sliding floor/footrest stopped working

RCtime · 06-30-2012, 04:59 PM

After 3 weeks on the road all of a sudden, a few days ago the sliding floor in front of the pasenger seat/front door stopped operating.
When I pressed the rocker switch to activate it at a lunch stop, it was a no go.
I have to operate the valve on the facia above the steps to the close position and I can easily push it closed. When I move it half way (its normal operating position) it will slide open on its own.
The valve rotated fully is the open position.
On either side of the steps is this approx. 6in. x 24in metal plates that I assume will open up the innerds of the mechanism,
Hopefully I just have a a switch problem, however if anyone has an understanding of this air operated sliding floor, or an insight as to what might be my problem I would appreciate some input.
I will be on the road another few days so may not have e-mail access until I get home.
Thanks

Ernie Ekberg · 06-30-2012, 05:47 PM

if you can hear air escaping- a hose may have come loose from the quick disconnect

RCtime · 06-30-2012, 07:46 PM

There is no sound of air escaping, and it seems to operate quite normal when it goes to the closed position over the open stairwell when operated by the hand valve.
When operating the rocker switch however i dont get the clicking sounds as if a solonoid was operating to open or close whatever the air plumbing arrangment is. If it even does have a solonoid.

FIRE UP · 07-01-2012, 11:22 AM

RCtime,
I had the exact same problem with ours. I enquired here. I got quite a few replies pertaining to the air system that operated that step cover. Well, as it turned out, this is one of the Winne/Itasca differences in year/model. Ours is electric. It uses the same motor basically as the steps do. I never did find the actual cure for mine, I just removed all the plugs in the wiring that lead to the motor and put them back together again and it start working and, has worked flawless ever since. I'm assuming it was simply a bad/dirty connection. I never saw any corrosion or otherwise "burnt" looking connections.

But, since yours is electric/air operated, at this minute, I'd have to assume that there's an air solenoid, electrically operated, to control the air flow/direction to that cylinder that operates the step. I'm just assuming stuff here. I could be way off base but, to me, that sounds like the way it is operated. And if so, then it sounds like it's possibly a bad solenoid or, connection on that solenoid or, a bad toggle/connections.

So, if my assumptions are close to being right here, then some investigation as to the whereabouts of that solenoid and, then, doing the 12v checks on the electrical side of it to see if it's receiving the signals from the toggle switch. And or, make sure that switch is doing things correctly too. I don't know if any of this info/speculation is helping any but, I certainly know how frustrating it can be with that step cover not working correctly. Let us know what you find out.
Scott

RCtime · 07-01-2012, 02:12 PM

Thanks for the reply Scott.
I have always asummed it was air operated, probably wrong.
Where were these plugs you disconnected?
The only access I can see are these metal panels on each side of the stairs.
Ron

skigramp · 07-01-2012, 02:13 PM

Although my coach is a different year, I gained some insight into the step cover motor and controls when mine quit working.

1) the motor is the same as the motor that drives electric windows on cars.
2) the switch for the step cover is exactly the same as the switch for the front electric sun shades.

The tech interchanged the wires to the sun shade with those of the step cover to determine that the problems was not in the switch.

Next he applied power from a 12V battery to the terminals of the motor and the step cover motor worked as designed.

The problem was somewhere in the wiring (which was encased in a huge bundle of wires that went through the floor directly under the switches. He fixed the problem by running a new conductor from the switch to the motor.

P.S. You remove the cover to all of this by removing the cupholder near the passenger seat.

FIRE UP · 07-01-2012, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCtime

Thanks for the reply Scott.
I have always asummed it was air operated, probably wrong.
Where were these plugs you disconnected?
The only access I can see are these metal panels on each side of the stairs.
Ron

Ron,
The plugs I'm referring to are under the coach, very close to the access point for working on the motor. Speeking of that, although your's sounds most definitely that it is air operated, it is possible that the access to working parts of it may, just may be in the same location as the electric step covers working parts. And, to get to those, you have to pull your generator out to the service position, and then climb under the coach and sit up in the area where the genny rides normally. Now, look up. What I see on my coach is an access panel, about 20 inches square with about a zillion screws holding it in place. Once that panel is removed, then you'll see the motor, cables and more. But, that's for an electrically operated unit.

If, you have the same access panel, then I don't know what you'll find in yours. One of the plugs I'm talking about is inside that compartment, right at the motor and the other one is outside that panel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by skigramp

Although my coach is a different year, I gained some insight into the step cover motor and controls when mine quit working.

1) the motor is the same as the motor that drives electric windows on cars.
2) the switch for the step cover is exactly the same as the switch for the front electric sun shades.

The tech interchanged the wires to the sun shade with those of the step cover to determine that the problems was not in the switch.

Next he applied power from a 12V battery to the terminals of the motor and the step cover motor worked as designed.

The problem was somewhere in the wiring (which was encased in a huge bundle of wires that went through the floor directly under the switches. He fixed the problem by running a new conductor from the switch to the motor.

P.S. You remove the cover to all of this by removing the cupholder near the passenger seat.

Skigramp,
Yep, yours (and mine) is electrically operated and his, we're pretty sure, is air operated through a solenoid that's electrically operated. And, like you said, the motors in the electric ones are very simaler to the electric windows in certain cars. I never remember to write down, which vehicles/models/years that one can use the window motors for step motors and step cover motors whenever someone points out which ones will work.
Scott

Grimesy · 07-02-2012, 09:08 PM

I have an appointment tomorrow to try and get my cables re aligned on the in/out winch. On my mechanical system there is a way to release the slide if it fails, could this have been accidentally released? I also found out the hard way to remove the carpet covered cover is to remove the six screws from underneath. Needed an offset screw driver.

Don, WIT 70041

KIX · 07-02-2012, 09:21 PM

RCTime, On our air operated step cover the solenoid is located on the drivers side of the firewall. It is a 12 vdc solenoid with a black knurled flat knob on top. Unscrew the knurled knob and then lift out the plunger. Clean the plunger and reinstall. Use a dab of silicone on the knob threads to keep it from vibrating off. That's the simple fix. If that doesn't work check for 12vdc at the solenoid when switch activated. ?There will be a fuse for teh solenoid but I don't have a clue as to the location unless in your run bay 12 v panel.

movin-on · 07-03-2012, 05:14 PM

On my 02 Horizon the solonoid is located near the generator.....Open the front hood...About 2 feet to the right (drivers side) and about the same height as the top of the genny you will see it...Has some air hoses and a yellow and white wire connected to it...It also has a white plastic piece on the side that kinda looks like the head of a rivet...If I remember right, this piece pulls in and out to activate the floor step manually...That will give you a start...

RCtime · 07-04-2012, 08:51 AM

OK, I am sure I found the solonoid you are refering to. Just a quick look, so far but I saw two knurled knobs.. One knurled knob had two wires going through the center and another knurled knob on the other side of the solonoid.
The knurled knob with the wires unscrewed easily and came off , however I screwed it back on.
The other knurled knob was too tight to unscrew by hand.
So I imagine this is the one to unscrew. right?
Will have some time to deal with it properly in a few days. Thanks.

RCtime · 07-06-2012, 02:12 PM

KIX nailed it dead on, its working just fine now.
On the blue air valve, mounted on the top, and on the bottom there are black solonoids that have two wires going in them. By removing the knurled nut they lift off revealing a shaft about 2 1/2 in. long or so.
I cleaned up these shafts, top and bottom with some used 1000 grit sandpaper very lightly applying it, and wiped them off. The sand paper was old and like newspaper.
reassembled and it workes as it should.
In retrospect, I wish I would have had some acetone on a rag or alkohol, then I could have got the female, inside part that the shaft fits.
a note of caution, there is a very small blue O ring that fits under the knurled knob that can be dropped out very easily.
Thanks to everyone for there input.