We've been looking at the larger, 2xx series, Outdoor RV (OVR) TT's. Our favorite floor plans (the 250RKS and 270RKS) use Schwintek slide mechanisms on all slides exclusively, whereas our "Plan B" OVR choices (the 260RLS and 280RKS) use a rack and pinion, frame supported, strut design on the one large slide and Schwintek on a very small 2nd slide in the bedroom.Couple of observations I'm hoping you folks can either confirm or correct: 1. It appears to me that the Schwintek design places ALL the weight of the slide on the wooden floor that rests on top of the frame outriggers (especially when extended), plus it requires support from the adjoining wall and the Schwintek H-columns to remain level. 2. On the OVR rack and pinion slides I looked at, it appears all the weight of the slide is supported entirely by several struts which are inserted directly into the side of the frame (when extended or retracted). I also noticed numerous, easily accessible vertical/horizontal adjustment points along the bottom of the rack and pinion slide. I believe these type of h/v adjustments would be much more difficult to make with the Schwintek system.If my observations are correct, then my gut tells me to pass on our favorite floor plans with the floor/wall supported Schwintek design and go with our Plan B choices that use the frame supported, rack and pinion slide design on the largest slide.Corrections? Other thoughts?Thanks!

Interesting they went back to rack and pinion. Get that if you can, for large slides at least. I may have helped persuade them to switch. Mine went back to the factory twice on their dime, for replacement of the schwintek system on my main megaslide. The 3 smaller slides have been fine other than one bad motor. I'll never get another rv with this system on a large slide. ORV was great addressing it however.More recently, One of the outriggers supporting the wall corner that carries the meg slide has started to buckle. Or more likely has become visible. I'll probably jack it up and reinforce myself.

My Schwintek slide rests on rollers at the edge of the wall.

So they have been making Schwintech slides for 5 or 6 years now. Do you think ORV would continue to use them and warranty them if they were having a lot of unhappy customers

I have Schwintek dual motor rack system on my Grand Design and I will tell you I've had problems with the slide from day one and its only 1 year old. Had the slide adjusted twice, a motor replaced on one side and now Schwintek (Lippert) is replacing both motors, and the rack and block system.I don't know if the trailer you are looking at has 2 motors for the slide, but I would advise against buying that one. Of the 6 or 7 trailers we have owned, I have never had a problem unit until this trailer.

So far, we haven't had any problem with ours but it is a very complicated system and it's made by Lippert. A scary combination.

Outdoor RV TT's: Schwintek vs. Rack & Pinion Slides

camperforlife
Explorer
Nov 21, 2017
My brothers trailer has a Schwintech slide and is 5 years old. It has been in the shop every year for slide issues. 2 years ago the entire mechanism including tracks were replaced. It is sitting today with a slide that won't go out. It is scheduled to go in the shop again just before Christmas but it sounds like they are going to throw in the towel and trade it. Just Google Scwintech issues and you won't be back here for a few days if you read all of them.

Here is his worst failure where he was left stranded 5 hours from home with it stuck out on a terrible angle

Click For Full-Size Image.
nickthehunter
Nomad II
Nov 20, 2017
carringb wrote:
nickthehunter wrote:
So they have been making Schwintech slides for 5 or 6 years now. Do you think ORV would continue to use them and warranty them if they were having a lot of unhappy customers

That's the thing.... They are now offering non-schwintek floor-plans. That's new. They can't just drop it all in one go, since the chassis has to re-designed for rack-and-pinion, and could require moving systems around to make space as well.
I can change the design in week. It’s all about welding a bracket to a frame. It’s not the space shuttle.
ADK_Camper
Explorer
Nov 20, 2017
ScottG wrote:
My Schwintek slide rests on rollers at the edge of the wall.

We have a Schwintek slide on our Fun Finder 210WBS. It's worked well for 8 seasons. We did have one issue with the rollers referenced above. At manufacturing so much caulking was used around one roller that it became stuck and would not turn. As a result the roller skidded along the underside of the slide. Because the problem was out of sight it went unnoticed and eventually damaged the underside of the slide. Fortunately I was able to repair the slide and free up the roller. It has worked fine ever since. Personally I would not want a camper without a slide, but they are all complicated mechanical contraptions so I think you just make your choice, take your chances, and hope for the best.
carringb
Explorer
Nov 20, 2017
nickthehunter wrote:
So they have been making Schwintech slides for 5 or 6 years now. Do you think ORV would continue to use them and warranty them if they were having a lot of unhappy customers

That's the thing.... They are now offering non-schwintek floor-plans. That's new. They can't just drop it all in one go, since the chassis has to re-designed for rack-and-pinion, and could require moving systems around to make space as well.
djsamuel
Nomad
Nov 20, 2017
Hondavalk wrote:
My Schwintek has been trouble free for 5 years. Maybe I just got lucky but I would not think twice about going with one again

Ours is over 4 years with no issues. My slide is small though. It seems as though larger slides have issues.
Hondavalk
Explorer II
Nov 20, 2017
My Schwintek has been trouble free for 5 years. Maybe I just got lucky but I would not think twice about going with one again
ScottG
Nomad
Nov 20, 2017
So far, we haven't had any problem with ours but it is a very complicated system and it's made by Lippert.
A scary combination.
bailer6334
Explorer
Nov 20, 2017
I have Schwintek dual motor rack system on my Grand Design and I will tell you I've had problems with the slide from day one and its only 1 year old. Had the slide adjusted twice, a motor replaced on one side and now Schwintek (Lippert) is replacing both motors, and the rack and block system.

I don't know if the trailer you are looking at has 2 motors for the slide, but I would advise against buying that one. Of the 6 or 7 trailers we have owned, I have never had a problem unit until this trailer.
nickthehunter
Nomad II
Nov 19, 2017
So they have been making Schwintech slides for 5 or 6 years now. Do you think ORV would continue to use them and warranty them if they were having a lot of unhappy customers
ScottG
Nomad
Nov 19, 2017
My Schwintek slide rests on rollers at the edge of the wall.