Kwikee step motor/controller

[rmueller]

So, finally made it 80 degrees today (Wisconsin - soon it will snow again) got the cover off and started to prep for the first trip.

Long winter causes memory loss...I forgot to wait for the steps to completely extend; as soon as it put my foot on it (while it was moving) they stopped. I closed the door and the retracted, making a horrible grinding noise (metal worm gear shearing the plastic teeth off the drive gear inside the motor).

Steps go in fine, when they come out the linkage stops short (about 1/4 inch) from the hard stop. The motor runs for a short bit longer and grinds, but never reaches the end of the linkage travel.

So, my question is; does the controller always look for over-current to stop the motor or does the controller have a timing sequence...or it is both?

I think the reason it never makes it to the linkage stop post is because the gears are stripped and there just isn't an over-current condition leaving the timeout as the only thing that stops the motor.

Just want to know answer to the question so i don't go any buy an new motor only to grind the teeth off again because the controller needs some timing adjustment.

Oh yeah, note to self - don't do stair repair just after topping off the house batteries...drip drip...battery acid irritates skin.

ron

[t55watson]

Originally Posted by rmueller

So, finally made it 80 degrees today (Wisconsin - soon it will snow again) got the cover off and started to prep for the first trip.

Long winter causes memory loss...I forgot to wait for the steps to completely extend; as soon as it put my foot on it (while it was moving) they stopped. I closed the door and the retracted, making a horrible grinding noise (metal worm gear shearing the plastic teeth off the drive gear inside the motor).

Steps go in fine, when they come out the linkage stops short (about 1/4 inch) from the hard stop. The motor runs for a short bit longer and grinds, but never reaches the end of the linkage travel.

So, my question is; does the controller always look for over-current to stop the motor or does the controller have a timing sequence...or it is both?

I think the reason it never makes it to the linkage stop post is because the gears are stripped and there just isn't an over-current condition leaving the timeout as the only thing that stops the motor.

Just want to know answer to the question so i don't go any buy an new motor only to grind the teeth off again because the controller needs some timing adjustment.

Oh yeah, note to self - don't do stair repair just after topping off the house batteries...drip drip...battery acid irritates skin.

ron

They just see over-current so your theory of stripped gears is probably correct.

[rmueller]

Thanks T55watson, makes perfect sense. Off to Advanced Auto for two 96 Taurus window motor (i'm carrying a spare from now on)...according to Bob's guides that the replacement.

[ga traveler]

Originally Posted by rmueller

Thanks T55watson, makes perfect sense. Off to Advanced Auto for two 96 Taurus window motor (i'm carrying a spare from now on)...according to Bob's guides that the replacement.

I would take the three 5/16 bolts out and look at the gears first. The gears are cheap pot metal and very prone to breaking.

[rmueller]

I did take the cover off...the large gear (plastic) in the motor assembly is the one with the ground down teeth, the metal gears in the linkage assembly are fine. I just ordered 2 new motors, since this was pretty easy to break.