Slide Adjustment - Need your opinion

[Mr Havercamp]

Originally Posted by ShermanD

I wish to thank Everyone who has offered help on adjusting the Slide outs, unfortunately the Slide out mechanism on the new Sunseeker 2400W is an in-wall dual synchronous motor unit with a motor controller, no cables, no bottom rails, but rather upper and lower gear rails on sides of each end. One near the top and the other near the bottom. AT each end there is an in wall housing that contains a drive shaft with a gear for the top rail and one for the bottom rail. A synchronous motor is located on the top of each shaft. There is an extend and retract switch that operates the controller which in turn sends signal and power to the motors to make them move at the same speed and in the same direction. There is a process in which the end points can be adjusted.

So its a Schwintek?

[Slimjc]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

My Forester dinette slide looks exactly like Slimjc. I was told the same, if it doesn't leak, leave it alone. Have an appointment Monday at the dealer and will ask again about adjusting the Lippert Above Floor slide-out while still under warranty.
NOTE;READ IN LIPPERT MANUAL, ALL ADJUSTMENTS MUST BE MADE BY CERTIFIED FACTORY TRAINED PERSONNEL OR WARRANTY MAY BE VOIDED!
I was told that because the mechanism is on the bottom, the top makes contact first and the bottom pulls in. Also, that the slide rocks up when extending and retracting as to prevent scrapping on the floor and carpeting. Hense, the bottom of the slide extends out more than the top. Mine has the manual in/out bolt under slide in the compartment below and there is another similar bolt closer to the outside. Not sure what that adjusts and will ask the dealer Monday. Who knows what to believe anymore!
Here's Lippert's diagram:http://www.lci1.com/assets/content/s...ly_Webpage.pdf
Looks like mine is the worse of the bunch in the photos!

Thank you for the info - I would also love to hear what they have to say - I do not want to screw it up.

[Slimjc]

Originally Posted by ShermanD

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Our gap is so wide the seals do not make contact with the body

Sherman - what model is your MH?

[ShermanD]

Originally Posted by Total Loss

I may try to pull a motor off and see if it moves- further in.
Probably just off a tooth or 2 top to bottom.

STOP!

Before you even attempt this, take a framing square and check and see if the side rails are perpendicular to the cabin. The tolerances are pretty tight and they can be only so far out, without causing problems. then take a level and check to see if all the surfaces are at the same angle. If there is a twist in your slide out frame, the adjustment won't work.

I stopped by A & S RV Center a bit ago to check the status of our Sunseeker. Water Heater Ignition control board ordered and awaiting delivery. Slide out motors were indeed wired backwards (#1 towards driver/#2 towards rear) and for some reason the slide-out control module doesn't like that. Once they got the motor wiring staightened out (#2 motor towards driver/#1 towards rear) and the polarity of the motors reversed so they would run the correct direction when actuating the slide with the rocker switch. The error codes went away.

If your ever in the Metro Detroit area and need a service dealer, look up A & S RV Center, Auburn Hills, MI. Unfortunately they only do warranty service on a couple Forest River motorhomes, fortunately for us, they are an authorized Sunseeker repair facility. BTW they are a Route 66 facility.

I also need to thank Brian Meeks of Forest River and Rick Danz of A & S RV Center for not only putting up with this old man but also going the extra mile to get our motorhome serviced and to get the proper departments talking to each other on the slide-out alignment issue

YES, they are working on a solution. Brian and Rick took the initiative to get this issue resolved. They have the factory, Liebert Swinteck, and the Forest River technical services department working on the problem and seeking a solution. At this stage of the game, they even have the factory attempting to simulate the problem in search of a solution.

The reason I said "STOP" is that our RV has been ajusted as far as it can be and still has the gap at the bottom. Your's may also and exceeding the tolerences may cause binding and breakage.

At least now the right people are aware of the issue and working on a solution. Maybe, we can get Brian to get the right people working on the Curt Brake Module issue once the slide out issue is resolved.

[Total Loss]

Originally Posted by ShermanD

STOP!

Before you even attempt this, take a framing square and check and see if the side rails are perpendicular to the cabin. The tolerances are pretty tight and they can be only so far out, without causing problems. then take a level and check to see if all the surfaces are at the same angle. If there is a twist in your slide out frame, the adjustment won't work.

.

Makes sense- I will check ALL angles, top to bottom measurements and runout before I even attempt this.

Part of me says, If it ain't broke and it works- (even though it doesn't look so good) DON"T fix it"

[ShermanD]

Originally Posted by Slimjc

Sherman - what model is your MH?

We have a 2017 Sunseeker MBS 2400WS in the Platinum full body paint scheme.

BTW, I have absolutely no idea what the "S" stands for but it is on the nameplate next to the cabin door.

[ShermanD]

Originally Posted by Total Loss

Makes sense- I will check ALL angles, top to bottom measurements and runout before I even attempt this.

Part of me says, If it ain't broke and it works- (even though it doesn't look so good) DON"T fix it"

May want to wait and see what the experts figure out. I am fortunate to have a service center near by with people who care about the work they do. They are the ones who brought the gap to the attention of Forest River and Leibert Swintek. Then Brian Meeks seems to have gotten all the necessary people together to work on a solution.

It doesn't look good for Forest River having their most popular class "C" with such obvious finish/fit problems. Not good for the image nor customer loyalty

[rkreusel]

When we picked up our Sunseeker 2400WS we also had gaps at the bottom of the slideout both front and back (maybe a half inch or so). The dealer told us that according to FR as long as the seals were 20% engaged there is no problem. I had a hard time accepting that, but after our first trip we had no problems with leaks or wind. Still .... it just doesn't look correct.

[ShermanD]

Originally Posted by rkreusel

The dealer told us that according to FR as long as the seals were 20% engaged there is no problem..

Maybe it isn't a problem but when a person spends $85,000 on a new 24ft motorhome, they expect the fit and finish to be better than average.

We have a 1 1/2" gap along the bottom, it is so wide that the seals do not touch, The seals stop touching the body about half way down the front edge and you can see light coming in from the outside when the slide is closed.

I wonder if FR considers this to be more than 20% engaged because the seals do work on 75% of the slide out, Trouble is doing 60 in a decent rain and you have a leading edge acting as a rain scoop.

I wonder what Mercedes Benz has to say about the quality of the cabins Forest River is putting on their Chassis. Maybe we should all send them some pictures

[Mr Havercamp]

Forest River could bolt an old run down dog box to thier chassis and Mercedes Benz would ask how many more can we ship you next month.

Just because its a class C means nothing. The poor quality and fit and finish are not selective. Its the entire industry. The only thing that will change it, and will change it only a small amount, is for thw economy to downturn or the prjce of fuel to hit the roof again. When sales slow down they'll maybe improve the quality control a little. Rigs built during / coming out of the last downturn of which we had two, a 2011 and 2013 were built better than our 2017 by a longshot.

[ShermanD]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Forest River could bolt an old run down dog box to thier chassis and Mercedes Benz would ask how many more can we ship you next month.

Just because its a class C means nothing. The poor quality and fit and finish are not selective. Its the entire industry.

Actually it tells you a whole lot about the quality of the work force and the pride they put into their jobs. My step-son lives in Indiana, unfortunately I cannot repeat what he says about the quality of the workforce there. If I did, I would get banned from this site. Quality help costs more and when a CEO is more interested in profit margin than satisfied customers, the quality disappears.

Ask most of the people here who are having issues if they will ever purchase from Forest River again and the odds on answer will be a resounding "no".

I know we won't

I acquired a 1998 Forest River Wildwood Fifth Wheel trailer from my father a few years back, I actually used it as a trade-in for the Sunseeker.

17 years old and the Dometic water heater, refrigerator, and Air conditioner still worked fine. The Suburban furnace still started and ran each and every time the thermostat called for heat. The inverter still worked as expected. Slide-out mechanism, hydraulic pump, and cylinder never missed a beat. The fit and finish on that 17 year old RV was still better than what we get today.

The very same companies still providing the same equipment yet we need extended warranties, why. pride in workmanship, profit margins, appeasing stock holders, and the cheapest price.

Who's fault is that, the average American's. People do not care for they are not in it for the long haul, most will sell within 5 years.

I spent 37 years in the construction industry, I still carry my electircal license. The workers today don't care, they don't take pride in their work. but I can't blame them one bit. Their bosses expect them to work for peanuts.

There is s saying in the housing industry, The carpenters start by measuring with a micrometer and then cutting with a chainsaw. Once they are done with the rough construction with walls out of plumb and rooms out of square, they just say who cares, the dry-wall man will cover it. The drywall man who leaves gaping holes says, who cares, the taper will cover them. When the taper is asked about the gouges he left behind, he says, who cares, the painter will repair them. when the painter is asked about the shoddy paint job, he says, who cares, the interior decorator will hide them.

Finally ask any real estate agent how they can get away with selling such poor workmanship, they will tell you, The purchaser never looks for quality, they just look at the price, because they only plan on having the place until their balloon payment comes due in five years.

The reason for the poor quality and low wages, We are all cheap and have forgotten about paying it forward

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Forest River could bolt an old run down dog box to thier chassis and Mercedes Benz would ask how many more can we ship you next month.

Just because its a class C means nothing. The poor quality and fit and finish are not selective. Its the entire industry. The only thing that will change it, and will change it only a small amount, is for thw economy to downturn or the prjce of fuel to hit the roof again. When sales slow down they'll maybe improve the quality control a little. Rigs built during / coming out of the last downturn of which we had two, a 2011 and 2013 were built better than our 2017 by a longshot.

Mercedes could care less and FR doesn't care much more. Why should they when they are selling everything they force out the door?

I'm going to look at a Leisure Time Unity on Monday. Not many dealers, probably not much discounting, but the quality, fit and finish appear to be light years ahead of the FR product. I expect customer service is too.

[rkreusel]

That is definitely a problem. I hope you get this resolved. It is indeed frustrating to speed so much money on a new RV and to experience a definite lack of quality control from the manufacturer (along with sloppy workmanship) to the dealerships. I'm not sure what the answer is or even if there is an answer. Having said that, I think we all need to hold FR and bad dealerships accountable ...... use the power of the pen and social media to get the message out - this forum has certainly helped to at least make folks aware of many of the reported issues.

[OldCoot]

Should be able to adjust it with a couple of wrenches. Make sure you adjust both ends accordingly.

[Slimjc]

Originally Posted by Mr Havercamp

Forest River could bolt an old run down dog box to thier chassis and Mercedes Benz would ask how many more can we ship you next month.

Just because its a class C means nothing. The poor quality and fit and finish are not selective. Its the entire industry. The only thing that will change it, and will change it only a small amount, is for thw economy to downturn or the prjce of fuel to hit the roof again. When sales slow down they'll maybe improve the quality control a little. Rigs built during / coming out of the last downturn of which we had two, a 2011 and 2013 were built better than our 2017 by a longshot.

Now this is the truth. I have one of the last Sunseeker 3120's built and it is solid as can be (except for the slide corner). Perhaps if FR receives enough contact from a group of people (all professional and non-threatening) they may actually take a look.

I put a deposit down on a new Forester 3171 - but looking at some of the posts about front cab leaks, I pulled the deposit back and cancelled my purchase. I want to see if Forest River reacts before I spend 80,000 on a new MH.

[Sagecoachdriver]

Slimjc, is yours the Lippert Above Floor Slide too?
Since I have an appointment with my dealer this Monday morning, I am trying to get as much information and feed back on the adjustment. My dealer has undergone a change in technicians and may not be aware of how to make adjustments.
One thought is that if an adjustment is made on the leading bottom edge of the slide to bring it in tighter, it will have an equal opposite effect on the seals when the slide is out. Hence, it may not seal when out.
Let's see what my dealer says!

[Slimjc]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

Slimjc, is yours the Lippert Above Floor Slide too?
Since I have an appointment with my dealer this Monday morning, I am trying to get as much information and feed back on the adjustment. My dealer has undergone a change in technicians and may not be aware of how to make adjustments.
One thought is that if an adjustment is made on the leading bottom edge of the slide to bring it in tighter, it will have an equal opposite effect on the seals when the slide is out. Hence, it may not seal when out.
Let's see what my dealer says!

Yes - mine is the above floor version. It works and does not leak, and by the looks of things it is not as bad as others. It just seems to be wrong

[Sagecoachdriver]

Originally Posted by Slimjc

Yes - mine is the above floor version. It works and does not leak, and by the looks of things it is not as bad as others. It just seems to be wrong

Yes, it doesn't look right and mine seems to be the worst from the photos so far.
Will post what happens at the dealer Monday afternoon.

[Slimjc]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

Yes, it doesn't look right and mine seems to be the worst from the photos so far.
Will post what happens at the dealer Monday afternoon.

Thanks Sage - very interested in the verdict. Since this thread started I have been to three dealerships looking at all kinds of brands, both A and C. I can tell you from what I have found, that FR seems to be one of the only coaches with this issues. Yes - an brand new 2016 3171 had the exact issue. The Thor slides seem to be tight - The Bounder, Four Winds, Coachman Freelander - all aligned properly - oh the joys.

[hillsdaletc]

If the slide is square to the wall it will seal in and out since the wall is the stop. That system has no stops on the mechanism. It may take removing the slide to square it up.