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Schwintek Slide broke again.......too much weight???

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  • Schwintek Slide broke again.......too much weight???

    We have a 2021 390RK-R that the kitchen stove side Schwintek system broke last March. We had our dealership order the parts and it was repaired mid June. My wife and I full time and ended up spending three weeks in a hotel, at $800 week for hotel and eating out (not covered by warranty). We removed all the canned goods from the pantry and moved them to full extension slide drawers I installed in the cabinets under the sink. Thinking that the added weight might be the problem.

    We left MN June 18th, thankful that the slide had been repaired. We're currently in NC and after 12 extend/retract cycles the slide out broke again! This time the slide is sitting at an angle and the front lower trim is resting on the floor. The wall has separated from the aluminum floor frame as noted in the pictures below. Thankfully, the slide is in the retracted position. That being said, we have no access to the majority of the food in the fridge. However, we do have an outdoor kitchen and can still cook meals. We can still travel, but the frustration with the quality of this RV is growing.

    The earliest we can get an appointment to diagnose the problem and order parts is Sept 21st in Nashville. The only saving grace is tickets to Eric Clapton that night.

    I contacted Lippert and they said the Schwintek slides are rated between 650 and 1000 lbs., which is quite the spread. That weight, includes the weight of the box, cabinets, stove, etc. No where in the owners manual is there any guidance on how much additional weight can be placed in the slide. To me, that's a piece of information that is critical in its operation. It's easy to overload a slide without knowing you've done so.

    So.....how much does the slide box weigh coming out of the factory and which Schwintek slide(i.e weight rating) does Grand Design use to support that slide box?
    Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
    2021 Solitude 390RK-R
    2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

  • #2
    Livin' the Dream

    I think the problem is missing or broken rollers under the slide. Sitting w/a sick dog outside right now....will post more info when I get back to my laptop.
    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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    • #3
      That was the problem the first time it broke. The rollers weren't touching the rails, but that was fixed during the repair. I would still like to know what the weight of the box is and how much weight I can add to it before it becomes a problem. Thanks
      Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
      2021 Solitude 390RK-R
      2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

      Comment


      • #4
        Livin' the Dream

        The visible horizontal rails on the sides of a Schwintek facilitate moving the slide in and out--they do NOT support the weight of the slide. The slide is supported by rollers. Based on your description there is either a broken or missing roller underneath.

        Hopefully the pics below show what I'm trying to convey.

        Please follow up with what the repair people find.

        Click image for larger version

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        Click image for larger version

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        Howard
        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

        2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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        • #5
          So, what holds the slide level when it's retracted? Do the motor gears carry all the weight of the slide when it's pulled in. I've looked under the slide and there's nothing there supporting the weight . I get the rollers facilitating the slide moving in and out, but that's a lot of weight to cantilever, especially when bouncing down the highway.
          Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
          2021 Solitude 390RK-R
          2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Livin' the Dream View Post
            That was the problem the first time it broke. The rollers weren't touching the rails, but that was fixed during the repair. I would still like to know what the weight of the box is and how much weight I can add to it before it becomes a problem. Thanks
            In the four+ years I've been active on GD-related forums I've never read of a weight-related Schwintek slide failure, nor any way of accurately measuring the weight of a single slide. Perhaps TucsonJim or Cate&Rob (who were /are my GD mentors!) will recollect something different. Second Chance has also "been around" for a long time...Rob, ever read of this type of failure?

            IMHO (and it's just that--an opinion) the first repair wasn't accurately accomplished or something else failed. The only way the slide can droop the way you describe is for a roller to be missing or if the floor collapsed due to water damage, etc.

            Howard
            Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

            2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

            Comment


            • #7
              Not sure why there wouldn't be "any way to accurately measure" the weight of the box. The engineers who designed this thing have to have that number in order to give us the GVW of the RV. It's a set number and they have to have it weighed out down to the # and weight of screws they use to put it together. Otherwise it's just a guess. I talked to a guy who used to build RV's in a factory and he was given a set number of screws to install the cabinets, no more, no less in order to keep the weight of the RV's constant.
              Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
              2021 Solitude 390RK-R
              2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Livin' the Dream View Post
                So, what holds the slide level when it's retracted? Do the motor gears carry all the weight of the slide when it's pulled in. I've looked under the slide and there's nothing there supporting the weight . I get the rollers facilitating the slide moving in and out, but that's a lot of weight to cantilever, especially when bouncing down the highway.
                Good question!

                With the slide sucked up against the side of the trailer, it shouldn't cantilever (be able to tilt in or out).

                If the slide can move when all the way in (or out)--that's a problem. Perhaps the slide wasn't timed correctly.

                "Timed" means the correct setting of the torque shaft that connects the upper and lower gear racks. Correct timing ensures the room stays parallel as it slides in and out. I've never done this myself, I've only watched a Lippert training video on the topic.

                Click image for larger version

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                Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Livin' the Dream View Post
                  Not sure why there wouldn't be "any way to accurately measure" the weight of the box. The engineers who designed this thing have to have that number in order to give us the GVW of the RV. It's a set number and they have to have it weighed out down to the # and weight of screws they use to put it together. Otherwise it's just a guess. I talked to a guy who used to build RV's in a factory and he was given a set number of screws to install the cabinets, no more, no less in order to keep the weight of the RV's constant.
                  Sorry--misunderstood. I thought you meant once loaded. Only GD can provide that number. You'll have to call Customer Service.
                  Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                  2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by howson View Post

                    With the slide sucked up against the side of the trailer, it shouldn't cantilever (be able to tilt in or out).
                    Correct. When the slide is in against the wall, the outside flange takes the cantilever load while the rollers still support the weight of the slide box. There have been reports of slides driven by underfloor rams, tipping out at the top, but the Schwintek drive mechanism prevents this.

                    This might be a good time to remind folks that a slide floor is not supported along the inner edge when the slide is in. Walking on a retracted slide or storing heavy items in a retracted slide should be avoided. Obviously some designs with a kitchen/pantry/fridge/cupboards/stove/etc in a moving slide (like my Reflection 303RLS ) ignore this advice!

                    Rob



                    Cate & Rob
                    (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                    2015 Reflection 303RLS
                    2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                    Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by howson View Post

                      In the four+ years I've been active on GD-related forums I've never read of a weight-related Schwintek slide failure, nor any way of accurately measuring the weight of a single slide. Perhaps TucsonJim or Cate&Rob (who were /are my GD mentors!) will recollect something different. Second Chance has also "been around" for a long time...Rob, ever read of this type of failure?

                      IMHO (and it's just that--an opinion) the first repair wasn't accurately accomplished or something else failed. The only way the slide can droop the way you describe is for a roller to be missing or if the floor collapsed due to water damage, etc.

                      Howard
                      No - I've not read of this particular problem anywhere. My only personal experience with the Schwintek slides, however, is with bed slides. The larger slides on both our rigs have been non-Schwintek designs. I'll leave the speculation to more knowledgeable folks and the engineers.

                      Rob
                      Rob & Laura
                      U.S. Army Retired (Rob)
                      2012 F350 DRW CC Lariat PS 6.7, PullRite OE 18K
                      2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS and disc brakes, solar, BB LiFePO4, DP windows
                      (Previously in a 2016 Reflection 337RLS)
                      Full time since 08/2015

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                      • #12
                        Gary - Let me suggest that you contact GDRV customer service at 574-825-9679 and discuss the issue with them. Let them know the impact this extended delay will cause you. It appears you're still under warranty and they may offer to pay for a mobile RV repair service to address the issue. In addition, they can probably provide the details on weight limits for your slide out.

                        Jim
                        Jim and Ginnie
                        2024 Solitude 310GK
                        GDRV Technical Forum Moderator
                        GDRV Rally Support Coordinator

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Living the Dream Gary, it may be worth making a detour to the factory service center as something is not correct there and they are probably have the most resources to figure out and fix the issue.
                          Joseph
                          Tow
                          Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
                          Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
                          South of Houston Texas

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                          • #14
                            We had a mobile tech come out to look at it and he said there was no way he could fix this in the field. The man has 18 yrs experience working on RV's and he'd never seen anything like this before. I did talk with the GD service dept and sent them an email with all the pictures. They weren't too supportive regarding the $$$$ spent while sitting in a hotel the first time, waiting for a 7 1/2 month old RV to be repaired. I get that hotels and meals are not part of the warranty, but this is a new age for RVing. Where people like us, rely on a quality product that we live in full time. And I know that there are after market warranty programs out there, but they shouldn't be needed until after the first year. All that being said, and under the bridge, the bigger problem is that we have a nonfunctioning slide, camping reservations thru Jan of next year, three concerts we have purchased tickets for, and no access to our food. With the schedule as it is, the best we can do is have it looked at in Sept in Nashville and hopefully be able to live in it while waiting for parts and not in some hotel. I would love to take it to GD and have them fix it, but I'm not to keen on driving to Ohio in November and winter camp. We did that during the big freeze and power outage in Texas last year.

                            Thank you all for your comments in insight.
                            Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
                            2021 Solitude 390RK-R
                            2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

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                            • #15
                              Rob,

                              I get that the wall supports the cantilever of the slide, but the lower wall itself has separated from the floor frame, causing it to tip forward. We've tried to take as much weight off the slide as possible, by moving canned goods, etc. to areas that are not on a slide. Hence my questions as to how much the slide weighs? Why the allowable loaded weight isn't post in the owners manual? And why there aren't rollers on the cantilever to help support that weight....whatever it is? I could see rollers similar the ones positioned at the opening in the wall recessed into the larger trim pieces on the floor. With three or four of them in place I believe they could help support the slide and not cause too much wear and tear on the flooring.
                              Gary and Carla, "Livin' the Dream!"
                              2021 Solitude 390RK-R
                              2019 Ford F-350 Lariat, extended cab, 8' box, 6.7L Diesel, SRW

                              Comment

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