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.

[D_E_Bishop]

scott121850 wrote:
I just finished replacing the motor on my series 28 Kwikee steps with a Dorman window lift motor (For 1986 Ford Taurus, driver door).
Part number is now 242-277, $59.00 at Auto Zone.

here is the West Coast listing for a Dorman Window Lift Motor;

Link

If this is what you got it isn't listed for a Taurus. In fact out here there is no listing at Dorman for the Taurus motor.

[scott121850]

I just finished replacing the motor on my series 28 Kwikee steps with a Dorman window lift motor (For 1986 Ford Taurus, driver door).
Part number is now 242-277, $59.00 at Auto Zone.

[Community Alumni]

TAB1998 wrote:
I know this is an old thread but my motor died and I went to AutoZone and bought a generic $42 Ford Taurus drivers window motor and related gearing. It worked perfect. It wasn't a Dorman it was just the cheap one they had on the shelf. All I did was pull the big gear off the old one and put it on the new one. No indexing just spiced the wires together ...even the wire colors were the same.

Glad this helped you, that is all I had to do also. What year step do you have?

[TAB1998]

I know this is an old thread but my motor died and I went to AutoZone and bought a generic $42 Ford Taurus drivers window motor and related gearing. It worked perfect. It wasn't a Dorman it was just the cheap one they had on the shelf. All I did was pull the big gear off the old one and put it on the new one. No indexing just spiced the wires together ...even the wire colors were the same.

[cvbdsl]

Great thread but I was hoping to find more information on gear boxes than motors. Anyone found a replacement for the gear yet? Anyone know is a thread might have been started on gear boxes?

I'm thinking I have to go the $200 route for the conversion kit just to get a replacement gear box for my series 32 steps for a 99 DSDP.

thanks


Chris

[alorio1]

I was also intrested in viewing them ,thanks alorio1

[ettelbrick]

Hello,

I removed my entire motor gear assy for the same reason as some...steps would not open from time to time. To me, the motor just sounds weak so I went to this forum and saw that awesome post but cannot access the 32 photos as there is a message that the original person who posted had removed the photos...does anyone have the photos?
Thanks

[alorio1]

harpmakers wrote:
New part number DORMAN 742-276 86 Taurus Driver side window lift $45.99 From Autozone (Kincor no longer available.)

This is what I used on my single step 97 Winne Brave....

[Deano56]

i know this is a old thread but has anyone found a replacement motor for the old Delco motors that were used in the older Kwikee 28 steps? I have a 1990 coach

[SCOMP225]

Awesome info on Kwikee Step motors.
Just to add some info:
Yesterday my steps started or failed to fully retract or extend. Sounded like something was stripped - a gear or something, they just stayed in one position and the motor was skipping.
Pulled the motor out and inspected the gears- all looked good in the gearbox. Next I disassembled the motor housing and found that the Tri-Gear that inserts into the worm gear was loose and I could turn it by hand. Hum ! Pulled the Tri-Gear out and there were chunks of Plastic all chewed up. Did some research and found that NAPA sells a Dorman Window Regulator repair kit part # ( 655-1502 ) that consist of a Plastic gear and 3 Plugs that insert into the Tr-Gear to lock the movement. Lubed it up - reassembled the motor gear and the steps work as they did before.
Just thought I'd pass this along.

[acordn]

I have the same problem as Foliver. I was wondering if someone or he found the gear for the gear box.

[alorio1]

Just rplaced my 25 series Kwikee step motor with a Dorman 742-277 window lift motor for a 1986 Ford Taurus driver side window lift motor. They said the Taurus had a high torqe motor which is why the number ends with 277 meaning high torqe. My steps zip in and out with this motor application. It was a special order item but only took one day for them to get it to my local AutoZone store. I also noticed AutoZone had rebuild kits for Dorman window lift gear boxes (plastic gears) in the Help section of the store. My hight torqe motor with gear box was less than 50 bucks. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.........

[etmorrison]

My steps are up and running.

1. Replaced the step arm mechanism as it was bent Found prices from $32 (Amazon) to $53 (RV dealer) had to pay the dealer price due to time frame over the Memorial Holiday

2. On disasembly of the motor I found the plastic plugs severly lopsided due to all the years of strain, new plugs cost $8.00 at Autozone or Amazon, other than that the Autozone Ford Mark VI would have worked $ $44, but I saved myself $38

Thanks to everyone who chipped in knowledge

[etmorrison]

Thanks That was the tip very difficult to get to it with the steps up!

Motor seems to run fine but I'll go over it. May be a bad control arm mechanism that locked it up