Community Forums

DVLSBrigade · 04-08-2015, 05:12 AM

Hi, all! New to this. Has anybody had trouble with a slide that only opens part way? I did hear a pop when pulling out of our spot and when trying to extend my bedroom slide after setting up it will only open part way now. Help...any advice or recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

luvlabs · 04-08-2015, 09:09 AM

I believe your model has Schwintek slide drives. If so, there are controllers for the rear slides mounted in one of the compartments underneath (white, about the size of a smoke detector). Those will be displaying an error code which you can help track down the problem.

Before you do anything, pull the slide back in and make sure you have nothing obstructing it (a rug, a loose sock, tennis shoe, etc.) and, if it is the bed slide, you haven't put too much heavy stuff storage area (no cases of wine, for example).

You best bet for more Tiffin specific information is the tiffinrvnetwork.com. Great website run by Tiffin owners.

PushedAround · 04-08-2015, 09:18 AM

I don't know if you have Schwintek slides or not. Our does not (the bed side slide is electric though) and sometimes it will hangup on the clutch mechanism (makes a ratcheting sound) and I have to give the slide a shove to keep it moving. Never had a problem with it retracting.

airman1 · 04-17-2015, 06:19 PM

We have the same issue with our 2012 Tiffin RED. The passenger side BR slide does not extend totally. I'm thinking that we may visit Red Bay this spring or summer to see if we can get the situation remedied.

Steve & Brenda West
Fort Wayne, IN

PICDave · 04-17-2015, 07:41 PM

Now I am very concerned! Took delivery of a 2015 37 PA 1 month ago. Operated drivers side bedroom slide 3 times successfully... 4th operation on a brand new coach and the slide only goes out 4" and jams... Back to the dealer she goes! Why, oh why has Tiffin started using Schwintek slide systems? I may never trust these rear slides! Such a shame to use lousy components on such a beautiful coach! Had to cut our trip short, because without extending the rear driver's side slide, one cannot access the shower! :nonono;!

alank · 04-17-2015, 08:54 PM

PICDave, I would like to know if the coach had been leveled and untwisted by the hydraulic leveling system each time the before the slide was operated in either direction?

PICDave · 04-18-2015, 06:10 AM

Alank,
Yes, I would not operate the slides without first leveling the coach!
Now, what the dealer did while it was in their possession is a mystery. Interestingly, on our test drive we found that slide not closed all the way, creating a whistle in the coach... Just assumed someone did not close it fully, but now I wonder if there was a problem from the get-go.
5 years of constant use in our 2010 34 TGA, and never one slide out issue! Why would Tiffin not stay with what worked so well?

luvlabs · 04-18-2015, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PICDave

Now I am very concerned! Took delivery of a 2015 37 PA 1 month ago. Operated drivers side bedroom slide 3 times successfully... 4th operation on a brand new coach and the slide only goes out 4" and jams... Back to the dealer she goes! Why, oh why has Tiffin started using Schwintek slide systems? I may never trust these rear slides! Such a shame to use lousy components on such a beautiful coach! Had to cut our trip short, because without extending the rear driver's side slide, one cannot access the shower! :nonono;!

I wouldn't be so paranoid about Schwintek slides. Tiffin (and a lot of other higher end coach manufacturers) have used them for a long time now but only on bedroom slides and very few problems are reported on any of the forums. Many of the issues are out of sync slides and stopping part way in or out. Both of these are pretty easily corrected by the owner.

PICDave · 04-18-2015, 09:17 AM

I guess I need to learn about dealing with these slides! It goes out 4" and stops, most movement is on rear of slide, I assumed a bad motor...is there a trick to this? Controllers indicate no faults. Any help greatly appreciated!

alank · 04-18-2015, 02:38 PM

Get on U-tube and watch operational video's. I wasn't doing mine correctly at first.
Run the slide in (or out) and hold the button for about 4 seconds after the all sound and movement stops. This is the period when the system sync's the position of the motors. The system then counts the number of revolutions of the motors as the slide goes out to keep everything even. Hold the button 4 seconds on the out movement also. In a video, the operator did the run and hold 3 or 4 times to get a demo slide back into sync so everything was even.

I would also do some counting of the rack gear teeth to see if there is the same number of teeth exposed on each corner of the slide. If the pinion gear has jumped a tooth on one of the racks, there's nothing but trouble ahead if you keep operating the slide.
I know the dealers just jump in and run the slides without leveling and trueing the coach. If the coach is twisted (shoe box effect) and the slides are operated, you're just asking for trouble, and the more and bigger the slides are, the more stress in put on the slide gears.

PICDave · 04-18-2015, 02:58 PM

Thank you for the suggestion! All that was done, as instructed. I think it is a bad motor or wiring. I have always held the switch until the 'singing' stops. I do not see any reference to a room stuck IN on Lippert University, only pulling in a stuck out slide. Can't re-time the system because the forward motor is not moving. Rear side goes out a few inches and stops.

alank · 04-18-2015, 08:05 PM

There is connecting plug at the very top where the motor is located that may have come apart. My front plug on the large slide had gotten out of the inner wall area between the seals and was being crunched on in between the slide and the wall when the slide was put out. It will be behind the inner seal on the wall, at the very top above the motor, if you can get to it to check.

PICDave · 04-18-2015, 08:50 PM

I will check this in the morning. The help is very much appreciated. Sure love this coach, hope this is just a glitch!

PICDave · 04-19-2015, 11:48 AM

alank: checked the connector, as you described, and no problem there, cable is firmly embedded into the channel. Equal number of 'teeth ' exposed on all tracks. At this point, I suspect a failed motor or controller. Controller should show fault code if motor is bad, so I lean toward a bad controller...thoughts?