Long slog to fix a Kwikee step...

Wetstuff · 06-24-2019, 02:46 PM

I had pretty much given up on this temperamental piece... I had a mechanic doing something else and told him to disconnect the arm - I will make it manual.

He's a third my age and simply a curious, resourceful young fellow. When I went over to pick it up, he said; Watch. He took one of those magnet screw finders on a stick and poked the trigger on the inside of the door. 'Open Step'

My suspicion is the trigger switch has aged and, like me, needs more than just caffeine to get moving. I took the part on the swing away door apart. In photo 1, you can see there's a bit of magnetic rod in that case. In photo 2, I just happen to have a rectangular magnet of the same size which snuggled in there just fine.

But, like before - it was erratic. Which always leads me to bring out a bigger hammer. I love magnets - they're metal-velcro to me. #3 photo shows the large one askew. I will put a spacer behind it to level it, but it works a charm. ('till I need to replace the switch)

Jim

**macnut** · 06-25-2019, 07:53 PM

Great idea!

Wetstuff · 06-26-2019, 07:29 AM

Ya, Mac'er ..my brain stalls if three blows with a 5lb hammer won't fix it. This kid has a brain that keep functioning 'till he finds the problem.

Jim
(Mac's since about 1985)

Ericb760 · 06-26-2019, 12:05 PM

Congrats on solving your Kwikee problem. I have not been so lucky. Steps work fine under gennie power but do not work on shore power. I measured voltage at the on/off switch by the door and it's reading 7.4V. Still haven't confirmed that it's wired to the chassis battery, which I believe is about dead. Don't know why it works on the gen set and not any other power source.

Wetstuff · 06-26-2019, 01:25 PM

Eric... "Don't know why it works on the gen set and not any other power source." ...you got the wrong 911 operator here.

But it seems you nailed your, formerly my, problem. Not only was this magnetic switch either too weak on one side or too strong on the other, but there may have been some mischief going on when the step was INOP - perhaps because of the voltage drop. I needed a new/new battery after 6 months because of some strange drain? I also had an AUX fan where the motor spun but not the blade - perhaps that was the culprit; the motor alone was very quiet.

BUT - both problems are fixed and as insurance, I added the Trik-l-Start after many recommendations here. I am sure it could have been done cheaper, but it is 5 amps, not 1-2.

Jim

Ericb760 · 06-26-2019, 01:33 PM

Yeah, first thing I'm doing is replacing the chassis battery and installing a trik-l-start. Hopefully that solves the steps problem. If it doesn't, well, at least I'll have a new battery...

DOUG713 · 06-27-2019, 08:02 AM

Yeah Kwikee step problems. Mine is the nylon gear in the motor.
you can not but just the gear you have to buy the motor
Keep the moving parts lubricated!!!

Rorytug · 07-05-2019, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOUG713

Yeah Kwikee step problems. Mine is the nylon gear in the motor.
you can not but just the gear you have to buy the motor
Keep the moving parts lubricated!!!

I’ve been told that the number one cause of the nylon gear failing is failure to wait for the steps to fully extend before use. Since I learned the patience required to allow them to extend fully, I haven’t had an issue.

Kayak73 · 07-05-2019, 09:27 PM

Depends on the model of the Kwikee motor but I found on some models the housing where the large nylon gear is gets water/dirt/crud in it and the gears are running with drag. Remove the cover plate, clean it all up and if the nylon gear is not broken just lube it up really good with light weight non-petroleum grease and put a good seal to the cover. I used the blue stuff I had for swimming pool equipment but blue RTV should be the same. One of those repaired motors ran the steps for five years until I sold that rig. I've got a few spares lying around now.

FWIW, I never was successful using the hammer bang method while others report it works. If the steps are stuck IN no problem, we carry a folding step. If they are stuck OUT, then you gotta do something. I have disconnected the linkage and tied them in before to get home.

Lube the moving parts as indicated as well, white lithium works fine from a spray can.

I think the motor works just like an auto window motor, about 13 newton meters of resistance and it stalls/shuts off, so it takes just a little resistance to keep it from working.

DOUG713 · 07-06-2019, 06:25 AM

Well I just installed my new step motor and it is working like new
I bought a spray can of chain lube for motorcycle chains. it is water proof
and gets thick once it penetrates the joints

Ericb760 · 07-07-2019, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DOUG713

Well I just installed my new step motor and it is working like new
I bought a spray can of chain lube for motorcycle chains. it is water proof
and gets thick once it penetrates the joints

Can you share how you wired it in? Pics maybe?