Step will not retract

[Fred Cook]

 I started the coach today and noticed that the step did not retract.  I tried to get it to retract several times and it does not budge. The wiring looks OK. Is there a fuse somewhere? I would appreciate any help to get this thing working again. We are supposed to take a trip in a couple days. Thanks

[Eric Maclean Co-Admin]

Fred
My step does the same thing occasionally and I have traced it down to a bad connection in the four wire plug under the step try taking it apart and looking for green corrosion on the pins .
Hope this helps
Eric

[Bryan Beamon]

Try tapping the step motor with a hammer a couple of times ,Gerald Ferris gave me that trick many years ago when a friend of mine had a similar problem.

[Fred Cook]

 Thanks guys, I tried doing what you suggested with no luck. I can hear the clicking sound underneath the steps each time I open and shut the door but the motor does not engage. It has to be something electrical. That’s why I thought there might be a fuse somewhere.  It’s crazy how it would just stop all of a sudden. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Bryan Beamon]

Fred go to private members only, then that will take you to common problems, then that will take you to our web site for procedures to correct malfunctioning steps.

[Keith Moffett Co-Admin]

Mine did that once.  It tried but wouldnt go.  If the motor is weak I reasoned itwould work better fully cleaned and lubed.
I used a wire brush on the hinge points and tracks then hit it good with spray graphite.  Has worked for three years.

[Fred Brooks]

   Hi Fred,
As Bryan suggested, go to private Members and you will find the repair procedure. Over the years the step motor stops in the same location going out and coming in. The repair is quite simple. Hope this helps, Fred

[Fred Cook]

   Hi Fred,
As Bryan suggested, go to private Members and you will find the repair procedure. Over the years the step motor stops in the same location going out and coming in. The repair is quite simple. Hope this helps, Fred
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 Thanks Fred, some great information in there. However, I decided to tap on the motor again as Bryan suggested earlier... this time a little bit harder and....  it worked! Motor must’ve been frozen up somehow. I also went ahead and oiled it down really well with silicone base spray. Thanks for all responses!

[Dale Soule]

The members is very good source, I just replaced the motor. the techs at Lippert were very good also, It sounds like the  nylon ring gear is stripped, soon as I removed the old motor you could turn the little gear by hand,  I might have let it go too long.  There are about 6 sources for the motor from $290.00 plus fgt. to about $170.00 free fgt.   The cheaper ones will have to be drilled out to 1/4" To fit properly.It took about an hour. 

[Don and Kathy DuCharme]

Have experienced this problem several times, and the problem was one of the brushes in the motor stuck. It worked by hitting the step firmly for awhile. Eventually, that would not work. The motor is a power window motor and the local used parts store (junk yard) was able to match it. Cost $15.00, and has worked well for the past couple of years.

[Fred Brooks]

   The issue is the step motor is forced to "stop" when the step reaches its full extension or retraction. When the "controller" senses the motor is drawing more and more current, it takes the power away from the motor and resets for the opposite direction the next time is called to operate. Here is the problem: the motor is always stopping internally at the same location every time it operates whether extending or retracting. This eventually stresses the brushes and the commutator (the segments on the armature that the brushes touch) and eventually compromises them to the point of a poor contact.
    The fix is to replace the motor or remove the motor and operate it while "loose". This will re-orient the motor to stop in a new location internally. Reinstall the motor and the step will operate for years to come. How do I know this, because I have been doing it for 30 years instead of wasting my customers money needlessly. Tapping the motor will temporarily extend the issue but will not fix anything. Hope this helps, Fred

[Mike Shumack]

   
    The fix is to replace the motor or remove the motor and operate it while "loose". This will re-orient the motor to stop in a new location internally. Reinstall the motor and the step will operate for years to come. How do I know this, because I have been doing it for 30 years instead of wasting my customers money needlessly. Tapping the motor will temporarily extend the issue but will not fix anything. Hope this helps, Fred

Nice tip. Thanks.
I read that the "step motor" used on the Beaver PT (pre 2006?) is the same as the "power window motor" used on a 1990 Ford Taurus. Have you heard this?

[Fred Cook]

   The issue is the step motor is forced to "stop" when the step reaches its full extension or retraction. When the "controller" senses the motor is drawing more and more current, it takes the power away from the motor and resets for the opposite direction the next time is called to operate. Here is the problem: the motor is always stopping internally at the same location every time it operates whether extending or retracting. This eventually stresses the brushes and the commutator (the segments on the armature that the brushes touch) and eventually compromises them to the point of a poor contact.
    The fix is to replace the motor or remove the motor and operate it while "loose". This will re-orient the motor to stop in a new location internally. Reinstall the motor and the step will operate for years to come. How do I know this, because I have been doing it for 30 years instead of wasting my customers money needlessly. Tapping the motor will temporarily extend the issue but will not fix anything. Hope this helps, Fred

Wow! Great tip! As I said it is working now after tapping on it but, I am going to follow your advice above for good measure. Thanks!