Looking for some help with electric steps......UPDATE.

Hotwheelbill wrote:
I called Kwikee and told out of date and need to replace the whole thing.........yeah!
Looking some more I found that a pass. window motor from an 87 Thunderbird would work. Autozone 2 miles away $46 otd. Gave it a try and all working well now!!!

Edit: This did lead to another problem I found under there....Black Widow eggs.....

There is a set of contacts inside that little motor itself and alongside the brushes. Those I've seen have been burnt pretty bad. Haven't bothered to really check it out, but guessing that these contacts open at he end of travel or torque resistance and then reverses itself, by switching the commutator's polarity.
Do notice that my new genuine Chinese motor (power window model, as well) is super quite by comparison with the original.

Are ya sure about the spider, as there's another one or insect that has the same type of eggs, but can't remember what, now?

Nice! Hope the steps last a good long time!

Love a good ending. Give those eggs a spray of vinegar, dish soap, alcohol, mixed equally, bye bug.

I called Kwikee and told out of date and need to replace the whole thing.........yeah!
Looking some more I found that a pass. window motor from an 87 Thunderbird would work. Autozone 2 miles away $46 otd. Gave it a try and all working well now!!!

Edit: This did lead to another problem I found under there....Black Widow eggs.....

Switch.

Recently had failure of my Kwikee steps. Would not extend or retract. Tech diagnosed problem as the control box. He also advised replacing the motor at the same time. Said if motor seized it would burn out new controller. Went to Amazon and got both for about $175.00 with 2 day shipping. replaced both and worked great. Did find that the gear box plate had been shoddily installed, 2 self tapping screws instead of carriage bolts on one side. Removed gear assembly, straightend plate and replaced carriage bolts.

OK, guys.
I pulled the gear box and all is good in there. No broken teeth, and moving fine.
Where to look next?

Hotwheelbill wrote:
Of course going out of town and the stairs have gone heywire!
1998 Georgie Boy Cruiser Diesel. When I turn the stair switch on, the motor runs without turning off, even with the stair out. Closing the door does not stop it unless you turn the switch off first. Closing the door with the switch on, results in motor running all the time and the stairs go in half way and spaz out. Jerking and never going all the way in. I have changed out the switch inside with a know good switch.
Any help or can I some how use them manually?
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll47/nazdor/20150701_162549_resized.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll47/nazdor/20150701_162543_resized.jpg

Hotwheelbill,
Yep, as has been stated, it's most likely some portion of the gear box that is malfunctioning. I recently had close to the same symptoms. Mine had been functioning fine ever since we purchased the coach, about 4 years ago. But, upon return from a recent trip, that's when things started to go south. Mine would go out but, at the end of the travel, it would buck and make a bunch of noise, vibrate etc.

So, I pulled the gear box and motor assembly down and, went to work on them for inspection. What I found is, as you'll see in the pictures, a bad "driven" gear. The "Drive" gear was fine. And, as usual, I contacted Kwikee about my issue and, told them all I need was one, 3" gear. NOPE, they don't sell just parts. They sell complete new mechanisms, for a mere $350.00.

So, I ventured over to Amazon and, picked up a brand new gear box, identical to mine, for a whopping $60.00. Yahooooo.

I changed over the new unit and, all is fine.
Scott

Must be in the gears. If the motor is still running with the steps all the way out that can't happen if the gears are engaged. They stop the motor. The only way it's still running is if the gears are stripped or a gear pin broke, or something like that.

Jim@HiTek wrote:
While I was waiting to 'get round 2 it' I'd just used those strong Zip ties to hold the steps up while driving. One on each side of the step assembly. I'd disconnected the swing arm so the steps were loose though. I never bothered to lash them when I was at a park and they were down. I got use to them that way so as to continue on the trip. They'd swing a little but not to bad. Did concentrate on it though, and used the railings.

If I wasn't going to be at a park for very long, I just set my little plastic step stool out and use that.

Then after the trip was done, and I was at home, took the entire assembly out to work on it. Surprisingly simple system. Easy to pop open the gearbox and check the gears. Lubed everything, cleaned all electrical connectors, and it's been fine since.

Very helpful!
I have two hours in the morning to pull it and see if I can do anything with it.
Zip Ties, Oh I got those!!!!