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Old 09-19-2017, 11:01 PM   #1
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Entry step problems

We have a 2016 Bounder & the entry steps started making noise going in. Then quickly noise like stripping gears going in & out, & having to help it in or out. Have motor on order from Amazon, but while I was researching this I am seeing a lot of people with Kwikee Steps having same problem, new or older MH. Am I going to have to replace this motor every year? Does anyone else with Kwikee Steps have this problem? I have lubed the the step pivot points about 3 times in the past year with silicon spray, & with motor disconnected steps move free & easily.
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Old 09-20-2017, 12:35 AM   #2
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I suspect it is the crush disks in the motor gears needs replaced. Replacing the motor will come with new crush disks and solve the step problem you are having. Step motors are designed to operate a car power window. The torque required to move a car window does not usually cause the 3 disks to fail.

The increased force required to move the rv steps, causes the crush disks to become misshapen. Crush disks are available at many auto parts stores. For about 40 bucks you can get a new car window motor that is an exact replacement, then you have everything new. Unfortunately, you and I are not the only folks this has happened to.
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Old 09-20-2017, 05:50 AM   #3
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Unfortunately, some step systems, especially the later Kwikee units have motors with conventional gears and don't take crush disks. I bought some looking to an easy repair and had to go out and get a new motor.

My best advice is to lube the steps and NEVER step on them until fully deployed, it transfers your weight to the motor gears and they are delicate enough already.
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Old 09-20-2017, 06:39 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Sbrownstein View Post
Unfortunately, some step systems, especially the later Kwikee units have motors with conventional gears and don't take crush disks. I bought some looking to an easy repair and had to go out and get a new motor.

My best advice is to lube the steps and NEVER step on them until fully deployed, it transfers your weight to the motor gears and they are delicate enough already.
I concur with this. I am always telling the kids to wait until the steps are fully extended before putting weight on them. Keeping them lubricated is also a great idea to minimize the effort the motor needs to exert to extend/retract.
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Old 09-20-2017, 07:00 AM   #5
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step died in retracted position

Our step stopped working in the retracted position and you can't get to anything to open the step manually. You can remove the pin connecting the mechanism to the step if it dies in the open position so you can manually close it. Ours is a Kwikee and you can get to the motor leads and apply 12v to operate the step if the motor is good. Ours was bad so I had to lower the entire mechanism with a 9/16 deep socket and ratchet. The front bolts were a real pain to get to. The attached photo shows the bolts holding the unit in place and the red and yellow wires to the motor.
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Old 09-20-2017, 08:03 AM   #6
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When we bought our coach a little over a month ago I noticed and mentioned that the steps paused halfway when extending or retracting. It was brushed aside as normal. I had no experience that would refute that so home we went. Two days after we got home the steps would stop halfway in or out and buzz loudly. We could push or pull them to extend or retract fully while they were in motion and they would lock in place but buzz loudly as they locked. That's where we are with the situation now but the dealership being four hours away and having to drive through Atlanta has agreed to have a local RV mechanic replace the needed parts. Just waiting for all the agreements to be finalized.
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Old 09-20-2017, 08:14 AM   #7
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Yep...that is a bad motor gearbox. Takes 10 minutes to replace and is warranted by Kwikee but they make you go through a dealer.
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Old 09-20-2017, 11:50 AM   #8
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I suspect it is the crush disks in the motor gears needs replaced. Replacing the motor will come with new crush disks and solve the step problem you are having. Step motors are designed to operate a car power window. The torque required to move a car window does not usually cause the 3 disks to fail.

The increased force required to move the rv steps, causes the crush disks to become misshapen. Crush disks are available at many auto parts stores. For about 40 bucks you can get a new car window motor that is an exact replacement, then you have everything new. Unfortunately, you and I are not the only folks this has happened to.


On line I have heard that it was a car electric window motor. Can't believe that they would use this, its not made for something like steps. Car windows have manual switch so you stop it when it is up or down, no over torquing motor. Our steps are automatic all the time, have one switch to keep steps out with ignition off, but other than that, steps in/out with door. Hard stop up or down. When I get new motor, I'll take old motor to auto part store & get a back up, easy replacement, if U have the part. Just another thing to carry.
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Old 09-20-2017, 12:40 PM   #9
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A bit off topic, but once I had to park on the street and the steps would not extend all the way out without hitting the curb. I had little choice but to let them stall out and made a hasty exit so I could close the door and let them retract.

Also had this happen at a deeply rutted campground space.

My mechanical brain says this was bad but so far no issues. I am assuming the motor was still trying to move but had simply been stalled because it couldn't move.

How bad is this on the step motor?
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Old 09-20-2017, 12:45 PM   #10
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How bad is this on the step motor?
Personally I hate that as well, however, it is not as bad as you think. The motor isn't stalled, the controller senses the end of the normal range when the current goes up and shuts down the motor. All it does when you hit an obstruction is shut it down early!

Careful of the linkage. Generally I try to not use it unless absolutely necessary in a partially deployed position as the weight on the steps has a bigger component against the gear box in those situations.
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Old 09-21-2017, 09:06 AM   #11
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In my case the bottom step was firmly planted on tera firma so wasn't going anywhere.

So if when the current goes up the motor stops will it also stop when I stand in it's way and it slams into my leg? Inquiring minds want to know!!!
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Old 09-25-2017, 04:28 PM   #12
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We have a 2016 Bounder & the entry steps started making noise going in. Then quickly noise like stripping gears going in & out, & having to help it in or out. Have motor on order from Amazon, but while I was researching this I am seeing a lot of people with Kwikee Steps having same problem, new or older MH. Am I going to have to replace this motor every year? Does anyone else with Kwikee Steps have this problem? I have lubed the the step pivot points about 3 times in the past year with silicon spray, & with motor disconnected steps move free & easily.
I just spent the day completely rebuilding my kwikee steps. They worked perfectly for 19 years. (I have a 1998 Pace Arrow.) The secret for longevity is keeping the linkage clean and lubricated and, as others have already said, Wait till they are fully open before stepping on them. I was lucky. A customer (Also a good friend) bought a step and sold the RV before installing the step. The buyer beat him down so much he did not let him have the step and gave it to me. I removed the control, the gearbox and linkage. and installed them in mine. If anyone needs a brand new single step. The step only. No parts. Contact me.
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