Schwintek (now by Lippert) dealer warranty work

[NavyLCDR]

Forgive me, this is not a ForestRiver Trailer, but I don't want something like this to happen to anyone else. My Sonic 231VRL trailer by Venture RV developed a stripped gear in the Schwintek slide system. Coming in, at the end of the slide movement, the bottom rear gear would make a horrible popping noise and that corner of the slide would drop against the floor and I would end up with that corner sticking out from the outside wall of the trailer about 1-2 inches. Moving the slide out would do the same thing, at the end of the stroke, there would be a horrible popping noise as that corner re-aligned itself.

After waiting 4 months, I take the trailer this week to the nearest dealer that would work on it under warranty - 300 miles away! I dropped it off on Monday. Friday, I went to pick up the trailer. We checked the slide, moved it in and out two times and everything was nicely lined up, no popping or groaning! Both sides of the complete Schwintek system, rails and columns were replaced. I had not seen the slide completely aligned when closed like this for months:



I drive 150 miles to the campground halfway home and about 3:30 pm on Friday, I set up and move the slide out. Everything is perfect! Until I go around to hook up water and sewer. Hmmm....something doesn't look right.



You see that seal that is running horizontally on the bottom of the slide? Well, there is supposed to be one just like it installed on that vertical track running up along the side of the slide. The other side was exactly the same, nice new track for the seal, but no seal. So now I have an email in to the dealer, "Send me the gosh darn seals you left off, and I can install them!"

Folks, if you have the knowledge, double check the repairs done on your RVs. No, a customer should not have to detect things like this. However, I was perfectly capable of detecting this right there in the dealer's repair shop, but I did not inspect all of their work. Hopefully the missing seals are in the crate of parts they are going to send back to the manufacturer, and there is a good chance they could have installed them right there on the spot had I noticed they were missing.

[SeaDog]

When any work is done the owner should inspect the repairs for completeness and correctness.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

When any work is done the owner should inspect the repairs for completeness and correctness.

Yes, I was negligent. Unfortunately we do have to inspect professional's work. I had 4 new tires installed on a car once. I looked at the tires, and right there on the sidewall was printed in large letters "INSIDE". All four tires were installed backwards. After I had the shop turn all the tires around on the rims, the word "OUTSIDE" was now actually facing outwards.

Unfortunately there are going to be owners who don't know what to look for when repairs are complete. Just because the system is working does not mean it is installed or repaired correctly.