Schwintek track looks like gear is toast

[jjensen04]

Originally Posted by DRM901

I just read up on the vroom alternative. May have make a trip to PHX this winter. Just not sure about dropping over $7k to have both replaced.

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I got the Vroom on my 2014 Phaeton and it has worked great for 1/1/2 year.

Jim

[mgg]

The block that holds the gear rides in a uchannel (h-channel). If the spacing between the gear on the slide and the uchannel is too great, the block can twist sideways and start to drag and eventually jam. It also wears the part of the block that slides in the guide, allowing the gears themselves to pull away, which causes excessive wear and eventually slippage. If your slide isn't moving freely - then its all worse. Looking at your rubber seal - it isn't touching the slide side which is what I saw on mine when I discovered my uchannel was too far away from the slide.

I ended up adding a piece of steel - screwed to the wall and the uchannel screwed to it to get it into the correct position.
mgg

[DRM901]

Thanks. The seal does touch the slide; maybe 1/4-3/8" (seal vs gap). But I'll check that when I get into it. I ended up ordering the parts for one side (rack, shoes, blocks, V rollers) so we can hopefully get back to using all 4 slides on this trip. I think if it breaks again, I'll make the trip to PHX.

You added your spacer to the wall, behind the H channel, correct? (Versus behind the rack)

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[danhannah]

Originally Posted by DRM901

Thanks. The seal does touch the slide; maybe 1/4-3/8" (seal vs gap). But I'll check that when I get into it. I ended up ordering the parts for one side (rack, shoes, blocks, V rollers) so we can hopefully get back to using all 4 slides on this trip. I think if it breaks again, I'll make the trip to PHX.

You added your spacer to the wall, behind the H channel, correct? (Versus behind the rack)

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Best of luck to you. I replaced my tracks, and while I was initially thinking I was crazy to tackle such a big job, it wasn't that tough to do.

YouTube is your friend - there are several videos with good step-by-step demos of what you need to do.

Cheers,

Dan

[dmctlc]

Originally Posted by DRM901

I just read up on the vroom alternative. May have make a trip to PHX this winter. Just not sure about dropping over $7k to have both replaced.

Sent from my SM-G973U using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

A few weeks back I spoke with Brian @ VROOM since I'm thinking of upgrading as my passenger slide has given us nothing but grief for the last 1.5 yrs. He said that they weill scheduling out for next April but was hoping to improve on that has they have a new facility they are building as the current one gates them to do about 1 a day and they have lots of request. No wonder their systems seems on paper to be a lot more robust better engineered system than what is on ours now, IMHO. But like you mentioned it's not cheap it would be almost $10K to do both which we were thinking to do even the ther drivers side is not giving us issues yet. It can be cheaper if you reuse things like the motors.

[DRM901]

I finally got the parts from Lippert that I need to repair the slide - a day before we head out on the road again. It is frustrating that they don't keep parts in stock, and they short change the parts in a kit. (They must gather up each part in a standard kit, one at a time, rather than have the kit ready to go.) Their 5-7 business days really means about 1 month.

So, this repair will need to wait until we are home.

Don Boyd at Tiffin was great. Provided the system model number the next day.

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[LDK1]

Originally Posted by dmctlc

A few weeks back I spoke with Brian @ VROOM since I'm thinking of upgrading as my passenger slide has given us nothing but grief for the last 1.5 yrs. He said that they weill scheduling out for next April but was hoping to improve on that has they have a new facility they are building as the current one gates them to do about 1 a day and they have lots of request. No wonder their systems seems on paper to be a lot more robust better engineered system than what is on ours now, IMHO. But like you mentioned it's not cheap it would be almost $10K to do both which we were thinking to do even the ther drivers side is not giving us issues yet. It can be cheaper if you reuse things like the motors.

New vroom authorized service center opening in September just outside Dallas in Aubrey TX. They might be able to help those with Schwintek slide issues.

https://patriotsrvgarage.com/
.

[DRM901]

Thanks. That will be THE solution if any of them fail again - once I fix this one, since I have the parts.

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[thegats1]

Originally Posted by DRM901

I just read up on the vroom alternative. May have make a trip to PHX this winter. Just not sure about dropping over $7k to have both replaced.

Sent from my SM-G973U using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

Looks like the price went up. I got in early'ish. There were some delays in the schedule, but he guaranteed the original price quote. Initially the price was $2500 per. When I spoke to Brian Vroom while there he said his costs have skyrocketed. I can't recall the exact number, but shipping on his motors was in the tens of thousands of dollars. Shipping....not the cost of the motors. Maybe that has eased by now, but it was in June that he told me that. They definitely operate a lot smoother, but I too would think very hard at dropping $7000. I dropped $7500 for all 3 slides. Hopefully no issues for a long time since there aren't many techs out there that know how to work on these things. Good luck on your decision.

[thegats1]

Originally Posted by LDK1

New vroom authorized service center opening in September just outside Dallas in Aubrey TX. They might be able to help those with Schwintek slide issues.

https://patriotsrvgarage.com/
.

Great news!

[dmctlc]

Originally Posted by LDK1

New vroom authorized service center opening in September just outside Dallas in Aubrey TX. They might be able to help those with Schwintek slide issues.

https://patriotsrvgarage.com/
.

Actually living in Florida, Red Bay is a lot closer. We'll see how they work as ironically they seem to miraculously started working during up NE trip though on our way home we only put that slide out if we're stopped for more than 2 nites. Made it home last week though other than putting the slide out once home we only put it out two out of 5 stops. Last stop had some hesitation so helped it in a bit. Just wasn't taking the chance. Might take a look at it now that I'm home when tstorms stop rolling in and weather gets a little less hot and humid...

[jpspaz]

I got a quote for $3700 for one slide on a Vroom conversion. The shop told me that the labor is the same whether it’s Vroom or Schwintek, but the extra cost is in the parts. About $1,000 more for the Vroom system. I am probably going to spend the money because this one slide is a complete disaster. This will be the last coach I buy that has the garbage schwintek mechanism.

[thegats1]

Originally Posted by jpspaz

I got a quote for $3700 for one slide on a Vroom conversion. The shop told me that the labor is the same whether it’s Vroom or Schwintek, but the extra cost is in the parts. About $1,000 more for the Vroom system. I am probably going to spend the money because this one slide is a complete disaster. This will be the last coach I buy that has the garbage schwintek mechanism.

Wow! They have gone way up. Who quoted you? Was it Vroom Slide Systems in Tuscon?

[jpspaz]

Originally Posted by thegats1

Wow! They have gone way up. Who quoted you? Was it Vroom Slide Systems in Tuscon?

No, a local shop here in CT the works with both Tiffin and Vroom. Demand for Vroom has skyrocketed. With inflation and everything else it will probably continue to go up. I am hesitant to spend the money but feel like if I wait a year it’ll be an additional $1,000.