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  1. #1
    Fireside Member New Tamper's Avatar
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    Schwintek Slide Issues

    Oh boy, another Schwintek slide issue! Just wanted to share my latest upgrade on my 2017 Imagine 2950RL. Because my trailer was built in 6/16 they were still using Schwintek slides on both opposing slides. About a year later they went to the rack and pinion for the 13 foot slide because the Schwintek system has trouble with such a big heavy slide. I did have some trouble the first year, but after several warranty service fixes, they have worked pretty good, until last year! I started noticing the large slide jumping or surging a little just before it was closed all the way. After some investigation I discovered some of the wood on the slide bottom was chipped out in several places, again I guess from the weght of the slide on the rollers. Mine has 5 rollers on the bottom of both slides, so that should be enough to allow it to roll in and out. I started my research into how to address this and I found nothing from Grand Design, but I found several blogs on Forest River sites talking about the exact same problem, all the way back to 2012. Forest River at one time was even sending people out 1/8 steel plates for the rollers to roll on, on the bottom of the slides. So I go measure, and have a local sheet metal shop cut me 10 pieces of 1/8" steel plates, 8" wide, drill, counter sink and paint all the plates. But the more I thought about it I was not comfortable raising the slide up that high to install the plates. The blogs I read said they had about a 1/4 of play on the gears for the slide, but I still was not comfortable doing it. So I set those aside ( more about that later) and I decided to go with 16 gauge (.060") stainless steel plates. Same length and width. Drilled and counter sunk again, but no paint ( over 150 holes!). Today I finally had time to take a couple of concrete blocks, 12 ton bottle jack, and some 2x4's, and jacked and screwed these plates on. I put a screw every 4" and I used ss wood screws 3/4" long ( slide bottoms are 3/4"). Turned out very well and now both slides just glide in and out.
    Now for the un-used 1/8" metal plates. I have 10 of them and they should be the right size for a narrow kitchen slide and a deep livingroom slide. I'm in the Atlanta area and if you want to message me about helping me off set the cost of my SS plates, please message me. I will attach a picture of these plates.
    Next project, RV Airflow manifold for the Dometic main A/C, and if anyone can tell me how to duct my front non-ducted A/C into the racetrack ducting let me know. I would love to be able to alternate the A/C's sometimes, we never use the front A/C.Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper
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    Feb 2021
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    Very nicely done! I love finding solutions to problems like this. You know if was done right and will now serve you for many worry free years. Now on to the next issue that crops up
    Jeff and Debbie
    2021 Imagine 2250RK
    2015 Ram2500 Laramie CC 6.7 Cummins Diesel w/air-ride auto leveling
    USMC Veteran

  3. #3
    Rolling Along Tigger1's Avatar
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    @New Tamper - nice job and good to know for future references.
    2010 Tundra SR5 DC 5.7L 4x4
    2020 Imagine XLS 22MLE
    Andersen WDH
    Dexter E-Z Flex Suspension Kit
    2018 Rockwood Mini Lite 2104s
    2014 Jayco x17z Hybrid

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by New Tamper View Post
    Oh boy, another Schwintek slide issue! Just wanted to share my latest upgrade on my 2017 Imagine 2950RL. Because my trailer was built in 6/16 they were still using Schwintek slides on both opposing slides. About a year later they went to the rack and pinion for the 13 foot slide because the Schwintek system has trouble with such a big heavy slide. I did have some trouble the first year, but after several warranty service fixes, they have worked pretty good, until last year! I started noticing the large slide jumping or surging a little just before it was closed all the way. After some investigation I discovered some of the wood on the slide bottom was chipped out in several places, again I guess from the weght of the slide on the rollers. Mine has 5 rollers on the bottom of both slides, so that should be enough to allow it to roll in and out. I started my research into how to address this and I found nothing from Grand Design, but I found several blogs on Forest River sites talking about the exact same problem, all the way back to 2012. Forest River at one time was even sending people out 1/8 steel plates for the rollers to roll on, on the bottom of the slides. So I go measure, and have a local sheet metal shop cut me 10 pieces of 1/8" steel plates, 8" wide, drill, counter sink and paint all the plates. But the more I thought about it I was not comfortable raising the slide up that high to install the plates. The blogs I read said they had about a 1/4 of play on the gears for the slide, but I still was not comfortable doing it. So I set those aside ( more about that later) and I decided to go with 16 gauge (.060") stainless steel plates. Same length and width. Drilled and counter sunk again, but no paint ( over 150 holes!). Today I finally had time to take a couple of concrete blocks, 12 ton bottle jack, and some 2x4's, and jacked and screwed these plates on. I put a screw every 4" and I used ss wood screws 3/4" long ( slide bottoms are 3/4"). Turned out very well and now both slides just glide in and out.
    Now for the un-used 1/8" metal plates. I have 10 of them and they should be the right size for a narrow kitchen slide and a deep livingroom slide. I'm in the Atlanta area and if you want to message me about helping me off set the cost of my SS plates, please message me. I will attach a picture of these plates.
    Next project, RV Airflow manifold for the Dometic main A/C, and if anyone can tell me how to duct my front non-ducted A/C into the racetrack ducting let me know. I would love to be able to alternate the A/C's sometimes, we never use the front A/C.Click image for larger version. 

Name:	kitchen slide.jpg 
Views:	34 
Size:	88.0 KB 
ID:	32592Click image for larger version. 

Name:	kitchen slide2.jpg 
Views:	33 
Size:	51.2 KB 
ID:	32590Click image for larger version. 

Name:	main slide.jpg 
Views:	30 
Size:	60.2 KB 
ID:	32593Click image for larger version. 

Name:	steel.jpg 
Views:	31 
Size:	51.7 KB 
ID:	32591

    Do you happen to have any pics of the damage to the underside of the slide that you were referencing?
    Jeff and Debbie
    2021 Imagine 2250RK
    2015 Ram2500 Laramie CC 6.7 Cummins Diesel w/air-ride auto leveling
    USMC Veteran

  5. #5
    Fireside Member New Tamper's Avatar
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    No, I filled them with high strength epoxy wood putty and painted them black. They just had like chunks of wood missing and when the rollers hit that section it shook the whole slide while moving.

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by New Tamper View Post
    No, I filled them with high strength epoxy wood putty and painted them black. They just had like chunks of wood missing and when the rollers hit that section it shook the whole slide while moving.
    gotcha...thanks for the quick response.
    Jeff and Debbie
    2021 Imagine 2250RK
    2015 Ram2500 Laramie CC 6.7 Cummins Diesel w/air-ride auto leveling
    USMC Veteran

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    So in hindsight, do you really think this is a Schwintek issue or just an issue in general that any slide out could have happen since the all use the rollers underneath to reduce the friction of the slide when it goes in and out?
    Jeff and Debbie
    2021 Imagine 2250RK
    2015 Ram2500 Laramie CC 6.7 Cummins Diesel w/air-ride auto leveling
    USMC Veteran

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