Community Forums

joehinvt · 07-05-2011, 06:24 PM

bought the mh(fleetwood southwind,93,ford chassis) put new main battery in it...it sat for 2 weeks..went back.started it, steps worked like they were supposed to..drove mh to my house from po's...had a small brake issue but no biggee...got it home and now the steps just kinda go ruhruhruh and just move in or out(depending on door open or closed) kinda shuddering like... wth? is it low voltage again? havent had a chance to check...just looking for ideas! thanks all for the replies in advance!!! .........joe h

joehinvt · 07-05-2011, 06:34 PM

oh.. i forgot..the reason i suspect low voltage is cuz i need to hit the emergency start button to start the vehicle and it is a new battery.. i KNOW the main battery is low but when its running it still does the shuddering thing???? where do i look for a power drain??? and is the fan in the kitchen in the roof 12v or 110?? if its 12v i know where my drain is....lol

wildtoad · 07-05-2011, 06:42 PM

Most everything in the mh is 12v except the roof ac and perhaps the TV but most of the older ones were 12v. The fridge can also run on 110 but not required. The steps normally require a strong well charged house battery, same with the generator. Check the house battery(ies) and while you're at it spray some lube on all the step hinges. Typically while plugged in the charging system supplies a trickle charge to the batteries not really enough to power anything if the batteries are really low. At least that was my experience with my '88 Superchief.

joehinvt · 07-05-2011, 06:53 PM

thats why i am confused.. i just realized..if it is plugged in isnt there a battery charger that would trickle charge the battery??? and where is the charger?? thanks for the reply!!

Rocket Heart · 07-05-2011, 07:04 PM

Had a similar experience - it is the engine battery that runs the steps. If you had to use your house batteries to start your coach then your existing, new or otherwise, is not doing the job.

It happened to me this spring on the way to Florida.

joehinvt · 07-05-2011, 08:39 PM

as stupid as this sounds...i was hoping it was the motor... its a pain in the a@@ to pull the battery out!!! lol i run an auto parts store battery gets tested tommorrow!

justimagination · 07-05-2011, 11:26 PM

.......With a new battery, make sure it is correct size for m/home such as cold cranking amps. Connections are critical (must be clean). Take a wire brush to all connections and spray with electrical (clear) sealer and let dry.
As for the brakes......."had a small brake issue but no biggee"...... don't cut any corners here. The brake caliper slide pins are notorious for sticking, if not maintained regulary, you will be replacing rotors and calipers, very expensive. Good luck and travel safe.
David G.

V-drive · 07-08-2011, 07:40 AM

Mine go 3/4 in and 3/4 out so they need a helping hand to lock in or out.
check the web-site for the step manufacturer. Most have maintenance tips. I'm betting you'll find it is a ground wire or wire connection problem - these things are finicky about getting full power to operate fully.

darzoom · 07-08-2011, 09:05 AM

It is power related. I have been having a lot of power issues lately and am still trouble shooting them. You didn't say if the coach battery charged when driving or not. If it does't, you may have a bad solenoid that isolates the charging system and batteries. As mentioned in this thread, it is hooked to the little button on the dash that you push to get added power to start the coach. It is usually on the firewall next to the brake booster. There are 2 types, single and double pole. Meaning number of small wires hooked to it. Most likely it is double pole. They cost $25 at Camping World and much cheaper at any parts store. Just take the one with you when you go. Now, if it is not charging when on shore power, it could be the charging side of the inverter. Most everything in the coach works on 12v. So if the coach battery is not being charged strange things happen. Like warning lights on the fridge, dim lights and shuttering steps. If it is the inverter, they are expensive to replace. A cheap fix until you can get the inverter checked is to go to Target and get the Black and Decker trickle charger/battery maintainer for about $22. It is a nice small unit that works great. Wire the pig tails to the coach battery and when on shore posew plug it into either the box where the coach cord is or just into a plug on the RV. That will ensure you keep the coach battery charged and you can use it when in storage. Finally, to keep the batteries good when parked, you need to isolate them totally from the coach. There are "phantom" power draws on most coaches for alrams, led lights, radios..the list goes on. You need to install disconnects on both the coach and chassis batteries. You put them on the negative side of the batteries. There are two types of disconnects. One is a blade and one is a screw disconnect. The screw disconnect is availalbe at most auto parts stores for around $8. You unscrew it and break the connection at the negative pole. The blade type has a blade that bridges the two sides and you flip the lever. They are about $20-25 at Northern Tool, Camping World and some auto parts stores. You need to look at space to determine which can be used. The blade is more expensive, but is easier to use. Finally, if you are doing all this, clean all the cables at the batteries and put that spray battery terminal stuff on all poles. It is also a good thing to check the ground wire from the coach battery to the frame. If it is discolored (from heat) it has probally been loose or been drawing a lot of power due to a bad connection. If it is corroded it will not charge well. I replace mine as a it was about $15 for a new 2' wire of the right guage. I know there are posts here about trouble shooting the invertor. But I would leave that to the professionals. Or, you can give the folks a call here, BestConverter - Converters, Inverters, Electrical Supplies, Electronics and they may be able to assist of give some advise. Nice people. Anyway, that was a lot, but I have been going through this on an older RV for a couple of months now and just can't shake from the bucks needed to replace then invertor or have it checked. Hope that helps, Happy RVing! fun.

joehinvt · 07-11-2011, 10:30 AM

ok cleaned all connections..charged and tested battery..all connections tight..still shuddering..gonna go through all the steps when it cools down...hot here this time of year! lol

JBDISCOVERY · 07-11-2011, 03:03 PM

We had a problem with our Kwicke step awhile back. I lubed the arms that move the steps. Did not help. Next, I took the 12V electric motor out of the step assembly. Took the motor apart and cleaned the rotor contacts to improve the current flow in the motor. (Use fine sandpaper to clear the copper rotor surfaces) Did great for us.
Step now moves in and out with no problems. Also lubed the bearings within the motor with hightemp grease. This was a good part of the solution.
Hope this might help you.
JB

joehinvt · 07-17-2011, 10:43 AM

crawled under mh and found where the ground wire for steps is located and it was RUSTY! went to pull the bolt out and it snapped! i then noticed a hole with a broken bolt in it inches away from this one! obviously not the first time someone messed with the ground wire! gonna scrape a bare spot on frame and redrill and see what happens.....hopefully i have steps again!!