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Dead Step Cover Actuator

Yahoo Message Number: 20981
Hi to all "Step Cover Actuator" troubleshooters out there,

We use our Step Cover regularly and it has worked without fail for almost 3 years. But, suddenly it just quit working. After leaving the CCI East Coast Reunion in Ft. Myers, it nicely extended all the way out, but it failed to retract the first time that we stopped, and hasn't worked since.

With the aid of a schematic from CC, I think I've eliminated switches and CC wiring as a cause of the problem. (I verified that 12v and Gnd are on the correct CC wires for the "extend" and "retract" switch positions. Also disconnected the 4 CC wires at the connector to the step cover actuator and then applied 12v and Gnd to the pins/leads that should operate it --- nothing happens.) So, now I'm in the process of pulling the actuator out to allow retracting the cover manually and also to do some bench tests on it.
I don't have a schematic for the actuator, so if anyone has knowledge or experience with the thing, I'd appreciate your input on what to look for, what most likely fails, etc.

Thanks,

Paul Thomas

'03 Magna # 6239

Re: Dead Step Cover Actuator

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20984
When mine failed it was due to a physical separation between the motor mechanism and the control arm. TWI on first coach Allure 30255

Re: Dead Step Cover Actuator

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20985
Paul

I had the same problem and thanks to this board, I discovered that I had to change out the micro switches inside the actuator assymbly.
As a temporary fix though, I found that if I hammered/banged on the rail that houses the actuator, the step would work for a couple of days. I accessed the rail from the foward electrical bay on the driver's side just below the driver. When I finally got the two micro switches, I removed the whole assymbly and changed both micro switches and installed new wiring. There is a ~ 24" X 12" panel accessed from under the front of the coach secured with about 10 or 12 bolts (i think you found this already). Once you remove the panel, you can remove the bolt that attaches the step cover to the actuator and the bolts holding the rail to the frame in that area.
There are also two (or 4?) bolts holding the rail to the frame that can be accessed from the forward electrical bay which will allow you to remove the whole assmbly form there. Oh yes, one other thing. I had to remove the fuse box from the wall in the forward electrical bay to gain access to the motor connectors, etc. I just let the fuse box hang by the wires while I worked on removing/installing the rail, etc. Once you get the rail out, you can change out the switches. I don't have the part number for the switches in front of me but may be able to locate them. CC did not have them, so I located the manufacturer and they sent them to me. They wern't very expensive at all, maybe $3 a piece. I'll locate the part number and post here.

Larry, 2003 Allure #30856

Quote from: paulkthomas
Hi to all "Step Cover Actuator" troubleshooters out there, >

We use our Step Cover regularly and it has worked without fail for > almost 3 years. But, suddenly it just quit working. After leaving > the CCI East Coast Reunion in Ft. Myers, it nicely extended all the > way out, but it failed to retract the first time that we stopped,

and

Quote
hasn't worked since.

With the aid of a schematic from CC, I think I've eliminated

switches

Quote
and CC wiring as a cause of the problem. (I verified that 12v and

Gnd

Quote
are on the correct CC wires for the "extend" and "retract" switch > positions. Also disconnected the 4 CC wires at the connector to the > step cover actuator and then applied 12v and Gnd to the pins/leads > that should operate it --- nothing happens.) So, now I'm in the > process of pulling the actuator out to allow retracting the cover > manually and also to do some bench tests on it.

I don't have a schematic for the actuator, so if anyone has

knowledge

Re: Dead Step Cover Actuator (micro switch PN)

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20993
Paul

If I can read my notes right, the microswitch part number is D44LR IRA. Got mine from Newark electronics @407 8968350. But my notes show another phone number @ 727 5359275. I think the place that sent me the switches is called South Atlantic Sales in Clearwater Florida. Good luck.

Larry, 30856

Quote from: Larry Feather
>

Paul

I had the same problem and thanks to this board, I discovered that

I

Quote
had to change out the micro switches inside the actuator assymbly.
As a temporary fix though, I found that if I hammered/banged on the > rail that houses the actuator, the step would work for a couple of > days. I accessed the rail from the foward electrical bay on the > driver's side just below the driver. When I finally got the two > micro switches, I removed the whole assymbly and changed both micro > switches and installed new wiring. There is a ~ 24" X 12" panel > accessed from under the front of the coach secured with about 10 or > 12 bolts (i think you found this already). Once you remove the > panel, you can remove the bolt that attaches the step cover to the > actuator and the bolts holding the rail to the frame in that area.
There are also two (or 4?) bolts holding the rail to the frame that > can be accessed from the forward electrical bay which will allow

you

Quote
to remove the whole assmbly form there. Oh yes, one other thing.

I

Quote
had to remove the fuse box from the wall in the forward electrical > bay to gain access to the motor connectors, etc. I just let the

fuse

Quote
box hang by the wires while I worked on removing/installing the

rail,

Quote
etc. Once you get the rail out, you can change out the switches.

I

Quote
don't have the part number for the switches in front of me but may

be

Quote
able to locate them. CC did not have them, so I located the > manufacturer and they sent them to me. They wern't very expensive

at

Quote
all, maybe $3 a piece. I'll locate the part number and post here.

Larry, 2003 Allure #30856

[quote author=paulkthomas"

>

> Hi to all "Step Cover Actuator" troubleshooters out there, > >

> We use our Step Cover regularly and it has worked without fail for > > almost 3 years. But, suddenly it just quit working. After

leaving

Quote
the CCI East Coast Reunion in Ft. Myers, it nicely extended all

the

Quote
way out, but it failed to retract the first time that we stopped, > and

> hasn't worked since.
>

> With the aid of a schematic from CC, I think I've eliminated > switches

> and CC wiring as a cause of the problem. (I verified that 12v

and

Quote
Gnd

> are on the correct CC wires for the "extend" and "retract" switch > > positions. Also disconnected the 4 CC wires at the connector to

the

Re: Dead Step Cover Actuator (micro switch PN)

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 20999
Hi,

Thanks Larry and all for your information and replies. It helps. I didn't get back to my step cover problem since my posting, but I'll let you know what I find when I do.

Thanks again,

Paul Thomas
'03 Magna #6239

Quote from: Larry Feather

Re: Dead Step Cover Actuator (micro switch PN)

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 21158
Hi Larry and other Step Cover Actuator Troubleshooters,
After pulling out the actuator from our '03 Magna, I found that one of the limit switches (same model as your microswitch) caused my problem. In my case, the fully extended cover would not retract. The limit switch for the fully retracted position was sticking closed. After futzing around with it, it started to behave as it should. Now that I know the drill to get the actuator in and out of the coach, I'll look up your supplier and get some replacements.

Thanks again for the help,
Paul Thomas, 03 Magna #6239

Quote from: paulkthomas