Community Forums

markbo53 · 05-01-2021, 07:36 AM

Hey everyone,
2 years ago I replaced the motor on the Kwikee steps due to the steps extending and retracting on their own while driving down the road. Well, here we go again with the same problem. Only this time the steps also "shutter"? or I guess fluctuate back and forth in a fast motion when they fully extend / retract. To explain this better, what happens is the steps will extend fully and when the motor should stop it continues to run causing the steps to fluctuate back and forth for about 5-8 seconds. Does the same thing when they retract.
Has anyone experienced this with the Kwikee steps, and if so did you have a fix or just replaced the motor?
I hate to think I'm going to have to replace the motor every couple of years due to a cheaply manufactured part.
I checked all of the wire and magnetic connections as well as the bolts that hold it to the frame and everything is secure and in good condition. I keep the motor and steps lubed as required maintenance.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

Ray,IN · 05-01-2021, 06:04 PM

Are all the plastic wear-washers in the moving joints in good shape?

markbo53 · 05-01-2021, 06:38 PM

all of the washers are in tact and good shape.

tap4154 · 05-01-2021, 07:03 PM

Are we allowed to post links from other forums here? I apologize in advance if we aren't. This got me curious because I have Kwikee steps about 11 years old, and I want to know what to do if this happens. I found this thread from 2015 that has the number of fixes.
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...wn-246752.html

**Lt Dan** · 05-01-2021, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tap4154

Are we allowed to post links from other forums here? I apologize in advance if we aren't. This got me curious because I have Kwikee steps about 11 years old, and I want to know what to do if this happens. I found this thread from 2015 that has the number of fixes.
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...wn-246752.html

Yes, links to other forums are allowed as long as they are to a specific post related to the thread like your link was. General links or referrals to other forums are not allowed. Also, Winnieowners.com is a RV Life forum just like IRV2 so there's no problem at all.

tap4154 · 05-01-2021, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Dan

Yes, links to other forums are allowed as long as they are to a specific post related to the thread like your link was. General links or referrals to other forums are not allowed. Also, Winnieowners.com is a RV Life forum just like IRV2 so there's no problem at all.

Thank you for the reply Lt Dan. I checked around under my coach and checked the wiring, just to get familiar with it in case it happens. Everything looks good. Mine has a little magnetic switch at the bottom of the part of the screen door opposite of the hinge side. It seems like different coaches have different mechanisms. But having the steps opening and closing when I'm driving down the road... I do NOT want that happening. I'm taking off Monday for a trip so I wanted to be prepared.

The OP's problem sure seems like a loose wire somewhere.

**Lt Dan** · 05-01-2021, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbo53

Has anyone experienced this with the Kwikee steps, and if so did you have a fix or just replaced the motor?

Mark, do your steps have a magnetic alarm type switch on the door? I ask because our friends we travel with had a Fleetwood Excursion that did the same thing. It turned out the magnet was a little too far from the sensor/switch to make contact all the time. We added a couple of spacers behind the magnet to move it closer to the switch and they never had another problem.

markbo53 · 05-02-2021, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Dan

Mark, do your steps have a magnetic alarm type switch on the door? I ask because our friends we travel with had a Fleetwood Excursion that did the same thing. It turned out the magnet was a little too far from the sensor/switch to make contact all the time. We added a couple of spacers behind the magnet to move it closer to the switch and they never had another problem.

Yes. I checked that in the past as well and no problems there. I have gone through all of the connected wires and checked for loose connections, rust or dirty fittings, cleaned and re-secured all, but to no avail.

markbo53 · 05-02-2021, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tap4154

Are we allowed to post links from other forums here? I apologize in advance if we aren't. This got me curious because I have Kwikee steps about 11 years old, and I want to know what to do if this happens. I found this thread from 2015 that has the number of fixes.
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...wn-246752.html

Hey tap4154,
That was my post from the first time this occurred. I, (then) ended up changing the motor and viola, no more problem. It happened again in 2018 and I just changed the motor without hesitation due to the last headache. Now the problem has started again and I'm wondering if I may be overlooking a different issue. However, replacing the motor seems to fix the problem.
Tomorrow I'm going to take the motor apart and clean the brushes and connections just to satisfy my curiosity.

tap4154 · 05-02-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbo53

Hey tap4154,
That was my post from the first time this occurred. I, (then) ended up changing the motor and viola, no more problem. It happened again in 2018 and I just changed the motor without hesitation due to the last headache. Now the problem has started again and I'm wondering if I may be overlooking a different issue. However, replacing the motor seems to fix the problem.
Tomorrow I'm going to take the motor apart and clean the brushes and connections just to satisfy my curiosity.

I didn't even notice that it was your profile name there. I wonder if just the act of changing the motor moved some wires around, and that temporarily solved the problem? Maybe you have a break in a wire in one of the harnesses, or a dodgy connector.

I really can't imagine how the motor could cause that problem, it's just a slave to the circuitry. It seems that somewhere in the circuitry there's a loose connection that is telling the motor the door is open.

markbo53 · 05-02-2021, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tap4154

I didn't even notice that it was your profile name there. I wonder if just the act of changing the motor moved some wires around, and that temporarily solved the problem? Maybe you have a break in a wire in one of the harnesses, or a dodgy connector.

I really can't imagine how the motor could cause that problem, it's just a slave to the circuitry. It seems that somewhere in the circuitry there's a loose connection that is telling the motor the door is open.

I agree. I'm gonna check a few more things tomorrow and see what I come up with.
Thanks

f14av8r · 05-03-2021, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbo53

Hey everyone,
2 years ago I replaced the motor on the Kwikee steps due to the steps extending and retracting on their own while driving down the road. Well, here we go again with the same problem. Only this time the steps also "shutter"? or I guess fluctuate back and forth in a fast motion when they fully extend / retract. To explain this better, what happens is the steps will extend fully and when the motor should stop it continues to run causing the steps to fluctuate back and forth for about 5-8 seconds. Does the same thing when they retract.
Has anyone experienced this with the Kwikee steps, and if so did you have a fix or just replaced the motor?
I hate to think I'm going to have to replace the motor every couple of years due to a cheaply manufactured part.
I checked all of the wire and magnetic connections as well as the bolts that hold it to the frame and everything is secure and in good condition. I keep the motor and steps lubed as required maintenance.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

Mark, I suspect the plastic gear in the actuator has stripped. You can find replacement actuators online with and without the motor. I'd try just the actuator first. This happened to me and I disassembled the actuator to see what was wrong. Sure enough, the plastic gear was stripped. It was very obvious.

TampaRv · 09-11-2021, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbo53

I agree. I'm gonna check a few more things tomorrow and see what I come up with.
Thanks

Hi Mark,

I am having this same issue.. did you figure anything out? Thanks!

markbo53 · 09-12-2021, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TampaRv

Hi Mark,

I am having this same issue.. did you figure anything out? Thanks!

After checking the gears in the motor and finding them to be in good shape, I decided to replace both the motor and control unit. No problems since then. I suspect it may have been the control unit due to the the steps also extending and retracting on their own when driving. problems solved. Be careful of where you order the motor from as I noticed some will have small print saying "remanufactured". Especially when ordering on Amazon.
I hope this helps.
Mark