Slide not Square with opening

firsthere · 02-20-2016, 10:59 AM

Our new 21rb has not been out yet and we had a problem with the slide stopping about 10" from the closed position. After looking at the tracks I noticed the inside gasket was chewed up by the motor gear on the top right side.The the top rail had been scraping also. After cleaning out the old rubber pieces it started working again.

Upon further inspection it appears the box is not square in the opening as the top right is tight and top left is loose as it relates to the framed opening. Bottom is the opposite - like an out of square, misfit door opening.

My question is does anyone know where the adjustments are to move the track or guides that re-align the box in the opening?

Thanks

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 11:09 AM

Try going to this link:
Videos by Forest River RV

This has a lot of information on getting the Lippert Schwintek slide system back into retiming as to side to side.

firsthere · 02-20-2016, 11:35 AM

Thanks for the link, the motor removal maybe my next approach. I couldn't find anything for the adjustments to the tracks/guides though. The slide is in sync now, just out of square with the framed opening, it closes tight and even. Possibly the trailers frame and wall system has settled from the factory causing the issue. The TT is level with just slight tension on each of the stabilizer jacks.

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 11:43 AM

When you extend or retract the slide you do hold the button in place for a few seconds after doing so.....correct? This sets the sync of the slide memory.

Take a very close look at the gear rail on the slide out. Are you experiencing any signs of wear? Such as maybe the gear has not been setting in the rail and maybe skipping or jumping a notch or two? Do you hear any popping when extending or retracting the slide?

firsthere · 02-20-2016, 12:16 PM

There is no sign of wear as it is new, the gasket material was tracked thru the rack though. No popping, and the button is held for several seconds after cycling. I'm thinking lifting or lowering the bottom the roller(s) might square things up as I can't see a adjustment for the side guides? Who knows maybe running it down the road a few times will settle it back in place.

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 12:30 PM

Personally I would set up an service appointment and let Forest River take care of it. The design allows for very little play before problems can start to show.

Harkerr · 02-20-2016, 02:35 PM

Schwintek requires close alignment and timing to work properly.

numbersman · 02-20-2016, 03:04 PM

You have gotten some really good advice from these people on this forum. I have a CC 38FL and we have experienced multiple problems with our front electric slide
and of course these electric slides were the same as yours. We took it twice to the dealer and finally to the plant where they replaced the motor. I believe the motors are good, but fraught with getting out of adjustment. Take to the dealer and get them to fix it, check the motor and/or replace it. Good luck!
Bill and Michelle Brickey
Rockford, MI 49341
2014 Cedar Creek 38 FL
2008 F-450 Lariat CC 4WD DUALLY
2014 All summer
2015 60 days
2016 will be hosts at 2 state parks in MI June-Aug

MOODMAN · 02-20-2016, 05:05 PM

Quick related question.
With some slides, if I hold in the button as it comes to the end of inward travel, some of my slides have a sound like gears clanging. It sounds like a smaller gear is jumping up and down on the rail gears.
But it was advised here to hold in the button after it retracts for a few seconds. Wouldn't that damage the gears? I don't know where this sound is coming from, but I have heard it on a number of RVs, not just mine.
Now, some of the slides (I have 4) on mine work silently, and when they come to the end of their travel, they just stop moving and that's it - no noise. But some do make that sound.
Any comments?

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 07:37 PM

I hate to say this but my knowledge comes from what I have learned on the internet and the well seasoned RV Tech that is currently working on our Wildcat.

With in months of taking delivery I noticed that there was a sidewall crack on the 5th wheel. I was put in contact with Chris at the Wildcat factory in Elkhart who then got me in contact with Brian who was the warranty repair manage there in Elkhart. Via photos the decision was made that the 5th wheel needed to go back to the factory. We drove it up to Elkhart from the Dallas, TX area and delivered it to the warranty facility, meant with Brian personally. They removed the trailer siding and repaired some frame welds and fabrication along with some additional punch list items including the replacement of the entire undercarriage material. Upon the work being finish they had the 5th wheel delivered back to us south of Dallas.

We didn't get the opportunity to make much use of the RV due to family matters and a new born grandson coming into our lives. So late 2015 I noticed that when I would pull in the bedroom slide which houses only the queen bed the slide out would pop once in a while. Contacted a local dealers service dept and was told it was nothing to worry about.

So in December our extended warranty expires and as Murphy's Law would dictate the pop got a little louder and went from one pop to two, to three, then to four pops while pulling in the slide. Then I went to extend the slide and only one side of the slide would start to extend.

So onto the internet I went learning everything I could about this system. I would appear that most problems are motor related and over the years a new motor was released. I then came across some articles that made mention that this system was great as long as the RV was properly assembled, square and aligned when the RV was built. That there is very little tolerance allowed before issues could surface.

With this information I went out and very closely examined the geared rails on the exterior of the slide out. The lower gear rail showed at the last few inches of the rail that the gears had been ever so slightly shaving away at the track. I am talking less than 1/16" maybe not even 1/32". But just enough that the motor driven gear did not set deep enough into the track and in skipping along the woven track pattern began shaving away aluminum from the track rail.

I simply assumed that since my second year extended warranty expired that this was an out of pocket fix. I had it looked at by two different shops, one that is new to me but came well recommended. And another that we have used for some custom work and alterations on a diesel pusher we sold when we purchased the Wildcat.

Shop number one went on to tell me all the + and- of this slide design. Then told me that Lippard does not sell just parts, that an all new system would have to be purchased even if it was only the rails that needed replaced. I though BW and went to the Lippard parts site and it did show that the rails are not sold individually. This same shop told me that the problem was most likely that the room was out of square and they could not give me a true idea as to cost until the whole matter was inspected more closely.

The shop that we have history with went into long detailed conversation with me over the phone covering just about everything I had read or been told earlier. It now sits at this shop waiting on parts from Lippard. And yes parts do seem to be available as needed not only as a kit. The tech told me that the tolerances were less than 1/8" for the entire slide with equates to 1/16" of tolerance in fit for each side of the slide.

The only explanation he had was that when the 5th wheel went in for work, in order to remove and replace the entire side of the RV that the slides would have been removed. And when the bedroom side was reinstalled it was not done so squarely, aligned properly with in specs and out of sync from top to bottom tracking.

So please trust me when I say get it to a dealer to get it repaired and properly documented for future needs.

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 07:41 PM

Before anyone points out that there is plenty of information on the internet as to how to go about retiming the slide motors, this only retimes the two sides of the slide out. If the top track and the bottom track are not in time together it's not an easy fix as the same motor power both the upper and lower gear drive.

gbrown · 02-20-2016, 07:57 PM

Ours was out of square from the factory, same as yours, high on one end, low on the other. CW has done their best to get it back aligned but now it is chewing up the seals. Ours has been in the shop since December and CW is pulling their hair out trying to get support from FR on the issue. If I had to do it all over I would definitely not buy a FR product. I inquired with CW about trading the unit and they offered me half what is cost just last year, so apparently FR units depreciate very, very fast as well. So glad I got the extended warranty because we're going to need it. Good luck with getting your slide aligned. GB

MOODMAN · 02-20-2016, 08:29 PM

jonrjen,
Thanks for the extensive reply. I am not sure if what you are saying applies to my "gear sound" problem or not. Perhaps you are replying to the original post?
In any case, this sure does sound complicated, and I see no easy fix for the issue. At least, I see no user-fixable solutions. Do you?

gbrown · 02-20-2016, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOODMAN

jonrjen,
Thanks for the extensive reply. I am not sure if what you are saying applies to my "gear sound" problem or not. Perhaps you are replying to the original post?
In any case, this sure does sound complicated, and I see no easy fix for the issue. At least, I see no user-fixable solutions. Do you?

Yes, this is in reply to the first post, and no, not much user-fixable options concerning slide alignment. GB

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbrown

Ours was out of square from the factory, same as yours, high on one end, low on the other. CW has done their best to get it back aligned but now it is chewing up the seals. Ours has been in the shop since December and CW is pulling their hair out trying to get support from FR on the issue. If I had to do it all over I would definitely not buy a FR product. I inquired with CW about trading the unit and they offered me half what is cost just last year, so apparently FR units depreciate very, very fast as well. So glad I got the extended warranty because we're going to need it. Good luck with getting your slide aligned. GB

It is my understanding that with in the last couple of weeks Lippard "LSI" has released a service bulletin addressing as to how to resync the timing from top to bottom.

It was mentioned the need to remove the side track rail to do so. Hopefully CW will get this latest information and have you fixed and on your way also.

jonrjen · 02-20-2016, 10:15 PM

Even with these problems I am dealing with currently, we are still pleased with our Wildcat 353LS-OK. The value for the dollar was far and well above what the competition offered. Not to mention the front full bathroom and the 1/2 bath on the lower level off of the kitchen is a great floorplan. We have found that it fits our wants and needs very well. And all for just under $30K new.

firsthere · 02-21-2016, 10:18 AM

After further inspection the slide is out of square when in the full out position also. Another item (I hope is not related), is there is a small ripple in the metal siding between the wheel well and the slide. This could indicate a structural problem in the frame.

Now my warranty repair dilemma.

The dealer we bought it from in November is 3 hours away so that would be 12 hours driving total for service with a drop-off. He has not worked much on slides before so not going to be much help.

The local Cherokee dealer here in Oregon will not warranty service our trailer since it was not purchased there.

Another reputable repair facility has a 4 week waiting list for service. The gal said she has not heard of Schwintect but that doesn't mean they can't fix them.

This is why I have been attempting to fix anything that comes up on the trailer myself. I was a customer service representative in construction for many years so I kinda handy with repair work.

On a bright note the factory where our TT was built is just north of us here in Oregon. I think that maybe our best approach at this point if I cant figure this one out. I would like to do a few camping trips before taking it in just in case something else significant arises. The slide still works and with the help here I now know how to disconnect a motor if necessary to at least get the slide back in if it malfunctions.

jonrjen · 02-21-2016, 10:29 AM

If your close to the assembly plant it maybe safest to contact the warranty director for your individual brand and talk to them. A little conversation, a few email to text photos and you can most likely get the matter taken care of. Check out this link and see if it doesn't give you some direction as to the contact person needed.

Forest River RV Contact Us - Forest River, Inc.

NWT Rick · 02-21-2016, 10:33 AM

I would get this to a dealership right away. I had a slide out that did not line up perfectly once and I did not realize it. We had water get in when it rained and I thought the rubber seals were shot. I was wrong. It was the alignment of the slide out. Our floor delaminated and it was never right again. Fortunately our dealer took the trailer in as is condition and we got out from under the delamination issue.

2008 GMC 2500 HD
2015 Fleetwood (34') TT

Rooftop · 02-22-2016, 10:56 PM

Okay. I bought a trailer that was damaged on delivery to dealer. The slide gears had been damaged on one side of slide out along with the track. I looked up every bit of information on this slide system that I could find. Like others have said the tracks and parts seem hard to find from the dealers and lippert. However if you go to the factory where they make your trailer they will have a lot of them. They have so many they actually gave me the whole system for the one side for free!!! They then showed me how it is attached. They attached the system to the slide when the slide is out of the trailer. They then slide it in and screw the schwintek system to the trailer. If the opening in the side of the trailer is out of square it will appear that you need to adjust it but it is actually fine. Where I think a lot of problems occur is if the track is not perfectly lined up top and bottom when they screw it to the trailer. Side to side would not be affected. I learned all this from seeing it done in the factory and fixing mine in the backyard. Hope this helps.

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