Auto step just stopped working

pnichols wrote:
Doug,

My step was self-tapping metal screwed up into place with somewhere between 4 to 6 of these screws to hold the whole step up into position.

How are these automatic steps on RVs usually held up in place? Winnebago installed mine at the factory and USUALLY Winne knows what they're doing - but not this time.

The front 2 of these 4 to 6 screws had become loose on our step. Almost one's full body weight would of course wind up pulling straight down on just these two front-most screws. After many years, the whole step was hence starting to hang down along it's front edge due to these front screws working loose - with the few still-tight screws in the back of the step's frame doing most of holding of the step at that point.

I replaced those front 2 screws with the proper kind of fastener - a couple of long 3/8" machine treaded lug bolts, wahers, and nuts that will not rust and now can be tightened up periodically if needed conveniently up right from the top of the first step.

Our friends had the same poor mounting situation by the Fleetwood factory on their Class C's manual steps ... so I suspect that the manual and automatic step manufacturers are not yet getting hit with enough injury lawsuits so as to use beefy enough step attachment designs for their RV entrance step products.

By the way, why is everyone so quiet regarding the proximity detector maybe failing and thus causing an automatic step to cease functiong? If this is ever the cause, it would be ultra easy to replace.

By Proximity, I assume you mean the door Magnet switch that activates when opening and closing the door? If so, As I stated, If the amber step light goes on and off when opening and closing the door, the proximity switch is functioning. Doug