Schwintek Slide - One Side Not Working

[Allicatmeow]

Hi everyone, we have a 2019 Eagle 355MBQS and just went to start opening up to get ready for our April 1 camping season. When we tried to put the large kitchen slide out, the left side wouldn't budge and the right side would stop after a couple inches (I understand this is probably the controller stopping it because it knows there's a problem with the other side). Also want to mention we are on shore power.

We checked the controller and it is giving a 2-8 error, so 2nd motor (which is correct) and error 8 being a motor wiring short. We tried a manual override and when trying to extend, the same thing happens. There is no sound coming from motor 2 at all. So, either wiring or motor issue is our guess.

We will be troubleshooting more tomorrow when it's not so cold out, and just wanted to post here to make sure we're doing everything we should. Our plan is below, but I'm wondering if we should be trying to troubleshoot another way first, since the controller shuts the working motor down so quickly. I've read a few places pressing retract twice and holding down for 5 seconds to reset the sync, check fuses, etc, but the no sound at all from motor 2 has me thinking this is an electrical short or motor mechanical issue more than controls.

1. Swap the harness connections and verify the controller gives a 1-8 error instead, so we know the controller is functioning correctly.
2. Inspect the wires under the slide if we can - the slide is obviously stuck inside so not a lot is visible. What I could see today from underneath on that side was fine.
3. Inspect connection at the motor.

What else should we do? Appreciate you all as always.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

I bought our first RV , a used 2014 Thor in 2020 during Covid. We took it to a campground for a weekend trial the next weekend. When I got the Electric and water hooked up, the slide did the same thing. Not sure exactly what the code was, but I think 8 same as yours. Took it to get it fixed. It was the cable from the controller to the motor. Knowing what I know now, I should have done it myself. Cable and motor units are available at Amazon. Not cheap.
You pretty much have to remove the facia and the rubber seal to get to the wiring and the motor from the inside. A multi meter can tell you if you have a short in the cable with an ohm test on all conductor combinations.

 

[Allicatmeow]

I bought our first RV , a used 2014 Thor in 2020 during Covid. We took it to a campground for a weekend trial the next weekend. When I got the Electric and water hooked up, the slide did the same thing. Not sure exactly what the code was, but I think 8 same as yours. Took it to get it fixed. It was the cable from the controller to the motor. Knowing what I know now, I should have done it myself. Cable and motor units are available at Amazon. Not cheap.

Really hoping it's not the cable because fishing it through the underbelly does not sound fun. Hoping for the motor so we can try to fix it or replace it as the easiest fix. Did the cable replacement fix it for the entire time you owned that RV?

I found a Grand Design forum with someone who had the same issue and they were discussing voltage drop because it's the furthest motor from the controller and power with thin gauge wire. It's something we'll have to think about if replacing with a 35'er.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

We never had another electrical issue with it. It worked perfectly every time, “electrically”. Couple years later, the room started popping going in and out and was 1/4-1/2” out from the RV sidewall. There is a metal and nylon wheel that rolls in the track. The inside metal wheel broke all the way around. So, I had the whole inwall unit, less motor, replaced.

 

[Allicatmeow]

Controller was good. Got up inside to diagnose and the wiring harness to the motor is destroyed. We think when we brought the slide in in the fall, the manufacturer's joke attempt at protection that was a singular piece of duct tape over the harness area let go due to adhesive age/temperature and the slide caught the harness and dragged it, ripping wires out and shredding others. Or, the simpler solution, mouse chewed it. How they got all the way up in that super tight motor space is beyond me though.

New 500:1 motor on order (for anyone reading with my model, it has an opaque cap in the kitchen slide). Had to get a knock off because OEM will take 3 weeks, so let's hope it works. Cable is salvageable, pins are good.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Wow! Did you buy the RV new or used? That does not look like what the factory would do. It’s a shame you are spending that much $ for $.50 of wire. I’m thinking I would have replaced the wires. Glad you found the issue and have a fix!

 

[Allicatmeow]

Wow! Did you buy the RV new or used? That does not look like what the factory would do. It’s a shame you are spending that much $ for $.50 of wire. I’m thinking I would have replaced the wires. Glad you found the issue and have a fix!

We bought it used, but the previous original owner kept meticulous records (never fixed anything himself, only dealer or mobile tech repairs) and this isn't in those records. Doesn't mean it wasn't done I guess, you never know. The gasketing and channels seemed factory stuck like they'd never been pried off before. But again, who knows?

This harness is soldered to the motor, so we will probably replace the motor and then repair this one to keep as a spare. $65 for the knockoff motor that hopefully works is better than $150 OEM? Hopefully?

 

[Kevin Cooper]

I had a spare motor too.

 

[klassic]

How are you going to get the motor out?

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Allocat, If you have the slide all the way in, you must move it out enough to get out the screw on the outside. It is at the top of the motor running through the seal. To get it out, make up a couple jumper wires a couple feet long. Then get a battery from a battery tool, and put the two jumpers into the +&-.
Then touch the two wires or solder on top of the motor below the round circuit board. Swap wires if it tries to come in. The tool battery voltage will not matter. 18 or 20 volts will not hurt the motor.

 

[Highlander-cMac]

Check our Schwintek repair videos -

 

[Allicatmeow]

How are you going to get the motor out?

Allocat, If you have the slide all the way in, you must move it out enough to get out the screw on the outside. It is at the top of the motor running through the seal. To get it out, make up a couple jumper wires a couple feet long. Then get a battery from a battery tool, and put the two jumpers into the +&-.
Then touch the two wires or solder on top of the motor below the round circuit board. Swap wires if it tries to come in. The tool battery voltage will not matter. 18 or 20 volts will not hurt the motor.

Finally got time to replace the motor. We could not push the slide out while overriding the controller or disconnecting the cable. The shaft on the motor essentially locked the gears so manual pushing of the slide did nothing. We thought we were going to have to completely disassemble the exterior trim to get to that set screw. Instead, since we decided salvaging the motor wasn't important, we completely destroyed it to pull it out, photo below. After it came out, the slide manually moved relatively easily so we could pull the set screw out and put it back in with the new motor.

I don't know how the people in the videos say to "just push while in override" are able to do it, because it was absolutely not possible for us.

The knockoff motor works great. The mount screws are about 1/8" longer than the OEM, but it settled in fine. Definitely worth the cost savings.

 

[klassic]

I didn’t think that would be possible. I have enough trouble getting the motor out when I’ve got the screw already out.
I’ve had 4 complete Schwintek replacements. Three by the dealer, twice I had to fix their debacles, the last one I had to completely redo after I got it back from them. lThen I had to pay Lippert for another complete system a year after that and they gave me a fairly good deal.
Now I have a complete spare setup, but I’m a month away from trading in my NorthPoint and never having a Schwintek slide again.

 

[Allicatmeow]

I didn’t think that would be possible. I have enough trouble getting the motor out when I’ve got the screw already out.
I’ve had 4 complete Schwintek replacements. Three by the dealer, twice I had to fix their debacles, the last one I had to completely redo after I got it back from them. lThen I had to pay Lippert for another complete system a year after that and they gave me a fairly good deal.
Now I have a complete spare setup, but I’m a month away from trading in my NorthPoint and never having a Schwintek slide again.

I didn't think so either. My husband wouldn't give up. I found one post somewhere of someone saying to pry the motor apart at the seam, which he did and then just hacked at it with a flathead, hammer, and channel locks. It was unbelievable honestly. The design of the set screw on the exterior is absolutely ridiculous.

I wish we had thought of the leads idea Kevin explained above, but I hadn't checked here before going and I'm not even sure we could get in that tight space to do it.

I don't blame you on that trade in... 4 failures!! That's so unacceptable. I love our camper and would like to swap these out to the Vroom system.