Schwintek Slide Question

[Jopopsy]

Hey Gang,

So, question for you all. I have a Schintek slide on my bedroom short queen slide out. Its just the bed and the overhead compartments; a relatively small slide and well within what a Schwintek can handle. Its one of the reasons I didn't mind having a Schwintek back there; the slide is small.

So, deploying outwards is no problem. Moves and sounds normal. When I retract, it seems to slow down and 'sounds like its struggling' the last bit of it. It always closes all the way, and the seal on the outside is just as tight as the seal on my PowerGlide slide up front. It just seems to work harder the last bit.

Notes:

A. I always deploy and retract w/ my levelers deployed. So I know I'm not crooked.
B. I always deploy and retract while plugged into the pedestal. The only thing that operates SOLEY on battery power is my initial leveler deployment and my leveler retraction.
C. I always hold the button down for 3-5 seconds when done extending or retracting.
D. For giggles I did the re-sync whereby I retracted a few inches, extended a few inches, retract extend, retract extend. My slide doesn't come in crooked, but I figured it couldn't hurt.

I had thought maybe this is 'normal' as I always had my engine running when deploying the slides on my Minnie Winnie. However, since I deploy my leveling jacks before I open my slides, I don't have the engine running.

*Does anybody know if the BigFoots retract if the engine is running but the transmission is in park?*

I'm thinking the alternator would provide far more amps than the pedestal. Maybe my Minnie Winnie would act the same if I didn't have the engine running?

Is this normal?

[Grumpy]

Bringing the slide in is normally a little harder on the mechanism since it has a slight uphill pull. There are probably some rollers under the bed right near the wall and it is pulling over them with the weight hanging somewhat downward. All of my slides have always seemed a little sluggish when retracting(all 5 units) that we've owned with slides).

[Jopopsy]

Okay, that makes me feel better Grumpy. Thanks.

[jim shoes]

Our scwintek slide acts the same way about 2/3rds of the way in on our 2016 24 rls.

[hoppers4]

My bed slide doesn't really seem to struggle but the last couple of inches it slows down as the seals compress and the bed goes up against the wardrobe. What stops these slides is the when the current limit is reached. I do however get a lot of popping when the slide goes in an out and the seal goes over the window. Does yours do this?

I'm fairly certain the Bigfoot levelers don't retract on engine start. I know they don't retract when the key is turned on. However if I remember right they will retract when you go out of park. I can answer that question for sure when I leave my site in two weeks. Right now I don't really want to try it.

[jim shoes]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

My bed slide doesn't really seem to struggle but the last couple of inches it slows down as the seals compress and the bed goes up against the wardrobe. What stops these slides is the when the current limit is reached. I do however get a lot of popping when the slide goes in an out and the seal goes over the window. Does yours do this?

I'm fairly certain the Bigfoot levelers don't retract on engine start. I know they don't retract when the key is turned on. However if I remember right they will retract when you go out of park. I can answer that question for sure when I leave my site in two weeks. Right now I don't really want to try it.

I do get popping only on side facing the rear of the trailer,(only going out) It really doesn't sound like the seal going over the window although the guy that gave use our walk though said it was the seal like you described. We just picked it up 8-22-15. I ran it in and out a few times under battery power only. Labor day weekend is our maiden voyage. I need to listen to the popping closer.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by jim shoes

Labor day weekend is our maiden voyage. I need to listen to the popping closer.

It'll be interesting to see what you find out. I also ran into this article that talks about the popping noise. I bought the lube and then couldn't find the "gibbs" they were talking about.

http://winnebagoind.com/resources/se...0Mechanism.pdf

[jim shoes]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

It'll be interesting to see what you find out. I also ran into this article that talks about the popping noise. I bought the lube and then couldn't find the "gibbs" they were talking about.

http://winnebagoind.com/resources/se...0Mechanism.pdf

The Tech at the RV dealer instructed me that in the event I needed to manually retract the slide remove a single screw at the top of outside rubber seal. Then slide the seal down, at this point you'll see the wire connector on the motor. Remove the connector on the motor and it will slide in. This made no sense to me.

Just a thought if your coach has the silver screw at the top of the seal,(outside) by removing it the seal should slide down allowing access to the drive better. Maybe some lube will help the seal move.

[Shultz01]

I have a problem with the Schwintek slide on our Seneca bunk slide. Since Week 1 we noticed that the lower left corner doesn't retract all the way compressing the seal fully like the other three corners. I'm hoping that when I take it back to Jayco in IN (the only ones I trust to fix this) next month it will fix the slide wanting to stop part way in or out. It's been a true frustration for the first year of ownership. I always level the coach before extending and retract it before retracting the levelers.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by jim shoes

The Tech at the RV dealer instructed me that in the event I needed to manually retract the slide remove a single screw at the top of outside rubber seal. Then slide the seal down, at this point you'll see the wire connector on the motor. Remove the connector on the motor and it will slide in. This made no sense to me.

There is always a small amount of power to the slide motor which activates the brake. Removing the wiring releases the brake so you can push the slide in. When you reconnect the wire it reactivates the brake.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

It'll be interesting to see what you find out. I also ran into this article that talks about the popping noise. I bought the lube and then couldn't find the "gibbs" they were talking about.

http://winnebagoind.com/resources/se...0Mechanism.pdf

Schwintek Lube

Originally Posted by Shultz01

I have a problem with the Schwintek slide on our Seneca bunk slide. Since Week 1 we noticed that the lower left corner doesn't retract all the way compressing the seal fully like the other three corners. I'm hoping that when I take it back to Jayco in IN (the only ones I trust to fix this) next month it will fix the slide wanting to stop part way in or out. It's been a true frustration for the first year of ownership. I always level the coach before extending and retract it before retracting the levelers.

Schwintek Re-Sync

[Trippers]

Thank you. So much. Our Schwintek has failed at least 3 times. And spent months being 'fixed'. Never did I get any information about how to lube or re-timing. Not in the manual, not from the dealer, not from Jayco. Guess U Tube saves the day. And your finding and sharing this valuable maintenance info.

[jim shoes]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

There is always a small amount of power to the slide motor which activates the brake. Removing the wiring releases the brake so you can push the slide in. When you reconnect the wire it reactivates the brake.

That makes sense, just a thought I wonder if you were to disconnect the battery, virtually having no power source for the RV if the slide would move manually (pushing it in). If so that would be much easier than accessing the motor leads.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by Trippers

Thank you. So much. Our Schwintek has failed at least 3 times. And spent months being 'fixed'. Never did I get any information about how to lube or re-timing. Not in the manual, not from the dealer, not from Jayco. Guess U Tube saves the day. And your finding and sharing this valuable maintenance info.

No problem. The slide on my Minnie Winnie was a creaky mess. I spent way too much time trying to figure out what was wrong w/ it.

[hoppers4]

Thanks for the video Jopopsy! Just what I was looking for. I trolled around under the slide rubber for the gibbs but couldn't find them. I'll have to take a closer look now that I have the lube.

[Shultz01]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Thanks Jopopsy. I have re-synced the slide a couple times using directions from this same video and from the dealership. It doesn't fix the problem. I think my problem comes from the slide being in the opening crooked...one corner is out further than the other three and never seals tight when closed. The only way I can see this being fixed is to re-position the gear in that track to be in the same slot in the track as the other three gears so that it fully compresses the seal, like the other three corners, when closed. Right?

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

I'm fairly certain the Bigfoot levelers don't retract on engine start. I know they don't retract when the key is turned on. However if I remember right they will retract when you go out of park. I can answer that question for sure when I leave my site in two weeks. Right now I don't really want to try it.

Did you try it yet?

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Did you try it yet?

I'll try it next Tuesday 9/15/15

[jim shoes]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Did you try it yet?

I used the Lube today on my schwintec slide, it eliminated the popping sound I had on one side and it moves in with out the motors slowing down.

[hoppers4]

Jopopsy, the Bigfoot levelers only action is to sound an alarm. At no point do they retract on their own. An alarm goes off when the key is turned on and that's it. Shifting into gear with or without the ebrake makes no difference. So in other words, you can attempt to drive away with the levelers deployed.