Stephen Walsh Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 Our electric steps started making a noise like an automatic weapon upon retracting. Anyone else had this happen? Watch video to hear the sound. IMG_0620.MOV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happycarz Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 There are three small cushions in the motor gear that deteriorate. You can remove the motor, take the plate off the gear end and replace these cushions. Please make sure power is off to step, then unplug step controller before working on step. If it starts moving unexpectedly, it can take your finger off. https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-747-409-Window-Select-Models/dp/B0031H0H5M/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KUJQVVAX1YOX&keywords=Dorman+747-409+Power+Window+Motor+Gear&qid=1681140499&sprefix=dorman+747-409+power+window+motor+gear+%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 Very easy and simple. The motor has a plastic gear inside it. It will not lock or bring the steps back to their closed and locked position. You need to change the motor. There are several posts here on doing that and what motor to buy. Put Steps in the search box at the upper right and then used the drop down to select TOPICS. That will give you many topic or threads to read. You need to identify what you have, but HIGHLY Probable, based on the year that you have Coach Step....as that was, I think, the last year before Lippert bought them out. Therefore the Lippert guide will tell you how to trouble shoot. To me, that guide and the trouble shooting will be worthless. BUt if you want to download it then google. I KNOW....that is the sound that mine made a few years ago. After I got the motor out, and looked at it....the gear was toast. The Motor assembly will be complete. Happy has posted a solution for potential repair. However, we also get a bunch of failures where the internal magnets have lost their "Double Stick" tape and the motors move around inside the house....very intermittent. Magnet failure (loose) and Plastic Gear failure should be fixed by replacing the entire motor...unless you enjoy taking out the motor and then realigning the 3 bolts and the 6 bushings. My bushings had cracked...so I had to find new ones. A buddy made them for me. So, either take it out and tear down and try the gear...and the bumpers.....but be aware at the age of your motor, then there may be a magnet failure in your future.... YOUR CHOICE.... If you have erratic movement and maybe closing or maybe extending, then the switch or the controller. BUT, when you hear that sound.... MOTOR.... IMPORTANT. DO NOT USE THE STEPS. There is a "FALL DANGER" when the motor will not lock in place....if it was partially extended. Then they will be dangerous....as when you put your foot on them....they might not work and then you will hopefully be able to catch yourself rather than falling. My GD (very light 14 YO) did that and she was quick enough to not fall. I pushed mine in and turned them off (pulled the fuse) and then replaced the motor. You can, probably, find the label on the motor and then google and cross reference. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96 EVO Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 3 minutes ago, Happycarz said: There are three small cushions in the motor gear that deteriorate. You can remove the motor, take the plate off the gear end and replace these cushions. Please make sure power is off to step, then unplug step controller before working on step. If it starts moving unexpectedly, it can take your finger off. https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-747-409-Window-Select-Models/dp/B0031H0H5M/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2KUJQVVAX1YOX&keywords=Dorman+747-409+Power+Window+Motor+Gear&qid=1681140499&sprefix=dorman+747-409+power+window+motor+gear+%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-3 Had to replace these last year. All three had just crumbled! Getting the three bolts with the top and bottom spacers lined up is a frustrating job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 1 minute ago, 96 EVO said: Had to replace these last year. All three had just crumbled! Getting the three bolts with the top and bottom spacers lined up is a frustrating job! I agree and that is why I opted for a NEW motor so that if the magnets failed, as they undoubtedly do, I did NOT have to go through that again. My CHEAP Ebay Motor would NOT line up. Sent it back. Bought a new Lippert OEM motor from CW and the service writer quoted me a cheap price and I did not have to spend two plus hours in 90+ deg weather trying to get the blankety blank bolts back in place. Obviously a choice for each based on his skills and perserverence....but I spent a lot of time in the hot sun to no avail. NOW some will just take an oversized drill and open up the holes. NOT GOOD. The motor will then shift around and you will end up with another failure. The holes, as cast, should line up. Mine was a knockoff motor....some knockoff's probably work....some don't, so it is a crap shoot. I asked the tech....nope....did not drill out the Lippert OEM motor.... Just more info... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution Stephen Walsh Posted April 10, 2023 Author Solution Share Posted April 10, 2023 Got inspired to get under steps and tighten and lubed linkage. Works fine now. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cherry Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 1 minute ago, Stephen Walsh said: Got inspired to get under steps and tighten and lubed linkage. Works fine now. Thanks Very good…. We sometimes get too “technical”. At least you know the drill if it acts up again. It really lIS DANGEROUS. This comes from a retired Safety Director who taught falls prevention and did way too many accident investigations for simple things like keeping a trash can out of an aisle. I and my DW don’t heal well…so I am concerned for personal safety due to steps not locking in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Walsh Posted April 10, 2023 Author Share Posted April 10, 2023 I disconnected the wiring first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC3 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 On my 2008 Camelot, steps went bad with the clicking and I got under and found that the large bolt that the gear rotates on had worked it's way loose. When loose the gear plate was not aligned with the motor at the end of closing so click click click. Before looking I thought it was the gear plate. Screwing back in the main bolt got it back into alignment, along with some choice words for those spacers above and below the motor that were a PITA 🤬. Isn't it nice when something you need breaks on your motorhome and the fix is free! 🥳🥳🥳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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