S.O.S. -- RV slide stuck in extended position & cars trapped in the garage!!!

[Cranialsoreus]

We have a 2016 Forest River Forester MBS 2401WS, w/ 1 full side slide

Today we brought it home from storage for a wash, but when cleaning a side compartment, water got on the very well hidden slide out module (Powergear part # 1510000236), and suddenly on its own the slide started to extend (knocking me over, btw). Unfortunately, after a moment one motor stopped while the other kept going. Now the left (front) side of the slide is out 32" and the right (rear) side is only out 15".

We tried to troubleshoot over the phone and the dealer said we fried the control module and needs to be replaced (very $$$). But I'm skeptical. When we push the slide-control rocker switch inside the RV we can hear both motors working. I'm certainly no expert, but I'd think if the module was fried, the motors wouldn't work at all. I wonder if the slide is just so askew that it's just jammed. This is a photo of our module: https://imgur.com/a/pSmvC1G

For reasons I will never understand, FR decided to mount this module out of sight, in the upper right corner of the storage bin that’s immediately UNDER the slide itself. So not only is it extra hard to access when the slide is stuck extended, but I have to wiggle my large torso into a storage compartment and stretch my neck up to the corner so I can see the unit. Which of course was mounted upside-down, so just to read the module I have to take a cell phone photo and flip the image upside down. [not for nothing, but who thought this was a good idea???]😡

I've spent hours online looking for manuals, troubleshooting guides, etc. but it seems Powergear was bought by Lippert and the part #'s have changed.

Is there a way to safely bypass the electric retraction system and bring the slide in manually? I know some RV’s have a crank handle or can be manually retracted with a socket wrench… ours does not have this feature. Trust me, I looked everywhere for it.

We can't move the RV with the slide out and the RV is blocking our garage door so our cars are trapped inside... thus the S.O.S. call.

[Rich.M]

You can manually push the slide in if you take out the motors mounted inside behind the rubber trim near the top. You can look up schwintek motor replacement on you tube. The retaining screw is outside under the rubber trim at the top. It may need a square drive to remove. The motor transmission acts like a lock so lifting off the gear off the slide mechanism will free the slide for movement. Put motor back down to lock again. I have moved the smaller side slide of my r unit pretty easily. Good luck with the bigger slide. Probably best to unplug and remove the controller in to dry out a few days then try and retime or If it won’t work then order a module. Chances are your slide is otherwise ok

[Riich]

If there are no obstacles in the way, you can move the RV with the slide out.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by Riich

If there are no obstacles in the way, you can move the RV with the slide out.

What he said up there ^^^^^^^^^

Are you saying that the extended slide will hit something if you back up?
Moving just a very short distance with no bumps or uneven terrain, could be done under extreme situations.

[Bama Rambler]

What you have is a slim rack system. Here's a troubleshooting manual for the control box Slim Rack Controller Manual
And here's one for the system. Slim Rack System Manual

Are there any lights flashing on the module?

Since you say that the motors are trying to run using the manual procedure in the manual, I'd probably try to move the side that stopped first to match the side that kept moving, and see if that works.

[Cranialsoreus]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

What he said up there ^^^^^^^^^

Are you saying that the extended slide will hit something if you back up?
Moving just a very short distance with no bumps or uneven terrain, could be done under extreme situations.

Yeah, backing up puts it closer to garage door, drive it forward and the slide will hi a 5’ retaining wall.

[NMWildcat]

Don't know what time frame you are looking at for 'freeing' your trapped cars, but you might consider calling a mobile tech. He will probably save you time and be able to educate you about the slides, and perhaps even fix the water intrusion problem (if that is what caused the problem).
Manually operating any slide these days is never a straight forward, easy task.
I'm all about DIY, but sometimes you just need a little personal, onsite help I've had several friends who did more damage trying to do it themselves instead of getting qualified help.

[ependydad]

Call Lippert directly. Their customer service is actually quite helpful.

[Cranialsoreus]

We tried this but the only mobile tech in town said he doesn’t work on this brand of slide.

[AntonJ]

x2 on calling Lippert. They were very helpful and patient with me trying to figure out a auto leveling problem I had.

[NavyLCDR]

In the manual provided by Bama Rambler is a procedure to electrically operate single motors at a time. You can use that to even-up the sides.

[TARVIDSON]

If I remember properly from my last schwintek encounter, press the manual override button on the controller six times and then hold on the 7th and it will release the brakes and you can push the slide by hand until the sides are even. If not, check the instruction manual which you can get on line. When I say push by hand, it was very difficult, took bracing myself against something and push really hard. Good luck.

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by TARVIDSON

If I remember properly from my last schwintek encounter, press the manual override button on the controller six times and then hold on the 7th and it will release the brakes and you can push the slide by hand until the sides are even. If not, check the instruction manual which you can get on line. When I say push by hand, it was very difficult, took bracing myself against something and push really hard. Good luck.

Except this isn't a Schwintek slide.

[TARVIDSON]

My mistake, somebody mentioned Schwintek earlier in the post and I didn't read it carefully.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Don't know what time frame you are looking at for 'freeing' your trapped cars, but you might consider calling a mobile tech. He will probably save you time and be able to educate you about the slides, and perhaps even fix the water intrusion problem (if that is what caused the problem).
Manually operating any slide these days is never a straight forward, easy task.
I'm all about DIY, but sometimes you just need a little personal, onsite help I've had several friends who did more damage trying to do it themselves instead of getting qualified help.

^^^Here is the best advice given to date. The help will come and much more quickly than trying to obtain "how to" info from someone who is thousands of miles away.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

^^^Here is the best advice given to date. The help will come and much more quickly than trying to obtain "how to" info from someone who is thousands of miles away.

In post #9 the OP said they called the only mobile tech around and he would not work on that type of slide.

I hope the OP simply moved the R/V a few feet and got to their vehicles.

[TowPro]

I don't know if its a real place, or scam, but I saw this one. https://www.nhtech.top/index.php?mai...ducts_id=78074
here is one for $103.00


But have you tried to have someone run the slide motor in why one or more push in the side that is sticking out more? if its that crooked it could be jammed and need assistance to get close. Maybe in some of these directions I saw on line do they talk about pulling, or disabling one motor to get the slide straight again?

[rgt3000]

We have a 2019 Sunseeker 2400ws. Our slide was stuck in the out position. The way we got it back in was to remove the 2 motors and then 2 of us pushed the slide back in. We examined the motors - one had a magnet break loose from the housing and jammed. Got a replacement and all is well. Removal of the motors is not hard to do, just make sure to unplug them first.

[Cranialsoreus]

UPDATE:

If by chance anyone is still following this post... my wife and I just had a little success. The module was flashing 1 green light and 4 reds. According to the troubleshooting manual, this means there is a problem with "motor 1". Motor 1 controls the front (cab side) of the slide, and that is the side that was fully extended. The rear of the slide was only 50% extended when things got stuck.

My wife unplugged the connection for Motor 1 and we waited a couple minutes. Then we pushed the slide control switch inside the RV and the rear side of the slide extended about an inch and stopped. Working as a team, I pushed that side of the slide from inside while my wife pushed the switch. This allowed the rear motor to push the slide out a few inches at a time. Eventually we got the rear of the slide 100% extended and even with the front. Victory!

BUT... when we reconnected the circuit for Motor 1 and tried to retract the entire slide -- wife inside pushing the master switch and me outside pushing the entire slide in with the minimal amount of force I could muster), both motors started bringing the slide in BUT almost immediately the Motor 1 (the front of the slide) stopped and the rear kept going, until my wife stopped pushing the master switch. So the slide is still stuck in the extended position but now the front is only out a few inched more than the rear, which is better than is was.

Question: does this chain of events mean the control circuit box needs to be replaced, and Motors 1 and 2 are still working fine? Or that the circuit box is ok but Motor 1 needs to be replaced?

Any ideas?

[Mikegjax]

I don't if your system is similar to mine (Lippert), but the motors stop by torquing out. They don't have limit switches, but are shut off by excessive torque being applied.

I'm just guessing here. Something could be binding on the front part of the slide or the motor is failing.

You could try running temp wiring from the rear motor harness to the front motor. This would allow you to isolate the control board. If you can drive the motor farther with the jumper in place you would know two things. The motor is ok or not, or binding in the slide.

I don't know if this is feasible for you to try, but might give more info.