New Tamper
Advanced Member
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.
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.
