KWIKEE STEP MOTOR REPLACEMENT SERIES 32

[Community Alumni]

NOTE THIS THREAD IS VERY OLD I HAVE SINCE DROPPED THE PHOTOS FROM MY HOSTING SITE.



I had problems with my Kwikee step Series 32. The steps on occasion would not retract. I had to tap the motor with a hammer while closing the door to get them to work even in doing this it was may or not work on the next try. I had lubricated the steps and linkage, and checked the door switch, controller, and battery voltage using the Technical tips on the Kwikee Step internet site. Also I took the motor off the gear box and checked for any worn, or broken parts in the gear box. All checked out fine. This left the step motor as being the part that needed replacement.

I had seen a post from member bsinmich in the forum and contacted him for more information. He said that he used a front door window lift motor that was suppose to fit a 1990 Lincoln.

I called a large RV parts dealer in Texas, and told him that I needed a motor for a 32 series Kwikee step. He said that I could not get just a motor that I would have to buy the complete kit that included the controller, gear box and motor as a matched kit. The cost was $209 for the kit. I told him that I had heard that the motor was a window lift motor. He said that he had not heard that and that he doubted that information.

I did research and found that by looking on the NAPA internet site they had photos of the lift motors. I found that a 1986-1995 Ford Taurus left front window lift motor matched my motor. NAPA part # BK655-1395 $63.99 I ordered my motor from Auto-Zone Manufactured by Dorman part# 742-206. This has a lifetime Warranty and was $49.99.

05-29-08
***NOTE: Gferris has brought to my attention that the photo of the new motor I have does not match the photo of the Dorman 742-206 on their site it matches the motor 742-205. Just wanted to tell you that.
With that said I ordered a drivers door window lift motor from Auto Zone for a 1986-1995 Taurus. I got the a box that was from Dorman part number 742-206 on the box. The motor that was in the box was the one I photographed and installed. If they have changed motor designs or if the wrong motor was in the box I got I have no further explanation. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

With the parts cleaned, I put the conversion gear on the new motor, this is a very tight fit and is machined to fit with no play. Care is needed when it is tapped back on the new motor gear so you don’t misalign the pin and the gear.


Next place the motor locating pin in the top of the conversion gear. This pin goes into the hole on the top of the gear box.



With the step linkage taken out of the gear box, I marked one side of the square in the linkage hole in the center, cleaned out the old grease, checked for any damaged teeth and put new grease in the box next I re-indexed the main gear turning it 180 degrees using the marked square in the center of the gear as a guide.



Next I put the linkage back into place and put the linkage bushing back into the cover plate.





Reinstalling the motor using care that the gearing and the pin is in place and the motor gear housing is seated against the gear box. The plate goes on next and the three bolts. With the motor tightened down the next thing I did was to attach the red wire and the yellow wire to their respective colors placing heat shrink tubing on the wires and then soldering the ends together.



All in all, the task took 1 hour. Care should be taken when the linkage is pulled because the steps will be free to move. Also you should compare the your motor with photos on NAPA, incase Kwikee Step used different motor and gear combinations.

[MopaRV]

I'm not able to see the gear in the motor housing in your pics. Maybe we're talking about different things. I'm talking about the gear under the plate held with 1 philip head screw. See pic.
I have '97 Coachmen



I would take pics of the parts but my cell camera broke.

[Community Alumni]

Yes, they are the original steps for my 96 Coachmen Destiny. Metal take a look at the photos at the beginning of the thread.

[MopaRV]

My original step motor had the plastic gear. So just replaced plastic with plastic. Yours was metal, ozarkwoods? Wow, lucky. That one I pulled from the pickapart whose housing would not work, had metal innards, 2 interlocking fingers(?) rather than gears. I couldn't figure out how to get those to work. Oh well, guess I'll be posting again soon with a problem LOL

[Community Alumni]

MopaRV sorry for your problems, my steps had the metal gears I don't think I will ever throw those out with all that torque and pressures It's hard for me to understand the design switching to plastic or nylon gears. Good thing you kept yours also.

[MopaRV]

You won't believe this, because I don't believe this...but my Cardone step motor failed AGAIN. That makes (2) failures in less than a year each. Wow. This time it wasn't the motor itself, but the plastic gear in the head assembly stripped out. Since I still had the original bad kwikee motor, I took the gear out and put it in Cardone head. Its all working again now, but I will never, ever buy a Cardone anything, ever again.

[wagonmaster2]

rad valve wrote:
Mite be talking about this company. Kwikee uesd there motors.


http://www.amequipment.com/

My hat's off to you and Flyfisherman for this tip. I noticed there was an AM on my motor housing but had no idea what it meant and there were no other names or part numbers. Went to the AMengineering web site and there was an exact picture of my motor, and I mean exact, every line and mark on the case was exact. Called them, verified it was the one I needed, and got one on the way. Even after talking to them on the phone they told me to go to their sales web site and order from there, saving 25%. Great service.

And no more trying to guess which vehicle and which side I needed the window motor for, or if it would work. Now I'm getting the exact replacement, $39.75 + $13.96 UPS - boy do they stick it to you for a small light item.

But, again thanks to you both for sending me in their direction.

Wagonmaster2

[Flyfisherman128]

it was am motors

[Community Alumni]

Wow

I am amazed at the number of people that have looked at this.

It's been over 3 1/2 years since I first posted this fix for my steps.

I am glad to see that people are still contributing to it and updating

any information needed. This is what makes this forum such a great

place. This was written for my 96 Model year Coachmen, so I can

understand why some of the links are stale, or not fitting for the

newer rigs.

[rad_valve]

Mite be talking about this company. Kwikee uesd there motors.


http://www.amequipment.com/

[lfeather]

Flyfisherman128 wrote:
I took my motor out, got the manufacturers name, looked them up on the internet, emailed the manufacturer and they send me a replacement for $25.

Flyfisherman128

Can you share the name of manufacturer and possibly the website link? Thanks

[Flyfisherman128]

I took my motor out, got the manufacturers name, looked them up on the internet, emailed the manufacturer and they send me a replacement for $25.

[chuckmsp]

Advance auto has the parts and Auto Zone can order them but most stores have them in stock.
http://www.advanceautoparts.com/1/3/2005-ford-taurus-window-motor

[resqguy]

I just had my 28 series motor die on me. After looking through this thread I have found that most of the sources, links etc., are stale and no longer work.

So I need a motor replaced but I'm having trouble finding a source. I don't have a local junkyard. Autozone and NAPA don't list window motors online. The part numbers listed in this thread don't return anything.

The Cardone 82-306 requires modifications, but I'm not skilled on filing down the gears.

What options do I have?

[MopaRV]

Hey John,
I just looked at the picture of your Dorman at Amazon. Be sure and read the whole post. I showed how this style will not work in this application. But hey, if you get yours to work, let us know. Good luck.

[john5079]

i just ordered a Dorman 742-206 from Amazon.com for $41.92 w/ free shipping