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JerryP · 02-02-2023, 04:49 PM

I'm having Schwintek Slide problems too.

Last September, I had one of the bedroom slides mechanisms in my 2020 Tiffin RED 33AA totally replaced. I also replaced the house batteries with Lifeline AGMs at the same time.

The Slide failed in a recent trip to Arizona. The slide in question was only operated 12 to 15 times before failure. I found aluminum shavings on the floor before just before it locked up on the left side.

It's back in the shop how and they say that I need another slide replacement. They say the Lifeline AGM batteries have failed and the low voltage caused the slide to get off track and caused the failures. Battery tests indicate that the batteries are not holding a charge. The batteries are only 5 months old. I only move the slides when the motor is running ( as per Tiffin recommendations ).

So - does the engine alternator provide power directly to the slides or is it really being driven from the house batteries. Could failed house batteries cause the slides to destroy themselves?

Any insights would be helpful.

Thanks,
Jerry

alank · 02-02-2023, 05:33 PM

Jerry, an electrical problem is different than a mechanical problem. Seeing shavings is a mechanical problem. The slide drive is a rack & pinion mechanism, just like rack & pinion steering, only not nearly as strong. The pinion gear is steel while the rack gear is aluminum and what the shavings are coming from. Most likely the gear block has failed allowing the pinion gear to jump some teeth on the rack gear. It's a weakness of the Swintec system, among other things. It could be destroying the gear block because the slide itself isn't constructed square enough to be within the movement limits of the slide mechanism. When I had Schwintec slides, it seems they would allow for 3/8" movement in the mechanism before they started to bind up. When all the horror stories began to come out about Swintec slides back about 2015 or so, I got rid of that coach before I had problems. Hard to believe Tiffin has continued to use them.

I have no proof, but back when I was considering all the possibilities of the problems, one thing I came up with was the length of the slides on the ends. By this I mean the distance from track to track on the outside wall (ends) of the slide, next to the outside wall. Then measure the tracks up next to the coach wall. I found my tracks were about 5/8" different up against the coach wall as compared to the outside wall of the slide. This means the Swintec drive system had to compensate for that 5/8" difference from the slide being in, or being out. The slide end walls were not perfectly square with the slide outside wall. If the 3/8" movement in the drive mechanism is correct, the 5/8" difference would just try to pull the drive system apart. That also depends on where the slide was setting when the Swintec frame was screwed onto the coach side walls.

Your other question, the alternator is connected to the batteries, so the motors use a combination of the two power sources if the engine is running. Claiming your mechanical problems are a result of the electrical system is sort of saying we don't know but we are going to replace the broken parts. If one motor quit running and caused a mechanical problem, they would be correcting the electrical problem too.

RonAz · 02-12-2023, 08:37 AM

Jerry, the two problems are probably not related. Just easy to blame the other guy if your repair failed.
Your original batteries should have lasted more than two years. The Lifelines, definitely longer. That could be a charging problem.
The rear passenger slide is small and fairly light. This should be well within the Schwintek capabilities. What you probably have is an alignment problem or an install problem of the slide that is not keeping the drive gear engaged tightly enough to the track. An update to Vroom should not be necessary for this small slide.
Out of curiosity, what brand is the bed slide on a Red 33aa? One center drive rail down the center of the bed. "Moves really fast compared to the on Schwintek and the front hydraulics". My smallish Red 33aa has three different types of slides!

JerryP · 02-12-2023, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonAz

Out of curiosity, what brand is the bed slide on a Red 33aa? One center drive rail down the center of the bed. "Moves really fast compared to the on Schwintek and the front hydraulics". My smallish Red 33aa has three different types of slides!

The bedroom slide is a Schwintek also. Wish it was something else.

Thanks for your comments.
Jerry