Have a schwintek slide that leaks at the lower rail and gets the bottom side of the slide wet. I have caulked all along the rail and the mounting screws but some how water still gets thru to the bottom. Done some web searching but haven't been able to find any definitive fixes. Any ideas?Thanks

DRM796 wrote:Have a schwintek slide that leaks at the lower rail and gets the bottom side of the slide wet. I have caulked all along the rail and the mounting screws but some how water still gets thru to the bottom. Done some web searching but haven't been able to find any definitive fixes. Any ideas?ThanksWith the slide open and unit level put a level on the rail. Does it have a slight slope to the outside end of the slide? It should so that any water flows to the outside, not through the gasket at the sidewall opening. The way the gasket is designed a hard wind driven rain blowing towards the camper is coming in regardless, but that should be a minimal amount of water.

The Schwintek rails are mounted to the side of the slide room with screws. So if the screws are sealed, then it isn't the slide rail that is leaking. You should take the screws out, put sealant in the hole, and put the screws back in. (Rust on a screw when you take it out is a sign that either that screw was leaking or something above it was.) If that doesn't fix the leaking, your problem is somewhere else. Look at the sealant around the windows; that's a common problem.

Pretty sure it's the rail. We have sprayed water on the side of the slide just around the rail and have seen the water start to show up.

nickthehunter wrote:The Schwintek rails are mounted to the side of the slide room with screws. So if the screws are sealed, then it isn't the slide rail that is leaking. You should take the screws out, put sealant in the hole, and put the screws back in. (Rust on a screw when you take it out is a sign that either that screw was leaking or something above it was.) If that doesn't fix the leaking, your problem is somewhere else. Look at the sealant around the windows; that's a common problem.The rails and the slide itself are supposed to be running out of level when the slide is deployed towards the outside. This keeps water from running back the rail itself, past the closed cell foam seal that the rail runs through. The RV manufacturers are notorious for putting the entire slide together wrong or screwing up yhe opening and alignment so the rails are level or slope towards the sidewall.

DRM796 wrote:Pretty sure it's the rail. We have sprayed water on the side of the slide just around the rail and have seen the water start to show up.If in fact the slide water on the bottom is coming from the rails then you have a serious leak.I would expect to see water on all 4 sides on the slide with rain.

Leaking Schwintek slide rail | Good Sam Community

PButler96
Explorer
Sep 22, 2022
DRM796 wrote:
Have a schwintek slide that leaks at the lower rail and gets the bottom side of the slide wet. I have caulked all along the rail and the mounting screws but some how water still gets thru to the bottom. Done some web searching but haven't been able to find any definitive fixes. Any ideas?

Thanks

With the slide open and unit level put a level on the rail. Does it have a slight slope to the outside end of the slide? It should so that any water flows to the outside, not through the gasket at the sidewall opening. The way the gasket is designed a hard wind driven rain blowing towards the camper is coming in regardless, but that should be a minimal amount of water.
nickthehunter
Nomad II
Sep 22, 2022
The Schwintek rails are mounted to the side of the slide room with screws. So if the screws are sealed, then it isn't the slide rail that is leaking. You should take the screws out, put sealant in the hole, and put the screws back in. (Rust on a screw when you take it out is a sign that either that screw was leaking or something above it was.) If that doesn't fix the leaking, your problem is somewhere else. Look at the sealant around the windows; that's a common problem.
DRM796
Explorer II
Sep 22, 2022
Pretty sure it's the rail. We have sprayed water on the side of the slide just around the rail and have seen the water start to show up.
Pbutler97
Explorer
Sep 22, 2022
nickthehunter wrote:
The Schwintek rails are mounted to the side of the slide room with screws. So if the screws are sealed, then it isn't the slide rail that is leaking. You should take the screws out, put sealant in the hole, and put the screws back in. (Rust on a screw when you take it out is a sign that either that screw was leaking or something above it was.) If that doesn't fix the leaking, your problem is somewhere else. Look at the sealant around the windows; that's a common problem.

The rails and the slide itself are supposed to be running out of level when the slide is deployed towards the outside. This keeps water from running back the rail itself, past the closed cell foam seal that the rail runs through. The RV manufacturers are notorious for putting the entire slide together wrong or screwing up yhe opening and alignment so the rails are level or slope towards the sidewall.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 22, 2022
DRM796 wrote:
Pretty sure it's the rail. We have sprayed water on the side of the slide just around the rail and have seen the water start to show up.
If in fact the slide water on the bottom is coming from the rails then you have a serious leak.

I would expect to see water on all 4 sides on the slide with rain.
schlep1967
Nomad
Sep 22, 2022
Never dealt with it but.... my suggestion if it is possible.
Remove screws from the rail. How far can you pull the rail out from the slide? Is it enough to get Butyl tape behind it? Place 1 inch pieces of butyl tape behind the rail were the screws will go back in through them. If that is where your leak is it should fix the problem.
DRM796
Explorer II
Sep 22, 2022
schlep1967 wrote:
Never dealt with it but.... my suggestion if it is possible.
Remove screws from the rail. How far can you pull the rail out from the slide? Is it enough to get Butyl tape behind it? Place 1 inch pieces of butyl tape behind the rail were the screws will go back in through them. If that is where your leak is it should fix the problem.

Thanks for the tip
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 22, 2022
schlep1967 wrote:
Never dealt with it but.... my suggestion if it is possible.
Remove screws from the rail. How far can you pull the rail out from the slide? Is it enough to get Butyl tape behind it? Place 1 inch pieces of butyl tape behind the rail were the screws will go back in through them. If that is where your leak is it should fix the problem.
I would not do this since it may cause the rails to extend further out and cause problems with the fixed gears. Plus you may be limited as the screws get closer to the slide interior position. Maybe OK but I'd get professional advice or help before proceeding.

Have you considered that the water may be moving around the lower slide edges on the bottom due to rig tilt or wind?
DRM796
Explorer II
Sep 22, 2022
CA Traveler wrote:
schlep1967 wrote:
Never dealt with it but.... my suggestion if it is possible.
Remove screws from the rail. How far can you pull the rail out from the slide? Is it enough to get Butyl tape behind it? Place 1 inch pieces of butyl tape behind the rail were the screws will go back in through them. If that is where your leak is it should fix the problem.
I would not do this since it may cause the rails to extend further out and cause problems with the fixed gears. Plus you may be limited as the screws get closer to the slide interior position. Maybe OK but I'd get professional advice or help before proceeding.

Have you considered that the water may be moving around the lower slide edges on the bottom due to rig tilt or wind?

Don't think it's coming from the outside. We took a hose and let water run down the side from about 6 inches above the rail for about 5 minutes or so. Didn't appear to be leaking. Then checked again a few minutes later and you could see a damp spot.
Kkurt001
Explorer
Apr 18, 2024
I have the same problem and it doesn’t matter if the slide out is on or out.
- Kkurt001
  Explorer
  Apr 18, 2024
  Mine leaks and my neighbors has same set up, his has a drip cap on his, mine doesn’t and leaks on the floor.
  - bid_time
    Nomad II
    Apr 19, 2024
    I’d bet dollars to donuts the water is coming from the windows.

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