I have a 2011 ITASCA Model IFE30W 30-foot Class A motor home, which I have owned since August of 2012. I have been dealing with a non-working "KWIKEE REVOLUTION" 2-step electric step motor on our motorhome.
I took the motor home in for the required bi-annual Registration Renewal California Smog Inspection last Thursday, and when we came out of the business after paying for the smog inspection, we noticed that the motor home's electric step was only part way down, but it was down far enough that we could use it to enter the motor home. I thought, well, I'll check it out after we return home.
I have been 'tinkering' with that step mechanism for the past two days, and I have had the step's motor re-installed and then removed a few times during that time. Yesterday I found the problem. Although the step's motor (Made In China) runs as it should, it does not move the step at all. Typical of just about everything that is sold today, this step assembly was manufactured and sold with what I refer to as a "Pre-Engineered Life Span". In plain English, one or more of the materials used in its manufacture would eventually fail, and require replacement. In this case one did: a pot metal hub vs. the steel drive gear. The 'softer' pot metal hub wore out and fails to securely lock onto the 'harder' steel drive gear that it used to transfer its motion to. With the motor removed from the step assembly, I discovered that by being able to stop the motor's steel gear from turning with my thumb and index finger as the motor was running in each direction, while the gear is turning.
That worn-out pot metal hub is not available as a replacement part, so the only option one has is to buy a whole new motor, which I am sure makes its Chinese manufacturer very happy! At least one RV Parts supplier has the replacement motor available "On Sale" for the princely sum of $253.94 (regular price: $344.95).
Thankfully, I found that by entering the motor's part number (GMX 300-1457) on the internet revealed that a replacement motors are available at much more reasonable prices from other sources on the internet.
All of the replacement motors that I have seen have a 2-wire weather-proof 'male' connection on the two wires near the motor. The motor on my motor home is connected with two individual weather-proof butt-connectors, making me wonder if Winnebago cut that male plug off that during the motor home's assembly or if that motor may have been replaced prior to my buying the motor home? The motor home had been sold 'new' in 2011 to someone, who sold it back to the same dealership where he bought it one year later, after putting about 3k miles on it.
As there is no female connector for the motor's wiring under the coach, it makes me wonder if cutting the two-prong male plug off of the wires on the replacement motor to connect it to the coach's wiring with two "butt connectors" to power the step will nullify the replacement motor's warranty?
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...rf792Tzpj67Sv3
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...4rIz6n1q6BuLft
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...GLAo78ZZBxStMp
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...snyVrmrMv6iyns
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...l5XxHH3BDb_3f0
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Q...mr7pQqfyWgW5Pr
Linear Mode
