Schwintek Slide Problem/Repair

[Bakersfish]

I have a 2020 Montana 3761FL with 5 slides. The 2 main slides are hydraulic and the other 3 are Schwintek slides. I’ve been an RV owner for many years and this is our first Montana. I’m aware of the issues with Schwintek slides and knew I would have problems “sooner or later.” Well, sooner came…

One of the front slides in the living room began to have issues when moving. One side would lag behind the other and the slide would stop. I performed some “reset” techniques (as seen on YouTube) but the problem persisted.

(Note: The reset technique involves moving the slide from all the way out to just a couple of inches in. Return the slide and hold the button for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat this 3 to 5 times and the motors should “re-sync” and solve the problem. The slide can either be all the way in or all the way out when this is performed.)

I also learned how to override the system using the motor controller. My controller was located on the ceiling of the storage compartment right under the slide. That involves using a screwdriver or similar object (I used a torx driver because it has a larger end) to press a small button in the controller. Press the button 6 times and then hold it on the 7th press until the lights begin flashing. When the lights start flashing, you’ll have 2 minutes to run the slide all the way in or out and then all the way the other way. That should re-program the controller. (This is also the method you can use to override the system if you need to get the slide in or out to travel or camp.). This didn’t work for me and the one side of the slide kept lagging behind and stopping. NOTE: IF ONE MOTOR IS NOT OPERATING, THIS WON’T WORK. NEVER MOVE YOUR SLIDE AND ALLOW IT TO GET MORE THAN 4 INCHES OUT OF ALIGNMENT AS YOU CAN DAMAGE YOUR SLIDE AND YOUR RV FRAME.

I called a local RV Tech and explained the problem to him. He told me a sensor on a motor was bad and the motor would have to be replaced. That would require a $60 fee to come out to my RV barn and then $110 per hour plus the $300 for the motor. Ouch!!! The Tech said it would only take 45 minutes or so to switch out the motor.

I went onto this Montana Forum and did some research. I also did some research on YouTube to find out how difficult it would be to replace the motor. There are several videos so you have to weed through and find the one that best describes what you need. I also learned that some Montana owners had found a replacement motor on Amazon for about $75!!

Since I can use a screwdriver without causing injury to myself or others, I decided to take a stab at removing the motor. I moved the slide (using the override function on the controller) about half way in so I would have access to the wall where the motor was located and the retaining screw on the outside of the unit. I removed the upper portion of the slide out “gasket” and found the motor right where the YouTube video said it would be. (I took some pictures of the wiring and gaskets before I moved anything out of the way. I also took pictures of the motor and it’s orientation within the wall). I went outside the unit and removed the retaining screw located on the outside up near where the motor is installed.

Back inside the RV, I used a screwdriver and small tap hammer to tap the motor up and viola, to motor popped up out of the mount. I was able to lift the motor up and move the bottom out just like I saw on YouTube! I decided to put the motor back in for practice and it slipped right back into the mount.

I went to the computer and ordered the motor on Amazon and it arrived within 2 days. The new motor was very heavy and had a rubber cover over the top of the motor that sealed it from the elements much better than the original motor. The original motor has no rubber seal around it.

Once I had the motor, I went back in the RV and began to install the new motor. The rubber seal on the motor made it difficult to squeeze it back into the location where it was but I managed. I had taken a picture of the mount so I could orient the “D” shaft location to install the new motor. When the D shaft lined up the studs (4 located on the bottom of the motor that line up with the motor mount) did not line up. I marked one of the holes in the mount and since I could see the motor and mount from the switch, I “bumped” the switch until the studs lined up with the mount and the motor fell right into place. I tapped the motor down a little and replaced the retaining screw on the outside of the unit. I made sure the wires were routed like the original wires that I had pictures of and replaced the gaskets.

Back to the switch and the slide operated flawlessly. I ran the slide all the way out and held the button for 3 to 5 seconds. I ran the slide in and held the button again. I did this a couple of times and the slide is working as designed.

And now the point of this post. I learned some things that I thought are very important for those of us who enjoy the RV lifestyle. We should all know these things as it can save us some money but more importantly, save us some time and aggravation. Some things I learned…

1. Always hold the button down for 3 to 5 seconds when the slide reaches its intended position…in or out. This allows the motors to sync up with each other.
2. Never let the slide get more than 4” out of alignment side to side. If one side of the slide is moving more than the other, stop so you don’t damage the slide or your RV.
3. You can override the system at the controller to move your slide all the way in or out. Press the button 6 times, hold it on the 7th until the lights flash and you’ll have 2 minutes to get your slide where you need it to be. This is assuming you have a sensor problem like I did and the motor still functions.
4. You can “disconnect” your slide if all else fails. Remove the outside retaining screw and access the motors (both of them). Once the retaining screws are out, you can pop up the motor and remove the shaft from the mount. You can then push or pull your slide in to travel BUT you’ll have to use something (perhaps a 2x4) to put on top of the slide to prevent it from sliding back out during travel. (I’m going to cut a 2x4 for each slide if the measurements are different. I’ll paint the 2x4 red, mark it, and put it with my RV911 items. I figure if I go to the trouble of making these and marking them, I’ll never need them. If I don’t…)
5. Replacing a slide motor is not a big issue. I did not have to remove any interior slide trim on this particular slide so check out your slide before you go tearing it apart.
6. There are 2 types of slide motors. On smaller slides, the motor is a 300:1 ratio. On larger slides, it’s 500:1. Make sure you have the right motor. Mine was 300:1.

I know that working on RV’s can be intimidating for many of us who enjoy our RV’s. I’ve been doing some things to this RV that would have cost me a lot of money had I had a “professional” do these modifications. (I made our queen bed into an adjustable bed where the head of the bed raises so we can watch TV or a movie comfortably. I also made the storage area of our bed raise with a remote switch so gaining access to our storage area is much easier and now a “one person” job. It took me awhile to figure this out and I spent about $300 for this modification but I can’t imagine paying someone the amount of hours it took me to figure it out).

Please don’t think I’m “bad-mouthing” RV repair techs or dealers. Trust me, there are some things that I won’t attempt and will turn to a professional. Other things, I will research and make a decision on which way to proceed. I just want others to know that working on your RV can be both fun and may end up saving you some well needed fuel money!! I hope this post helps some RV owners.

Keep your wheels rolling…