Power Steps - Lippert - Grinding at Retract?
This is a new one on me - the steps now grind at full retract. Lippert Kwikee Steps I've had 'em grind at full extend before. Any suggestions on where to start on a fix? https://photos.app.goo.g...
Forum Discussion
On the steps i have repaired, To visually inspect the gears, you have to remove the motor assembly & swing arm drive box assembly, and open the swing arm box assembly, or at least stick a screwdriver into the slot of the assembly input shaft, and turn it back and forth to each end of travel movement and feel for the stopping or gear rattle as it keeps spinning, is that what you did ?
Looking at the swing arm on the exterior of assembly will not tell you the condition of the gears, the motor assembly has gears, and the swing arm box has gears, and all are hidden from sight, when the motor assembly is removed from the swing arm gear box , the output shaft will spin continuously when power is applied to the motor ,
The swing arm gear box has limited motion, the output shaft of the motor assembly is a slotted fit into swing arm box assembly, a small gear in the assembly meshes with the larger shaped 90° gear which rotates the shaft the swing arm is attached too, this where the break occurs, missing teeth on the 90° partial gear at the full retract position, and you get the rattle and motor spin at the top of retract, if teeth on the little full circle input gear, wear or break, you will also hear a skip bump while the step is retracting,
The fix, is a New swing arm assembly box,
The plastic gears break when under an impact stress, this can mean less damage to the step assembly and a less costly repair,
If the step operates normally when being extended, its a near 100% probability of damaged gears in the swing arm box,
The large limited motion gear is actually a bit more than 90° but a lot less than a half circle 180° gear that one would expect to find inside, calling it 90° is just easier
Looking at the swing arm on the exterior of assembly will not tell you the condition of the gears, the motor assembly has gears, and the swing arm box has gears, and all are hidden from sight, when the motor assembly is removed from the swing arm gear box , the output shaft will spin continuously when power is applied to the motor ,
The swing arm gear box has limited motion, the output shaft of the motor assembly is a slotted fit into swing arm box assembly, a small gear in the assembly meshes with the larger shaped 90° gear which rotates the shaft the swing arm is attached too, this where the break occurs, missing teeth on the 90° partial gear at the full retract position, and you get the rattle and motor spin at the top of retract, if teeth on the little full circle input gear, wear or break, you will also hear a skip bump while the step is retracting,
The fix, is a New swing arm assembly box,
The plastic gears break when under an impact stress, this can mean less damage to the step assembly and a less costly repair,
If the step operates normally when being extended, its a near 100% probability of damaged gears in the swing arm box,
The large limited motion gear is actually a bit more than 90° but a lot less than a half circle 180° gear that one would expect to find inside, calling it 90° is just easier
