2014 Itasca Meridian

PapaRed · 11-28-2020, 09:24 AM

I have an opportunity to purchase a 2014 Itasca Meridian 36M (haven’t looked at it yet) and am interested in current, or past owners’ experience with this coach. I currently own a 2004 Meridian 36G, and am knowledgeable of the Winnebago product.
Would appreciate your opinions - good or bad.

**creativepart** · 11-28-2020, 01:11 PM

2014 was the era of Schwintec slides. So, check your slides and their alignment and operation.

On smaller slides the Schwintec slides were pretty much OK, but on on big, heavy slides.

I don't know anything else to mention. Since you already have Meridian experience you know they are well built.

PapaRed · 11-28-2020, 02:20 PM

Thanks for the info. I was aware of the 2013 problems, but didn't know how long the problem existed. Did Winny ever fix the issue? Has it been resolved on later coaches?

**Eagle5** · 11-28-2020, 02:52 PM

The old Schwintec Racks were hard-mounted to the sides of the slide-outs. The pinion gears were attached to the perimeter wall. The required tolerance of this assembly was a maximum of ¼". If the slide-out and perimeter wall was perfectly aligned and true, they would work fine. Sadly, many times this level of accuracy didn't manifest in the final product.
Certainly by 2018 (probably earlier) a new design for the Racks was released, where they were mounted just the ends. This way, they could float, relative to the slide-out wall. The pinion captivates the rack, and so the tolerance requirement was greatly relieved.
Eagle5

**creativepart** · 11-28-2020, 03:11 PM

In a few cases I've heard others say that they got WBGO factory service in Iowa to replace the Schwintec mechanisms with the newer Power Gear Thin Rail system that Eagle5 mentioned. But only on full wall slides and usually at the owners cost.

I've seen a few comments from folks that took their RVs to Elkhart, IN to LCI and had everything aligned, updated and in some cases replaced. But those were at partial owners expense as well.

And I still run into owners that claim to have zero issues with their Schwintec slides.

PapaRed · 11-28-2020, 03:32 PM

Good info - Thanks. Wonder if PO maintenance history is documented?