Kwikee Doorstep

I good welder could build up those gears by TIG welding and grind them back down. Take it to a machine shop. If it can't be fixed, I just bought a used unit from Colaw Salvage in Missouri, measure the base and they can tell you what you need.

Geocritter wrote:

FIRE UP wrote:
Well Gang,
I was about to dive into the research on Kwikee step parts too. I recently developed a problem with ours. Not sure if our problem is related to the OPs here but, briefly, it made a serious gear-grinding noise as the steps (a two step model) retracted and, upon seating itself in the traveling position, you could hear what sounded like the gears still trying to turn but, the steps were already seated.
So, long story short, I dove into it. What I found was a bad gear.

There are two gears in the gear box. A larger one, about 3" in diameter which, is the "driven" gear. And, a smaller one, about 1" in diameter which is the "drive" gear. The driven gear had one broken tooth and another one about to be broken.

The drive gear was/is in perfect shape. But, if you look closely at the pics, you'll see the broken tooth off of the driven gear, stuck in between two teeth of the drive gear. Well, I cleaned up all the parts and noticed that, about 1/2 of the teeth on the driven gear, ARE NOT USED AT ALL.

So, longer story short, I rotated the driven gear so that the drive gear is in contact with all new teeth in the total operation, both extend and retract. I lubed everything up, put it all back together and re-installed it on the coach.

Vualllllllaaaa, all works perfectly well now. No grinding noises. Smooth and fast. So, hopefully I too will not have to be researching Kwikee replacement parts. Sorry for the Op having his issue and, I didn't mean to hijack the thread but, thought it was related.
Scott

Dang FIRE UP, you're even more frugal than I am! Congratulations on making a true repair.

geocritter,
Well Sir, my "frugalness" did not last. Sometimes I get lucky on a repair like that and, sometimes I don't. This time, I didn't. While my step worked great for about 6-8 times fully extending and retracting, right after that, it started doing the same "hammering" as it did prior to my so called fix. It basically found the same place to stop only, instead of hammering on a bad, broken tooth upon fully retracted, it did it on the fully extended operation too.

So, I said the heck with this trying to save a buck stuff. As stated, Kwikee wanted me to purchase an "UP GRADE KIT" for around $300.00 when all I need one, lousy gear. I told them to pound sand and, ordered up the replacement gear box, EXACT ONE from Amazon for a whopping, $63.00. That's complete with all brand new gears, case, pivot arm, attaching bracket and more. Kwikee, you know what you can do with your upgrade kit...
Scott

1998 Ford Taurus front left hand window motor will fit 2002 Monaco winsor

FIRE UP wrote:
Well Gang,
I was about to dive into the research on Kwikee step parts too. I recently developed a problem with ours. Not sure if our problem is related to the OPs here but, briefly, it made a serious gear-grinding noise as the steps (a two step model) retracted and, upon seating itself in the traveling position, you could hear what sounded like the gears still trying to turn but, the steps were already seated.
So, long story short, I dove into it. What I found was a bad gear.

There are two gears in the gear box. A larger one, about 3" in diameter which, is the "driven" gear. And, a smaller one, about 1" in diameter which is the "drive" gear. The driven gear had one broken tooth and another one about to be broken.

The drive gear was/is in perfect shape. But, if you look closely at the pics, you'll see the broken tooth off of the driven gear, stuck in between two teeth of the drive gear. Well, I cleaned up all the parts and noticed that, about 1/2 of the teeth on the driven gear, ARE NOT USED AT ALL.

So, longer story short, I rotated the driven gear so that the drive gear is in contact with all new teeth in the total operation, both extend and retract. I lubed everything up, put it all back together and re-installed it on the coach.

Vualllllllaaaa, all works perfectly well now. No grinding noises. Smooth and fast. So, hopefully I too will not have to be researching Kwikee replacement parts. Sorry for the Op having his issue and, I didn't mean to hijack the thread but, thought it was related.
Scott

Dang FIRE UP, you're even more frugal than I am! Congratulations on making a true repair.

Thanks all. My unit has the red box controller. A dog chewed the wires on mine. After rewiring it, some time it works and some times not. It worked right before the wires were chewed into. The dog chewed a ground strap that was 1 inch wide. It also chewed all the wires off a trailer, mud flaps and other hoses and plastic tubing. Stopped the dog from chewing by attacking a fence shocker to the trailer for a couple of days.

Well Gang,
I was about to dive into the research on Kwikee step parts too. I recently developed a problem with ours. Not sure if our problem is related to the OPs here but, briefly, it made a serious gear-grinding noise as the steps (a two step model) retracted and, upon seating itself in the traveling position, you could hear what sounded like the gears still trying to turn but, the steps were already seated.
So, long story short, I dove into it. What I found was a bad gear.

There are two gears in the gear box. A larger one, about 3" in diameter which, is the "driven" gear. And, a smaller one, about 1" in diameter which is the "drive" gear. The driven gear had one broken tooth and another one about to be broken.

The drive gear was/is in perfect shape. But, if you look closely at the pics, you'll see the broken tooth off of the driven gear, stuck in between two teeth of the drive gear. Well, I cleaned up all the parts and noticed that, about 1/2 of the teeth on the driven gear, ARE NOT USED AT ALL.

So, longer story short, I rotated the driven gear so that the drive gear is in contact with all new teeth in the total operation, both extend and retract. I lubed everything up, put it all back together and re-installed it on the coach.

Vualllllllaaaa, all works perfectly well now. No grinding noises. Smooth and fast. So, hopefully I too will not have to be researching Kwikee replacement parts. Sorry for the Op having his issue and, I didn't mean to hijack the thread but, thought it was related.
Scott

RLS7201 wrote:
Doug, is this the linkage that you refer to as being not available? All three versions of the linkage are available.

Richard

Yes, that linkage is available, but if it is broken on a 25 year old motorhome, the odds are the rest of the system is bad also. Doug

Doug, is this the linkage that you refer to as being not available? All three versions of the linkage are available.

Richard

1. Powergearusa.com for Kwikee
2. IF you need a control module or motor, and your step has the original Orange or Red module, there are no parts available separately. You MUST purchase a changeout kit that includes a new motor, a new control module and new gear and linkage assbly as well as mount hardware and new door magnets.
3. If the problem is broken linkage arms on the actual steps to the platforms, you will need to purchase a complete new step. Doug

What problem are you having with the steps?