kwikee step well cover/2004 winnebago journey

[mycoolbeans]

First post and first question. Hope I'm going about posting this properly. I have a 2004 Winnebago Journey. My step well cover (Made by Kwikee) quit advancing and retracting due to the cables beneath the step well cover winding off the spools. When in Florida over the winter, I found a person who worked on rewinding the cables for about two or three hours. The step well worked for awhile, and then the cables came off the spools again. With this second incident, I tried to rewind the cables according to the Kwikee step well cover operating instructions. Alas, to no avail; I did not succeed I resolving this problem. The space and accessibility to the cable and spools is ridiculously restricted and tight. Even a person of small physique will find it highly frustrating rewind the cables. Not having the cover in working condition presents a dangerous situation. I am worried about grandkids falling into the step well and also my wife or myself sustaining an injury. I thought I had resolved the problem temporarily by extending the well cover by hand and keeping it in place by wedging a 19" oak stick approximately 1" x 1" between one portion of the well cover and the framing for the step. Worked for awhile until I knocked the piece of wood out of alignment, and the step well cover slid back, causing me to lose my balance and almost land on my duff. Any suggestions concerning a resolution of this problem will be greatly appreciated. The Winnebago dealerships that I've talked with do not seem to have much if any experience in making this type of repair. I do not like the Kwikee design and engineering of this product. I'm just not sure what options are open to me short of finding someone who has been more successful than the first guy I had work on this or myself. Kwikee customer service was somewhat sympathetic but did not aggressively help me get this resolved. I imagine attempting to replace or find a different brand of step well cover for this unit would be inordinately expensive. Thanks for any and all advice.

[mycoolbeans]

First post and first question. Hope I'm going about posting this properly. I have a 2004 Winnebago Journey. My step well cover (Made by Kwikee) quit advancing and retracting due to the cables beneath the step well cover winding off the spools. When in Florida over the winter, I found a person who worked on rewinding the cables for about two or three hours. The step well worked for awhile, and then the cables came off the spools again. With this second incident, I tried to rewind the cables according to the Kwikee step well cover operating instructions. Alas, to no avail; I did not succeed I resolving this problem. The space and accessibility to the cable and spools is ridiculously restricted and tight. Even a person of small physique will find it highly frustrating rewind the cables. Not having the cover in working condition presents a dangerous situation. I am worried about grandkids falling into the step well and also my wife or myself sustaining an injury. I thought I had resolved the problem temporarily by extending the well cover by hand and keeping it in place by wedging a 19" oak stick approximately 1" x 1" between one portion of the well cover and the framing for the step. Worked for awhile until I knocked the piece of wood out of alignment, and the step well cover slid back, causing me to lose my balance and almost land on my duff. Any suggestions concerning a resolution of this problem will be greatly appreciated. The Winnebago dealerships that I've talked with do not seem to have much if any experience in making this type of repair. I do not like the Kwikee design and engineering of this product. I'm just not sure what options are open to me short of finding someone who has been more successful than the first guy I had work on this or myself. Kwikee customer service was somewhat sympathetic but did not aggressively help me get this resolved. I imagine attempting to replace or find a different brand of step well cover for this unit would be inordinately expensive. Thanks for any and all advice.

[C Zimm]

I too have had the cable problem. The dealership repaired mine the first time using new cables as I had wrapped them around and kinked them. Not a good thing to do. I was at fault with this as my wife and I both hit the out button at the same time, this blew the fuse and not knowing that I pulled the cable release so we could exit the coach. I then hit the buttons for the cover, this wound the cables and ruined them. The dealer had to order cables from the factory and all worked well for three years.
The second and last time they just quit on their own. I then had a local RV shop repair them. He made up his own cables and all is well. How long they will last is yet to be seen. He did a good job and the cost was less than the dealership.
I aggree, not the best engineering.