Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: renotse on July 14, 2017, 10:21:53 am
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There is always a lot of talk on this forum about whether to get a slide out or not. But since the introduction of the "New" slide out these discussions have been more vigorous.
I'd like to reintroduce this topic but confine the participates to the folks that bought 2017 models equipped with Lippert Schwintek slides.
1. Does your Phoenix Cruiser have a Schwintek slide out?
2. If you have a Schwintek slide out, do you have any problems with it? …. Explain.
3. If you were to get another new Phoenix Cruiser, would you or would not get the Schwintek slide out?
Background: For years. probably since introduction of slide room, Phoenix USA used slide mechanisms manufactured by Liftco. They have the distinctive bar braces on the outside slide walls
https://liftcoinc.com/pdf/products/glideouts.pdf
For the 2017 model year Phoenix switched over to the Lippert-Schwintek Slide mechanism. Easily identified by the dual gear racks on the outside of both sidewalls of the slide room
https://www.lci1.com/in-wall-slide-out.
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I have a 2017 2552 with the new slide-out.
No issues when stationery but it leaks like a sieve when driving at speed in the rain. After extensive testing with a hose (hard to test when driving at 50mph), I believe the issue is a combination of the rubber gasket on the top seam AND the drip spout at the leading edge. It seems to require both a slight gap in the top seam gasket AND the drip spout forcing water back along the seam. The top gasket alone will not generally leak, but at high rates of speed the drip spout acts like a funnel and shoots water right at the top seam, if there is a gap in the gasket it will then leak.
I fixed (I hope) the issue by filling the rear of the drip spout with silicone to prevent water from flowing backward through it. I also caulked the top seam with silicone as far as I could reach. Once I figure out how to detach the slide topper I am going to caulk the remainder of that seam.
I just received an email from Kermit stating that they were now filling the back of the drip spout and caulking the top seam with silicone, so it seems the factory diagnosed the issue the same as I did.
I have no issues with the Lippert-Schwintek mechanism itself, it seems to work just fine. So as long as the additional caulking fixes the leak I would have no problem ordering it again. I'm calling this a 'teething pain' for a new part and install. And again without that drip spout, I do not think there would be a problem anyway. Just a freak combination of factors.
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I have a 2017 3100. It has been sidelined waiting till it was my turn at the "local" rv repair. So I can't say how it will be driving in the rain - when I head out Monday I may find out based on the forecast. I had the river while it was parked. I now close the slide if it will be a hard rain. When I get to Elkhart some day Kermit said he will look at it.
I was dismayed that they had changed the slide for this year. (Actually was worried that there were so many changes in one year that we would be the guinea pigs for). The Schwintek in other coaches was seeming to show more issues with breaking. In past years there had been issues with Schwintek slides that did not have strong enough metal plates on the bottom of the slide where it rides on the rollers. In other coaches over time the weight of the slide had caused the rollers to wear through the base of the slide breaking thru the floor(and of course then not rolling any further). I questioned Earl on this and showed him the path already showing on the RV they had in Hershey. Felt a bit like his "there there little lady" routine and he told me not to worry that they hadn't put any metal plate, they knew their plastic covering would hold up to it that the metal plate wasn't necesary. Oh yeah - and then he said since I wasn't going to get mine till spring that other people would have been using theirs those months so they would know if there was a problem. I also questioned them having the single tracks. With larger slides other coaches had learned that a double track on top was needed on big Schwintek slides. Since the 3100 has PC's biggest slide I was concerned.
Yes I would have preferred the time tested slide mechanism. But I had already waited a year to get an order in. I really did not want to wait another year or so to see if all the "new" changes worked out well. Hopefully I won't have reason to regret that since there is just a one year warranty.
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I have a 29' - 2015 Cruiser and the front slide has leaked since the day I bought my rig! I have been back to Elkhart 4 times and they have "fixed" it each and every time - the last time completely taking that slide room off, resealing it, and putting it back on. The darned thing still leaks like a sieve!! I am on my way back yet again in Sept. - until then I have to put that slide in whenever it rains ,or have a half dozen very wet towels! Anyone else with similar issues?