Kwikee step question

Post your general and technical information, questions or responses in this forum. Viewing messages is open to all with no registration or log-in required. Prior to posting a new message or a response to an existing message, registration or login is required. Please do not post FOR SALE or WANTED ads in this section!

Moderator: bfadmin

Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

My 2014 Triumph has a Kwikee step which seems to have failed in mid-cycle. The woners manual says it should have an inline fuse but I cannot see anything looking like a fuse in the melee of cables in the vicinty. Does anyone know where BF installed the fuse for these things?

This is my second failure in 2 years and while the original as replaced under warranty they are either extraordinarily fragile or a victim of the China syndrome!
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

I have discovered in the small print of the OM for the Kwikee, there could be as many as 3 fuses; and from the IRV web site that one may be behind the step function switch on the entrance wall. That means removing the pantry slide. There do not seem to be any release catches to remove it from its slide - any one ever removed their pantry slide?
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

The discovery process continues. The pantry has 3 slides for each shelf and there is no obvious way to remove it. However the Step switch is removable after removing the plastic chrome covers. Attached to the switch is a clearly marked 5 amp step fuse and mine was unbroken. so its back to the test process in the manual which is very involved.
mquade
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:17 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by mquade »

FWIW, ours got stuck in the open position also. I was lucky. Oiled all moving parts, hit some parts that can move, with a hammer. It worked. Something broke loose such that it works. Bottom line for us-oil it. Miles
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

[quote="mquade"]FWIW, ours got stuck in the open position also. I was lucky. Oiled all moving parts, hit some parts that can move, with a hammer. It worked. Something broke loose such that it works. Bottom line for us-oil it. Miles[/quote]

Did not try the hammer bit but had oiled it well and have always done so. Ordered a new controller and motor. PITB?
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

Seems I must be the only BF owner whose Kwikee steps have failed and is still on this dying forum. Anyway for the record, I emailed the company and they sent me a new Controller and Motor. Turned out the motor had failed and the installation instructions are wrong, More than likely the motor install will not allow the clevis pin to be replaced once the motor function has been restored. so you have to spin the gear set to get the link positioned so that at full extension the clevis pin can get replaced. Inevitably the gear set moves when you transfer the gear from the old motor to the new. Any way fixed and working. And on to the next problem.
John S.
Posts: 477
Joined: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:01 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by John S. »

I have not had this problem yet but I figure I will have it one day.
2015 Royal Splendor on Ford 550 none slide version
Former owner 2007 24foot rear bath painted and 2006 22 foot built for two
Former owner 1994 34 foot 2000 36 foot and 2001 42 foot FORETRAVEL's.
User avatar
Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Roger H »

Vlamgat wrote:Seems I must be the only BF owner whose Kwikee steps have failed and is still on this dying forum. Anyway for the record, I emailed the company and they sent me a new Controller and Motor. Turned out the motor had failed and the installation instructions are wrong, More than likely the motor install will not allow the clevis pin to be replaced once the motor function has been restored. so you have to spin the gear set to get the link positioned so that at full extension the clevis pin can get replaced. Inevitably the gear set moves when you transfer the gear from the old motor to the new. Any way fixed and working. And on to the next problem.
It seems like most of the folks who've purchased newer coaches haven't joined the forum. We don't see to many folks who post here who have newer coaches who participate. I'm not sure why that is... I could speculate, but it would be just that... speculation.

This is also the slow time on the forums as many of us have our coaches in storage now for the winter.

Take heart, the forums here are not dead... we own a small marque, limited production coach, which means that even with '80s vintage coaches still in use out there, the total number of Born Free coaches on the road is still probably smaller than a single years' production at Winnebago.

Roger
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

Thanks for the encouragement. I guess the owners of the newer units must be relying on the professional services businesses for their support. Just as most of the Class A 's have to. I find it challenging to relate the various installation instructions to the methods the BF factory used with concealed wiring and inaccessible fuses here and there.
User avatar
Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Roger H »

Vlamgat wrote:Thanks for the encouragement. I guess the owners of the newer units must be relying on the professional services businesses for their support. Just as most of the Class A 's have to. I find it challenging to relate the various installation instructions to the methods the BF factory used with concealed wiring and inaccessible fuses here and there.
Oh yeah... folks who lay out $200k for a motorhome tend not to do much of their own repair work. That's why probably a majority of folks who are here folks who have older coaches, and many of us bought them used to begin with.

Having worked on MANY fiberglass travel trailers, Airstreams, and having had a number of motorhomes now, I can tell you that Born Free is one of the easier do-it-yourself coaches... but that still doesn't mean they're "EASY." Just "easi-ER."

If you REALLY want a challenge, pick up on of the old '80s vintage classic Airstream class A coaches... THOSE are a real PARTY to work on! <grin>

Hang in there... you'll figure out how to service stuff as you need to... and as your vintage of coach ages, there'll be more and more folks here looking for the same hints and tips you are.

Roger
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
User avatar
Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Roger H »

Well, for what it’s worth, MY kwikee step is having issues. It won’t stay out, even with the switch thrown. The fuse is in the coach’s fuse box and is fine and the switch tests fine. There’s power at both poles of the switch, so it must be something at the step itself. I crawled under it briefly this morning, but it was too d*amned hot out to really try to troubleshoot it properly.

So... after this 105* heat index heat wave subsides, I’ll crawl back under the coach and see if that line has power to the step down there.
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
Vlamgat
Posts: 152
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:11 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Vlamgat »

My guess is the Controller has failed. Available on Amazon and its nearly plug and play but only if your installation allows you to remove it without having to remove the motor. While on Amazon buy the test pigtail. The p/n is in the manual.
harrisgowing
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:30 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by harrisgowing »

The kwikee step on our 2015 Royal Splendor failed in the second year. It was the motor and we had it replaced. It failed again and this time it was a contact point on the door panel that was replaced. No problems lately but we oil the steps frequently. BTW we can’t fix anything ourselves.

Judy Harris
Chuck and Judy Harris
Oliver and Monty, the Cavaliers at the Rainbow Bridge; Timothy Dickens, the Cavalier puppy
2004 RSB
2015 Royal Splendor
Santana tandem bicycle
User avatar
stevek
Posts: 1184
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:33 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by stevek »

I was thinking of adding some sort of step to my 2011.
But I would only want "manual". No electric.
Anyway these Kwikee steps can be converted to manual only?
Or purchase a manual replacement?
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
CA/OR border
User avatar
Roger H
Posts: 653
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 7:48 pm

Re: Kwikee step question

Post by Roger H »

Vlamgat wrote:My guess is the Controller has failed. Available on Amazon and its nearly plug and play but only if your installation allows you to remove it without having to remove the motor. While on Amazon buy the test pigtail. The p/n is in the manual.
Thank you! Good info. I appreciate it. Good grief... I had no idea that a power step was a thousand dollar item with hundreds of dollars in drive parts. Wow...
'06 Born Free 32 RQ Kodiak Chassis
(Former: '01 Born Free 23 RK)
Dinghy: '16 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar.
Traveling with Sir Winston and Lady Rae (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
Post Reply

Return to “General and Technical Information, Questions, and Responses”