Slide stuck out

[greatheron]

Help! We are stuck in Princeton, NJ in our Big Country 3965 DSS with our double slide in slide stuck out about 20-22". FYI - the slide in slide is a schwintek (sp?). We can't possibly be the only one who has had this happen. Good Sam has tried to find mobile techs that can help, but no one wants to touch it. I've talked to Lippert who had me bypass the controller, but no luck. You Tubed disconnecting the motors, but no luck. It is twisted and drooping down. Apparently, we need someone that can lift and push the slide in so we can brace it and be mobile. There is no way we can manually push it in as it is so jammed. Cannot haul it over the road this way as we would be almost 10 ft. wide. Even looking into heavy hauling to get it to a repair facility, but with height restrictions causing concern. Also, no one wants it in their yard, let alone work on it. Anyone out there have experience in this area and can offer helpful suggestions?

 

[taskswap]

Share some photos so we can understand exactly how it's "jammed." Note: To manually "push in" a slide box with a Schwintek you need to disconnect the motors. They're self locking. You will never move that box with them connected. I believe there's a document here in the files section on how to do this. From (usually) outside the camper you stand on a ladder and pull back the slide box seal near the top until you see a small screw. Undo that screw and the motor will drop out of the gear it drives. (This is also how you replace the motor.) Do this on both sides.

Can you get to town and find a Harbor Freight or Home Depot? I want to say right away this is probably a terrible idea. But my slide always gave me trouble when it was just starting "in" (threatening not to...) and I thought a lot about what I'd do. I had the thought that if I had a pair of 2x4's, a pair of eye-bolts, and a come-along, I would try putting one 2x4 across my front door or a window and the other across a window in the slide-out. I'd have an eye-bolt in each 2x4, facing into the camper. I'd then use the come-along to pull them together. You'd have to go very slowly and I wouldn't want to put all that much force on it this way. In my case this would just have been to help get it started, but depending on how desperate you are maybe it's worth a try (still disconnect the motors first or you'll just bend everything.)

 

[JohnDar]

Actually, your idea with the come-along is similar to what others have done with slides that stopped retracting. In those cases, they used a come-along (or heavy duty ratchet strap) on the framing under the slide to pull it in. Using opposing windows might work, but keep a close eye on the window frame and wall around it. Too much resistance and you could end up damaging the outer wall and window frame.

 

[taskswap]

I suppose it's also an emergency way to keep the slide box "in" while towing the camper out to a repair shop too...

 

[greatheron]

Share some photos so we can understand exactly how it's "jammed." Note: To manually "push in" a slide box with a Schwintek you need to disconnect the motors. They're self locking. You will never move that box with them connected. I believe there's a document here in the files section on how to do this. From (usually) outside the camper you stand on a ladder and pull back the slide box seal near the top until you see a small screw. Undo that screw and the motor will drop out of the gear it drives. (This is also how you replace the motor.) Do this on both sides.

Can you get to town and find a Harbor Freight or Home Depot? I want to say right away this is probably a terrible idea. But my slide always gave me trouble when it was just starting "in" (threatening not to...) and I thought a lot about what I'd do. I had the thought that if I had a pair of 2x4's, a pair of eye-bolts, and a come-along, I would try putting one 2x4 across my front door or a window and the other across a window in the slide-out. I'd have an eye-bolt in each 2x4, facing into the camper. I'd then use the come-along to pull them together. You'd have to go very slowly and I wouldn't want to put all that much force on it this way. In my case this would just have been to help get it started, but depending on how desperate you are maybe it's worth a try (still disconnect the motors first or you'll just bend everything.)

Thanks for the thoughts! We're pretty desperate! We've been stuck in a parking lot in Princeton, NJ. On the phone with Heartland now. Will try and update later, but thanks for the idea!




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[JohnDar]

Looks like the opposing windows idea is out. When you try to retract, do the motors sound like they’re stalling, or no sound at all? No sound, maybe a connection came loose. Sound and no movement, chain or cable drive problem. Last possibility, if stalling, is something fell in the way under the slide and is blocking it.

What is actually in that area?


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[taskswap]

Wow a slide within a slide? With, what, a bed I'm guessing and a washer/dryer? On a Schwintek? What were they thinking...

The opposing window idea is out but if you want to still try "something" the core of the idea can still work. You just need 50' of rope. You can work a rope through the slide box gap past that gasket, around the slide (I'd do this as high as possible for the most leverage) and back in the other side. Then back to the original idea maybe?

I had a schwintek once that got stuck out on an older camper, it didn't want to start "in". The camper was a bit out of level and the slide had a lot of extra weight in it, plus it was very cold. Finally the slide had the older 350:1 motors not the stronger 500:1's. It was a quadruple whammy. Anyway we managed to get it to retract by having a buddy stand outside and push "in" on the top edge to help it get started. Once it was moving it was able to get the rest of the way in, it just needed help for that first inch. Maybe you could be lucky and have the same issue?

 

[wdk450]

Have you looked at the many You Tube videos on this slideout system?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=schwintek+slide+out+problems

Did you ever remove the motors and then try to manually slide it in?

The bottom and the top do not seem in alignment - the slide seems tilted.

 

[CDN]

I have a slide in slide on my Heartland. FTR the Schwintek does work fine in my experience. I would suggest you get the slde all the way out. It looks like the top has come in contact with the frame. I had this happen on my 2012 Rockwood with a super slide and Schwintek. I had to get the slide back out first then I was pushing the top in while the DW ran the switch in. The gears are likely chewed up causing this not to go into straight.

 

[greatheron]

We finally got a the slide in, but it took four construction workers, jacks and ladders. I did try the come-a-long tactics described earlier in this post on my own, but it was still too much weight fearing damaging the walls, window frames, etc. Remind you this is a 14ft. slide-in-slide in which we also have the washer and dryer. You really need several people to do this. We jacked the drooping corner to make it level. Some one needs to monitor the disconnected motors as one dropped back down while attempting to push the slide in. Keeping it even or square in the opening is important too. Lots of muscle and pushing both high and low seemed to help. Princeton, NJ is nice, but not they way we experienced it. When you find the right NJ folks, they were great and very helpful!


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[greatheron]

Looks like the opposing windows idea is out. When you try to retract, do the motors sound like they’re stalling, or no sound at all? No sound, maybe a connection came loose. Sound and no movement, chain or cable drive problem. Last possibility, if stalling, is something fell in the way under the slide and is blocking it.

What is actually in that area?


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I did try the opposing windows as the bed slide was accessible and opposing wall. When we first had trouble, the motors were working (I think both were working). As you looked at the slide from the outside the slide would move in a little, maybe an inch or two, then the left side would stop while the right kept going in. The left side gear track started grinding and chipping, so we stopped. It was in farther on the right than on the left. At this point after speaking to Lippert and Heartland I disconnected the motors (both sides). Spoke to some mobile repair guys that were not willing to come out and suggested using my truck jack to even out the sides so they were equal. That worked to get the slide square in the opening except for the sag on the left. Again, this slide is five feet in the air (poor leverage and did not have a jack that could be blocked to reach that high safely). I did post at the end of this thread to explain what we did to get it pushed in. We blocked it from the inside with 4x4's to prevent it from coming out while driving home. Now is there anyone that would be willing to work on repairing a Scwintek slide. Believe me, there were none within two hours of Princeton, NJ.


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[greatheron]

Have you looked at the many You Tube videos on this slideout system?

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=schwintek+slide+out+problems

Did you ever remove the motors and then try to manually slide it in?

The bottom and the top do not seem in alignment - the slide seems tilted.

Yes, we watched videos. Yes, we disconnected the motors (more of a challenge that most would think). They are about twelve feet off the ground.

The out-of-alignment was another part of the problem. Read further and you will see the construction crew had a jack and lumber to level the slide. Then, two men high on ladders and two men low (still 4-1/2 to 5ft. high) pushing, we managed to push it in.


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[greatheron]

Wow a slide within a slide? With, what, a bed I'm guessing and a washer/dryer? On a Schwintek? What were they thinking...

The opposing window idea is out but if you want to still try "something" the core of the idea can still work. You just need 50' of rope. You can work a rope through the slide box gap past that gasket, around the slide (I'd do this as high as possible for the most leverage) and back in the other side. Then back to the original idea maybe?

I had a schwintek once that got stuck out on an older camper, it didn't want to start "in". The camper was a bit out of level and the slide had a lot of extra weight in it, plus it was very cold. Finally the slide had the older 350:1 motors not the stronger 500:1's. It was a quadruple whammy. Anyway we managed to get it to retract by having a buddy stand outside and push "in" on the top edge to help it get started. Once it was moving it was able to get the rest of the way in, it just needed help for that first inch. Maybe you could be lucky and have the same issue?

Slide-in-slide, exactly what you stated, bed and washer/dryer. This is a 2017 Heartland Big Country 3965DSS. Look it up and you can see the floor plan and slide configuration. Believe it or not they still make models with the slide-in-slide. It was a large part of our buying decision because it makes the bedroom huge. Both of us can dress and get ready for the day with out bumping into each other or falling on the bed, if you know what I mean!

Leveling, squaring and muscle is what it took!


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[greatheron]

Looks like the opposing windows idea is out. When you try to retract, do the motors sound like they’re stalling, or no sound at all? No sound, maybe a connection came loose. Sound and no movement, chain or cable drive problem. Last possibility, if stalling, is something fell in the way under the slide and is blocking it.

What is actually in that area?


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King bed and hall closet with washer/dryer. You can look up 2017 Heartland Big Country 3965DSS to see the floor plan and slide configuration.


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[wdk450]

I did try the opposing windows as the bed slide was accessible and opposing wall. When we first had trouble, the motors were working (I think both were working). As you looked at the slide from the outside the slide would move in a little, maybe an inch or two, then the left side would stop while the right kept going in. The left side gear track started grinding and chipping, so we stopped. It was in farther on the right than on the left. At this point after speaking to Lippert and Heartland I disconnected the motors (both sides). Spoke to some mobile repair guys that were not willing to come out and suggested using my truck jack to even out the sides so they were equal. That worked to get the slide square in the opening except for the sag on the left. Again, this slide is five feet in the air (poor leverage and did not have a jack that could be blocked to reach that high safely). I did post at the end of this thread to explain what we did to get it pushed in. We blocked it from the inside with 4x4's to prevent it from coming out while driving home. Now is there anyone that would be willing to work on repairing a Scwintek slide. Believe me, there were none within two hours of Princeton, NJ.


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Craig and Connie:
Talk to the Service department in Elkhart to begin with to see if they can recommend a repair place near you, or maybe set you up for a visit to the factory service center in Elkhart, Indiana. I know that is a bit of a drive from New Jersey, but I drove 6 full days (each way) from California to Elkhart for an extended warranty repair on a pinbox frame flex problem.

Here is an alphabetical city listing on RVServiceReviews.com for New Jersey: http://rvservicereviews.com/StateLi...D=&ZipCode=&Miles=&SearchState=&KeywordState=

You can use the site to check other nearby states.

I would also suggest that you do webearches for businesses doing "RV Collision Repairs" as they generally have a better handle on RV frame and slide issues than general RV repairers.

Good Luck!!! This whole experience seems like a recommendation for the hydraulic slides systems. My main problem with the hydraulic slides in the 12 years I have owned my Bighorn is that it has so much muscle that stuff keeps falling on the road and getting crushed between the slide corners and the walls - Paper towel rolls, food processor cutting disks, etc.

 

[taskswap]

Very glad you were able to get home. What a frustrating trip. I don't know that there's really anything you could have done differently. Based on your description (grinding noises) I'm guessing you have some stripped gears and maybe some track damage. Hopefully it's under warranty.

 

[JohnDar]

Craig and Connie:
Talk to the Service department in Elkhart to begin with to see if they can recommend a repair place near you, or maybe set you up for a visit to the factory service center in Elkhart, Indiana. I know that is a bit of a drive from New Jersey, but I drove 6 full days (each way) from California to Elkhart for an extended warranty repair on a pinbox frame flex problem.

Here is an alphabetical city listing on RVServiceReviews.com for New Jersey: http://rvservicereviews.com/StateLi...D=&ZipCode=&Miles=&SearchState=&KeywordState=

You can use the site to check other nearby states.

I would also suggest that you do webearches for businesses doing "RV Collision Repairs" as they generally have a better handle on RV frame and slide issues than general RV repairers.

Good Luck!!! This whole experience seems like a recommendation for the hydraulic slides systems. My main problem with the hydraulic slides in the 12 years I have owned my Bighorn is that it has so much muscle that stuff keeps falling on the road and getting crushed between the slide corners and the walls - Paper towel rolls, food processor cutting disks, etc.

Bill, we used ladies hair bands wrapped around the knobs to hold the cabinet doors closed. For the single door cabinets, I attached a small knob to the side to wrap around. Rubber drawer liners under counter top items kept them in place. Some things did ride in the sinks, too.


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[chaplady]

Glad you got resolution enough to get home. Good luck with repairs

 

[greatheron]

Glad you got resolution enough to get home. Good luck with repairs

Thanks! Understand you know the owners of Crossroads RV? Any chance you can put in a plea to help us with repairs? Checked their website and it says slide repairs. Only about 100 mi. from us, so willing to tow it there since the slide is blocked and safe to travel with.


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[chaplady]

Thanks! Understand you know the owners of Crossroads RV? Any chance you can put in a plea to help us with repairs? Checked their website and it says slide repairs. Only about 100 mi. from us, so willing to tow it there since the slide is blocked and safe to travel with.


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Liz does however that was many years ago and we even had issues trying to get a lock replaced and trailer when we purchased it from the. I have our trailer going into a repair shop on OCT 4 for floor replacement, it's in Pocomoke MD. We Rv is name of place. I can check with them or you can call to check with them, I've had minor work done by them before with no issues. So will see.