Schwintek Slide Out Problems

[craigandsue]

I am having problems with the same slide out in my 5th wheel. The large kitchen slide out has been problematic since new. I had the slide fixed once under warranty when one side would not go in. It was repaired again recently when it wouldn't go in and had to get 4 strong men to push it in so I could get it to the dealership - no warranty by now. 2 weeks later it failed again - back to the dealer. I'm reading bad things about Schwintek slides. I no longer have confidence with this RV when I try to leave a campsite. I never had a problem with other slide outs with the previous 5 RVs we owned.

[dougrainer]

craigandsue wrote:
Spoke with the tech again and he said he checked all the connectors but the slide out is still acting up. Sometimes the rear stalls, sometimes the front. He is going to get another set of eyes on it to see if he's missing something. I noticed the new 2021 model year does not use Schintek in the large kitchen slide out.

He checked it again. DID HE CHECK FOR ERROR CODES????????? IF NO error codes, the next procedure with Jayco approving is to take BOTH outside wall flanges loose(with room extended about 12 inches) with a lift supporting the room and let the Schwintek mechanism mount self center and then reattach the outside flanges even IF the holes do not line up. When you have stall and NO error codes that usually means the complete room/mechanism is binding. This procedure fixes that. If the holes still line up, the room was installed correctly. Doug

[craigandsue]

Spoke with the tech again and he said he checked all the connectors but the slide out is still acting up. Sometimes the rear stalls, sometimes the front. He is going to get another set of eyes on it to see if he's missing something. I noticed the new 2021 model year does not use Schintek in the large kitchen slide out.

[dougrainer]

craigandsue wrote:
Yes I hold the switch down for 10 seconds after extend/retract as recommended by dealer tech. When the rear motor wouldn't move at all, the controller flashed code 8. The wiring checked out okay by the dealer and they replaced the controller. The rear of the slide has failed to retract and other times the front has failed to retract - no consistent pattern.

I would state they did NOT check the complete harness's. The 8 code is telling you there is a short or open in the harness for THAT motor. The controller will tell you which motor has the fault. You either replace the harness or the Motor. Schwintek controllers RARELY fail, but they are the easiest/quickest item to replace when you just throw parts at a problem. 99% of the time the harness is pinched somewhere. But, since the room and RV can move, the open/short does not always happen until the RV/Room is moved a certain way. What I would do. is verift WHICH motor and then replace THAT harness. If there is NO short or open on the Black and Red harness wires, the motors(both) will activate in Override. All override does, is ignore the counter signals and just supplies 12 volt and Ground direct to the motors. IF these 2 wires are open or shorted, then you have a bigger problem getting the rooms in and out in override. It is rare for these 2 wires to even get shorted. Doug

[craigandsue]

Yes I hold the switch down for 10 seconds after extend/retract as recommended by dealer tech. When the rear motor wouldn't move at all, the controller flashed code 8. The wiring checked out okay by the dealer and they replaced the controller. The rear of the slide has failed to retract and other times the front has failed to retract - no consistent pattern.

[dougrainer]

phillyg wrote:
How is it failing? I've had problems with 1 of my 2 Schwinteks, where one of the motors loosens and rotates in its housing. It's only prevented from doing so by a single screw that loosens up; seems to be a weak design to me. A couple of RV techs told me the mfgrs. are making their slideouts too big for the Schwintek mechanisms; something I don't doubt. I can tell you the motors on mine sound like they're struggling on my big one.

1. The motor CANNOT loosen and turn in the mount assbly IF IT IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY. There are 4 threaded studs that are inserted into the nylon block of the motor mount that prevents turning.
2. The outside single screw that keeps the motor from raising up protrudes INSIDE the metal motor armature shell and if the correct screw is used, the motor CANNOT lift up at all and if it cannot lift up at all the motor will not rotate, since it cannot lift up at all.
3. YES, OEM's are building too large of a slide out in some models for the Schwintek system to function over the long haul. But, The OEM's want it and Schwintek supplies the mechanism even tho Schwintek states to not use it.
4. Click this link and look at the motor. You will see those 4 studs at the axle end. At the top just below the wire harness you will see the oval holes that the outside set screw protrudes in.Doug

https://www.campingworld.com/lippert-236575-in-wall-rv-slide-out-motor-117176.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw5p_...

[dougrainer]

You are HOLDING the Retract or extend Button for at least 10 seconds after full retraction or extension? That resets the motor timers each time the room is operated. Also, the fact that in override, do BOTH motors then run? Or only one? If just one motor operates that points to a WIRING problem for that one motor that does not run. When the system DOES fail in normal operation, what is the LED fail code on the Control module? Doug

[craigandsue]

The slide out fails by one side failing to retract. I have been able to get the slide in by rocking the switch back and forth between retract and extend in order to get it to the dealer. One time one side wouldn't budge even when trying to override.

[phillyg]

How is it failing? I've had problems with 1 of my 2 Schwinteks, where one of the motors loosens and rotates in its housing. It's only prevented from doing so by a single screw that loosens up; seems to be a weak design to me. A couple of RV techs told me the mfgrs. are making their slideouts too big for the Schwintek mechanisms; something I don't doubt. I can tell you the motors on mine sound like they're struggling on my big one.

[dougrainer]

craigandsue wrote:
The slide out has failed with the leveling jacks down and up.

Regardless, follow the procedure I outlined. Doug

[craigandsue]

The slide out has failed with the leveling jacks down and up.

[dougrainer]

Do you have the 2016 Northpoint? If so, do you have the 6 point LCI leveling jack system? It was an option on Jayco's. IF SO, do you level the RV BEFORE you deploy the slide rooms? If so, DO NOT level the RV before extending or retracting the Slide rooms. Extend the slide rooms and then level. RETRACT the levelors and then RETRACT the rooms for travel. IF you have the 6 point on your long 5th wheel, the center leveling jacks will torque the center of the frame/floor and cause a Schwintek slide mechanism to bind. This will not affect the bedroom slides rooms just the slide rooms in the center of the RV. Doug