides move evenly all the way in/out when they're operating properly. Otherwise the gears and tracks get bound up and you have problems.

[stustoner]

Camper Bob, I have Schwintec in wall units on mine.....and rack tracks on top and bottom of the slide driven by the pinion gears...

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by stustoner

Camper Bob, I have Schwintec in wall units on mine.....and rack tracks on top and bottom of the slide driven by the pinion gears...

Interesting!

I was never able to closely observe my Schwintek slide to know for sure, but when DW pushes the switch inside while I'm trying to access the storage area under that slide, I step back and observe the entire slide moving exactly in sync. If it does, I can't see that it kicks out the top or bottom first.

I will have to look closer in a couple weeks when I have the rig home for an oil change.

It would seem to me, given what little I know about Schwintek slides, if the motors aren't moving exactly in sync, you could eventually have binding problems?

On the large living room slide (with the tracks and racks in the bottom, NOT a Schwintek), the bottom will kick out first, the whole box will "tilt" in slightly, then square back up at full extension. Was the same way with my TT that had a similarly designed slide mechanism. I was a little concerned about it, but I eventually learned that to be normal operation...

[hawkster]

With swinteks the top and bottom, left and right, should move evenly. If not they are out of sync. Try this it is the way swinte says to sync. There is a YouTube from lippert:

Push out button and hold til both sides are out evenly. Hold for an additional 3-5 seconds.
Push in button til slide comes in about 10 inches or so.
Press out button and hold til slide out fully and hold 3-5 seconds.
Do the above line about 3 times.
Then bring slide in fully and hold button 3-5 seconds.
This syncs the two motors.
Every time you use slide, hold the corresponding button 3-5 seconds in or out to always sync motors.

My slide was going out , sideways, I had to do the above drill twice and then no problems.

[stustoner]

Mea culpa, I am mistaken, my bedroom slide it a Schwintek in wall unit.....my dinette/sofa slide is not. I assume, due to the motion upon extending, it is driven from underneath the slide.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by stustoner

Mea culpa, I am mistaken, my bedroom slide it a Schwintek in wall unit.....my dinette/sofa slide is not. I assume, due to the motion upon extending, it is driven from underneath the slide.

Cool, that's what I thought was the case. Many Jaycos are built that way with a Schwintek on the bedroom slide and a different type on the living room slide.

If your living room slide is NOT a Schwintek (as it seems you have observed) and is moving like you describe, that's normal.

That being said, hawkster's advice above about sync'ing your Schwintek equipped slide is spot on.

I've never had a problem with my Schwintek slide because I never stop during deployment or retraction, and I always hold the switch 3-5 seconds after each maneuver.

[stustoner]

My dinette/sofa slide out mechanism is a Power Gear