Comparing RV Slide Out Systems

Today I'll break down the advantages and drawbacks of the three most common types of RV Slide Systems in the Towable RV Market including Rack & Pinion, Cable, and Schwintek Systems with a few quick mentions on Happi-Jac systems and the motorized market.
Each system has a purpose in the RV industry with different benefits and naturally drawbacks to go with them. I'll give you fair food for thought on each and let you decide which YOU think is best in return for your hard-earned money!
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00:00 Introduction
01:14 Rack & Pinion Slides
08:39 Cable Slides
16:37 Schwintek Slides
24:31 Happi-Jac Slides
26:19 Motorhome Slides
27:34 Subscribe Now!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

*I think I stated it improperly in the video not thinking in the video - to manually close a schwintek you need remove the motor from the wall (which may require popping the fascia off the slide to access), then manually push it in/out as needed. Which can be a chore for sure. But that's how it's done. Sorry about that!* _-Uncle Josh, the RV Nerd_

[@KU9L]

In some cases removing the power plug from the controller module will do the same thing my manual says, but I have not done it myself to confirm it. -Dave, the other RV Nerd.

[@blanewampler9081]

Our slide failed one side last trip this spring. The manual said you disconnect the motor plugs from the controller which allows manually moving the slide, pushing from outside or pulling on inside ensuring both sides are done evenly. Once fully retracted, reconnect the motor plugs, note which plug is motor 1 and motor 2, which renengages the motors to act as a brake so the slide doesn't extend unexpectedly. My motors were both turning, but dealer found the torque tube/shaft which runs from bottom to top gears rails had slipped down out of the top motor coupling. This required an expensive replacement of that sides H column

[@KU9L]

@@blanewampler9081 I had heard that before as a hard failure. My fix was for two motors out of sync. In the early days of 2014 manufacturers were using this slide system even on huge full-wall slides. They eventually sold to their clients years later the new Power Gear system at dealer cost to upgrade to the new system, especially after Winnebago paid $500K to a couple after a lawsuit of a unsquare slide and 6 dealer failures to fix it.

[@paulandgerricampbell8209]

You didn’t mention the controller override on Schwintek systems that I had to use for two years until I had the system replaced with a Vroom system. I recommend all owners of a Schwintek system to find the controller and learn the override procedure. My slide is 15 ft long and had 3 rail system that failed quickly. I agree that it’s a fine solution on small slides but was totally underpowered for mine. The Vroom replacement is expensive but works beautifully.

[@robertlittle8672]

Josh, you have no idea how much I myself and I am SURE many other people totally appreciate the very informative and educational content of this video! I truly mean this. I have yet to see ANYONE ELSE put that most Important info out there. Thanks so much from a future RV purchaser. I did not know ALOT of those facts. THANKS BOB LITTLE!!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I appreciate that!

[@XLR411]

@@JoshtheRVNerd YES THANK YOU JOSH!!! I benefited from your videos!! FACTS 100!

[@RollingwiththeRoss]

I have 2 Schwintek slides in my 2017 Thor ACE. Just as you pointed out, the lightweight contents and small size of the bedroom slide contribute to its continued successful operation. The larger slide, which contains the weight of the entire kitchen and dinette, has been a recurring problem since the unit was purchased in 2017. It has cost thousands of dollars in repair bills as well as harshing our buzz on more than one occasion. My advice: If you are purchasing an RV, new or used, heed Josh's comment regarding the size and weight. Schwintek slide work best when they are small with very little weight inside the slide area.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I'm sorry you've encountered that but really appreciate you sharing. That kind of info may really help someone

[@markchilders9821]

14 years, and about 700 nights on in our Evergreen Everlite with 2 R&P slides bumping and rocking down the road on at least 200 individual trips, many in excess of 500 miles each way, and our 2 slides have performed perfectly! I couldn't even imagine buying a vehicle with a slide that ISN'T this type. INCREDIBLE RELIABILITY!

[@catfishhunter7024]

I’ve learned more by your videos than anywhere…. Wish more salespeople had your knowledge…. Most don’t know difference between one camper to another

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

TY for the kind words. It's taken me years to learn stuff and the amount I still don't know is staggering

[@Maven0666]

Yes! I'm glad I happened to one day stumble across him showing an rv off.

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

As a Pilot, I rely on 40-50 year old Cables every time I fly. When designed correctly, cable systems are awesome. Like most things, the engineers try to shave cost and weight, that's when you get into issues I imagine.

[@397coney7]

Shouldn't you change those cables by now?😂

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

@@397coney7 No, they get Inspected every year. They are in Excellent condition because they were appropriately sized for the task at hand. Besides, when you are talking aviation, you would not believe the cost of new parts.... If it is not a typical wear item and it does not need replaced, it's not getting replaced.

[@397coney7]

@@Jonnydeerhunter ; my comment was a joke, but thanks for the info.. Interesting.

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

@@397coney7 I gotcha. No problem, thanks for the comment.

[@helimx]

Wanna know if there's a pilot in the bar? He's the guy at the end of the bar yelling "I'm a pilot" 😅😅😅 Brought to you by your friendly neighborhood A&P mechanic. 😉 Err, and pilot I guess.

[@lynnpierce3843]

Have had numerous cable type trailers. I can work on them easily. Motor changes etc. Never had any problems with 4 trailers. Lack of User common sense is usually cause of many problems.

[@JT-sz7xc]

Hi Josh, my wife and I own a 2005 TrailBay 27DS, bought it brand new in December 2005, it has a rack and pinion system, in all these years we have never had an issue. The Montana fifth wheel we are currently looking at has rack and pinion on the big slides and the Schwintek system on the bedroom slide. I’ve throughly researched all the different systems used and these are the most durable and problem free systems. Your video confirms my research.

[@newtonwebber3057]

Good Morning Josh. I am here to give you "feedback" per our experience with issues we are having with a Schwintek slide. I hope to give you the "Readers Digest" version. After 3 episodes with a malfunctioning slide(small bedroom), the "information/instructions" given to us(by dealers) was to hold the extend/retract switch 5-10 seconds AFTER the slide stops. We did that and had recurring failures. I called Lippert after the 3rd failure, talked to a technician/customer service rep) and his guidance was to release the extend/retract switch within 1-2 seconds of the slide stopping. The SAME TIME FRAME as you are suggesting thus I now have two recomendations that are the same. This is encouraging news to me . This unit is a 2021 Jayco Greyhawk MV29. This unit would normally still be under warranty if it were not for us being the second owners. I appreciate what you do for the RV community and especially the "Newbies" community such as myself.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

TY for sharing this. You'll see I've left all kinds of stories both good and bad on this video so people can see more real owner experiences

[@matthewrice2152]

I hope in all future videos you briefly mention which type of slide out the RV is using and link/reference this video in the description.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Part of my hope with this video was in pointing out how to identify each slide system viewers could actually accomplish this themselves. If you can see the cable or schwintek gear system, then it's a pretty dead giveaway If you can't, then it's ALMOST guaranteed it's Rack & Pinion

[@johnm.lashmit8855]

Just watched a video where an RV technician was talking about the cable system. He said one of the biggest things is to make sure the cables are adjusted right. When the cables stretch and get slack in them, the adjusters (inside above slide) can catch on each other and cause the cable mounts to be ripped out of the slide. The other thing was that the gear boxes tend to leak, and when they do, the oil will eat through the roof membrane, and you will have a leak.

[@wmschooley1234]

Josh: Yep! Your honesty and candor has again convinced wife and I, slide outs are, for us, a deal breaker. For those who have them and love them, may you enjoy them for all your future travels and camping trips. Respectfully, W.S.

[@larryj8924]

I agree, but so many folks want them thus we have few choices except very small or basic Rv's. They increase livability, but add weight, cost, complexity and potential leaks.

[@SaltyDog69]

Agreed! Had a North Trail with cable slide 🤦🏻‍♂️. Currently looking for a slide free rv that’s well built and not the price of an Airstream.

[@robh063]

I have three rack and pinion slides and one Schwintek slide (Bedroom-contains the dresser). I did have a motor fail on the Schwintek Slide only a few weeks after I bought the RV so it was replaced and covered by the warranty. Since then, I've had no issues with it or the other slides either. Like you mentioned, I hold that button until I don't hear the motors anymore when I put the slide in or out. I think the internet can sometimes skew how good or how bad something is. You rarely see people post that things are working good but when things stop working, they can't wait to get to their keyboard.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

There is some truth to that certainly, but I think there’s also some truth to the fact some systems are a little more prone to glitches than others. You have to kind of sift through it to find the trends

[@user-sq8fp3vr7h]

I just bought a keystone cougar with the cable and Shin-tech system.i will let you know how it works out for us. Thanks to you i now no have to look for the issues if any at all.we just bought this on the 15th. Keep your fingers crossed everything will be just fine. Thanks josh.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Hope it treats you well

[@XPLORCAMPER]

I do prefer the rack & pinion slide system.On the rack & pinion mechanism I have always put pool noodles under the slide room (inside the rig) during transit to keep the slide room from bouncing up and down. I hope I didn't jinx my luck by saying it has worked up until now. The rack & pinion slide system makes a lot of noise when you bring your rig home from the dealer. I use the 3 in 1 silicone spray lube on the rack and it eliminates the noise completely. Thanks for the class on slide mechanisms. Proud member of the RV Nerd Herd.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Thank you for watching and sharing Wayne

[@mkleyn99]

Thanks for these videos! I have a schwintek system and we are on our second year of camping. About 22 camping trips so far. Never had issues yet but I never liked how weak the motors seemed from day one. We have a dinette and couch on our slide out and it is about 16’ long. To put less strain on the motors, I usually have my wife push the button and I gently push on the slide as it’s going out and the motors sound a lot happier. Kinda don’t wanna replace them motors and I think this process has lengthened their lifespan.

[@pilgrimx4]

So grateful for this information. As a solo female camper, I do NOT want a slide… one less thing to worry about

[@kurtmiller6545]

We had our last trailer for 5 years and used it a lot. It had a Schwintek slide for just the dinnete. I was not particularly long, but it was surprisingly deep. I was unaware that it was supposed to be fully in or fully out in the first couple years. So ours was partially deployed numerous times! We never had a single problem with the slide - it worked and stayed in synch perfectly for 5 years over many camping trips - most of them boondocking on rather rough roads.

[@johnglover7750]

The downside of the Schwintek slide actuator is they will let excessive amounts of water in and rot your floor out in a hurry. My cousin has that issue going on now in a 5 year camper.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

As long as you hold that button down to let the system self-adjust when in/out, then you can actually get away with it a little bit But I've done this for years now and I know that advice like that is a case of "if you give an inch they'll want a mile" and people will over-do it Better to just NOT do it whenever possible.

[@kurtmiller6545]

@@JoshtheRVNerd I certainly didn't intend to imply I didn't believe you, Josh or that you are wrong in your advice. I suspect we were lucky those first couple years. After I was made aware the slide shouldn't be partially deployed, I didn't do it anymore. I agree with you that even giving people a hint that they might get away with it is probably not a good idea - "if you give an inch they'll TAKE a mile" is too true!

[@CC-fx4nn]

Great video on the different slide systems! From personal experience with dealing with a Schwintek slide system the first thing to be aware of (at least on my unit) is that the entire weight of the slide is carried by the RV wall structure. In other words the slide "floats" over the floor. I have seen a couple of interesting things happen with this system: There are a number of interesting youtube videos from RPOD owners who's laminated floors sagged over time due to a lack of outriggers installed on their units. This allowed the wall to sag, causing the slide to drag across the floor as the slide sagged as well. I personally had the lower outer slide rails separate from the exterior wall on my Lance trailer as the self tapping screws stripped out. (If you check the lance owners website you'll find this is a common occurrence). The fix is to drill through the wall and install re-enforced nut/bolt hardware. You are right that the schwintek slide system should only be used for light slides.........the super dinette I have is too heavy in my opinion for the schwintek system. And no storing of cast iron cookware in the slideout dinette drawers. Should the Schwintek slide fail to operate................There is a locking screw that holds the motor in place that can be removed. Then you can slide the motor up disengaging it from the slide system. Do that on both sides of the slide and the slide should be able to be pushed in manually. You will then need to put a 2 by 4 or something similar on the inside top of the slide to hold it in while you travel as the motor brakes will no longer hold the slide in. This should at least allow you to travel to a repair shop. There are a number of youtube videos that show this process as well. Cheers

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

TY for all this! Great stuff here

[@wushock92]

Slide systems have come a long way over the years. I went custom cutting (wheat) in 1977 and the crew we traveled with had a trailer with a tip-out 'slide.' Took 3 farm boys to tip that thing in and out Glad we all don't have to deal with THAT anymore.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Sometimes some folks who have camped for years will still call them "tip outs"

[@ratdog3055]

@@JoshtheRVNerd My brother-in-law had one of those and they are right, it's a bear to get in and out!

[@michaelgreen6278]

So wish I understood my slide system and so wish this video had been available but like always I can depend on you to continually educate me on rv everything. Thanks brother!

[@charlotteechols3035]

Josh, thank you so much for doing this. You are the one person we trust on this all new RV territory and you have done a wonderful job of covering the pro/cons of each type of slide. Thank you for inviting others to write their experiences. This is all such wonderful information. I wish I could triple thumbs up it. I have saved it so I can come back to it again.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Thank you so much, Charlotte

[@glennheaney443]

Just to share that I bought a 2022 Flagstaff E-Pro 19FDS last December with a Schwinteck kitchen slide. One week-end camping trip and the nightmare began with repeat dealership visits. After multiple "It's your fault" repairs, and subsequent failure on the literal next use, it is now a recall issue. First fix through Forest River after long wait for parts, failed. Waiting for second fix from Lippert, who now own Schwinteck. Per Lippert, it requires a full replacement (not some of the parts) and applies to a specific date range in 2021. Multiple FDS owners are reporting good success with the fix on Facebook. Hoping to get my lawn ornament back soon.

[@davidlogan5073]

2021 Geo Pro 19FDS- our Schwintek slide malfunctioned on our first trip! Because our first trip was after 30 days Lazy Days would not give us service priority but offered a service appointment 60 days later. Our slide is covered by warranty but getting service is the nightmare. We have not been able to use our new GEO Pro since April 2022. It is now Sept 2022.

[@davidlogan5073]

2022 GEO Pro not 2021

[@glennheaney443]

David, the recall is from Lippert who manufactures Schwinteck. Just got our trailer back last weekend. The slide is fixed, as far as we can tell. Camped near the dealer just in case. I’ve also opened the slide at home. It actually sounds different, quieter. Call Lippert directly to make sure yours was in the date range for the issue. Good luck!

[@deepnature6117]

Yep, I went with rack and pinion only on my new 20 ft trailer due to reading lots of negative comments on the other types. So far so good for 2 years in.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

👍🏻

[@KU9L]

Our Lance Schwintech slide hasn't broken on the slide, the heavily overloaded slide broke the lower exterior wall corner beside the slide, it cracked the exterior fiberglass for around 7 inches sloping down at about a 45-degree angle. They give you a giant U-Shaped dinette and a huge wide exterior storage area with 2 deep interior slide drawers, the trouble is that RV storage is limited, and if you take advantage of the storage in the slide (like full-timers do), you are way overloading the slide even though you may be under the rated GVWR. So basically the laminated wall side did not have enough support in it to handle a heavily loaded slide. Argh. Before we move the RV after a camp hosting gig I was the side walls of the slide and lubricate the rubber of the slide seals. That way there is the least resistance as possible to put the slide out or back in.

[@lanascottlighthouse4934]

I'm a new rver and I have a 1991 I think it is Mallard camper glad to know this information about putting too much weight underneath the dinette set because that's where a lot of my glassware is sold my three bedroom house and bought this thing on the advice of a friend and I have so much to learn going to now definitely make sure I get rid of a lot of my glassware and make a lot of less weight in the slide out because this camper is older and I don't know nothing about campers and this is something I am now living in I'm 59 years old and can't see me in Northern California which is where I'm at trying to find someone to help me at my age because I'm having trouble getting the slide to go in and out thank you so much for that info I'm going to definitely make sure I take a lot of the way out of there

[@queerveganhomestead]

Is there a way to know exactly how much weight the slide can handle?

[@hughalexander8878]

Appreciate the info. Helps to explain the uneven movement of my wardrobe slide in my Rockwood 2606WS.

[@kmessenger5126]

Josh your honesty and knowledge is much appreciated Thank you

[@pop-popmoose5359]

Thank you Josh! You taught me quite a bit. I am all "too" knowledgeable on cable slides. The four cables inside pull the box to the outside and the four cables outside pull the box to the inside. Because the some cables pull while the other cables go slightly slack, there are two cogs on the motor, two heavy chains on the cogs and metal blocks on each end of the chains. This makes four blocks and eight cables. The problem I had was the dealership had worked on the slide because of a gear issue. When they put it back together they didn't properly align the blocks. As two blocks move left , the other two move right. Because it was not aligned properly the blocks collided and sheared off bolts and snapped cables. we went months without our rig. Also, if we needed to use the manual override, we would have had to take ALL of the trim off the slide. It was a nightmare.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I appreciate you sharing your experience like that. I think it’s good for people to see some real world results on some of these things.

[@tomhummel4238]

Thank you so much for clarifying the slide systems! I really appreciated your factual information!

[@rogereide]

Great information. I have never had any issues with slides. Mostly have had rack and pinion but our current trailer has a slide with rack and pinion and another slide with Schwintek. I appreciate how you educate viewers on the differences and operation of the systems. So many failures are due to lack of proper maintenance or improper use (especially Schwintek).

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Glad it was helpful!

[@russellmyers9802]

I had the nylon gear crack, rendering my rack and pinion manual only. The Dutchman that we had at the time had a manual access point under the steps and came with an extension rod. The underbelly pan also had an access port cut into it for access to the motor. Bought a new motor and got it working perfectly again.

[@MrJamesLuz]

The best slide out is no slide out! Source: I worked on RV's for a few years, its a giant hole in the side of the RV. The compromise is structural integrity and a place for water ingress in exchange for more space while camping. I bought a toy hauler so I could have a hole cut in the back of the trailer for a ramp....plus I needed the ramp to get my mountain bikes in and out. haha

[@guitarzana688]

Thanks Josh, we have a schwin tech system and this was helpful. I will make sure to always fully extend or retract from now on.

[@briancurtis8418]

Bought a Grand Design Imagine with a Schwintek slide for the dinette and fridge. Worked fine for the first few trips, but eventually the heavier end (refrigerator) track and motor locked up and the slide wouldn't open. Went to the dealer and the issue seems to be a combination of a heavy slide (pushing the limits like you mentioned) and the slide box installed mis-aligned by just enough to cause issues (fraction of an inch). Going in next month to have the slide box realigned and the slide mechanics (track, motor, gears, etc.) replaced. Thankfully this is a warranty claim - but makes me nervous about long term use.

[@lilcabster3442]

My part just came in and i dropped it off Wednesday for the exact same thing. Imagine 2400bh. Bottom corner of fridge looked like it was kinking when i tried to slide it out. They also said it was misaligned

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Yeah I'm very vocal about the fact I don't like schinteks on heavy weight slide outs

[@halphalan1830]

Exact same issue with ours!!!!

[@davidkendall6801]

We all should be nervous.

[@jameshamel7740]

Pay to switch out system

[@henryfam58]

Another amazing video, had a little difficulty stuffing all that info into my little brain. Awesome information to make an educated decision on next camper.

[@haulinodie5548]

Good video, great info. Over the years have had the main slide types. One thing with the cable slides, there is a small rubber plug that should be installed on the exterior bracket to ensure the cable cannot become disconnected if a little slack. On our wardrobe slide had one come out of one of the bracketd and cable went in between, molded has to be taken off to get it. Have since place a small piece of hard foam behind bracket so if the rubber plug comes out the cable cannot come out. The other slide is rack and pinnon, I lube it 2x a year. No issues.

[@jamespoole9839]

Thanks for the info, I was glad to hear that I have been maintaining mine properly for the rack and pinion slides

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Glad I could help

[@kevinmurriell8185]

Thank you my friend you are very informative, knowledgeable and always willing to take feed back from other peoples experience’s Good job 👍🏽

[@patrickyoung5348]

Josh, when you where talking about the 2015, 2016 cable slides having issues it hit home. I have a 2016 Keystone Premier and I had to replace the gear box on my cable slide this spring. It died three days before I was supposed to leave for a camping trip. Fortunately my local dealer had the part and I am mechanically inclined. Thanks to some KZbin how to videos I had it fixed in time. When I took the old gear box apart, I found that the pockets in the cast housing that hold the axles of the gear were all egg shaped and causing the gears to separate from each other. The gearbox definitely was under engineered. Fortunately the replacement casting looks a lot beefier. I swear I’ve had to fix at least three things every year since I purchased it new. Thanks for all the hard work you put into the videos.

[@WilliamNau]

Many units (Rockwood) with thru-frame slides have cranks that go in the opposite side of the slide to manually crank them open or closed. I just attended a Lippert seminar at the FROG Rally. You should have a maintenance video title "Stop smearing all that stuff Facebook Experts tell you to on the slide mechanism". Mild soap (Dawn) and water. Keep it clean. On thru frames there are only 4 spots that need dry silicone lubricant and it's not the rack or seals.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Or the people who grease and lubricate a FRICTION-based anti-sway system? I just... i can't lol

[@JeffinTD]

Great video. On the last rack and pinion rig I had there was a hole in the frame opposite the slide where you could insert your 3/4” socket (stabilizer crank) to manually run the slide.

[@65Max]

M

[@jtan73]

We had a 2017 travel Trailer that had a Schwintek slide in it & after the first year of ownership it was always a crapshoot as to whether it would actually move when you wanted it to. Sometimes you’d have to hold the power button in for 3-4 minutes before it would finally start moving. Didn’t matter if you were moving it in or out. On 12 volt or 110 power didn’t matter. Now we have a 2022 rockwood that has the rack & pinion slides that work great. We used to have a sunline with a rack & pinion slide for 18 years & never had any trouble. Love your informative vids josh

[@lanascottlighthouse4934]

Josh thank you for getting back to me yes I am living in my RV I've already been told I need to put wood around the base of it and this morning when I went and looked at the pop out the bottom trim support pieces have come loose I probably have too much weight in the underneath the storage seats which I'm so glad you said something about that because I'm going to go through them today and pull some weight out of there I'm also thinking about putting some cinder blocks underneath it where I can give support so that there's no weight on it sticking out once the snow comes I'm also thinking about putting some of that f o a m stuff you put around air conditioners or around doors you know it's like peeling stick I'm thinking about putting some of that also and I also have been considering throwing a lightweight tarp from the top of the camper hanging over the pop out and putting light rocks or something on the top there so that there is snow and I have to actually pull it off it's easy to do of course I'm also going to have a step ladder I can use and I have a neighbor that's been very generous and has helped me since I know nothing about campers and this is my first one thank you so much for getting back to me I am going to look hit up all your videos about camper so I can learn everything I need to learn thank you so very very much for getting back to me

[@MatthewIrvine]

Great stuff! I'm with you on the magic of a cable slide system, completely hocus pocus on how it works! I've seen good things on the Vroom Slide System as a replacement for Schwintek slide systems.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

#voodoo

[@MichaelJones-uw8gi]

Had cable slides on my Crossroads bumper pull, no issues with it for 3 years. Upgraded to 5th wheel, have 3 rack and pinion and one schwintek slide, all working great.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

That's great to hear. TY Michael

[@williamgates4399]

I had a 2018 Keystone Outback 266RB with a high slide-out on the cable system. This large slide-out housed the recliners, the dining table, and bench seats with storage. Never in five years did I have any issues with the cable slacking, But there is an adjustable turnbuckle inside where the cables connect to the motors. These are used to center the whole slide box. I recently had to sell this due to health issues, but again, I never had any problems in five years.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Ty

[@RickGoodman1911]

Josh, Great video on slide variants. We have a Salem FSX 178BHSKX with the Schwintek slide. Had it a year with lots of usage and no issues (dang I just jinxed myself). You’re guidance about all in or all out is spot on. Also full power (either shore power, plugged into a tow vehicle or batteries on a full charge) are required to ensure full performance from the twin motors. Low voltage can cause one to run slower than the other due to the attenuation you touched on. For the manual recovery I don’t think the drill bit thing works. There’s a controller box that you have to access (mine is under the slide, 😣 ) and there’s a button sequence to push to put it into manual mode. Can you look into that do a video on manual mode? I don’t see how you can physically access the motors but I’ll look again.

[@kevinrice2721]

From a 60 year old guy that rv experience since he was 8, you do a great job Josh. Watched you for years now even though this is my 2nd comment. My p[arents owned several frozen 18-25' towable and a class c jamboree, my grand parents had 1 small towable and then snowbird in a "huge!!!" (for the 70's) 25' Sprinter (same name/ different bird) 5th wheel to my own class A bounder to my current Northtrail 26 BRSS, I've got to say, slides are worth it. 15 or more campers..... slides are worth it.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Well thank you very much Kevin. I don’t claim to know it all but I try to do my best

[@curtisleebears1068]

I watch most all of your videos for mid size bumper pull trailers. We bought our first trailer (jayco 264bh) based on one of your videos and now are looking at buying our next trailer (jayco 263rbs) because of the video you did on it. This one in particular had tons of great information about slides, which I’ve been scared of buying until recently, also because of one of your videos. Your videos are amazing. Thank you so much for them!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

My pleasure! There have recently been some changes to a lot of slide systems. Schwintek slides seem to be waning from the industry but aren't gone by any means. Slim Rack is a new system I've seen replace some schwinteks I've also seen a few trailers dabbling with some motorhome slide concepts which I find very interesting

[@JohnAnderson-km1fb]

Josh....super helpful... I always enjoy your informative and humerous videos.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Well thank you very much for watching

[@wildhog3217]

My 2016 Rockwood 2304DS has swintek slide housing the kitchen and pantry. So far so good. Thanks again for great information 😊

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Good to hear!

[@dougkaledo6018]

We ended up selling our Highland Ridge fifth wheel because of the cable slide system failed several times after the warranty and had to pay a lot out of pocket to repair it. The slide was very heavy with a tv/fireplace,pantry,fridge and stove-12' long also. I would suggest to go with the rack and pinion on the larger slides.

[@Cloud30000]

Putting any storage larger then an overhead couch cabinet in a cable slide is just a bad idea; there is no way to predict how much weight will go into that storage, and it’s too easy to overload the cable system that way. It’s pretty much made for couches and dinettes.

[@kirkbrinkley6990]

We own a 2015 Keystone Bullet 310bhs that we bought new. It has 2 cable driven slides. One is a fairly large super slide that contains the booth dinette and sofa. The other one is a smaller kitchen slide that contains the refrigerator and oven. Both have worked perfectly since new. I have noticed in the last year or so that one of the cables on the bigger slide does have some slack when the slide is fully deployed. But, like you mentioned in the video, it hasn't negatively affected the functionality at all. Thanks for the informative content! Love your videos.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

TY Kirk!

[@cpwatching5647]

Elegant exit - well done!!!! I'll miss watching. Take care and happy boating!!!

[@wgreenjr81]

Love these kind of explainer videos. Now that you have a greater product depth as part of Bish's, do you expect to revive your brand comparison series you put out at the end of 2020/start of 2021?

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I wanted to do that pretty much all year but with all the brands I'm covering now I got hit with a dose of irony: I have too many brands to cover All the individual videos I'm making now are eating up the time I used to have to make comparisons... So Hopefully I can get some help one of these days -- like a full-time editor. So I can focus more fully on just cranking out the hits

[@nickolisschaffer7976]

We have a 2021 Keystone Avalanche 375RD and it has 3 Schwintech slides. I am grateful 2 hold a singular couch and 1 is a bed slide. The other two are rack and pinion for the kitchen and dinette. Excellent video as always!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

TY!

[@Ponderous1]

Another excellent, informative video Josh. Thank you!

[@randybrandenburg5364]

Wow Josh, what great info. Thanks for this. Love it.

[@sb3424]

Its general informational videos like these which turned me on to your channel in the first place. Thank you for the information!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Ty for joining us!!

[@terryglover6361]

Thank you for this very informative video. This and several others you've done are really helping us make a good decision when we trade up probably next year. Best to you always!!!

[@larrywaligora6310]

Josh, The video you presented on the different slide systems was Excellent! Very informative & your professional demeanor was greatly appreciated. Thank you, The Waligora’s

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tombehun6859]

Thanks Josh. Great information on the slides and how they work. Thanks again.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

You bet!

[@battleshipnewjerseysailor4738]

Thank you Josh for identifying the springy, bendy tool I found with my instructions, also the schwinntech system is also a rack and pinion, fyi, as for your mystification about cable slides, try this, repeat over and over, "cables never PUSH, they just PULL"

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Yeah.. maybe they never push But they’re still magic lol

[@cowboyjim442003]

Thank you for sharing special knowledge

[@wolfpack3121]

Josh, thank you so much for all you do. Every video is so informative.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Glad you like them!

[@anthonyb2334]

Great video . We had a 2014 class C with the Schwintec system. It carried a lot of bedroom cabinets. Fairly heavy. We ALWAYS had to sync it, time and again. It really was too much weight for it. It got stuck one. We had to power out-in-out-in, etc. it eventually reset and synced up. 7 years and 42,000 miles of use, but I was always suspect of it . But, it never failed on us. Great video. Thank you for some great information.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Thank you Anthony. I hear similar feedback from people sometimes where they often managed to get it to function, but not without a little fiddling first

[@anthonyb2334]

@@JoshtheRVNerd Yes, we always got it going. The first time was the most concerning. We weren’t familiar with the system and the salesman didn’t tell us “ all out or all in” on the slide. I disconnected the sync module, reconnected, then slowly got it to move in and out until it came out even, then ran it in and out several times. I came across another family with the same model RV, who’s slide was stuck. Helped them out using the same process. All good!

[@chevy5515]

Really like cougar fifth wheels but would really have to think really hard before buying one just cause of the cable system.

[@randy5766]

2019 Cougar 26RKS. We’ve used this a bunch since retirement. The cable slide has performed terrifically. We’ve had trouble in prior trailers with rack and pinion slides and a horrible time with Schwintek. We chose the cable slide due to a video you produced years ago. Again, we use our Cougar 10 to 20 times a year since we have purchased it. We do take your recommendations seriously. Thank you.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Ty for sharing

[@larryjanson4011]

bought my rv in june of 2001, now nov 2023. (knocking on wood). not a problem with my rack n pinion. but just a dinette. i believe in what you say. but even anything i tell others. i ask them to research it and show me were i am wrong.. please. you are doing great work, keep it up. and if you boss reads this, he should give you a pay increase.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

That is a pretty ringing endorsement for sure..

[@Ponderous1]

I have a 2018 Freedom Express 287bhds with a rack and pinion on the super slide for the dinette and couch. In our first year, the stop can became crushed (my dealer determined the rails were installed incorrectly 🤷🏻‍♂️) This crushed stop can caused my slide to not stop when going in and actually traveled inside the exterior wall. The whole thing bowed in. I had to use the manual override and my drill to start to crank it back out and that caused the slide to release. Dealer had to service it after that trip.

[@rodchristensen644]

I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler with a 16 ft super slide with the rack and pinion and have never had any problems with it. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. LOL

[@jetdriver]

Great overview. Thanks for putting this out there. I own a rack and pinion slide and I’m very grateful that my trailer is so equipped. In three years we’ve had zero issues which is also true of my brother who owns the same model. I will add that my unit and others I’ve looked at have a port in the sidewall opposite the slide to insert a provided Jack handle and manually crank the slide out. From an ease of override perspective the rack and pinion is miles ahead of all the other systems. We have family who have been full time in an Open Range 5th wheel for the last two years with 5 cable driven slides. They have had issues with theirs including once at our home where the motor assembly pulled out of the wall on their kitchen slide. I’m in 4 RV Forums on FB and I see post after post after post of people having issues with Schwintek slides. It seems that Lippert had a quality control issue recent that caused a spate of these but even so. Another major problem is that to override the system is exceedingly difficult. I’d accept an RV with a small bedroom type Schwintek slide but anything larger and that’s a deal breaker for me. All about RVs has a new Reflection that has a Schwintek (and if anyone knows how to manage the systems on an RV it’s him) that started giving them issues. He had that system replaced with a new Schwintek like system that is much more robust and better engineered. Unfortunately the company that’s making and selling that system is only selling and installing them at its Arizona location.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Vroom I think it’s called

[@jetdriver]

@@JoshtheRVNerd your correct as always sir!

[@jameskennedy673]

Josh as usual great information. You’ve helped a bunch of people with this informative video. I was just thinking about this topic early this morning, you must have read my mind (scary huh) or great minds think alike🙂🙂🙂, keep’m coming, see you at the next one

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

👍🏻

[@tommordaunt9685]

Thanks Josh, your info has helped me with my concerns in shopping for a first time unit.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

My pleasure, Tom!

[@bigbadbob143]

A bit of info. I have a wolf pup. If the motors ever go out of sync, pull the slide all the way out, than pull it in 4 inches, than pull it all the way out. It may happen if roads are real bumpy

[@jerrytalley802]

Josh, you cover everything. I wish I had your energy, thanks

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

It takes a lot of time putting it all together. That’s for sure

[@bengorrell2658]

I have a trancend 200mk with a rack and pinion slide system, yesterday a storm blew through, 50 mph wind and driving rain the slide was open and it didn't leak a drop. Rain was blowing strait at the slide

[@jimw.3225]

Had a new RPod type trailer for four years with a Schwintek slide. Lubed every year, properly per Schwintek instructions, always opened and closed fully as you said. No problems at all.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

“Per instructions” WHAT MANNER OF SORCERY IS THIS?!

[@kcdaniels58]

thanks Josh ! my go to channel for "just the facts"

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I'm not sure I qualify as "just the facts" with all my regular nonsense too lol :)

[@synonyx]

Thanks for the slide tip Josh! We are about to pickup our Schwintek equipped slide.

[@pattyk8594]

Great video! Thank you I'm glad you covered this topic.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

My pleasure!!

[@chriskojali4527]

Great video! I bought my Salem FSX a few month ago and the schwintek slide never worked after delivery. Watched numerous videos on resetting the box, took a while to find it and no help. The last time it would not close, so I feel I cannot trust the schwintek even when ‘fixed’ for the 3rd time. I’m trading it in on a Winnebago 2801bhs with a single rack and pinion slide, should take a few minutes to manually roll in if it fails.

[@47vulcanride]

Very informative for me shopping for a used RV potentially having a pop out. Thanks

[@smiller6238]

Thanks for the video again. All of the slide outs we have had have been rack and pinon. I do have to say they have proven very reliable, however we also off road ours a bit (well maybe a bit more than a bit) and noticed that they do need an alignment about every 4 years. I do not think this would happen to "normal" users.

[@cpfpv6410]

I bought a 2021 Highland ridge 264RLS with two large living room cable slides and a smaller schwintek for the bedroom. I have had my RV in for service twice already to adjust a cable that was getting loose and sagging. Seems ok now though.

[@jeffsmith1705]

I know of a few RVs built in the late 90s through the late 2000s - a couple of fifth wheels, a travel trailer, and a class C motorhome - which have hydraulic slide out mechanisms.

[@randynopasri]

Got a Jayco Baja Jay Flight 183 RB and its got the schwinteky slidy in n outee and I run it one direction to the end of its travel and then back opposite to its end of travel. And if I had to stop it somewheres in between; and restarting, still continue its motion in the same direction to the end and vs v... Great vid !

[@Harlemworldboy]

Thanks for the info Josh!

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

I appreciate the kindness regardless

[@keithkrueger5352]

A friend of mine had a 7 year old 5er. with the cable slide system he had a cable break 2 different times. he sold that trailer and the new one has the cable system also, so he didn't hate it that much.

[@fladave99]

I have the 40 year old JAYCO rack and pinion system. Built like a tank Works great

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

👍🏻

[@neilchittendon3606]

I have a 2022 Grey Wolf 29BRB. Love the trailer. Love the bunkhouse. HATE HATE HATE the schwintek slide. Now, it's not necessarily the slides fault, but hear me out......Bought my camper, the slide has functioned properly every time we've used it. No issues. However, I feel the design of the slide room is something that I should have recognized sooner (first time RV owner). The slide on my floor plan has the dinette on one side, and all on the other side is the fridge and the pantry. With a family of 5, the pantry and fridge are almost always full. TONS OF WEIGHT! Well, we brought the trailer home to get it prepped for a 3400 mile round trip to Disney World. Got it in the driveway, leveled it, and pushed the button for the slide.......the motors made noise, but only the tops of the slide room would move. the bottom corners wouldn't BUDGE! We did an entire 2 week long trip with 5 people in our RV not being able to put the slide room out. We made due, and had an amazing trip, but it was still such a heart breaker to not have this work. Very disappointed in our RV. With the slide room in, we can't get the door open to the bunkhouse. So we drug an extra 6 feet of camper to Florida and back that we couldn't even use. Sure, the trip was awesome, but this was a thorn in my side and in the back of my mind the entire trip. We got home last wednesday, and friday I took it to the dealer. I am a full time camp host at a local campground, and the dealer told me it's probably the rack on my slide. It will probably be 6-8 weeks before I see my camper again. This whole thing has turned our fall into a nightmare. Luckily the campground I work at has units they rent and they are putting my family up in one for the time being. My take on the whole thing.......i'll never buy another RV with Schwintek slide again.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Ty for sharing real ownership experience

[@robertglover5643]

Just after 4 months of owning a Keystone Fuzion 429, we had our kitchen slide fail. The cables didn’t break, but the mounting bracket where they mount the motor assembly gave way. It pulled completely off the wall above the refrigerator. So thankfully, it will be covered under the warranty and it is already back in the shop to deal with a bedroom slide issue. A Swintek issue complicated by the bed frame not being fabricated correctly. This resulted in the floor being damaged under the bed box. With that - thankfully it’s the end of this camping season for us this year and it’s all warranty work at least.

[@geoffmooregm]

I have the rack and pinion on the dinette slide and directly across the Schwintek slide which has the kitchen aplliances. After 6 years they work well. When both slides open it makes for a very roomy main living area.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Ty Geoff

[@camustang1966]

Another variation is hydraulic vs electric slides (and leveling systems). Good video, thanks.

[@sonexcolor]

I have a 2021 Grand Design Imagine with a Swintek slide out. The motors never sounded strong and sure enough they failed. The only way to get the slide out back in according to GD was to remove the trim in the inside of camper so we could remove the motors. Having done that the slide wouldn’t budge. We had to use a pick up truck backed up against the slide out. It was a total nightmare to say the least. Yes, we brought in a moble RV repair service. Thankfully we were barely within the warranty. The new motors sound strong and we trust there will be no more issues.

[@bill29456]

For your information, Schwintek uses two different motors depending on the size of the slide. They are interchangeable with each other but must be matched per slide. One is a faster motor (used in smaller slides) the other is a torque motor. I had all my Jayco slides with faster motors. The largest slide kept getting off kilter, so the repair shop installed the torque motors in it. It moves abit slower but state’s pretty even side to side. And yea you have to hold the button in till you don’t hear any motors. That’s the motors telling each other when they are closed or open.

[@bobkatc9368]

@@bill29456 How do you tell which one is installed?

[@bill29456]

Part number I think. I’m told there’s a colored stripe but I’ve never seen it. You can tell by the speed it moves. The faster ones move about a foot in 3-5 second’s

[@bobkatc9368]

@@bill29456 I think mine is slower than that but I'll time it.

[@terryhaynes1596]

I have a 4yr old RV that has a rack and pinion and a happi-jac slide (that is my best guess as I can’t see any hardware but the slide control is not in the slide, it sounds like a schwintech). No problems with either. I have a good friend who has a cable slide system. His cable snapped (not where it attached but the actual cable) and he had to find a hardware store, buy cable, rethread the cable and get it home so he could get the proper parts and repair it properly. Good thing he is very handy. When looking at used RVs that had cable slide systems, I noticed that the rubber seals where the cables go through were torn up. Seems like cable slides are tough on the seals. After that observation I was fearful of them, perhaps incorrectly, that the torn seals could result in a water leak when the slides were out. Thanks for an invaluable video lesson on slide types. There is actually a much hardier after market “Schwintech like system“ that is much stronger and reliable. This was shown in one of the All About RV KZbin videos.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

What type/model floor plan of RV do you have? I might be able to let you know what the other slide type is

[@terryhaynes1596]

@@JoshtheRVNerd 2019 Arctic Fox 29-5T, bedroom slide.

[@mikec8123]

Very informative. As always. Would have liked to learn more about manual override on the Schwintek which is what we have.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

My hope is to make override videos for each type of slide I'm not sure how I'll get the time to do it but that's a goal I have at some point

[@johnphilo1362]

Thanks for the informative videos Josh. You've just about convinced me that a slide is a bad idea. I'm really leaning towards the Grey Wolf Special Edition 20RDSE. Great space and no fuss. Appreciate information.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Everyone should buy and camp according to their Comfort level and peace of mind

[@MyATVlife]

2014 Keystone Carbon 297. Rack and pinion on the main “big” slide and a cable slide on the wardrobe in the bedroom. Both have been trouble free for 8 years now (knock on wood). I’ve noticed the last few years some slack in the cables on the wardrobe slide that I will get adjusted soon, but still functions perfectly.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

Nice! Good for you :)

[@sandyfisher6694]

Thanks for the info! We needed the education before buying.

[@JoshtheRVNerd]

You bet!