Slide issue again!

[Clayobx]

Clint11, how can your coach that is new under warranty not have an item or items that are not repairable? Would you please elaborate. Thank you.

[morris61]

We have a 2013 vista 35 B. Had a slide motor break. We caused it. You must level the coach first. In 6000 miles no problem.

[D Lindy]

One of the MAIN things when operating a Schwinteck side system is to NOT stop the slide mid way, the slide MUST open/close all the way non stop. On the 2015 and later Winnebago's they've replaced the mounted slider track on the side of the slid with an aluminum bar with much deeper cogs, then the mounted bar previously used. Talked with a Winnebago region rep. last week and he's had 2 units with the newer bar system and has had 0 issues with it.

[mjeffrey]

Originally Posted by D Lindy

One of the MAIN things when operating a Schwinteck side system is to NOT stop the slide mid way, the slide MUST open/close all the way non stop.

You HAVE to be able to stop and reverse a slide going in or out. Things get in the way and life is not perfect. NOT being allowed to stop and start is a ridiculous requirement.

[Adam Hunter]

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

You HAVE to be able to stop and reverse a slide going in or out. Things get in the way and life is not perfect. NOT being allowed to stop and start is a ridiculous requirement.

I couldn't agree more - but the pathetic nature of the design is the issue. That unofficial procedure seems to keep the slide motors doing there thing. Yet the procedure to sync the slide ends has a user bring them in and out short travel amounts a number of times to sync the motors.

Its all a joke to me. I think we stand a better chance of having some type of ceremony before we use the slides and keep our fingers crossed - we sould stand a better chance!

[ed rzepka]

Originally Posted by D Lindy

One of the MAIN things when operating a Schwinteck side system is to NOT stop the slide mid way, the slide MUST open/close all the way non stop. On the 2015 and later Winnebago's they've replaced the mounted slider track on the side of the slid with an aluminum bar with much deeper cogs, then the mounted bar previously used. Talked with a Winnebago region rep. last week and he's had 2 units with the newer bar system and has had 0 issues with it.

On the "Still more Schwintek slideout woes" Winnebago thread, there is a guy there with a 2015 Sightseer that is have this problem. Also, you mention that the Winnebago Rep has had 2 units with the new systems. What exactly did you mean by that? Did he own them? Were they company vehicles driven to shows? Any idea how long he had them? Also he may have had them, but is he aware of any 2015s having this problem.

[ed rzepka]

Originally Posted by Adam Hunter

I couldn't agree more - but the pathetic nature of the design is the issue. That unofficial procedure seems to keep the slide motors doing there thing. Yet the procedure to sync the slide ends has a user bring them in and out short travel amounts a number of times to sync the motors.

Its all a joke to me. I think we stand a better chance of having some type of ceremony before we use the slides and keep our fingers crossed - we sould stand a better chance!

I agree, that answer is ridiculous. He sounds like a lobster scratching on the bottom of a hot pan with nowhere to go. Even more ridiculous is the fact that a company would have that kind expectation and then communicate it to customers. Even more, doesn’t the fact that people who can afford these things must have been pretty responsible and successful in their personal and work lives to have earned and saved the kind of money buy one of these things. These people are generally not stupid but yet this is the type of answer they are given. I don’t mean to be insulting, but really, give me a break.

[Gail Marie]

We have a 2015 Winnebago adventurer with a full slide. The schwintek slide didn't make it through the first 5,000 miles before it failed. Our local Winnie dealer refuses to work on schwintek because it is a design flaw. They told me the dealership who sold it to us will have to deal with Schwintek. We had to drive it home 900 miles away, wait a month for an appointment at a LaMesa RV, then drive it 300 miles to Davis, Ca.
The dealer took pictures and sent them to Winnebago for warranty repair. Winnebago denied the claim saying it was our fault. The dealer took pictures of the slide with a cabinet door open behind the slide!!! The pictures also showed that the hinges on the cabinet door were not damaged. So....Winnebago says the door caused the damage. Seriously? After driving it almost 1400 miles to get it to the dealer I imagine a door could open. But damage the motor in the slide and not damage the door hinges? LaMesa says they can "fix" it for $2400. We contacted Winnebago warranty/owner supervisor, Troy, he first refused to honor the warranty. He later called and said after consulting with staff, Winnebago will repair the slide under warranty and the door "in good faith."
Now I know that the schwintek on the large slide is not capable of carrying this amount of weight. Looking at the forums here I see this is a design flaw. I know it will break again. What is our recourse? Class action? It is not just Winnebago. I won this battle but what about everyone else. I am sure there will not be a recall of these mechanisms because it is cheaper to deal with it on a case by case. My vacation was cut short because of this. I see others have had their plans ruined also. Schwintek needs to come up with a fix. When they break, the dealer should replace them with a heavier duty something! I think someone said Thor is adding a third rail/motor to the large slides on the new models. How can we get the upgrade? How many trips are going to be cut short for the same problem over and over?

[j.smith]

Originally Posted by Adam Hunter

So we hear lots about failures, fixes then failures at the factory, talk about how to make the Schwinteks work properly......but are any of the members acually using these things without failures???

Sorry to hear of all the problems you all are having, but we have a 2015 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q with two of the Swintec slides and so far over 17k miles including a trip to Alaska have had no failures. We are very careful when we operate them; jacks down and coach level, engine running, start with the largest slide, work to the smallest. One of us is outside, one inside watching the slide while it is operating. Try to not stop until fully extended or retracted once started. Check the tracks before retracting for cleanliness, lube gibs and motors twice a year. So far all seems to be working well...

[Rossi6998]

Originally Posted by Gail Marie

We have a 2015 Winnebago adventurer with a full slide. The schwintek slide didn't make it through the first 5,000 miles before it failed. Our local Winnie dealer refuses to work on schwintek because it is a design flaw. They told me the dealership who sold it to us will have to deal with Schwintek. We had to drive it home 900 miles away, wait a month for an appointment at a LaMesa RV, then drive it 300 miles to Davis, Ca.
The dealer took pictures and sent them to Winnebago for warranty repair. Winnebago denied the claim saying it was our fault. The dealer took pictures of the slide with a cabinet door open behind the slide!!! The pictures also showed that the hinges on the cabinet door were not damaged. So....Winnebago says the door caused the damage. Seriously? After driving it almost 1400 miles to get it to the dealer I imagine a door could open. But damage the motor in the slide and not damage the door hinges? LaMesa says they can "fix" it for $2400. We contacted Winnebago warranty/owner supervisor, Troy, he first refused to honor the warranty. He later called and said after consulting with staff, Winnebago will repair the slide under warranty and the door "in good faith."
Now I know that the schwintek on the large slide is not capable of carrying this amount of weight. Looking at the forums here I see this is a design flaw. I know it will break again. What is our recourse? Class action? It is not just Winnebago. I won this battle but what about everyone else. I am sure there will not be a recall of these mechanisms because it is cheaper to deal with it on a case by case. My vacation was cut short because of this. I see others have had their plans ruined also. Schwintek needs to come up with a fix. When they break, the dealer should replace them with a heavier duty something! I think someone said Thor is adding a third rail/motor to the large slides on the new models. How can we get the upgrade? How many trips are going to be cut short for the same problem over and over?

I think Schwintek/Lippert is garbage! I have no faith in my slide (Schwintek) or my leveling jacks (Lippert). Every time I use the slide or the level jacks, I keep waiting for them to malfunction. Both have been repaired and I have only had my motorhome for two years. Fortunately, I have a pretty good dealership and my extended warranty (Protective) has covered the repairs.

Someone needs to wake up and smell the coffee. I'm not one to cry lawsuit, but I continually read problem after problem with this company and their sub-standard products.

[emcee]

Originally Posted by j.smith

.................lube gibs and motors twice a year............

Could you elaborate? Is this procedure in the manual?

[jhanan]

Originally Posted by D Lindy

One of the MAIN things when operating a Schwinteck side system is to NOT stop the slide mid way, the slide MUST open/close all the way non stop. On the 2015 and later Winnebago's they've replaced the mounted slider track on the side of the slid with an aluminum bar with much deeper cogs, then the mounted bar previously used. Talked with a Winnebago region rep. last week and he's had 2 units with the newer bar system and has had 0 issues with it.

I find it inconceivable that Winnebago would put in a system with such limitations such as not being able to stop the slide mid-stroke. What if you find something in the way either inside or outside the rig. I often start my HWH slide outs in and then stop to make sure all is good and nothing is caught near the sides (we have added driving curtains). U have to be able to stop mid-stroke. The design seems messed up. They should go back to a hydraulic system that has the strength and power, and is not as susceptible to twisting and uneven ground effects (particularly with us boondockers - rarely parking on a flat concrete slab).

[j.smith]

Originally Posted by emcee

Could you elaborate? Is this procedure in the manual?

Sorry I don't have a link but if you do a search for schwintec slide lubrication there is a youtube video put out by Lippert explaining the lubrication process. The video says to lube from both the inside and outside, it is physically impossible to access the mechanism from the inside in our coach so I do it all from the outside.

For the record, I also would rather have a system like the HWH system on our old coach and figure it is just a matter of time before ours has a problem, in the mean time I try to make sure we stack the deck in our favor by controlling as many variables as I can until Winnebago comes with a suitable replacement system.

[dezrtracr]

I spoke with Lippert a few months back about the lubrication procedure. They told me to lube the gibbs and the section of the track where the gibbs slide in all from the outside.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by jhanan

I find it inconceivable that Winnebago would put in a system with such limitations such as not being able to stop the slide mid-stroke. What if you find something in the way either inside or outside the rig. I often start my HWH slide outs in and then stop to make sure all is good and nothing is caught near the sides (we have added driving curtains). U have to be able to stop mid-stroke. The design seems messed up. They should go back to a hydraulic system that has the strength and power, and is not as susceptible to twisting and uneven ground effects (particularly with us boondockers - rarely parking on a flat concrete slab).

The slide instructions for our HWH slide system says they must be put all the way in or out and not go only part way. But you can stop and start them in between, you just need to complete cycle once started. So don't run them part way out, run them part way in and then out again. Not sure why either.

[Adam Hunter]

We sold our 2013 Journey because of the slide mechanisms.

They are a pathetic design and not robust enough for the task at hand. I exercised all sorts of procedures and safeguards to get our slides in and out without grinding, scraping or failure - No success.
Levelling, power, can after can of lube spray, not stopping while in motion and so on and so on - Its all smoke and mirrors.

They are the downfall of a otherwise spectacular product from a great manufacturer.

[WV Bum]

Mr D. I can't read you mind, but it sounds like you are making this problem seem minor . I would guess you don't have this problem. It seems to me that that the slide problems that so many are having is NOT to be taken lightly . In other post, a lot of families vacation / tripes have been ruined by this . if it just happened on a very few times it would be different . Don't think you could say this slide and jack proublem has NOT happened a lot , and by there own admission they do not have a answer. A lot new MH owners are just waiting for it to happen to them . It is not if , it is when . Hope you do not have this happen to you. Just try to realize its a big proublem for a lot of people!!

[SAWTELLE]

I posted last March that our 2013 Meridian was at the dealers for repairs on the failed slide for the third time. Well, after much thought we decided to trade the MH. We didn't think there was much they could do to secure the slide-we already had the "new and improved " motors, new wiring harness and new tracks and still it failed! We just felt it would fail again and we may not be where we could help. This last time it took 6 of our neighbors, my husband, and the repair guy to get the slide in as it was canted halfway out! What a shame Winnebago went with Lippert on the slides and jacks, they lost another customer!

[twojayhawks]

Originally Posted by fla tom

the problem is not just with Winnebagoit is with the schwintech (sp) slide system on larger slides but after the problems became apparent Winnebago should have stopped using it on the larger slides I have moved on from Winnebago because of customer service issues ( most likely campingworld)but they do make a very nice Motorhome

Just a FYI Bago uses a robust Power Gear slide on the FWS models and they have for several years. The OP here has a quad slide with I believe three of them being the dreaded in wall slide system. My point is they are not over loaded it was simply Bago's poor design and not supporting the slide properly. Again, all the in wall slide system does is push/pull the coach builder didn't use properly.

[Clint11]

Originally Posted by SAWTELLE

We got home from our annual trip to Florida and once again the front passenger slide failed and we could not get it in. This is the third time since we purchased this 2013 Itasca Meridian 40U and we are so disappointed in Winnebago. For the money we spent on this coach, which was not cheap by any means, it seems the coach is! We were told they still don't have a permanent fix which is obvious since its been repaired twice before. This slide was so canted it took 8 neighbors to help lift it enough to get it in. Wonder if anyone has though of a class action lawsuit against Winnebago.Attachment 88820Attachment 88821Attachment 88822

We are at the factory for a retro fix of our passenger side front slide. It has failed 8 times in 18 months. Supposedly Lippert has designed a fix with new 300 to 1 ratio motors with brakes and a bracing system to eliminate flexing. The defective motors are 500-1 and do not have a brake. I hope this fixes it because it is the last straw. I really do not have high hopes since they told me to get to the factory asap and they were waiting for me to install the fix.......we raced across country to get here and have been here 5 days with no parts in sight!!!! Typical arrogance from these companies---once they get your money you are no longer important to them.