Troubleshooting Hydraulic and Power Step Issues on 1986 Winnebago Chieftain

[S☉L_starr]

1986 Winnebago Chieftain hydraulic system question.

I just picked up a 1986 Winnebago Chieftain on a Chevy P30 chassis and I am trying to figure out the hydraulic system. The leveling jacks and the entry door ramp are both not working at all.

The ramp is currently stuck in the out position and will not retract. When I try the ramp switch or the leveling controls nothing happens. No movement and I do not hear the hydraulic pump running.

As far as I know the system has not worked since I got the RV, so I am not sure if I am missing a step to activate it or if something in the system has failed.

Things I have checked so far.

The coach electrical system is working normally.

I have tried operating the ramp and jacks with the ignition on.

No obvious hydraulic leaks visible around the jacks or lines.

No sound from the pump when any of the switches are pressed.

Questions for other Winnebago owners.

Is there a master switch somewhere that enables the hydraulic system?

Should the ramp automatically retract when the ignition is on or does it only work from the ramp switch?

Where is the hydraulic pump typically located on this model?

Are there common fuses, breakers, or relays that control the hydraulic pump on these older Chieftains?

Since both the leveling system and ramp are dead I am assuming they share the same pump or power source. Any guidance on where to start troubleshooting would be appreciated.

TIA! Sol Starr

 

[Morich]

We are getting close to being too old for the online info to help. But some ideas to check may get you started!
The steps on that model year were often manual and not automatic. Steps are also powerd by electirc motors on those I have seen.
so maybe it is a manual step?
Or there may be a switch you can turn on?
This info may help?

Maybe the quick way is to try to lift up an dpull out! If it moves, it is manual and we have to work! If the step will not pull up and out, look for a switch as they mention!
Or you may look under the steps and find a set of motr and levers connected to the step to move it.
If there is a motor and switch is not the solution, there are often small fuses directly on the motor control box down at the steps. Perhaps the fuse is blown?
For leveling, that age group ioften did not have hydraulic leveling but we had to carry boards and make our own "ramp" when we wanted level?
If you have leveling jacks, there should be hoses about 1 inch thick running from four different jacks to a main location where the pump is setting next to a fluid tank.
Maybe first look that you do really have jacks but I see nothing in the drawings or manual that mention jacks for leveling.

 

[S☉L_starr]

Ok thank you will try today and report back.

 

[tderonne]

Does it have leveling jacks? Brochure doesn't mention any that I see in a quick read. Pictures would help us figure out what you have.

 

[S☉L_starr]

Will take photos today...

 

[S☉L_starr]

i did clean this up today this is old photo , might need to replace the fuse holder it looks a little corroded also did put fuse in and wiggle back and forth but no dice. the leveling light box is missing a 5a fuse fyi
parking break must be on for leveling jacks rt? Thank you all for your help the manual is horrible did this thing come with a video tape? or something more than the manual?

 

[S☉L_starr]

I did clean up the corrosion on the solenoid today after this photo so that is all clear and I did get a spark at the solenoid I think possibly that the fuse holder might be also corroded. I did wiggle the fuse in and out a few times to see if that would help but no movement. Will bring multi meter tomorrow. not sure what these loose wires are for and there is one loose one when open door to engine.

 

[S☉L_starr]

? how to remove a post?

 

[S☉L_starr]

what is this switch for? is this the step switch?

 

[Morich]

Progress comes in short spurts at times!
No idea on switch right now but will do some looking for info.
But for the jack power, it will liekly depend on having a meter to check for things we can't see.
But I did find some info using AI!
First it was not much help but after poking it a few times it began to wake up but only a little help.

Found this really old post on IRV2:

1988 Fleetwood with A&E system inc Leveling

Any help would be greatly appreciated, borrowed a 1988 fleetwood limited 36' to live in for a month or two and there is no info on the A&E systems inc leveling. The panel turns on, one jack toggle switch flashes and thats it. Does any one know anything about this system? should the engine be on...

www.irv2.com

Maybe some good ideas of how to work the jacks?
Some points but not much?

I see no lights on the control in pictures, so I would think power problems to get the basics started??
And that brings this question on whether I am seeing it right?

Where I have marked in red, does that purple wire pick up power where it is slpiced into the yellow? Got power on that post and does it get to and through that fuse?

Abotu the switch you marked in red? That would seem to be a place to expect a step switch as we may want it to stop the step going in/out every time we open the door, so make it handy at the door???
But I think of a magnetic switch mounteed where the door closes or opens and that is what signals the step to come out. But when we DON"t want to step to move in/out, we may turn it off.
Set up at camp, turn off as you don't want it moving every time you open the door. We often want it out ans stay out!
But have you found it is a powered step as many were not in that age group!
We had to move the step up and pull out and then remember to put it back in before driving!
I once went through construction zone and noticed a bang every 40-50 feet! I finally noticed in the mirror that there was a red cone flying out across the field every time I heard the bang! Narrowed trafic lane and I forgot the step was out!

 

[S☉L_starr]

Here is a shot under the steps..

 

[klook]

That is a typical power step motor. Turn the switch to on and open the door. Don't have your fingers in the mechanism. It hurts. IF it has a connection it will be 2 wires, negative and positive and can be worked independently from the controller which is the box. There should be some labels and model numbers around it.

 

[klook]

By the way it is basically a power window motor.....

 

[Morich]

Looks like you DO have power steps. Look foa tag or label to get brand ( possible Kwikee?) and model number if possible to help look for info on where to look for battery and ground as well as possible fuse built onboard?
What I think I see here for parts

Skipped label for the orange light that should come on when the door opens!
One thing to look for may be there or not. But at the bottom of the inside door, there may be a small magnetic reed switch that tells the controls when door is open or closed. It is plastic and near the door, so they can get kicked around and break pretyy easy or the wires often get pulled off. Maybe worth a quick look at what shape it might be?
One point besides watching where your fingers are when it moves? The controls are changed a lot over the years and the one thing I find most often is that they are not as simple as we first might think. that little control obox has lots of different things it checks and figures out what to do. Not just turn a motor on or off! They are often designed to get the steps out when we open the door, even if we want them to stay in!
If the box opens, that may be a place to look for small fuses besides the one you may find inside the RV! But a brand and model to get a drawing would be nice!

 

[S☉L_starr]

Looks like you DO have power steps. Look foa tag or label to get brand ( possible Kwikee?) and model number if possible to help look for info on where to look for battery and ground as well as possible fuse built onboard?
What I think I see here for parts
View attachment 2423905
Skipped label for the orange light that should come on when the door opens!
One thing to look for may be there or not. But at the bottom of the inside door, there may be a small magnetic reed switch that tells the controls when door is open or closed. It is plastic and near the door, so they can get kicked around and break pretyy easy or the wires often get pulled off. Maybe worth a quick look at what shape it might be?
One point besides watching where your fingers are when it moves? The controls are changed a lot over the years and the one thing I find most often is that they are not as simple as we first might think. that little control obox has lots of different things it checks and figures out what to do. Not just turn a motor on or off! They are often designed to get the steps out when we open the door, even if we want them to stay in!
If the box opens, that may be a place to look for small fuses besides the one you may find inside the RV! But a brand and model to get a drawing would be nice!

I realize now I should have seperated the issues in different posts oops havent been on a board in a while my apolgies. SO i did check the switch and it is for the step the organge light comes on underneith but the step will not move.

 

[klook]

It may be stuck due to age or the controller is not sending signal or voltage to the motor. If you can disconnect the motor at a plug, use a multimeter to see if it is sending 12v when the switch is on and the door opened.

 

[Morich]

Winn does keep things that work for lots of years, so we may find some help if we look at the oldest the post online and see if it matches the wiring you find on YOUR RV????
I find this at the switch for the step controls, so maybe a place to start chasing that question!

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/Files/Winnebago/Resources/Diagram/1990/098995.pdf

Looking at sheet 1 frame 2 (S1F2!)

Part of the problem is that they have cut back and put less info on the newer version of the drawings, even though the drawings and RV are old! In past, they labeled the wires where they went off to left or right to the next sheet (frame?) in the line.
But maybe some gold info here as the wires on the control do seem to have the standard Winnebago id labeled. IF---this meets what you see, we can use the id list chart to find where to expect those wires on the control to go and what they do???

Wire KA, red at control, should be 12VDc to that control as the olist shows it comes from the fuse???
But I'm uncertain about wire KC as it goes left and then down to a plug before going on somewhere. The confusion is they label it as to the kill switch??/

Better idea? Maybe the switch you show in picture is what they call kill switch as it does kill the step operation? That might mean that there is a small magnetic switch next to the screen door and that is what I am seeing on this drawing?
Got a small switch there or is this drawing not what you have at all??
Fumble in the dark!!

 

[Morich]

Got some info on location of breaker or fuse for step if right RV!

We are now used to this being call load center but on the older they show it as control center? Took a bit before I picked up the name change! But if this is correct and you know where the center is, check the fuse/breaker for step!

But do this as your time fits. I will try to sort more info and send it if I find things!

 

[klook]

Good find....

 

[Morich]

Good find but only if we find the 90 model drawing fits for the 86 RV???
Location if we are on the right RV?

I sometimes compare looking for info on drawings as an Easter egg hunt as we have to look under all the bushes?
In this case it feels more like we also have to lay the eggs first! Not much posted and hoping some of it fits!
But there IS a fuse or breaker for 12VDC somewhere on the bus, so finding it is one biggie!
But looking back at when I was working the old rebuilds, this would have been great. At the time there was no online anything! No cell phones/ no PC! I had a mobile phone but it came in a leather bag and you had to throw the anntena up on the roof to talk!
But that also required driving to get within 80-100 miles of base!