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Old 08-07-2015, 09:13 AM   #1
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Winnebago ditches Schwintek in wall slide system for 2016 Journey/Meridian

Winnebago has made the change to the power Gear in wall slide system from the problematic Schwentek system on the smaller slides. After looking at the new unit it almost seems even less robust than the rather dainty out going system. Anyone have any information to share on the new Power Gear in wall slide system? In Wall Slide System - Power Gear
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Old 08-07-2015, 10:49 AM   #2
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I was wondering how long it would take them hopefully they loose the Schwentek systems in all their products!!
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Old 08-07-2015, 10:52 AM   #3
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Can't be worse than the current failure rate.

I know mine has been good for almost a year BUT, I have an appt. for 8/24 because the screws that hold the frame in place have been breaking apart for the past 3 cycles.

If left undone, I imagine, the slide would slide out with the frame and everything. It did this about a year ago.

I think I still have 6 out of 10 left intact.
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Old 08-07-2015, 10:54 AM   #4
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Same Manufacturer, so maybe it is no difference. Time will tell
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Old 08-07-2015, 10:59 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by tnteacherguy View Post
Can't be worse than the current failure rate....
Looking at the OPs link, this might NOT be true.
The "Slim Track" looks even less robust than the Schwintek system...and PowerGear is a Lippert Component company

Time will tell.
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Old 08-07-2015, 11:48 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by Scarab0088 View Post
Looking at the OPs link, this might NOT be true.
The "Slim Track" looks even less robust than the Schwintek system...and PowerGear is a Lippert Component company

Time will tell.
Well I sure hope it's not worse. I am sure Winnebago has blown untold warranty dollars due to the Schwintek mistake. Even paid for many out of warranty from what I have read. It would be hard to imagine they would not have done some hard diligence vetting the replacement choice.
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Old 08-07-2015, 12:16 PM   #7
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Well I sure hope it's not worse. I am sure Winnebago has blown untold warranty dollars due to the Schwintek mistake. Even paid for many out of warranty from what I have read. It would be hard to imagine they would not have done some hard diligence vetting the replacement choice.
Very true...Winnie AND other makers that jumped on the Schwintek wagon have been taking a beating.

But, looking at the on-line .pdf's of the Slim-Rack, it looks oddly similar to the Schwintek (similar verticle channel, top drive motor and drive shaft)...but the racks have no connection to the slide room wall (only connected at the ends).

Hoping for the best
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Old 08-07-2015, 12:39 PM   #8
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I am currently working on my forward slide, a Kwikee (now Power Gear) design similar to what is described above. In my case there was wear on the gears inside the motor gear box. Upon checking further, there is a plastic part that rides on the screw drive that has shattered. It is designed to fail to prevent more significant damage should there be a problem.


The tech working on my coach told me that this failure is not very common, but is usually the problem when there is a failure in this system. He stated that he has performed at least 30 repairs to the Schwintek system to each 1 of the Kwikee system. Guess you could interpret that as the kwikee system is 30 times more reliable than the schwinteck system.The biggest problem is that it is a labor intensive repair. To replace the plastic part (very inexpensive) takes several hours labor as the slide rail has to be removed to do the repair.


Just my luck, cheap parts but expensive labor. Now waiting for a time slot to get it in and have it done. Part of the time required is to re-sync the motors and properly adjust the slide.
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Old 08-07-2015, 10:19 PM   #9
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Well Gang,
At the GNR last year ('14) I got to take the 8 person guided factory tour. We were able to get up close and personal with all the assemblers and, the tour was lead by a floor/assembly manager. When we got to the construction and, installation of the slides and mechanisms, he lead us to believe that, Winne and Itasca were going back to HWH for the future in this operation. Everyone of us thought that was a really great move.

But, based on what's being stated here, it appears that the move to return to HWH, has not materialized. Oh well, our coach, an oldie by many of your standards, an '04 Itasca Horizon, 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT and, full body paint, sports all systems, both slides and levelers, by HWH. So far, in the four years we've owned it and the 21,000 miles we've put on it, both systems are and have been, working flawlessly.

If and when we decide to purchase another, newer coach, I sure hope they've got all this problem prone stuff taken care of by then.
Scott
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Old 08-08-2015, 03:36 PM   #10
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A friend of ours has a Adventurer 37F. He has been to dealers and the factory to get the swinetach slide fixed. They fix it and after a couple time using it it craps out. He is currently a (I think) Master tech in Elkhart Indiana. The slide was again stuck. He said that a fellow from Schwintec (Maby the CEO or President came there. He was told that swintek has purchased Power Gear and that a real fix for these slide problems has been or will be introduced. It is supposed to finally resolve the crummy junk they have been using. I am not sure I would hold my breath on that. Winnebago is not the only company that is experiencing the full wall slid problems as my friend said there was a Tiffin coach there for slide repairs too.
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Old 08-08-2015, 03:58 PM   #11
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Every Coach that is using these slide mechanisms is having issues to one degree or another
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Old 08-08-2015, 06:51 PM   #12
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In light of all of the issues with the Schwintek slides, my guess is that Lippert (Owners of Schwintek) who recently bought PowerGear, have chosen to "rebrand" their slideouts to "PowerGear". Be cautious that it isn't the same or similar product - just rebranded.
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Old 08-08-2015, 08:39 PM   #13
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Quote:
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In light of all of the issues with the Schwintek slides, my guess is that Lippert (Owners of Schwintek) who recently bought PowerGear, have chosen to "rebrand" their slideouts to "PowerGear". Be cautious that it isn't the same or similar product - just rebranded.
If you look, there is an obvious difference between the Schwintek and the SlimRack.
Most noticeable is the different shape of the rack or track.

The systems are listed side by side here:
In-Wall® Slide-Out

Reading the write-up, looks like the SlimRack is the lighter system (max 1500lb slides and max 16' long slides)...while the Schwintek is used on full wall slides by several makers. Hope the makers all go to the triple track Schwintek on all larger slides...or go back to the good old Through Frame slide drive:
http://lci1.com/through-frame-slideout
Sure, you lose some bin space, but those slide drives work well (al least they do in our present and previous RV )

Safe travels
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Old 08-09-2015, 06:28 AM   #14
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I talked with the W.I.T. Eastern Reps (Butch & Becky) in June at the Pa state rally bout the new Slim Rack system being as they had it on their Forza. He said that this was the 2nd unit that they'd had with the new system on, and had had 0 problem with it on either unit. The previous unit they'd had for a year with no issues at all. If anyone know the reps, are moving every week or more often sometimes, so their slide outs get a real work out.
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Old 08-10-2015, 08:07 PM   #15
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I know the Schwinteks have been problematic to say the least. In fact, we had to rebuild our full wall slide drive within the first year. But, I still think this design has merit if they (Schwintek) can ever get the the correct recipe for this application... along with an accurate factory installation. It's a simple and clean drive system. Much simpler than hydraulic systems.

All that said, owning a coach with the Schwintek drives has me keeping my fingers crossed.

cheers,
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Old 08-11-2015, 06:32 AM   #16
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I know the Schwinteks have been problematic to say the least. In fact, we had to rebuild our full wall slide drive within the first year. But, I still think this design has merit if they (Schwintek) can ever get the the correct recipe for this application... along with an accurate factory installation. It's a simple and clean drive system. Much simpler than hydraulic systems.

All that said, owning a coach with the Schwintek drives has me keeping my fingers crossed.

cheers,
Joopy
I wasn't aware that Winnebago used the Schwentek on a full wall slide thought it was limited to smaller slides.
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Old 10-06-2015, 04:07 PM   #17
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Nope the SwineTech is on the full wall slide in our 2013 33C and it has been replaced twice so far. They are sending me some slide locks to prevent the slide creeping out.

We are keeping our fingers crossed.

But kind of wonder if SwineTech selling to Lippert is a way to dodge ultimate liability for a faulty design?
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Old 10-07-2015, 07:22 AM   #18
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Schwintek Slide Out

I have a 2016 Winnebago Class A with 3 Schwintek Slides.
Have had problems with the big slide out. Schwintek told me that Winnebago put more weight on the slide than it was designed to move. They have a update to fix this problem, and will send a mechanic and new motors to fix my slides. This is happening in about 2 weeks. We see. It does look like Schwintek is working on resolving their slide out problems. This is a ongoing problem with Motorhomes, for sure.
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Old 10-07-2015, 11:02 AM   #19
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Fiddlin1: Not sure the "more weight than designed" has any validity at all.

Winnebago gives them the specifications and have them built to that standard. Don't know what the contract says, but just what has been posted the last few years it appears Schwintek had slides that worked in their lab, but did not make it in the real world. Certainly the brain power is there (Schwintek) but going back to the powergear type system would be admitting defeat. Liability goes way up.
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Old 10-07-2015, 12:05 PM   #20
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Well Folks,
Ya know, we purchased our present coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT, just over (4) years ago. It has the HWH hydraulic slide and leveling system(s) in it. Now, since we did not purchase this coach new, we have no idea if or of, any Winnebago or Itasca problems with the HWH hydraulic slide systems BACK THEN, as opposed to Winne and Itasca having SO MANY SLIDE SYSTEM PROBLEMS now.

As stated, we've owned this coach now for just over four years and, to dated, I've had only one, 5/8" diameter ram seal leak. And, that was leaking when we bought the coach. I did the R & R on that ram and, rebuilt the ram with new seals and, it's been fine ever since.

Our bed room slide is where one of the two rams that operate it leaked. The living room one, has not had issue ONE, in the time we've owned the coach.

So, my point here is, since I've not read, at least on here, of very many issues at all with HWH hydraulic slide system problems, it sure is a wonder why they left, in my opinion, such a well-working system, for such a problem prone one????
Scott
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