3170DS manual slide extension?

[cardtarget]

I've been trying to figure this out for hours...

I see no way to manually extend this giant freakin' slide. Is it as simple as removing the control wires from the motor controller and pulling? Or is there a 5/8 inch manual socket somewhere that I'm missing?

This is the full wall slide with the bunks. Thanks.

[Alan F]

I have a 2017 3171DS, and there is no way to do mine manually.

[cardtarget]

Any way you can think of to get to the motor screw behind the rail?

There has to be a way. I can likely push it out with a hydraulic jack... will let you know how it goes or if I manage to break everything.

[Duckogram]

Sorry cardtarget, I was going to extract enough info to help you but IF you have a Schwintek in-wall slide system, they have an emergency proceedure to retract the slide. I don’t think it is a good idea to extend a slide that does not work unless you can fix it once you do. Good Luck

[cardtarget]

Hey Duckogram, yes, it's a schwintek.

Unfortunately the only way to access the screw that holds the motor on the inside of the wall is to have the slide out, at least far enough to get a screwdriver behind the rail.

I've ordered a hydraulic bottle jack and I'll see if I can brace the entire wall with 4x8s or something and push her out.

I can see that people have had this problem before, but I haven't yet found anyone with a true solution.

[WayneLee]

Before you start doing manual work, we have seen several slide problems crop up here that can be easily fixed.

First of all, do you hear any sound from the motors? If the motors are working okay, there can be problems with the track or motors themselves. If the motors make a sound, but the slide doesn't move, you probably have a voltage problem.

Next, what is your battery voltage. I have the full length slide and if my batteries are lower than 12.2v, there is no way to move the slide. I have had this particular problem a couple of times. My solution was to take a regular 120v battery charger, run the generator, and boost up the batteries.

Another option is to locate the slide controller. There is a method of overriding the slide controller and you can open, or close, the slide. There are several videos on YouTube about this. Here is one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xojUdPDWNS0&t=18s

[cardtarget]

Thanks Wayne,
I get no sound at all from the rear motor when I try to move the slide. The forward motor works properly and moves that side of the slide out an inch or two before stopping because the back motor isn't working and it senses that and stops.

Schwintek controller is giving me 2 green flashes and 8 red flashes telling me, properly, that motor number 2 isn't responding. This is a hall effect signal problem. I swapped the control wires and the signal switches to a single green flash, so I am confident that it's not a wiring issue, but rather a motor issue itself. Either the hall sensors needs replacing on the rear motor or the motor itself is dead. Either way it's got to come out...

Any more thoughts?

[cardtarget]

Just talked to the lippert customer service line.

Need to do a continuity check on the line (which I've basically already done by swapping the wires since the wire to the other motor worked fine when plugged in). But I'll go ahead and do it anyway.

Lippert says there is no secret to getting the screw out... you just have to push until you can get to it, ideally while running the "good" motor.

[WayneLee]

Another issue that some forum users have reported involves the wiring connection at the motor itself. Apparently, someone on the assembly line did not make a good connection between the wiring and the motor itself.

This issue was found, and fixed, in my coach and I have heard it from others.

[cardtarget]

Ok, some good news... it was the wiring, not the motor. So this will only cost me a new $75 wire, not a new motor.

That said, I have NO IDEA how this wire is run from the back corner down into the bay where the controller is. Is there any point in trying to figure out how they did it? Or do I just run it the best way I find possible to prevent issues like I've already had? There is really no reason to run it directly along and under the slide itself like they had done it, which resulted in the kink (and over time resulted in the faulty wire).

I'm thinking I drill a hole in the very back corner down into the bay, run it along the top of the inside bay wall and through to the second bay where the controller is. Sound like a good plan?