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Old 06-03-2018, 09:26 PM   #1
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Help!! - Schwintek Slide Motor Replacement

Alrighty my good Forum techies - need some help. I had a problem with my bunk slide in our 37TB. Please note that I used past tense with this. BUT!! in the process of getting the slide to operate and after watching the numerous videos plus reading lots of articles - I cannot understand how to actually take the slide motor out of the slide. I took apart everything I needed to for access to the motor. In fact that is how I eventually got the slide to function - I tested the motor for operation after removing it from the in-slide seat. This after doing all the checks I could imagine on the wiring harness.

So I had the motor loose, lifting it up, down and all around. But I could find no way of removing the motor. No way, no how.

So if someone has performed this feat of magic, please let this old soldier now how that was done.

PS: While the slide functions properly now, I am ordering a slide motor to carry with us as a running spare.

Thanks all.

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Old 06-03-2018, 10:19 PM   #2
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You might have to blast. As a last resort of course.

If you followed the videos, did you remove the one screw holding the motor from lift.
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Old 06-03-2018, 11:35 PM   #3
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nosticks - sure did. I've continued to research this and believe I may need to make a bigger notch to remove from the side.

I'd really like to hear from someone that has done this with the slide rail intact.

Gonna call Thor tomorrow and get ideas from them also.
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Old 06-03-2018, 11:58 PM   #4
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Once you find out how to remove the slide motor, would be great to see some pics. I also want to purchase a spare motor just in case. It was also recommended by a Camping World rep to purchase a spare motor as he felt that these are under-powered for what they move and suspects their life will be short. Of all the slides in the 37TB, the bunk slide seems to be the largest and heaviest especially if you opted to install the washer/dryer combo.
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Old 06-04-2018, 01:10 AM   #5
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Tom and Lisa - I've seen lots of nice pics and videos about how to take the motor out but none that are real live in the field pics. I spent about 5 hours with mine - mostly learning curve stuff though but feel much better that I know what to do the next time. My slide was stuck in, I was the only set of hands available. I wound up using a small hydraulic bottle jack, wedged with wood blocks between the bathroom door and bunk, to help me extend the slide. It wasn't real fast but using my RapidCamp controller, I was able to get it extended. It was 85 outside and I didn't fire up the genny until I was putting everything back together. Best news though - learned a lot and back on the road.

I am going to call Thor tomorrow but the only way I can see to remove for now is to use a Dremel to notch the slide frame - uughh. Not my favorite answer but I can do it if that is the only alternative.
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Old 06-04-2018, 01:18 AM   #6
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I know you said you've watched a ton of videos....but here is one showing motor replacement in a 5th wheel:
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Old 06-04-2018, 01:29 AM   #7
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Jamie - yep this was one of the videos. I found your earlier post and tracked with it. The video is what made me believe I could do the job myself. If you look at the video at about 35 seconds in, you'll see a large notch. That notch is about 1/3 that size in the Challenger. UUGGHH. I'll follow up with Thor tomorrow and post back here. For now though, I see a Dremel cut in my future should I need to replace one these.

I am also going to order one of these motors to carry with me. When I reassembled the woodwork, I did so to enable an easier removal.
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Old 06-04-2018, 09:31 PM   #8
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Follow up with Thor

Followed up with Thor. CSR Nate understood my issue. He referred me to some of the online help and also emailed me the Lippert reference manual - I am attaching it to this post. He was going to check around Thor and see if anyone else had any hands on experience. My plans for now include ordering a replacement motor to have on hand and to continue to research the motor removal from the slide.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Schwintek IN WALL SLIDE-OUT MANUAL smaller.pdf (2.97 MB, 564 views)
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Old 06-07-2018, 11:34 PM   #9
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Follow up. Went back to motorhome in prep for our grandkids summer road trip. Tried the slide and it worked - then it didn't. Having just taken the woodwork apart, I said to heck with it and jumped back in to replace the slide motor regardless of what I needed to do to remove the motor. Following advise from several other other owners, I was in hopes I could remove. Sure enough, what I found was that someone had placed electrical tape over the top of the motor. Once it was removed, out came the motor!!! Put the motor back in, slide worked right off. Wish I'd just went ahead the first time.
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Old 06-08-2018, 02:13 AM   #10
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Ben

Glad to read you got it fixed.
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Old 06-08-2018, 02:41 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by bigben View Post
Tom and Lisa - I've seen lots of nice pics and videos about how to take the motor out but none that are real live in the field pics. I spent about 5 hours with mine - mostly learning curve stuff though but feel much better that I know what to do the next time. My slide was stuck in, I was the only set of hands available. I wound up using a small hydraulic bottle jack, wedged with wood blocks between the bathroom door and bunk, to help me extend the slide. It wasn't real fast but using my RapidCamp controller, I was able to get it extended. It was 85 outside and I didn't fire up the genny until I was putting everything back together. Best news though - learned a lot and back on the road.

I am going to call Thor tomorrow but the only way I can see to remove for now is to use a Dremel to notch the slide frame - uughh. Not my favorite answer but I can do it if that is the only alternative.
Please let us know what Thor tells you.
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Old 06-08-2018, 04:02 AM   #12
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I replaced a slide motor on our 37TB. It was the front one. Was a pain but with slide half way out and top bunk pivoted down was able to go thru the top of the bunk area. I had to get the darn motor just right to get it out plus hang onto it do it didn’t drop into no mans land. After all that my slide still didn’t work. Turns out my problem was the controller. But now I have a spare motor. Glad you got yours fixed.
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Old 06-08-2018, 09:55 PM   #13
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Help!! - Schwintek Slide Motor Replacement

Just be aware there are 2 servo motors one is the std 300:1 and the other is the high torque 500:1. Depends on the size of your slide. Make sure you get the correct one.
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Old 06-08-2018, 11:26 PM   #14
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Easy to tell the difference between the two motors. The 300 - 1 is around $200 (unless you get it on Amazon). The 500-1 is around $300 (unless you get it on Amazon). Unfortunately for me, I bought from a local dealer (thus the $200 price). Carried the old one in with me and matched part numbers.

All things being equal (and after I got the electrical tape off) it was an easy fix. The Rapid Camp module was very useful for me. It allowed me to bump the motor to fit it into the base.
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Old 01-22-2019, 06:01 AM   #15
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Just wanted to post a video covering motor alignment that I hadn't seen and which may help. Thanks, Dave. https://photos.app.goo.gl/5S5xVhGf6gksFQKXA
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Old 02-25-2020, 04:12 AM   #16
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Issue with Dinning Room Slide-Out

Hello Guys,

Went outside to the RV to get things ready for a trip and try to extended the slides to clean stuff up and dinning room slide on the back near the living room TV on Challenger 37TB was not moving at all. I could rear the motor trying, bit it was just moving 1/2 “ or so. After further inspection I found out that both wiper seals from inside and outside end up getting jammed between the motor and the slide wall. There is normally a 1/2” to 3/4” gap between the motor and the slide, but on my case the top of the motor is physically touching the slide wall. So when the slide was moving, the wiper seals got dragged into the gap and jammed. It is a very difficult place to work, bit I was capable of cutting the rubber off in order to free the slide. Once the rubber was cut was could finally see what was happening. try to take the motor out to try to fit back in but it feels stuck. Has anyone dealt with that before???

Thank you for any assistance!!!

Charles
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Old 02-25-2020, 05:24 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Charliebueno View Post
Hello Guys,

Went outside to the RV to get things ready for a trip and try to extended the slides to clean stuff up and dinning room slide on the back near the living room TV on Challenger 37TB was not moving at all. I could rear the motor trying, bit it was just moving 1/2 “ or so. After further inspection I found out that both wiper seals from inside and outside end up getting jammed between the motor and the slide wall. There is normally a 1/2” to 3/4” gap between the motor and the slide, but on my case the top of the motor is physically touching the slide wall. So when the slide was moving, the wiper seals got dragged into the gap and jammed. It is a very difficult place to work, bit I was capable of cutting the rubber off in order to free the slide. Once the rubber was cut was could finally see what was happening. try to take the motor out to try to fit back in but it feels stuck. Has anyone dealt with that before???

Thank you for any assistance!!!

Charles

Did you remove the motor retention screw from the outside of the slide?
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Old 02-25-2020, 09:49 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by 16ACE27 View Post
Did you remove the motor retention screw from the outside of the slide?


Yes, I did.
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Old 02-26-2020, 05:10 AM   #19
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Are you parked very unlevely? Sometimes if you are it can jam things up.
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Old 02-27-2020, 12:02 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Snodgrassdsd1 View Post
Are you parked very unlevely? Sometimes if you are it can jam things up.


Hello guys,

Found the problem...

The RV is on a leveled parking at the end of the driveway. However, to get there I need to get through a sloped portion of the driveway and that shifted the slide-out completely into the back of the RV squeezing the motor in the back between the tracks and the slide wall. I took the motorhome out into the street, turned around and drove into the same slope but instead of backing up I drove forward. That made the slide move back into original position.
I hope this will help other that may experience the same or similar issues.

Thanks everyone for the great support!!!
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