Thule Slide-Out 12v Automatic Step - sticky on retraction

[robdav]

Hi All

We have a Thule Slide-Out 12v Automatic Step (can’t find exact model details) which basically works fine but can be ‘sticky’ when retracted.

If I use the switch to retract it, I sometimes have to give it a knock with my foot to get it to retract properly.

If I leave it to automatically retract when I start the van you sometimes get the buzzer sounding because it hasn’t fully retracted.

It seems to be quite an enclosed unit and difficult to see what’s going on. It’s not damaged in anyway.

Has anyone else experienced this? What can I do to remedy it?

Many thanks

Rob

[Derek Uzzell]

Although not discussing the exact symptoms you've mentioned, this recent forum thread may be of interest

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/60168-thule-step-problems/#comment-705396 

[Alanb]

These steps operate in a rather hostile enviroment, as the are often in line with spray and grit thrown from the vehicle wheels.

Previous discussions have suggested cures ranging from a liberal dose of suitable spray lubricant (silicone or PTFE based), to removing the step and cleaning out internally.

I cannot remember the precise detalls for access, but removing the front corner rubber cocers allows access to fixing screws and hence removal of the front plate.  You should then be able to see inside.

I have pdf files of two similar articles relating to dismantling, but it seems that I cannot attach them.  How crazy is that?

Alan

[Derek Uzzell]

The inability to directly attach .pdf files is probably due to their potential size (and possibly to copyright implications!)

The .pdf file on this link includes Thule's maintenance advice for a slide-out step

https://www.rvworldstore.co.nz/pub/media/wysiwyg/Manuals/Thule_SlideOutStep12V.pdf

and there's more advice here

https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/advice/how-to-overhaul-a-horizontal-thule-omnistep

(I retro-fitted an electrically operated  slide-out Omni-Step to my 2005 Hobby motorhome and my 2015 Rapido motorhome had an electric Thule slide-out as standard. The two steps looked very similar, but I could access the guts of the Thule step quite easily without removing it from the vehicle, whereas the Omni-step would have needed to come off to do this.)

[robdav]

Thanks for the replies.

I have previously tried some PTFE based spray and also removing the front plate and trying to clean what I could see inside. Perhaps I wasn’t persistent enough so I will have another go at the weekend and report back.

I see the Thule_SlideOutStep12V.pdf shows a procedure from removing the step ‘plate’ and cleaning inside with a vacuum. I will give that a go.

Not quite sure what step 5 is on page 22 is though?

Cheers

Rob

[Derek Uzzell]

31 minutes ago, robdav said:

Not quite sure what step 5 is on page 22 is though?

The "MANUAL RELEASE" section (Pages 21 & 22) of the .pdf file explains what to do if the step is extended but will not retract. When the user has followed the procedure shown in Steps 1-4, there remains the (small?) possibility that the step's footboard might subsequently spontaneously extend (eg. if the vehicle were cornered hard). Apparently (as shown in Step 4) there's a curved retaining clip hidden beneath the footboard and - once the footboard step has been pushed back in -  Step 5 shows how this clip should be hooked between the front of the footboard and the step's 'frame', thus preventing the footboard from sliding out.

My 2005 Hobby motorhome came with a manually-operated slide-out Omni-step and, when this step's footboard had been pushed in, the front of the footboard finally needed to be lifted up and over a 'lip' on the front of the step's frame in order to lock the footboard safely in place. As I said above, I replaced that step with an electrically-operated equivalent and I don't recall the latter step having any sort of hidden clip. I also needed to disassemble my 2015 Rapido's jammed-closed Thule electric slide-out step after an aggressive piece of French road furniture had leapt up and hit it, and I don't remember that step having any hidden clip either. As I had that step all in bits I think I would have noticed if a clip had been present, so the retaining clip may be a recent innovation. 

[GandJP]

I always carried some spray oil and that always cured any problems, just spray the running mechanism either side of the step. This wont cure any other problems of course.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

18 hours ago, Alanb said:

I have pdf files of two similar articles relating to dismantling, but it seems that I cannot attach them.  How crazy is that?

Alan

The problem with directly attaching a .pdf file to a posting lies in the nature of the .pdf beast. File types .jpg or .png can be attached directly to an Out&AboutLive forum posting and there are several (free) on-line applications that will convert a .pdf file into a .jpg or .png version.

Where the .pdf to .jpg conversion is concerned, one application advises as follows:

JPG Images

JPG or JPEG files are image files with the extension .jpg or .jpeg. Due to their compression efficiency and widespread compatibility, JPGs are now the standard image format used globally for web sharing, web publishing, and storage. They can be opened on any major operating system and supported by most image software.

PDF to JPG conversion

PDFs are widely used, but they can't be uploaded as images on social networks. To fix this, you can easily convert PDF to JPG, a popular image format that is supported on these platforms. With this conversion, you can upload your PDF content and even edit it in image editors like Paint or Photoshop. It's simple and free. Just upload, convert, and enjoy!

If a .pdf 'document' were to comprise (say) 20 pages, converting it to .jpg (or .png) will result in the creation of 20 individual files each with a .jpg or .png extension. An O&AL forum member could then attach those 20 .jpg (or .png) files to their O&AL posting on a one-file-at-a-time basis.

So when a .pdf file has just a small number of pages, it might be a worthwhile proposition to convert that file to .jpg (or .png) and attach the resultant few individual files to a posting. However, the more pages a .pdf file has the less attractive or practical converting it to a different file type becomes.

[robdav]

Eventually got around to looking at this between downpours.

It turns out one of the two motor linkages had come completely off the motor. There is a nut with a locking washer that must have vibrated lose.

I could tell immediately I went to release the rods from the step. One of them was just flapping around and obviously not attached at the other end.

Impossible to re-attach without taking the protective plastic sheet out of the base of the step. You need to remove the side plastic covers which have one screw each. You can then remove the entire front of the step (4 screws) and then slide out the plastic sheet on the base allowing you to re-attach the rod to the motor (and tighten the other one while you’re there!)

Hope this may help someone else.

Cheers

Rob

[Derek Uzzell]

When I repaired my Rapido's battered step I had to remove the plastic base-sheet and I also noticed that both nuts at the motor end of the 'rods' needed tightening up. It's plainly something to beware of...

[Alanb]

Thanks for the update.  I eventually found a similar problem when the slide out Omnistep on my PVC, started initiating incorrect step out warnings. Disconcerting when driving.

The arm which operates the limit switch, had worked loose at the motor.  As I found it impossible to remove the bushes which connect to the platform, I had to go the long way round and remove the gearbox from the base in order to gain access.  Thread lock was added to the screws.