Entry step weirdness

[DarkSideJeep]

The entry steps on my 2022 Aspire have been acting up a little, mostly in cold weather. The steps would close but only get about 95% of the way up. I found that spraying silicone lubricant on the pivot points in the mechanism would allow the step go all the way up. Just on the last two weeks it has stated doing that again but this time doing the silicone lubricant does not help. Then while I was investigating, I "helped" the steps get all the way closed while the close process was in progress. After I did that, the steps now go all the way up on their own without my assistance. So, WT-Frack is going on here? Is something out of adjustment? I hate when I do not find a cause for an issue like this.

[brobox]

Pressure wash the pivot points to get all the old dirt and road grime out of them. Then relube

[shepardmike]

Yeah, clean it really good and liberally put Boeshield T-9 on it.

Or it could be the beginning of a motor failure.

[MRUSA14]

I use a spray lithium grease on the steps. It clings and doesn’t run off like the
less viscous sprays, so lasts longer.

[ronlin11]

Get ready to put a new motor in it. Most all step failures involve a motor replacement as I have done this three times. The motors can be cleaned up and work but I have replaced my bad ones and cleaned up the old ones for spares. People tend to put their foot on the steps before they fully extend and this makes them break down sooner and can strain the gears. My last break down was a failure that left my steps closed and would not open. This makes the motor replacement very difficult. You don't want to get to that stage.

[brobox]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

I use a spray lithium grease on the steps. It clings and doesn’t run off like the
less viscous sprays, so lasts longer.

I use the same, does not collect dirt anymore than other top notch sprays.

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by DarkSideJeep

So, WT-Frack is going on here? Is something out of adjustment?

The suggestions to clean and lubricate the pivot points comport with my understanding of how the power to the step motor is controlled.

As the steps extend or retract, the current flow to the motor is monitored by the controller. When the controller sees a spike in current to the motor, it shuts off the power to the motor. That spike in current, during normal operation, naturally occurs when the step mechanism reaches a physical limit - full extend or full retract.

IF the pivot points, due to dirt or lack of lubrication, resist free movement of the steps, the motor's response to overcome that resistance results in an increase in current to the motor which the controller senses and shuts off power to the motor.

When you push or pull on the steps during extension or retraction, you're preventing the motor from being loaded to the point where the current increases enough for the controller to shut off power to the motor.

At least, that's how I understand the step motor power.

Take care,
Stu

[DarkSideJeep]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

The suggestions to clean and lubricate the pivot points comport with my understanding of how the power to the step motor is controlled.

As the steps extend or retract, the current flow to the motor is monitored by the controller. When the controller sees a spike in current to the motor, it shuts off the power to the motor. That spike in current, during normal operation, naturally occurs when the step mechanism reaches a physical limit - full extend or full retract.

IF the pivot points, due to dirt or lack of lubrication, resist free movement of the steps, the motor's response to overcome that resistance results in an increase in current to the motor which the controller senses and shuts off power to the motor.

When you push or pull on the steps during extension or retraction, you're preventing the motor from being loaded to the point where the current increases enough for the controller to shut off power to the motor.

At least, that's how I understand the step motor power.

Take care,
Stu

The pivot points are not visibly dirty with caked grease or rusted. It has been doing this since late November in cold weather, but I cleared it up with spray silicone lube then. Now when it happens the lube does not appear to help. I think the clean and lube angle does not fully explain why it has been closing all the way on its own since I "helped" it fully close once. Granted it has only been a few days but I an running the step closed every time I go into the coach just to try to make it fail to close all the way again.

[Comanche59]

There may be a grounding issue. Ground connections under the coach are exposed to lots of moisture, and this degrades the ground wire contacts. I solved my problem by adding an additional ground wire. It might help you. Be careful working on steps; you can get your hands or arms caught in the mechanism.

[DarkSideJeep]

It turns out it was a lubrication problem with the pivot points under the coach, the ones you have to crawl under the coach with the step extended to get to. It also helps if the coach is up on the stabilizer jacks where the parking spot is an inch or two under the front end.

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by DarkSideJeep

It turns out it was a lubrication problem with the pivot points under the coach, the ones you have to crawl under the coach with the step extended to get to. It also helps if the coach is up on the stabilizer jacks where the parking spot is an inch or two under the front end.

Glad that you got it solved, Dan.

The power shutoff when the motor load increases is, IMHO, a good design. I've parked on a street with a curb that was tall enough that the step hit the curb during extension when we opened the entry door. Much better that the controller cut off power to the motor when the step movement stopped (current flow spiked) than keeping power applied until the motor burned out.

Again, IMHO, the absolutely worst thing that you can do to your steps is to step on them after opening the door on the way out of the coach before they've fully extended. The gear mechanism doesn't tolerate that load well and is likely to fail.

Take care,
Stu