Schwintek Slide One Side Not Working – Let’s Know Why And How To Solve It
Last updated on April 12th, 2023 at 03:26 pm
One of the greatest fears with RV owners who have installed the Schiwntek slide system is when one of the slides is not working. While this slide system is a very reliable system to be used on RVs, at some point it can fail to work correctly.
These slides are not as perfect as many would like to think. Sometimes they may be thrown out of alignment or you may find that one side is not working due to a dead motor. Either way, there are several ways of troubleshooting related issues. It is advisable to contact a professional for suggestions and recommendations if you cannot get it to a service station.
This article delves deep into this issue to give you a broad overview on the same, causes, and how you can troubleshoot it. Read on.
What Is a Schwintek Slide System?
The Schwintek slide system by Lippert Components Inc. is generally a system that makes use of a set of worm-like gears and mothers on both sides of the slide-out to assist when extending and retracting the slides.
It is an innovative system that you can count on to avoid some of the complex cabling systems traditionally used that posed serious issues and eventually failed. When working correctly, the Schwintek slide system is incredibly reliable and efficient to extend and retract small and large slides alike on towable and drivable RVs. It is also easy to use and hence the go-to for many RVs.
Schwintek Slide One Side Not Working
Usually, the dream is to have many slides on the RV so that you can maximize on living space. However, this dream can easily turn into a nightmare if they break. Schwintek slide system has become the go-to for many RV manufacturers thanks to its efficiency and reliability. However, it is not perfect—you can encounter some issues such as the slides are not in sync or one side is not working.
How to Troubleshoot Your Schwintek Slide-Out System?
At some point with this system, you may need to troubleshoot it. Doing so will save you a lot of time and money.
Check for Loose Electrical Connections
Thankfully, loose electrical connections have one of the easiest fixes. They are also very common since RVs take a lot of abuse.
Any vibrations in the rig can cause the connections to come loose with time. In a result, the slide easily loses power to one or two motors. If two motors are not working, it’ll be hard to slide in or out.
Resync Slide Motors
Typically, in the Schwintek system, two motors sit on opposite sides. Therefore, they can easily get out of alignment. Resyncing them involves extending the slide for several inches and then fully retracting it while holding the button for several seconds once it closes. This should be done several more times before you get the slide motors resynced.
Check for Burned-Out Motor
All electrical motors can burn out. The Schwintek slide system is no exception, though rare. If you are unable to get any power to the slides, and the connections are okay, the issue could be a burned-out motor.
Also, since motors tend to burn out unexpectedly, it can happen with or without your notice. Therefore, your slides may work perfectly fine at the beginning of your journey, but then die when you attempt to retract them. In this case, you can check all the fuses and start thinking of how you can manually retract the slide.
Find Slide-Out Controller
There’s a lot that you can find out from the slide-out controller. If you face any issues with your slide system, this small display panel will display error codes that can help you identify the problem.
Also, usually, when you contact a professional seeking help with the system, they will ask for the error codes. The controller also uses a series of blinking lights that are instrumental in troubleshooting the issue.
Manually Override the System
Your last resort will be to try to override the motor manually if you cannot find the issue. Locate the little gray button on the slide-out controller and press it using a tiny screwdriver six times. Hold this button on the seventh attempt until the red and green lights start blinking. Then, return to the control panel and try extending or retracting the slide.
How Can I Maintain Schwintek Slides?
One sure way to prevent issues with the schwintek slide out system it through maintenance. There are several things you can do to keep the system in good condition.
Avoid Partially Extending or Retracting the Slides
You should avoid at all costs leaving the slides partially retracted or extended. Doing so tends to knock the electric motors out of sync leading to misalignment. Holding the button for a second or two when extending the slide goes a long way in ensuring that the motors stay aligned so you do not experience any issues.
Only Lubricate the Rollers and Rails, Not the Gear Racks
The Schwintek slide system does not require any lubrication on the gear racks. However, ensure that you keep the rails and rollers underneath the slide box lubricated.
Check Roof Before Closing
If there are no slide-out toppers, ensure that you check the top of the slides before closing. Things like sticks, pine cones, or other debris can potentially cause serious issues or throw them out of alignment.
FAQs
Conclusion
Schwintek slide systems have gained popularity and for a good reason. However, they may fail at some point. While these issues can be avoided with proper and frequent maintenance, it is important to know how to troubleshoot them. That is where this article comes in.
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