How To Repair Rv Steps

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Your Guide to the Ins and Outs of Electric Steps

To be painfully honest with you lot folks, I'one thousand not a big fan of automated electrical RV archway steps. I can say the same thing for power windows and door locks. For me, I notice some of this advanced technology on RVs and vehicles to be excessive, expensive, and fourth dimension consuming to repair and maintain.

For instance, power windows in your tow vehicle or motorhome volition somewhen neglect. Most probable, it volition begin with blown fuses and end with a broken armature or cleaved teeth on the gears of the electric motors which volition foreclose the window from going up or downward properly. Then the door console must be removed, and you'll have to evaluate numerous options to determine what the effect is and how to fix the problem. To me, I'd much rather spend an afternoon going angling than I would fixing a window that could have merely as well come with the traditional crank down type of window that are far less probable to accept mechanical issues over the long run.

While I adopt the type of steps that are on my 5th wheel and I must reach under them and pull them out manually, I take in the by repaired automated steps for other RVers. One time y'all understand the mechanics of them it's relatively easy to supplant or in some cases repair the inoperable components of the steps.

Repairing your step

Showtime bank check your ability supply and switches. If you endeavour to deploy your steps with the door open up using the indoor switch, do they go downwardly? If not, can you hear whatever noise when you activate the switch?

If you can, it's likely to be either a bustling sound or a clicking sound. Neither one of them is proficient news and so shut the switch off immediately as it's likely you'll need to supersede the whole assembly.

Alternatively, no audio would probably indicate that your motor is not getting power and you lot should check the switches and wiring harnesses for any shorts or faulty connections. I recommend using a expert multimeter from your RV Tool Kit.

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Terminal update on 2022-04-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertizing API

If yous exercise need to remove the motor or any of the mechanical components, and then I would highly recommend having a spray lubricant such as WD-40 on mitt. Over time, road crud and weather take their cost on the bolts that secure the motor to the step associates then you should lubricate them and wait a 10-15 minutes before you lot try to remove them.

WD-40 Multi-Use Production with SMART Straw SPRAYS 2...

Wd-40 Multi-Apply Product With Smart Harbinger Sprays 2 Means, eleven Oz
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Last update on 2022-04-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If your stride is making a clicking sound while trying to deploy or retract, it'south likely that in that location are some teeth missing or cleaved in its linkage box. Yet, if there are cleaved gear teeth inside the linkage box, they will frequently cause the gear to not plow at all and this will cause the motor to hum. When an electric motor hums, it ways its bushings are not turning and it will chop-chop overheat and seize upwards permanently. Immediately turn the motor off if you hear this audio.

Shown here is the Kwikee® 379160 Gear Box Linkage with an "A" on its armature. These are fabricated by Lippert Components and are suitable for replacement in footstep series 22, 23, 28A, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 and forty.

Kwikee 379160 Gear Box Linkage with A, Greyness, 9...

For pace series 22, 23, 28A, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38 and 40. This gear box has a curved linkage...
"A" is embossed on the linkage arm
Gear box linkage for "a"

Last update on 2022-04-xi / Chapter links / Images from Amazon Production Advertizement API

Mechanically, this part is less probable to fail first equally information technology's usually an electrical issue or a step motor failure. In the example shown here, the motor has already been removed. I recommend removing the motor from gearbox and if you're sure the wiring is working correctly, plug the motor into the wiring harness and turn of the power to the motor. If the motor turns freely then at that place'due south probably a trouble associated with your gear box and yous should now give that a good inspection too.

Pro tip: Because of RV step model changes over the years, too as various manufacturers being sold and purchased past other manufacturers, some DIYers have chosen to purchase conversion kits such as the type shown below.

Some of these conversion kits can hands exist installed in your rig, while others volition demand some adjustments.

Kwikee 379145 Step Motor Conversion Kit for A...

AUTOMATION — Kwikee steps automatically extend and retract when your RV's entryways door is opened...
NIGHT Performance — A hidden light will illuminate for safer nighttime use
ADDED Prophylactic — Steps will automatically retract if an obstacle is detected near your stairs

Terminal update on 2022-04-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Production Advertizement API

The positive side of replacing your automated step organisation using a replacement kit, is that all the components are of the same historic period. Too often when taking on these blazon of projects, I've found that if you replace a motor without a new gearbox, that a newer motor has more torque because information technology has bottom age and wear and it's far more likely to damage an older gearbox within a few months of fourth dimension. With that said, it's in your best interest to replace the motor and gear box at the same time when servicing your automated steps. The same can be said for electrical components such every bit wiring harnesses and switches and of course its hardware.

Final thoughts

Frankly my fellow RVers, I would be unlikely to repair or supersede an automatic RV step system. Instead, I would wait to replace it with a manually pull-out footstep that locks in place while I'm camping or on the road and is easily added to my RV departure checklist while I'm traveling.

With that said, thank you for post-obit my columns, and as always…I promise to see you out on the road and enjoying our roadways. Whether they're the two-lane byways that made America, or the Interstate Highways that hold our state together these days, I'll exist traveling them. I hope you folks volition be too. Stay safe, stay healthy, and I hope to come across y'all out on the route someday.