Schwintek Slide Mechanism - 2014 Itasca Ellipse

JWalls said:

Thanks, Cass! Having same Scraping/Rattling/noises complaint - recently acquired -lightly used- 2013 ACE 30.1. Threads indicate Schwintek motor/track rattling, or slide improperly installed.  Understand your solution is 1- some T-nut and bolt to replace the motor locking screw(found that); 2-and installing foam around motor; 3- and foam around long rod inside frame. All details visible on Lippert/Schwintek online pdfs. But NO info on how to make the fix. (have to remove slideout mechanism to install foam?; description of bolt/wing nut replacement?)  Any help from you, or owners who have 'had it fixed'. Unit is days out of warranty, so DIY is needed.  Outside frame is riveted, with full body paint; so minimal invasion is desired. I read all related threads (and Ebrabaek's saga), seem close to solution, but cannot tear into it unless I'm sure.  Slide works OK, just noisy on the road / bumps, rough spots esp. annoying! 

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My last & hopefully permanent fix was the T nuts on the motors which seems to be working. I cannot give you details on how to do it but I watched it done on one of them & it required putting the slide part way out & removing the molding on the inside & out to get to the motor in the wall & then drilling a hole from the outside to install the T nut to hold the motor in place so it can't move back & forth with road vibration.

I would call Lippert & talk to a technician there. They were very helpful with pictures & offering to talk my tech through it if needed. The entire fix only took the technician about 20 minutes for the one I watched. They would probably talk you through it.

An independent repair shop shared with me a service manual distributed at a December 13 training session. Lippert has developed a new fix for the rattle many of us have experienced ...a composite gibb, to replace the metal ones used. I have pictures! January visited my dealer 1500 miles away..Well when I spoke with the Winnebago dealer service representative ( my dealer was not aware of this new fix) he tells me that Winnebago has not "accepted" this fix as they question the longevity of a composite fix...Note:  I was in Forest city this past Fall they did the "screw " fix...lasted less than 2000 miles.  Tomorrow we drive to Key West...I can turn my hearing aids down.....my copilot has perfect hearing...too perfect for tomorrow trip I think! 

DITTO said:

..I have pictures! ..

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Can you post them?

2013 Ellipse, purchased new 4/3/2013. living room slide had a major failure on2/10/2014. This slide had been used 23 times since I bought the rig. Called winnie service.....their reply to us was......"do not use the slide and take it to a repair shop. " Since Feb 17 till now, no parts. Dealer called Winnie, no help offered, refered to Schwintec. Slide needs total repair. Allso at this RV park, 2013 Tour 42 with same slide out problem that he cannot use it. Said he is trying to get home with his coach. Looks as if I am stuck with this coach as I find out more about this schwintec slide. I hope someone has improved this system. Extremly disapointed with Winnie. Had a 2006 Horizon that never had a slide problem.

erray42 said:

... Extremly disapointed with Winnie. ..

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Welcome aboard! 

You're waiting two weeks for parts from Schwintec and you're disappointed with Winnebago, I don't guess I understand.  Looks like to me Schwintec needs to devote some engineering resources to design a more robust product.

Hi John..I get a message file to big! Unable to post the pictures.

Use a picture editor to reduce the picture sizes.  If you're a Windows user, there should one included with your machine.

John it seems to me that Winnie should be demanding a fix for the product.  We buy our coaches from Winnie not the supplier of parts.  It is totally unacceptable to have a problem such as this go on for so long.  Winnie selected this supplier and own the problem from a customers viewpoint.  I have had many slide issues and am scheduled to go back to Iowa again to attempt to get them fixed.  It has been a very frustrating experience.  Paying this much for a MH should yield an excellent customer service experience.  Winnie experiences a humoungest warranty expense and the lions share of this is avoidable by using TQM and Lean techniques that have been implemented in good manufacturing companies over the last 20 years.  Winnie is way behind the curve and they need to wake up.  A penny saved on parts from a supplier can equal $100 in warranty costs so they must work on state of the art engineering techniques and supplier quality to reduce the warranty expense and increase customer satisfaction.

I have to agree with Mercoupe50.

If I buy a sport jacket from Ralph Lauren, and the sleeve falls off, RL is not going to send me to China to get new threads, so I can get the sleeve sewn back on.

This has me looking hard at Winnebago. 

Was thinking of buying a new MH in two years.  This is very troublesome.  Not impressed with Winnebago on this problem.  NOT AT ALL!!!!!!

Jim

mercoupe50 said:

John it seems to me that Winnie should be demanding a fix for the product.  ..

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And what makes you assume they aren't?

I have just half a dog in this fight, that is, two of my four slides are Schwintek, but they are not on a Winnebago built coach.

I would offer that we have two problems here, one is technical, i.e. Schwintek seems to have a field technical issue, and the second possibly is public relations, i.e. Winnebago may or may not be communicating clearly to its owners enough information to contain their agitation.

We all know that bad news travels far faster than good, and while I would not blame Winnebago for the Schwintek design at all, were I a Winnebago customer I would hope my customer relationship with them was important enough to explain what I (Winnebago) was doing to keep my customers' coaches on the road.

It is a slippery slope for all RV manufacturers, especially when they don't control the design and manufacture of each component in their rigs. It would seem both Lippert and Winnebago have some customers' feathers that need smoothing.

I think we are all admitting that it is the kind of thing that would turn potential buyers of expensive equipment totally off and alter the behavior of a generally very loyal customer base.

I see a lot of room for improvement here and hopefully soon for those affected.

Kim

If they were maybe they would give the customer some satisfaction by saying they are.  Giving many of their customers some hope that their problem will be fixed.  Communication is key to good customer service.  I don't like to rant about Winnies customer service or lack thereof but it gets me really frustrated.  I would just like to see improvement.  The road to improvement in any corporation is to focus on the customer and work backwards. 

Cass, John, others with slide noise problem - I called Lippert/Schwintek tech service. They avow the ONLY approved Lippert solution is hard-to-find CRC PTFE lube (stated will have to re-apply, as maintenance!) BULL*.  Attached pdf from Thor stating to install SHIMS (WHICH FAILED TO RESOLVE).  The scope of problems with slide-out on the ACE and similar models is big black eye to industry. ACE series is supposedly #1 model!? and they cannot FIX this??  or are stone-walling, delaying while limited warranty expires (cannot get extended warranty on coach, only on equipment/chassis).  Cannot imagine Winnie / Thor /Itasca etc management reads these posts. (However, I got quick reply from Jensen display, and followup SUPPORT, for warranty issue - from forum.) 


Edit by staff:  removed Thor document

Well that about sums it up, I will not be purchasing a MH new or used with Schwintek slides.

The manufactures better wake up.  There sales are about to tank because someone sold them a bad bill of goods. 

When I was in West Yellowstone this past summer, there was a brand new coach (owner was a retired football player). He had people from Oragon come to the campground and had the mechanism replaced.  He was out for the first time.  I guess Schwintek could go belly up.....

Looks like a possible recall.  Big companies reputations are on the line.

UPdate - Cass, John, others with slide noise problem - I called Lippert/Schwintek tech service. They avow the ONLY approved Lippert solution is hard-to-find CRC PTFE lube (stated will have to re-apply, as maintenance!) BULL*.  Attached pdf from Thor stated to install SHIMS (WHICH FAILED TO RESOLVE) 1.Remove trim interior,2.Measure gap; ADD 1/8" to measurement, 3. Cut shims  that thickness,18" long (resilient plastic / hard rubber?); 4. install shims/seal w/silicone, including new gap where shim doesn't extend; 5. reinstall trim... added . The scope of problems with slide-out on the ACE and similar models is big black eye to industry. ACE series is supposedly #1 model!? and they cannot FIX this??  or are stone-walling, delaying while limited warranty expires (cannot get extended warranty on coach, only on equipment/chassis).  Cannot imagine Winnie / Thor /Itasca etc management reads these posts. (However, I got quick reply from Jensen display, and followup SUPPORT, for warranty issue - from forum.)  "just in - a  vague reply from Thor "both things need done."  On inspection, the shims were installed ~ 1/4" plywood, but absent for ~ 18" at lower section (it's difficult to access, so CW omitted them? )IMO, Schwintek is maybe ok for application; Problems stem from  #1. Precision Installation is critical variable;  #2- misuse @ Demo without leveling/ excessive load (people sitting on couch and 'seeing if the slideout works')/... random abuse, playing with slideout; #3. Mis-manufacturing, mis-assembly of slideout; #4. connecting shaft (aluminium -too weak for large slideout, may vibrate/rattle in transit, and motor weak for lg slide out).  Noise problem not noticed in trailers (prev posters) so Schwintek late in re-engineering for Motor homes.  Don't abandon them.. yet.  Update 3-08; recd email+pdfs instructing TWO addn'l mods from Thor; A) first, adding shims under Horiz rack (prev shims under Vert column); and if needed, replace fixed with 'Adjustable rollers to install UNDER slideout.  Both somewhat complex, wonder what really will work?  Evidently redesign ref. Winnie.

Here's a long thread on iRV2 about the very same issues with the Lippert system.  Apparently there was a fairly significant Lippert redesign that went into production by Winnebago for units built sometime in January 2014.

Like I mentioned a few pages ago, it seems that owners with full wall slides are unfortunately beta testers for Lippert slide mechanism engineering, Lippert's expertise was in towables and not large slides now in motor homes.

I'll see what I can find out from my Winnebago contact, but it does sound like progress is being made after reading through the iRV2 thread.

2013 Itasca Meridian 42E.  Most recurring issue has been the Scwintek slide system on the galley slide. All attempts to repair the issues have been covered by Winnebago warranty but down time and travel expense for repairs have been considerable. Sheared screws holding the slide exterior trim pieces was the first sign of trouble. This happened 3 times. Replacing the hall event monitor fixed this which simply does a better job of syncronizing motor speed as the slide out is moving. In Aug 2013 we drove our coach to Winnebago per the recall notification. In less than 4 hours they replaced the entire galley slide Schwintec system. We do lube the gibbs with the green crc lube. But eventually the slapping noise returns. Yes, we hold our breath every time we have to move the galley slide. We are true fulltimers so our coach is our home.

Welcome aboard.

For the record the Itasca meridian and Winnebago Journey are physically the largest coaches made at Winnebago. They measure 43' 6" in length. The Winnebago Tour and Itasca Ellipse measure 42' 10" in length. Since my wife and I full time we wanted as much space as possible. We have boon docked 10 days generator only.  Other than the Schwintec issues we made the right choice for our way of life.

klz said:

2013 Itasca Meridian 42E.  Most recurring issue has been the Scwintek slide system on the galley slide. All attempts to repair the issues have been covered by Winnebago warranty but down time and travel expense for repairs have been considerable. Sheared screws holding the slide exterior trim pieces was the first sign of trouble. This happened 3 times. Replacing the hall event monitor fixed this which simply does a better job of syncronizing motor speed as the slide out is moving. In Aug 2013 we drove our coach to Winnebago per the recall notification. In less than 4 hours they replaced the entire galley slide Schwintec system. We do lube the gibbs with the green crc lube. But eventually the slapping noise returns. Yes, we hold our breath every time we have to move the galley slide. We are true fulltimers so our coach is our home.

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We also own a 42E (Journey) and we had a failure on our galley slide (the larger of the two that use the Schwintek mechanism) before we ever got out of the parking lot at Camping World when we purchased our coach.  The failure was a small connecting sleeve that links the motor to the shaft that drives the two pinion gears.  The sleeve broke into three pieces, resulting in one end of the slide moving and the other end not moving.  Lippert had Camping World replace the entire mechanism on both ends of the slide.  The technician who replaced the slide mechanisms said he had never seen this particular failure before.  He also said that the slide had not been installed properly at Winnebago, and was shifted quite a bit forward in the opening (the forward end is the one that failed).  He further showed me that the contact patterns on the racks were uneven.  The contact patterns since the mechanisms were replaced is much better than before.