Community Forums

Americanrascal · 03-20-2021, 05:36 PM

2016 Winnebago 38Q bedroom slide. Noticed the slide jumping, grinding and messing up in extension and retraction. Opened the forward exterior housing and seals and tried it, noticed the motor doing half turns in the drive blocks. That ain't right. Looked closer and saw cracks in the gib.

I'm debating trying to repair it myself or to send it off to a service center for months of sitting on a lot waiting its turn. Not sure I can get access from the inside to make the repair as the slide is within about 4 inches of a wall making access scary.

Has anyone had any experience with this failure?? It happened on my other slide but the slide guts were replaced under warranty 4 years ago. Too late for warranty on this one.

Any ballpark idea what to expect for costs if I send it into the shop?

I've heard LCI has a replacement kit for just the gibs but can't call them until Monday.

I saw one older thread here where a fellow did it successfully but it seemed tedious. Given there is no clear accessibility to the area from the inside I'm not sure how to go at it. Bad shoulder to boot may decide it for me. Cost and time are issues as always.

Fiesta48 · 03-21-2021, 07:14 AM

I've got bad shoulders. I hate having to wait on service and then the job isn't done right. Take your time, what's the rush? Think about how you can do it with the least amount of stress.
If you really can't do it after getting parts and trying, get a mobile mechanic to help.

Americanrascal · 03-21-2021, 03:07 PM

Good to hear from you. That's been my thoughts. Very concerned about adequate clearance to give me access to the shaft system as the interior of the slide is almost flush against a wall. Not sure I have the "moves" to pull it off as my contortionist capabilities are far less than 50 years ago LOL!!

theroc · 03-21-2021, 05:15 PM

LOL, I was going to refer you to a facebook page (HERE) and youtube channel (HERE) that I use from time-to-time to get some pretty good information and now I see you've already been there. So Jeff didn't end up being a very good resource for help?

And I was going to mention something similar to what Fiesta48 said about using a mobile repair service if you get to a point where you get into trouble and can't finish it. If you can find the right one, they can do a lot of things right there at your site. I once tried to replace a slide solenoid on my HWH system and it just got too complicated for me and like you, I have some physical issues that really make it difficult to maneuver into tight spots at times. I gave up and called this mobile RV repair guy that said he'd have no trouble coming out and finishing up the job. He was an older guy who was quite a bit larger than me but was able to get on his back and slide around underneath the motorhome. He ended up replacing not only the solenoid but several lines/hoses, one that required inverting himself head first inside and underneath the bed several times in order to trace lines and connect hoses, etc. I was amazed. His charges were very reasonable and I doubt they would have been that much cheaper leaving it at a brick-and-mortar shop somewhere for who knows how long.

Americanrascal · 03-25-2021, 04:31 AM

Thanks, I subscribe to Jeffry but my call on this had not response. Not much selection of mobile techs in these parts. I did identify 2 potential independent shops , one of which has an excellent reputation within 90 minutes from here. I think I'm headed there for repairs in a few weeks

NXR · 03-26-2021, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

2016 Winnebago 38Q bedroom slide. Noticed the slide jumping, grinding and messing up in extension and retraction. Opened the forward exterior housing and seals and tried it, noticed the motor doing half turns in the drive blocks. That ain't right. Looked closer and saw cracks in the gib.

I have SlimRack slides but i have no idea what a "gib" is. Would you please elaborate? I see a lot of references to the term for Schwintek slides but not for SlimRack slides.

Thanks,

Ray

Americanrascal · 03-26-2021, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

I have SlimRack slides but i have no idea what a "gib" is. Would you please elaborate? I see a lot of references to the term for Schwintek slides but not for SlimRack slides.

Thanks,

Ray

Drive blocks somewhat of a motormount

asuperheat · 03-27-2021, 04:42 AM

You have to extend the slide about 75-80 percent, remove the motor, take the slim rack loose on both slides of the wall, pull the gear track loose on the exterior brackets and pull the 3/16ths pins, slide the rack out and off the tracks to get it out.

Then you have to rebuild it.

There are new blocks with a better design released in 2018 I think and new brackets that go on the motor but they are not sold separate you have to buy a new motor to get the brackets unless they changed it. The rack gets rebuilt and reinstalled in reverse order. There are timing marks on the gears so watch for that and when reinstalling make sure that the gears are in the same position on the top and bottom gear tracks.

I have had the pleasure of doing all 4 on my Tour so I would suggest just go ahead and do both sides. It's not if the other side will fail its when. After the first one it gets easier. This is not cheap DIY but it would be a lot more in a shop, On mine about 600 in parts per side. most of the cost is in the motor and you can keep the old motors for spares the brackets can be moved later to use a old motor on a new block.

Americanrascal · 03-27-2021, 06:04 AM

Thanks Asuperheat-your input is much appreciated-

I was thinking when all this started of giving the repair job a shot myself, but have since shied away from the project, and talked myself out it for several reasons.

The clearances between the interior adjoining walls and the slide on the inside have spooked me more than anything. Now we wish we had a narrower queen sized slide instead of a king. I can see no way to get my chubby good hand around slide wall next to the interior walls and slide flanges to get to the shaft system to access the area in question. I am clueless on how to manage that aspect of the repair. Outside access is definitely doable, but I'm pretty sure a bit of the project has to be done from the inside.

I had purchased a warranty for the exact purpose of a failed major RV component. Now is the time for me to call on it and the extended warranty company is on board with the repair . On top of that, I am trying to recover from a shoulder injury so at the moment I'm down to one good working arm, and I really believe I need another set of hands and help with this and there is no one is available to help out. These types of contortionist moves to gain access to the system really are painful.

I agree that I want both sides done as my other forward slide with slim racks also had these components fail, but it was under 'bago warranty back then and they replaced those mounts with the new system.

But many thanks for your thoughts and response!

Joe

NXR · 03-27-2021, 12:37 PM

Quote:

There are new blocks with a better design released in 2018 I think and new brackets that go on the motor but they are not sold separate you have to buy a new motor to get the brackets unless they changed it.

I believe you're correct. There was a redesign of the SlimRack system around 2018 and one way to tell if you have the new or old is to look at the motor.

If the motor is held down by a spring it's the old design. If the spring was replaced by a bolt then it's the new design.

I vaguely recall reading that the redesign included a new motor where the gearing was changed from 300:1 to 500:1 as well. When new, my bed slide was hanging up on some carpet staples (the bed slides on carpet).

The new SlimRack design had enough power to literally tear that piece of carpet as if a knife had cut it.

Ray

Americanrascal · 03-27-2021, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

... I see a lot of references to the term for Schwintek slides but not for SlimRack slides.

Thanks,

Ray

Forgot to mention- These are the next generation up after Schwintek systems and have a floating rack- much heavier system components (well some are anyway lol). If you look on Lippert's site for "Power Gear Slim Rack "slide systems you'll see a good bit about them on their tech support site.

Here is a link: https://support.lci1.com/slide-outs-support-slimrack

NXR · 03-27-2021, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Americanrascal

Forgot to mention- These are the next generation up after Schwintek systems and have a floating rack- much heavier system components (well some are anyway lol). If you look on Lippert's site for "Power Gear Slim Rack "slide systems you'll see a good bit about them on their tech support site.

Here is a link: https://support.lci1.com/slide-outs-support-slimrack

And LCI now owns both Power Gear and Schwintek. They bought Schwintek in Nov. 2019.

Ray

Americanrascal · 03-28-2021, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NXR

And LCI now owns both Power Gear and Schwintek. They bought Schwintek in Nov. 2019.

Ray

LOL Yep- I dealt with Lippert on the Power gear systems back in 2016 when we first bought the rig. I was pretty sure they owned them back then, but they sure do now.

All the best
Joe

Americanrascal · 04-18-2021, 11:03 AM

Repair made by qualified RV repair shop in Georgia. In shop on Thursday. Repair complete the following Thursday. Awesome and great service as we had thought the rig would be waiting in line and for extended repair for months!

Installed new drive blocks to replace broken ones on rear Power Gear Slim Rack systems- both sides rear bedroom slide. They mentioned that WBGO had a TSB on the issue but I had not run across it or heard of that level of concern before.

Ran about $1100 for repair, but paid an extra $150 for parts to be overnighted from Lippert to repair shop.

Whatever-- we are happy for a quick and well done repair by qualified folks in an era when rigs can sit in a repair shop for ages. Time to hit the road again!