Stair Well Cover Not Working - 1999 Allure

[GoHorseyGo]

Hi. First Tech question on our new-to-us, ‘99 Allure.

The step slide cover doesn’t work. I don’t hear any sounds when the toggle is pressed in either direction. The 20A breaker fuse was replaced to no avail. Confirmed that power is going to the switch. Switch seems to test okay. I think it may be the motor, or other's have thought it may be a switch.

Have you had experience with your stair well cover, that you fixed?

What do you think? Switch, motor or something else?

I'm attaching a pic of the motor (I believe...from tracing the schematic wires) 😳, but then again, this is my first time reading wiring schematics. So, if this is actually the elusive “flux capacitor”, just let me know. 🙂

I have a call in with CC/Win parts dept. but wanted to see if anyone has any thoughts on the possible problem?

Thank you for your problem solving insights!

[SeaDo]

The first repair I had to make when we bought our 1997 32' Allure.( in 2010)
Mine was somewhat working but usually had to give it a hand when opening. I sent the whole actuator in to be rebuilt, to the manufacturer near the CC facility, cost was around $300 .
I can probably find a phone # for you if your interested. (let me know)

BTW , as I remember it had one bolt that attached it to the slide, had to go underneath and reach above the Air Conditioner coils to get to it. Then the whole thing came out thru the bay in front of the DS front axle.

[PRO-BILT]

Others will chime in but don't go replacing parts yet. In simple terms, it has a "overload" on it if it binds up or hits something. Just like the exterior step. The shaft/gears may need to be cleaned/lubed. I have to do mine as well

[John Jones]

Originally Posted by PRO-BILT

Others will chime in but don't go replacing parts yet. In simple terms, it has a "overload" on it if it binds up or hits something. Just like the exterior step. The shaft/gears may need to be cleaned/lubed. I have to do mine as well

I wonder what kind of maintenance is required? Following this.

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by SeaDo

The first repair I had to make when we bought our 1997 32' Allure.( in 2010)
Mine was somewhat working but usually had to give it a hand when opening. I sent the whole actuator in to be rebuilt, to the manufacturer near the CC facility, cost was around $300 .
I can probably find a phone # for you if your interested. (let me know)

BTW , as I remember it had one bolt that attached it to the slide, had to go underneath and reach above the Air Conditioner coils to get to it. Then the whole thing came out thru the bay in front of the DS front axle.

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I called CC/Winnebago today and they said I would have to have the actuator rebuilt if it turns out to be that. Good news is that they have the switch for $14.

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by PRO-BILT

Others will chime in but don't go replacing parts yet. In simple terms, it has a "overload" on it if it binds up or hits something. Just like the exterior step. The shaft/gears may need to be cleaned/lubed. I have to do mine as well

Copy that!

[Burfman]

So did you get it fixed? If you have power going thru the switch then have someone hold the switch closed and check the wires at the motor. If you have power at the wires then the motor is the cause.
Since this is a DC motor sometimes they need a little tap to get the brushes to set against the armature. If you're old enough you can remember back to the '50's starter motors that on some cars they needed this persuasion to get them going.
JM .02 worth

[deandec]

I just pulled my Step Cover Motor.

Once removed from the actuator slide it spins fine.

And the slide now moves easily. (After several years of tapping the actuator with a hammer for corrective action, that fix failed to work.)

Now trying to find the fuse for wire 258 that supposedly provides power to the switch. Must be an inline fuse.

I sprayed some oil into the motor shaft hole.

May have to remove the whole actuator to reinstall the motor.

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by Burfman

So did you get it fixed? If you have power going thru the switch then have someone hold the switch closed and check the wires at the motor. If you have power at the wires then the motor is the cause.
Since this is a DC motor sometimes they need a little tap to get the brushes to set against the armature. If you're old enough you can remember back to the '50's starter motors that on some cars they needed this persuasion to get them going.
JM .02 worth

****************************************
Hi, Bill.
We haven't yet got it fixed, as we have been working on upgrading other items.
I did confirm that I am getting power thru the switch. I will be checking the motor the motor this week, as well as the limit switch. I appreciate your insights, and have filed them for reference when i get back to the stair cover. I'll repost, once i have a solution or have exhausted my efforts.

Thanks!

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by deandec

I just pulled my Step Cover Motor.

Once removed from the actuator slide it spins fine.

And the slide now moves easily. (After several years of tapping the actuator with a hammer for corrective action, that fix failed to work.)

Now trying to find the fuse for wire 258 that supposedly provides power to the switch. Must be an inline fuse.

I sprayed some oil into the motor shaft hole.

May have to remove the whole actuator to reinstall the motor.

******************************
Thanks for the insight. I tried tapping it with a rubber mallet but that didn't help. I think mine is the motor - I called W-CC and they said I can't get the motor or even replace it anymore, but that i could send the whole assembly to OR and they could rebuild it. If I confirm that it is the Motor, i'll likely just pull the motor and add a handle so we can just manually operate it if needed.

I'll repost when i have an update. Thanks!

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by SeaDo

The first repair I had to make when we bought our 1997 32' Allure.( in 2010)
Mine was somewhat working but usually had to give it a hand when opening. I sent the whole actuator in to be rebuilt, to the manufacturer near the CC facility, cost was around $300 .
I can probably find a phone # for you if your interested. (let me know)

BTW , as I remember it had one bolt that attached it to the slide, had to go underneath and reach above the Air Conditioner coils to get to it. Then the whole thing came out thru the bay in front of the DS front axle.

****************************
Hi and thanks for the tip. I called CC and they said that I could pull out the whole unit and send it in. But they way he described it, I was left with an impression that was much more difficult than you describe. So, if I may take that route. Thank you for the info!

[deandec]

As mentioned earlier, I pulled the motor out of the linear actuator shown in the OP's original post photo.

I cut the black and red motor lead wires and later on wired them to a car battery. The motor shaft spun fine with that test.

I also pushed the step cover in to a full retracted position. It slid smoothly but now cannot be pulled back out into a use position.

I found the wire 258 from fuse to the step cover dash switch. It is functioning fine at the bottom of my most inboard row of chassis fuses.

Then I attempted to test the black and red wires hanging in the basement by rewiring them to the motor and using the dash switch to see if the motor shaft would turn using coach battery power but not installed in the actuator

It did not turn.

So I have power to the switch and the motor shaft turns with good 12v power. But either the limit switch, dash switch, or wire runs (385,386,387,388) are not working.

Will report back later.....after I figure out how to test each with a meter.

[deandec]

Here is an interesting You Tube video of installing switch wiring to a linear actuator similar to the one we are working on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD1yRl-D9Bw

The DPDT switch in the video appears to be the same as the one in my dash except that my dash switch is a momentary rocker switch.

The narrator indicates that the limit switches are inside the actuator in his unit.

I now know that I can buy a 24" actuator on Amazon for about $175 to replace rather than rebuild the $300 estimated rebuild project actuator installed in my rig.

But first I need to determine what is really wrong with my actuator wiring.

So the foray continues at slow pace. I am old and slow working in a weird access situation with very little technical knowledge.

Hope I am not too far afield for the OP's purpose....

[GoHorseyGo]

Originally Posted by deandec

Here is an interesting You Tube video of installing switch wiring to a linear actuator similar to the one we are working on.

The DPDT switch in the video appears to be the same as the one in my dash except that my dash switch is a momentary rocker switch.



The narrator indicates that the limit switches are inside the actuator in his unit.



I now know that I can buy a 24" actuator on Amazon for about $175 to replace rather than rebuild the $300 estimated rebuild project actuator installed in my rig.



But first I need to determine what is really wrong with my actuator wiring.



So the foray continues at slow pace. I am old and slow working in a weird access situation with very little technical knowledge.



Hope I am not too far afield for the OP's purpose....

***************************

OP here. I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate your slow and methodical process of elimination and research.

It’s been very helpful to me as we work to diagnose our stair cover slide issue as well. We confirmed today that it is our motor/actuator as well.

So will keep following. Thank you for the help and for sharing your insights!!

All the best
Jim