michaelmorris Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 The cantilevered habitation door step on our new-to-us 12 yr old Elddis Autoquest 200 has a pretty severe slope on it. Once flipped down, instead of being horizontal.is slopes away from the van by an angle of (my guess) about 10-15 degrees. This makes getting out of the van a bit tricky. I don't know the make of step, but it looks like this. http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/omnistep-47-manual-907-p.asp Is this a common fault? Is there an easy fix for this? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleddytanhouse Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 The step is right in the line of fire from road debris thrown up from the front wheel. Your problem is probably due to grit etc in the step mechanism. Try giving it a good spray of WD40 and then some lubrication oil. Open and close the step a number of times and it may free the mechanism. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmorris Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 cleddytanhouse - 2015-07-15 10:31 PM The step is right in the line of fire from road debris thrown up from the front wheel. Your problem is probably due to grit etc in the step mechanism. Try giving it a good spray of WD40 and then some lubrication oil. Open and close the step a number of times and it may free the mechanism. Hope this helps. I had assumed the problem was either the mechanism bending or the mount becoming distorted. It hadn't occurred to me that the mechanism was jamming a bit. I'll give your suggestion a try - thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Michael If as you say that the step slopes down away from the van I would say that your assumption is correct that something is bent or the pivots are worn or have come detached. you need to attempt to take it to bits. It should be quite easy to remove it from the van. Just 4 bolts and the wiring to disconnect. It will then become obvious what the problem is. It could be that the four mounting bolts are causing the problem. It is a case of lay on your back and check everything you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmorris Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Cliffy - 2015-07-15 11:00 PM Michael If as you say that the step slopes down away from the van I would say that your assumption is correct that something is bent or the pivots are worn or have come detached. you need to attempt to take it to bits. It should be quite easy to remove it from the van. Just 4 bolts and the wiring to disconnect. It will then become obvious what the problem is. It could be that the four mounting bolts are causing the problem. It is a case of lay on your back and check everything you can. My fear is that tthe steps are bolfed directly to the floor of the van. If they are the floor could have failed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 If you suspect the floor then obtain a piece of 2mm flat stainless steel and plate it. It will outlast the life of the motorhome. Problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Have you looked under the van to see why or where the problem lies, because until you do everything else is just speculation because it can only be either the step itself that is worn, loose or damaged or the point to which it is attached that is loose or damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 My step droops a bit and I spent ages trying to repair the worn pivot points. The problem is that the holes in the aluminium box section wear oval, so it can be difficult to repair without special skills and resources. I got a friend who wroked at an engineering firm to get me an oversize pivot bolt made so I could round off the oval hole and restore the step angle but it was only partly successful and I really need a new step. Mine is a two-step electric model, costing about £500 to replace but yours seems to be a one step manual, priced at only £99. These steps do wear and your step has probably not been lubricated and has worn a lot. Your MH is 12 years old too. I suggest you bite the bullet and replace it with a new step at that relatively modest price. Otherwise you could be messing about for ages and never get a satisfactory result. If you do get a new one fitted try to remember to lubricate the step pivots regularly - and use plenty of grease rather than just a quick squirt with an aersol spray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I have an as new double step complete with motor going very cheap if anyone needs one. I'll take £100 for it. It will need to be collected as I think the carriage could be quite expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timabob Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 In the manual for my new Hymer it says the steps should not be lubricated, because the lubricant will attract road debris. Is that just nonsense, or are new steps designed with some kind of mechanism that should not need lubrication? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 timabob - 2015-07-16 12:02 PM In the manual for my new Hymer it says the steps should not be lubricated, because the lubricant will attract road debris. Is that just nonsense, or are new steps designed with some kind of mechanism that should not need lubrication? No, that isn't nonesense. Your step myay have nylon bearings, which don't need lubricating. Mine has metal bolts passing through metal box section with no bearings at all, hence the need for grease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 The double step that I have for sale is an Omnistep 20" (50cm) and is fitted with Nylon bushes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmorris Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 Well the good news is that the floor of the van looks fine. I did tightened up one mounting bolt a bit, but this has made little difference. I can't see any obvious play in any of the joints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Would it be possible to fix a spacer bar across the rear two mounting bolts to raise the leading edge when you extend it out? It will then level the step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 michaelmorris - 2015-07-18 4:31 PM Well the good news is that the floor of the van looks fine. I did tightened up one mounting bolt a bit, but this has made little difference. I can't see any obvious play in any of the joints. If the mountings are OK the problem is either the step itself, or possibly that it needs packing to level it. The step you linked in your original post is manual so, assuming the one on your van is also manual, why not remove it and have a close look at it? Should be 4 bolts, I think, so relatively easy to take off. If that doesn't reveal a problem you may be able to fit spacers in the inboard fixings to bring it level, albeit you may need to use longer bolts to accommodate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I had this problem on my 'van. I ovecame it by making up strengthening brackets from galvanised plate and re-positioning the bolts securing the step to tilt the step slightly up so the load from stepping on had a leveling action. It is my understanding that the design department is misled by sales brochures depicting the average customer being young and slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmorris Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 rolandrat - 2015-07-18 4:44 PM Would it be possible to fix a spacer bar across the rear two mounting bolts to raise the leading edge when you extend it out? It will then level the step. I think that's what I'll end up doing. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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