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Topic: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back... (Read 884 times) previous topic - next topic
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Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Yahoo Message Number: 101844
I've been using teflon spray for our stairs for the last four years now. When the stairs are extended, I see the track son the sides, and place the straw little red hose into the nozzle opening, and slide it up into a the slots of tracks, and spay liberally. I then open, close, open a few times. And repeat this process three times.

Has worked well, I thought.

The stairs have stated to squeak when stepping on them. Still very quiet during opening and closing.

Where do you lube to stop the squeak when stepping onto the steps. And, is teflon spray good for this too? I do have T9, non spray, if this would be better to use.

What are your Best Practices for stair maintenance?

TIA,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101845
Smitty:

Your problem is the rubber bumper stops at the back of the steps. I have these in stock if you are in need of new ones. Feel free to contact me via my personal information.

Kevin Waite (Former Country Coach Service Tech. & Owner) K&M Mobile RV Repair LLC
95430 Noraton Rd.

Junction City, OR. 97448
541-953-6162 (Cell)

kvn.wt.7629@...

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101846
Kevin, I removed these from my steps,      without replacement, and the squeak is gone. Is there some reason      why I need to have them?

(Looking more at September just now).

Ken

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101854
I got out and under the steps today, before leveling in our new spot. I do see there rubber stoppers, but nothing is making contact with them when the steps are extended. And that is when I hear the squeak, not when I'm closing the steps.

I did see some parts I had never oiled before, pivotal arms and a gear for when the motor is running things in/out. I also detected a back part of the side runners I've been lubricating over the years. The back parts of both upper and lower, were bone dry and caked road dust/grime.

I  decided for now, to just spray the heck out of every moving and sliding part that I could see with the teflon spray. Then in/out/in wit the stairs several times. When stepping on the upper step, out towards the front left edge when looking into the coach - I could still hear a loud squeak.

Crawled under the steps again, repeating the spaying, and this time I sprayed between the upper and lower steps, in the corners towards the face of the stairs. In/out/in again, and then wiped up lots of excess silicone spray.

As the steps were going in/out, I could hear what I feel was dirt and grime grinding together in the runners. I then stepped up, down, up again on the two steps. In the middle, on the corner edges, on the rear edges - no more squeak!!

I realize I've only been lubricating probably the front 75% of the side runners. And, that there is still lots of 'gunk' built up. I'll go get more cleaner, probably spray on brake cleaner or electrical cleaner, and some cardboard to place under the steps. I'll spray, and wire brush, the heck out of everything I can see. And repeat, and repeat - until no more grime drips out.

I think I'll then get some Spray T9, and shift to this instead of Teflon. Or, maybe even get the Kwiki Steps DriLube.

And finally, gee surprise, my box of stuff has directions on how to service these - go figure, I could have been easily following directions for four years, instead of winging it!!

For now, no more squeak, so when I go out for my early AM fires and sunrises - the DW will not hear my departure.

Embarrassed that I had not realized there was missing parts in my maintenance of the step/stairs mechanisms...

Best to all, any other service tips welcomed!

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101856
Smitty, i will give you a tip. Look again at the rubber stops. May not be your problems but search this site and you will find that this has always been the problem. I tried the spray and that is a temporary fix.

Richard Aquino
2001 intrigue

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101860
Am I looking in the wrong area? The two rubber looking stops I saw, were not on the steps themselves, they were back in the stars well. I assume they're to 'stop' the stairs on the way in? With the stairs out, noting seemed to be touching them that I could see.

Are their other 'rubber stops', that are in the steps themselves, that 'stop' the stairs on the way out? And that when I'm stepping on the top stair, it's squeaking against a piece of rubber that I'm not seeing, attached to the lower step somewhere?

I did spray all along the back lower side of the upper extended step - but did not see any rubber stops. Sure could have hit this with some of the spray, and thus no more squeak.

I'll see if I can find some illustrations of the mechanics of the steps to see if they reflect multiple pieces of rubber in the mechanism. Very easily good have missed the rubber stops that have been mentioned.

Appreciated the additional info!

Best to all,

Smitty

04 Allure 31017
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101864
There are two rubber stops on the front of the steps.  They are hard to see,  but they are there.  Look for two nuts on the underside/front of the steps.  The rubber stops on mine (and probably everyone else's) rest/jam up against a sharp edge of a piece of angle iron.  It doesn't take long for the knife like edge to cut through the rubber and allow metal-to-metal contact causing the squeeking sound.  I noticed another mounting hole above the the existing mounting hole used at the factory which allows the rubber stop to contact a flat surface.  Mounting the stops at the upper hole fixed my problem.  But,  I chose to "liquidnail"  a strip of wood along the inside of the step to accommodate the extra length/reach adjustment needed for solid/firm contact on the flat surface of the wood/ step. You might be able to use the same rubber stops,  or even swap them out with the serviceable back stops.

Larry, 03 Allure 30856

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101865
Thanks Larry - I also got a nice email from former CC Owner Veteran Don Seager too, where he also explained that I had missed seeing these bolts. Assume these are the ones that Kevin was referring to too...

When I sprayed from behind, I must have by chance, hit the surface of the bolt to stop the squeaking for now. Don explained how he'd do periodic maintenance on this squeaking opportunity.

I'll raise the front of the coach some, and get under the extended steps again and locate these.

Thanks for the tip on adding a flatter surface to spread the load on.

Best to you, Don, and all,

Smitty
04 Allure Sold to a nice new owner! Now enjoying a 07 Magna Rembrandt 45' ISX600 #6775
"We're ONDROAD for THEJRNY!" (Toad and Coach license plates, say Hi if you see us!)

Re: Best Practices - Steps maintenance? Squeaky is back...

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 101870
Smitty, I going to give you another tip. Search on my name and you will find way back in time where I detailed how to extend the steps half way and cut the DC power to the steps when half way out. Makes changing those stops simple after you get some from Kevin. I think some folks may have added to my comments that I made at that time so you may want to read the string.

Richard Aquino
2001 Intrigue