Is it Schwintek or the MH?

moisheh wrote:
Doug: Lippert manufactures the Schwintek slide out system that RV mfrs. install in their units. Just go to the Lippert web site and watch the video. As for Kwikee/power gear:

"Elkhart-based Lippert Components Inc. has acquired a Mishawaka-based competitor, according to an announcement Monday, June 16 from Lippert’s parent company, Drew Industries Inc.



Lippert has paid $35.5 million for Power Gear/Kwikee Products, a subsidiary of Menomonee Falls, Wisc.-based Actuant Corp., Drew Industries said in a press release. The buy was financed with available cash and a loan from Lippert’s $75 million line of credit with JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo."

Lippert is becoming so big in the RV industry that soon no RV will be without some components made by Lippert. IMO most of their products are poorly made. It seems the products that are decent are those where they bought another company and continue to make those product with no changes.

Moisheh

Thanks for the PG info. The Website for PG and LCI do NOT reflect they are the same company now. I NEVER said LCI did not build the Schwintek system. I stated that the system was NOT designed by LCI, but purchased from the Inventor and now LCI owns the Schwintek system. As to LCI and Kwikee. LCI does have lousy customer service for both Dealers and retail customers. The LCI step is NOT (NOT) LCI design or build. LCI purchased SCS (Coach Step) years ago and closed down the plant in Ft Worth, Texas and moved it elsewhere. BUT, the design and function of the SCS Frigette Coach step is about the same for one LCI modification---They had the step control modules redesigned to prevent corrosion intrusion. THIS was a big problem with Coach steps before LCI purchased them. Corrosion burnt out the control modules. LCI steps still have a problem with their motors failing a lot more than Kwikee. This was also a problem before LCI purchased Coach Step. People can blame LCI, but a LOT of the Products LCI sells were NOT LCI design but another Manufacturer they purchased. IF the manufacturer was a GOOD product, then there are no problems now that LCI owns them. SOOOOO, PG and Kwikee will do just fine now that LCI owns them as they are good products. Getting help and phone support will probably be better for PG owners as PG would NOT talk to retail customers, only dealers and service centers. Doug

Doug: Lippert manufactures the Schwintek slide out system that RV mfrs. install in their units. Just go to the Lippert web site and watch the video. As for Kwikee/power gear:

"Elkhart-based Lippert Components Inc. has acquired a Mishawaka-based competitor, according to an announcement Monday, June 16 from Lippert’s parent company, Drew Industries Inc.



Lippert has paid $35.5 million for Power Gear/Kwikee Products, a subsidiary of Menomonee Falls, Wisc.-based Actuant Corp., Drew Industries said in a press release. The buy was financed with available cash and a loan from Lippert’s $75 million line of credit with JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo."

Lippert is becoming so big in the RV industry that soon no RV will be without some components made by Lippert. IMO most of their products are poorly made. It seems the products that are decent are those where they bought another company and continue to make those product with no changes.

Moisheh

FWIW, my slides in my Voltage seem to have problems after 2 years service. Just had them serviced/lubricated and they work better than when it was new!

FrontRangeRVer wrote:

moisheh wrote:
Schwintek is made or marketed by Lippert. Almost everything that Lippert makes is substandard. If your unit has a Lippert step that is not a big problem. Simply replace with another brand.
Moisheh

What step brand do you suggest that owner replace their Kwikee steps (owned by Lippert) with? :S Customer service at Lippert is outstanding. Can't say the same about Power Gear (now owned by Lippert) or Kwikee (now owned by Lippert). :B

Like many have said in the previous posts here and elsewhere, it was the box manufacturer that screwed up with the installation and slide opening with the Lippert slide system. It's a general consensus that Thor had slide openings in their Palazzo units that weren't square or had some undersized motor issues, and Thor installed this sytem on very large slides that weren't engineered by Lippert. It looks like these issues have been since remedied by Thor.

I'm taking a chance on ordering a new Winnebago with the Lippert slides, as I believe the "bugs" of this new system have been ironed out in the late 2014 models and all the 2015 models. I'm confident that Winnebago, being the leader of the industry, wouldn't continue to use this mechanism on all their units if it wasn't a reliable and robust slide system. :B

LCI does NOT own Kwikee. Powergear is NOT owned by LCI unless you have info from the last 30 days. So, the answer is---replace the LCI with a Kwikee step. LCI did NOT patent or develop the Scwintek system. They purchased it from the Inventor. As of Nov. 2013, last stats I am aware of, LCI shipped over 8000 slide mechanisms a month to OEM's. The ONLY full wall Schwintek slide I have had to work on was on a Jayco 5th wheel about 2 years ago(we are a Jayco dealer). I could NOT fix it regardless of the parts they sent and technical help they gave me. The unit was purchased back by Jayco and shipped off to Jayco. I have NOT seen another Jayco with a full wall slide using the Schwintek system. None of the other Brands we sell use the Schwintek on the full wall slides. IMO, full wall slides are just to long and heavy for the Scwintek system. Doug

moisheh wrote:
Are you aware of any changes to the mechanism that would make you a believer? Moisheh

Yes. There was also a line change at Winnebago around January 2014. re-read my above posts again. I'm taking a leap of faith by ordering a new Winnebago and it's fairly clear that Winnebago has solved the few issues that cropped up early with the slide mechanism. I don't believe they would hurt their bottom line on purpose by continuing to use an inferior product. :) And yes.....as in my early posts, I haven't heard of any Winnebago slide issues after the line change.

Don't know anything about CW selling Chinese steps, and Power Gear/Kwikee were just aquired by Lippert.

Bring on my ordered Winnie! :B

If you want to see Lippert quality just look at the posts in various forums of 5th wheel frames. I have always believed that Winnie made a good product but they have been using that bad slide out for a few years. Are you aware of any changes to the mechanism that would make you a believer? Are the current models of MH's with the Schwintek slides problem free? As for steps: Back in 08 Lippert acquired the Texas company that was making steps for some of the higher end products. AFAIK they did nothing to make that step an inferior product. What have they done with Power Gear products? Although I prefer HWH many of the power gear products( hydraulic levelers, slide outs) are a decent product. I think CW is ( or was) carrying a Chinese knock off for the Kwikee step.

Moisheh

mustang652 wrote:

afrescop wrote:
.....We have an Itasca MH with Schwintek slides. So far, after a year and a half of opening and closing (and holding my breath)the two slides, there have been no issues.....No, I own no shares of the Lippert Co

Love the disclaimer on owning shares. As posted above, I had one unit that was a disaster, but, on the recommendation of one of the mechanics that worked on the poorly installed system, I went for the Itasca 35F with the smaller slides on the Schwintek system. Have not been disappointed to date. Just out of caution, I do make sure the unit is level and I keep the weight of storage on the larger of the two slides as low as I can.

Ours is a 2013 Sunstar 35F.

Hmmm, I've seen older Damon (say 2006 models) that use some sort of steel cable system. At Hershey yesterday none that I saw were using that system.

Any thoughts on what that cable system was?

afrescop wrote:
.....We have an Itasca MH with Schwintek slides. So far, after a year and a half of opening and closing (and holding my breath)the two slides, there have been no issues.....No, I own no shares of the Lippert Co

Love the disclaimer on owning shares. As posted above, I had one unit that was a disaster, but, on the recommendation of one of the mechanics that worked on the poorly installed system, I went for the Itasca 35F with the smaller slides on the Schwintek system. Have not been disappointed to date. Just out of caution, I do make sure the unit is level and I keep the weight of storage on the larger of the two slides as low as I can.

I think it almost liable to paint Lippert with such a broad brush and no facts to back up that statement.

We have an Itasca MH with Schwintek slides. So far, after a year and a half of opening and closing (and holding my breath)the two slides, there have been no issues. One time the bigger slide opened unevenly. I took it into the shop and it turned out a portable laptop desk was left in the wrong place and it jammed the slide. Ooops!

No, I own no shares of the Lippert Co.