Lippert slideout wont open ..Help!!!

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 06:42 AM

Hi all
I have a 2018 Winnebago Vista 32ye . It has the Lippert in wall slideout system.
Everything was operating normally before we left , got to the campground , leveled up and i tried to open the bedroom slide and one side started moving and the other didnt.
I went thru numerous checks and troubleshooting and have determined that IT IS THE MOTOR.
The problem is now accessing the motor. The slide out wall is up against the back wall of the coach and my arms arent long enough to reach the motor (i am 6'4" with a 7' wingspan so someone taller wont help) .
The question is , how can i open the slide enough to reach the motor? Is there a way to manually open the slide?
Now let me preface this with .. THE MOTOR DOESNT WORK, It wont work in override , it wont work applying direct power , it wont work in a box ... it wont work with a fox. . I need to open the slide without using that motor.
Again , to save time here i have trouble shooted the control box , the wiring , the power ... the motor is fried/bad connection/unusable at this time.
From what i see , to push open the slide manually you must disengage the motor from the gear in the track , how is this possible if the motor is unreachable?
Thank you all in advance for any help!

RVwithDogs · 02-20-2021, 07:57 AM

I may be wrong but don't all slides have 2 motors ? My Lippert book says in a case where 1 side will not slide, try to have someone push that side by hand while activating the out switch. You may be able to gain a few inches of space and access the motor retention screw on the bad side.

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVwithDogs

I may be wrong but don't all slides have 2 motors ? My Lippert book says in a case where 1 side will not slide, try to have someone push that side by hand while activating the out switch. You may be able to gain a few inches of space and access the motor retention screw on the bad side.

Thank you for the reply! Yes that is essentially my question , is that possible? I did try that briefly but it didnt seem to budge and im wondering if im beating a dead horse trying this. Im wondering if anyone has been successful at just using brute force or will i damage something ?
I would say if i can get 4" i will be able to reach it, ive also read that on some models the retention screw is on the outside!! Which means that the slide must be out , at least a little, to access that screw from the outside.

Bones2003 · 02-20-2021, 09:43 AM

UrbanTarzan, unfortunately I don't have an answer for you. I worry about having that exact problem since I do not see how to gain access to certain motors when the slide is in. Maybe have to remove the trim on the outside but that might still not give access? Out of curiosity, what flashing fault lights did you get on your slide control box? Hope you can find an easy solution and post it here. Good luck!

Winterbagoal · 02-20-2021, 10:03 AM

From the OM for the motorhome....Section 10.
"
SLIDEOUT EMERGENCY
RETRACTION (POWER GEAR®)
IN WALL SLIDEOUT
–If Equipped
If the slideout mechanism is malfunctioning
and the room will not retract using the interior
control switch, see the In Wall Slideout Room
operating guide included in your InfoCase for
further instructions and troubleshooting
information.
"
Do you have the "black bag" Winnebago Infocase?
Instructions on how to deal with slide problems are in it.
Not sure why you want to extend the slide if the motor is bad.
You're going to have to retract it to take it some place for repairs, unless you plan on replacing the faulty parts, on site.
Good luck with it. It's near the top of every motorhome owner's worst nightmares list.

Oneilkeys · 02-20-2021, 10:22 AM

Have you tried YouTube?
https://youtu.be/DviEbWT3lUo
This is a link to the Lippert video on slide motor replacement. You can also call the folks at Lippert, they are very helpful.

powercat_ras · 02-20-2021, 10:38 AM

Winnebago has supplier links to the Lippert slideout systems manuals, including their trouble shooting guide. I have downloaded and saved all the older Swintek fixed track system manuals for my made in 2014, 2015 Vista 27N. You'll want to make sure you download and read the right manuals for your unit. The trouble shooting guide, at least for my Swintek, provides procedure to release the brake inside the motors on both sides so you can manually push the slide in or out. It also documents the flashing LED error codes on the slideout control module, located in the basement somewhere.

The manual for mine says you press the mode button six times quickly, then press and hold the mode button a 7th time for 5 seconds. If it works the Red and Green LEDs begin to flash. This is supposed to put the slide into Manual Override Mode and release the brake function in the motors even though the slide switch is not in Extend or Retract. I'd try this. I've never tried it.

The manual for mine says that once the controller is in Manual Override Mode you can unplug the motors from the control module and the brake function stays released. I've never tried this.

Good luck.

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

From the OM for the motorhome....Section 10.
"
SLIDEOUT EMERGENCY
RETRACTION (POWER GEAR®)
IN WALL SLIDEOUT
–If Equipped
If the slideout mechanism is malfunctioning
and the room will not retract using the interior
control switch, see the In Wall Slideout Room
operating guide included in your InfoCase for
further instructions and troubleshooting
information.
"
Do you have the "black bag" Winnebago Infocase?
Instructions on how to deal with slide problems are in it.
Not sure why you want to extend the slide if the motor is bad.
You're going to have to retract it to take it some place for repairs, unless you plan on replacing the faulty parts, on site.
Good luck with it. It's near the top of every motorhome owner's worst nightmares list.

Hi and thanks for the reply, yes i have the black bag and yes i read the emergency slide out instuctions which provide no instruction on how to open a stuck slide with a bad motor.
I want to open the slide so i can fix it, im resolved to the fact that i wont attempt to fix it until i get home but i still need to open it.
Lippert says disengage the motor to push out the slide... my question here is "is it possible to push it out without disengaging the motor and has anyone tried successfully?"
Indeed a nightmare !!

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

Winnebago has supplier links to the Lippert slideout systems manuals, including their trouble shooting guide. I have downloaded and saved all the older Swintek fixed track system manuals for my made in 2014, 2015 Vista 27N. You'll want to make sure you download and read the right manuals for your unit. The trouble shooting guide, at least for my Swintek, provides procedure to release the brake inside the motors on both sides so you can manually push the slide in or out. It also documents the flashing LED error codes on the slideout control module, located in the basement somewhere.

The manual for mine says you press the mode button six times quickly, then press and hold the mode button a 7th time for 5 seconds. If it works the Red and Green LEDs begin to flash. This is supposed to put the slide into Manual Override Mode and release the brake function in the motors even though the slide switch is not in Extend or Retract. I'd try this. I've never tried it.

The manual for mine says that once the controller is in Manual Override Mode you can unplug the motors from the control module and the brake function stays released. I've never tried this.

Good luck.

Unfortunately , fried motors dont respond to overide mode, or any other mode

Oneilkeys · 02-20-2021, 11:24 AM

I do not believe you can move the slide without disengaging both motors. While theoretically it might be possible to just disengage the bad motor and try to use the good motor while pushing the “bad” motor side, in reality I don’t think that will work. One side will get behind the other and the wall will “bind”

powercat_ras · 02-20-2021, 12:09 PM

> fried motors ...

How do you "know" that the motor is totally fried? The brake inside the motor release function might still work even if the motor won't turn.

If you have more than 1 slideout you might try making sure the control module is good by frogging the control module with one from another slideout that still works. If like my Vista where the 3 modules are mounted side by side you may even be able to just move the motor connectors from one controller to another.

I assume you have confirmed that the 30 Amp circuit breaker for the control module is not tripped, another check one can quickly make.

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Have you tried YouTube?
https://youtu.be/DviEbWT3lUo
This is a link to the Lippert video on slide motor replacement. You can also call the folks at Lippert, they are very helpful.

Removing the motor is not the problem , being physically unable to reach it, touch it or even see it with the slide closed is the problem.

Oneilkeys · 02-20-2021, 12:48 PM

https://youtu.be/cxEYSstvICI

This is a hour long video on the whole system and how it works. If there is nothing in this video that helps, at least you will know about everything there is to know about the system when you talk to the people at Lippert. If there is a work around to not being able to reach the motor to disengage it, they will know.

UrbanTarzan · 02-20-2021, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

> fried motors ...

How do you "know" that the motor is totally fried? The brake inside the motor release function might still work even if the motor won't turn.

If you have more than 1 slideout you might try making sure the control module is good by frogging the control module with one from another slideout that still works. If like my Vista where the 3 modules are mounted side by side you may even be able to just move the motor connectors from one controller to another.

I assume you have confirmed that the 30 Amp circuit breaker for the control module is not tripped, another check one can quickly make.

As stated in the original post ,but without every detail of my troubleshooting to come to the competent conclusion that , the problem is in fact the motor itself.. motors swapped, board checked and functioning properly, breakers checked, one side works fine the other doesn't.. working motor works on that side(although backwards because the motors are facing each other and must work in opposite directions ) , disconnecting the motor from the board has not "released the brake or freed the gear mechanism" in any way that i can discern. Soo do i know the motor is "fried"? Technically no, maybe the wires pulled out, maybe they rusted or the motor is in fact fried... but the fact remains that the motor is not under the control of the board in any way or fashion and i cant physicaly get to the motor with the slide fully retracted .

Morich · 02-20-2021, 06:04 PM

Yes, I think it is pretty common for the motor leads to become damaged or they also are prone to the connection drop off the motor. Same result though so getting the slide out is still needed. I have heard/read about a "jog sequence" where one runs it with the motor that works, pushes the stalled side to catch it up, and then do the same routine again until you can get enough space to reach the motor.
When looking over my slide, I found the same problem with it failing at any time when in and unable to reach. But the trick seems to be to get it out far enough to reach behind the trim at the edges and behind the rubber seal to spot the motor up near the top and pop it up to disengage it.
Lots of U-tube and there is one by a lady who showed how she did it but it seems to be a major trick.
One way to check your motor might be to test the wiring for continuity from the controller to the motor. If totally open, I would bet on loose wiring!
But my bets come pretty cheap if I lose!

Robmat · 02-21-2021, 06:33 PM

The motor can be accessed from both inside and outside. Here is a good Youtube video by an RV mechanic and he is changing the motor from inside with the slide in. It seems you can get to it from both sides as when the slide is open he shows how to access if from outside. There are two different motors and a common problem is the set screw holding the motor in place comes loose and motor twists the wire breaking the wire. Excellent video. I wish I saw it before I had a problem with my slide not coming in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxEY...yRVWorks%2CInc

.

Bones2003 · 02-21-2021, 06:59 PM

UrbanTarzan, maybe if you gave Winnebago Tech Support a call they could let you in on the secret to accessing that inaccessible motor. They have to know how to do it and many times they can be very helpful. Seems like every other proposed solution is only leading to a deadend.

UrbanTarzan · 02-22-2021, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robmat

The motor can be accessed from both inside and outside. Here is a good Youtube video by an RV mechanic and he is changing the motor from inside with the slide in.

Thanks , i think ive watched them all. Im sure that if i could reach the motor from either side I'd be able to get the motor out or at least lifted to disengage it pretty quickly, i just cant reach it from either side with the slide closed.

UrbanTarzan · 02-22-2021, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bones2003

UrbanTarzan, maybe if you gave Winnebago Tech Support a call they could let you in on the secret to accessing that inaccessible motor. They have to know how to do it and many times they can be very helpful. Seems like every other proposed solution is only leading to a deadend.

Im going to make some calls again this morning to both winnebago and lippert. My calls on Fri have since gone unreturned.
Since im on the road im hesitant to just "try" stuff and see what happens. I dont want to get "stuck" in a worse situation than im in now.
Part of the problem being on the road is that there are many different motors , different part numbers etc and although they all "seem" to be the same specs, it is highly recommended to get the exact replacement so it matches the other side. Which means i have to get it out and see what my part # is and then see if a replacement is available near me. I dont want it all apart and then find out i cant get the right motor for 2 weeks or something like that.

JerryP · 02-24-2021, 05:06 PM

UrbanTarzan, I have limited experience with this problem. But... I watched the video and it seems that if the slide has not been extended, you should have access to the motor from inside the coach. First you will need to go outside the coach and remove the motor retention bolt. Then you should be able to remove the motor from the inside. I have only seen the video and have no real experience with this issue. I think I have the same slide in my View.

Good Luck, Jerry