HELP! -- Lippert Slimrack Slide Issue

[Iceman from McMurdo]

Greetings to the forum (again)! We have a 2018 Forest River Sunseeker 2400W with the Full Wall Slide driven by a Lippert “Slimrack” slide system. Lately, we've noticed a worsening misalignment of the slide during extension & retraction – often to the point of becoming woefully crooked & dragging at one end or the other. Inspection shows nothing obvious in terms of under-slide debris, binding, or broken rollers. plus I’m careful to keep the rubber seals & mechanical parts well lubricated. Most recently, it's the heavier front part of the slide that seems ok going out but is VERY SLOW to retract, which causes a significant misalignment of 6-8 inches before we typically have to stop and use augmented external “human push power" to ensure it properly retracts all the way. On our latest outing, it actually got so crooked during retraction that it snapped the cast aluminum arms holding the slide topper in place (which we then had to remove altogether – UGH!).

The slide controller appears to be working ok and shows no fault codes, and the wiring harness doesn’t appear pinched or damaged anywhere. Input voltage at the slide controller has been measured good at 14.5v (house battery system has been upgraded to 200AH LiFePO4 lithium), and only drops down to 14.3v during actual operation – plus we always have either shore pwr or generator running during slide operation to ensure max power is available. We've tried multiple synchronization attempts but to no avail. Neither motor ever stops or stalls – they just seem to operate at different enough speeds to cause this recurring misalignment problem.

My initial suspicion is that one motor (or perhaps both) is either getting weak/worn (or perhaps having sensor issues) that is contributing to the misalignment problem. I’m not sure what the 2400W wall slide weighs when the closet and dinette drawers are typically loaded (which we’re usually careful to minimize), but at 16’ long this slide is one of the biggest ones the Slimrack has been fitted to. Lippert engineering data specifies 900lbs max for a 31” slide stroke like ours, so I suspect it’s likely close to that weight right from the factory and the motors (Lippert #364262) are operating at their torque limit right from Day 1. We do LOVE the extra space afforded by the full length wall slide, but HATE having to always cross our fingers & say a prayer before hitting the extend/retract button.

My gut instinct is telling me to just replace both motors as an initial step, but when looking around I see this motor priced wildly between $118ea (China-man) and $1,000ea (RV Vendor), which is simply ridiculous! Regardless of component quality, there’s simply NO excuse for a 12v electric motor like this to cost the $737ea that Lippert quotes for an OEM replacement! In my day, we used to call that highway robbery.

BTW, I have contacted Lippert by email and they’ve been somewhat helpful in recommending I check most of the things I’ve already done, but we have yet to identify an exact cause for this annoying misalignment problem, so I’d GREATLY appreciate any thoughts from others who may have had previous Slimrack slide issues and learn what you did to correct them. THANKS!

[MR.M]

the motors you can get from amazon for around 150 or so and they are the same ones lippert gets and most likely from the same china manufacture .

from your description it seems only the heavy side is hanging up . not sure but you should have the 500-to 1 motors on a full wall slide out . very torquey motors . not sure but if you have the 300 to one you may be able to go the the 500 to one . i would see what you have . voltage needs to be checked at motors as the controller may not be sending equal voltage to the motors , the hall sensors may be messed up . syncing the motors is a simple task and if they do not sync then it's the hall sensors or the controller .



Don't pay the high price for the motors .

[AudiDudi]

When you move the slides in/out, are you holding the button for 3-5 seconds after the slide stops moving to allow the motors/controllers to re-zero?

[Iceman from McMurdo]

Yep, holding the button down for a count of four or so after extension/retraction...

As for motor replacement, wholly agree with Mr M as to generic nature & ctry of origin of ALL of these slide motors (likely China). - so no way I'm paying more than a couple of hundred bucks to replace. I'll roll the dice with the cheaper ones at Amazon & trust their return policy will help me out if they should prove defective.

With regard to the different torque specs of the slide motors he mentions (300:1 versus 500:1), it appears to me these options are for the similar (but different) Schwintek slide systems. Those motors (especially the stronger 500:1 geared motor #236575) certainly DO look remarkably similar to the #364262 in my Slimrack system, but the dimensions & engagement points into the mounting block are slightly different. However, those motors do appear a bit easier (and less expensive) to source, so I'm still researching to see if they might be modified to fit.

NOTE - So far, I haven't found the torque rating spec for my Slimrack motor #364262, so I don't know how it compares to the Schwintek motors discussed above. However, I have seen some techs warn of trying to swap the stronger 500:1 motor into earlier Schwintek systems running the 300:1 motors, since the extra torque might well damage other components not rated for the extra power. Not sure how valid that might be, but that's why I went ahead and pulled my Slimrack motor out first just to confirm the part # and then go from there. Ha, I was actually kinda surprised it had a completely different part number than the Schwintek slide motors.

Regardless, before taking the plunge on replacement motors, I will try one last thing & attempt to test voltage on the OUTPUT side of the controller to confirm it is, in fact, sending FULL voltage to the motors. This should help confirm there isn't some internal glitch within the controller that's somehow limiting the power output to one motor or the other. Obviously, it would also be nice to check power at the motor itself, but as most of us who have this system have discovered, getting access to the motors in place is extremely difficult. Ha, who'd have thunk it...

[rgt3000]

We have a 2019 Sunseeker 2400W with the slim rack system. We encountered the same condition with the slide slower on one side than the other. The front motor finally failed with the slide out. It becomes a painful exercise to manually get the slide in by removing both motors. When we finally got the slide in the motor off, we replaced it with a motor from Amazon. It has worked flawlessly. I tore the motor down and discovered the one of the magnets (they are glued in place) had come loose and finally jammed the mechanism. I would replace the lagging motor immediately. Additionally, I carry a spare in the tool box along with the wrench to remove the motor.

[Iceman from McMurdo]

Thanks for chiming in & sharing your experience.

Yes, as many have noted, NONE of these slide systems are exactly easy to troubleshoot and repair - especially for those who don't have a pretty hefty degree of DIY experience. Luckily, at age 67 with a substantial amount of mechanical savvy (motorcycles, automotive, aviation) built up over those years, I've been able to handle most RV issues myself, but I truly feel some empathy for my fellow RV-ers who are not so fortunate and often find themselves at the mercy of their local RV dealer or mobile repair tech.

My mantra when encountering a problem (right or wrong) has always been to say, "Look, I suspect people much DUMBER than me put this thing together, so I'm dang-sure willing to dive in and try to fix it!" Ha, doesn't always work out that way, but if nothing else I quickly become a LOT more knowledgeable about HOW it works and even if I can't fix it myself, at least I can talk more intelligently with the so-called "experts" if/when they have to bail me out.

Case in point is this very Slimrack slide system... The first (and LAST) time it actually stranded us was just outside Pigeon Forge TN when we stopped for the night and tried to extend the slide. It started to go out normally and then quickly got crooked, with the front out about 12" and the back only out about 6" - and worst of all, when I stopped it I found it would not retract! UGH!! Strangely, the front would still bump out but the back motor did nothing, which was making things even worse. Well, as Laurel & Hardy would often say, Isn't this a FINE mess!

Fortunately, we were in a safe place and able to hunker down and use our cellphones to search for help. Had a mobile tech come out the next morning and he had the necessary equipment to bypass the controller and directly jog each motor back in one at a time so we could skee-daddle out of town and head back home. By already knowing the basics of how the system worked and by watching what he did (used a custom wiring harness and 12v battery from a cordless drill), I was able to assemble parts & build the same bypass rig in case it happened again - because we all KNOW if will. It's more a question of WHEN, not IF... And, I also got smart on HOW to disconnect and remove the two slide motors so we could manually bring the slide in should we ever get stuck again. Hint - the slide is designed NOT to move manually while the motors are in place, regardless of how many people you get to push! And trust me, even though each Slimrack motor is only held in place by one small spring & one small screw, they're EXTREMELY hard to get to and even harder to remove unless you have the right tools (a strong pick and square-drive screwdriver bit) - both of which now reside in my RV tool kit!

Oh by the way, for those who are wondering what happened to cause the problem in the first place - Unknown! When we got home & tested the slide in the driveway, it worked perfectly, ha! As we used to say in aviation maintenance when a problem was noted in the air - CND ("Could Not Duplicate" problem on the ground)... In other words, maint personnel could not find the problem. Ha, always used to enjoy that next flight when I'd hop in and launch KNOWING something might not be working right!

[DaveJordan]

Originally Posted by rgt3000

When we finally got the slide in the motor off, we replaced it with a motor from Amazon.

Can you report on which motor from Amazon you're using?

[MR.M]

I would wager the only difference between the schwinntech and the slimtrack motor is the mounting bracket on the slimtrack which could be used on the schwinntech motor . These companies like lippert love to rip people off same with dometic on the $360 slide out motor and gear box .
Best thing about amazon is you can order the motor and if it works you keep it if not free returns at least for prime members .

[Iceman from McMurdo]

Affirmative, Amazon Prime is the likely source I'll use and I'll be sure and report back as to specific motor selection (and results) for the benefit of all Forum members who might have an interest.

And thanks again to all who have chimed in so far. Even those who have nothing to add or don't think any of this pertains to them right now will ultimately benefit in the future One thing I've learned over the years is RARELY (if EVER), am I the very FIRST one who's ever run into a particular problem. Sometime... somewhere... somebody else has likely had to deal with the exact same problem, and if/when they're able to share their experience on a public platform like this - WE ALL BENEFIT!

[NXR]

A couple of observations:

- In 2018 Lippert did a redesign of the SlimRack to correct failure points, one being the "gib" where the motor mounts (it was cracking). A the same time they changed from a 300:1 motor to the 500:1 motor. If you can see your motor take a look at how it's held down. If it uses a spring you have the older design and the 300:1 motor. If it's a bolt you have the newer design and the 500:1 motor.

- I've read of people who had a 300:1 motor fail and they said Lippert only stocks the newer 500:1 motor so they had to replace both motors. That's not necessarily a bad thing except for the expense.

- To resync the motors on the SlimRack you do not keep holding the button down. The programmed stops will stop the slide so you need to come off the button and press and hold it until you hear a faint click from each motor.

You will see the slide jump slightly, you may hear a whir or loud whine, but keep holding the button until you hear the clicks. It should take less than 10 seconds. If it's been ten seconds you missed it so release and hold the button again. This needs done with the slide full in as well as full out and it does not matter which one you do first.

This should be done periodically. Not every usage but I do it several times a year.

NOTE THAT THIS REQUIRES THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTOMATIC PROGRAMMABLE SLIDE CONTROLLERS, WHICH FR USED ON OURS AND OTHERS. But some old slides may have the controller that needs to be set by the dealer.

- As difficult as it may be to believe, if you have not washed and waxed the sides of your slides in a while the grit build-up will cause the slide to drag on the seals. I've had it cause one side of the big slide go a bit crooked. And I have the 500:1 motors.

Also take a wet paper towel and wipe both sides of each wiper seal to clean them off. I always Swiffer my slide sides before retracting them after a prolonged stay, especially in Florida where there is a lot of salt in the air.


FWIW, this is a collection of SlimRack docs I've collected. You may find something of interest in them: https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArSWfZbFhJ3ZenWy...tAfD8?e=Imo7kL

Good luck,

Ray

[Iceman from McMurdo]

THANKS Ray (NXR), the motor specs you provided are AWESOME, as are the clarifying remarks regarding the correct synchronization procedure for the Slimrack system!

My 2400W Sunseeker is definitely one of the first 2018 models off the line (actually delivered in early 2017), and the motors are only held in place with the single (very strong) spring on the inside and the small square-head screw fastener on the outside. So, based on your data, that presumably means my motor (#364262) would be the less powerful "mid torque" 300:1 version.

Frankly, I've long suspected it's a marginal match for the size & weight of the full wall slide in the 2400W. I've asked Lippert to confirm the torque rating of this motor and whether a stronger 500:1 geared motor might be a suitable upgrade. My fear is, for liability protection, they'll probably say no & recommend I stick with the same motor in order to prevent damage to other components.

However, at this point, I think it'd probably be wise to go ahead and replace BOTH motors as a pair anyway, so if I can find suitable 500:1 motors that'll fit I may choose to go that route just for the extra power reserve they may provide...

Would love to hear from you (or anyone else) who may have gone this route or can tell me the actual MODEL NUMBER of the higher-torque 500:1 motors being installed in the newer Slimrack slides (not to be confused with those being mounted in the similar, but slightly different, Schwintek slides).

[Iceman from McMurdo]

OK, for all those interested, here's the reply from Lippert regarding the Slimrack slide motor situation. They say:

"If this is indeed a Slimrack slide, there will only be one motor for the system. The Schwintek has the 300-1 and 500-1. There is not a higher torque Slimrack motor."

So, at this point, while Lippert did not confirm the specific torque rating of my OEM motor #364262, I'm pretty sure it is, in fact, a "mid-torque" (300:1) motor. As they say, the Schwintek slide systems are apparently the ones that offer the option of the higher-torque 500:1 motors.

[rotdoxdad]

We have the same coach. 2018 2400WS and we were having a problem with the slide. My issue was with the wiring, it was corroded and cracked. The wiring ran from the battery to the controller in the storage bay. I replaced the wiring and it solved my issue. Good luck.

[Iceman from McMurdo]

OK gang, I've finally got some GOOD news! My Slimrack slide misalignment problem has been SOLVED and you'll be surprised at the culprit!

Despite a lot of helpful advice & troubleshooting assistance from the good folks at Lippert (as well as Forum members), the installation of new motors did NOT fix the problem. Following Lippert's advice, the ONLY motor used on the "Slimrack" slide system (not to be confused with the Schwintek) is a mid-torque 300:1 motor. Older Slimracks like mine used the #364262 (held in place with a spring tang), while newer ones use the same motor but with a different retention system (bolt-style mounting bracket). The best deal I found was thru Amazon at $117ea. There were cheaper ones out there, but I doubted their quality & returnability and, of course, there were more expensive ones if you're just looking for an excuse to throw away money.

So, bottom line, even though the motors were a perfect match and dropped in place with very little difficulty, they made absolutely NO difference at all. Each time I ran the slide out & in, there was the same distinct SLOWING in speed of the front #1 motor as it was retracting about mid-stroke (after which it quickly became about 6" out of alignment & I'd have to stop to prevent damage). Gotta admit, I was totally perplexed (not to mention frustrated)!

After saying a few bad words & carefully watching the extension & retraction MULTIPLE times, I concluded it could ONLY be something haywire with the controller or the gear drive system in the walls. Just as I was about to start tearing off trim pieces to examine the internal gears, drive rods, and bearings, I rcvd an eBay pkg containing an original #366701 controller (now obsolete) I had bid on just in case new motors didn't fix the problem. Frankly, I didn't have high hopes (for a multitude of reasons), but went ahead and swapped it in just for giggles... Wasn't hard at all - just swapped 4 connectors from one box to the other. Imagine my surprise when the slide WORKED PERFECTLY & stayed in alignment the whole way. Motors #1 & # 2 now stay at a completely MATCHED SPEED going out & then coming back in. Eureka!!

So, while the slide works fine now, I'm still at a loss as to WHY my old controller never showed any fault code or voltage loss that would have made this diagnosis easier. Although I'd checked & confirmed good static voltage in & out of the controller, SOMETHING inside the controller was clearly NOT able to SUSTAIN the constant power needed to the front #1 motor, allowing it to distinctly slow during retraction at the midpoint. It clearly had nothing to do with bad wiring harnesses or bad motors. I've since reported this issue back to Lippert to ask if they've observed this type of failure mode before with the older #366701 controllers and will report back as to what they say.

BTW, for fellow Slimrack owners. Lippert now shows the 366701 controllers to be "obsolete" and replaced with a newer #700156 controller. Not sure why, except they supposedly offer some improved fault diagnosis modes...

[NXR]

Hey, great news and a great follow-up!

There is an encoder in each motor that sends a signal to the controller. I suppose it's possible that the controller was misinterpreting the signal coming from the one motor.

Had you tried swapping the motor connectors at the controller during your troubleshooting? I don't recall.

Ray

[Iceman from McMurdo]

Yes, good question - I actually DID swap the motor connectors at the suggestion of the Lippert tech advisor, but I saw no difference - most likely, I believe, due to the significant weight difference (and associated motor loads) between the front and rear of the 2400W's full wall slide.

The front (#1) motor carries probably 75% of the load (with the full wall height, dinette & multiple storage compartments), whereas the rear (#2) motor carries about 25% (only half wall height above the rear bed and no storage compartments).

I have yet to hear back from Lippert, but I firmly believe something internal to the controller was simply unable to continually pass thru enough amperage to run the #1 motor for the full stroke of the slide.

Good news is the slide is working smoothly again and I'm now much more knowledgeable about its electro-mechanical workings and HOW to self-rescue us if/when the slide gives us any trouble again.

The ability to logically troubleshoot the system, coupled with a few well-selected tools & spares, gives me renewed confidence in our ability to fully enjoy our future adventures on the road. Safe travels to all!

[NXR]

Oddly, a fellow with a 2008 motorhome and the Power Gear system was having a problem with his slide motors. The slide was "stuttering"; run, pause, run, pause. He had a mobile tech look at it and they swapped the motors and the problem followed the motor that was stuttering the most. He took the motor to a local shop who found nothing wrong. So he gave them the other motor to compare. No problems found.

He found a new motor and installed it. No change.

Everyone was scratching their head and the mobile tech suggested swapping the motors. No difference.

Then they put the supposed bad motor in place of the remaining original motor and SUCCESS! The slide was working perfectly. They put the supposed good motor back in and it started stuttering again.

The only thing anyone could come up with was that one motor had a bad encoder and that was causing the other motor to stutter AND the local shop could test the motor itself but not its encoder.

But he's fixed now.

Ray

[OREddie]

We had misalignment problems on our 2017 MBS2401 WS last year which became progressively worse to the point that the slide jammed fully extended and could not be retracted. A mobile mechanic managed to disconnect and manually retract.

We ended up renting a couple Winnebago Minis for trips already planned during repairs. I can't say for certain if their slide outs were similar components but, at each check out the rental company demonstrated their extension and retraction process: from the retracted position, press Retract for a second or two then extend. Reverse the process to retract.

I've followed that procedure ever since and no sync issues have occured.