Omnistep slide out step motor shagged? (1 Viewer)

[timdownieuk]

Well I think it is anyway. I took it apart and lubed it a few weeks ago thinking that lack of lube was the problem but it just appears to be a dying motor. With a bit of hand assistance I can make it go in and out without too much difficulty but the motor just seems too weak to do it unaided.

Haven't had much luck with sourcing a motor from Thule. The parts diagram shows the motor available as a spare but it's not actually listed amongst Thule spare parts.

I say Thule as it looks like the Thule Omnistep but as our van is 8 years old it might be an Omnistor step. Anyhow, can't seem to find a new motor for the slide out step. I can't be the first one to need a new motor surely?

 

[Bobby22]

Well I think it is anyway. I took it apart and lubed it a few weeks ago thinking that lack of lube was the problem but it just appears to be a dying motor. With a bit of hand assistance I can make it go in and out without too much difficulty but the motor just seems too weak to do it unaided.

Haven't had much luck with sourcing a motor from Thule. The parts diagram shows the motor available as a spare but it's not actually listed amongst Thule spare parts.

I say Thule as it looks like the Thule Omnistep but as our van is 8 years old it might be an Omnistor step. Anyhow, can't seem to find a new motor for the slide out step. I can't be the first one to need a new motor surely?

It may need adjusted in the sargent unit. I had a problem with my last van and they messed around with everything. They even replaced the whole step and it still wouldn't extend properly. I got onto Swift and they put the dealer right.

Your local dealer was the one i was using ( never again)

If you go into the menu in the Sargent unit and scroll through, you can adjust it from there.........i don't know what the adjustments are though.

Hope this helps.

 

[tonyidle]

I you haven't already done so check that the brushes aren't worn (probably OK) and that they aren't stiff in their holders (quite likely). If the motor doesn't look or smell burned it's probably OK.

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[timdownieuk]

I you haven't already done so check that the brushes aren't worn (probably OK) and that they aren't stiff in their holders (quite likely). If the motor doesn't look or smell burned it's probably OK.

Are replacement brushes available? Having difficulty sourcing spares.

 

[Geo]

shagged -- and lubed it -- lack of lube was the problem -- dying .-- With a bit of hand assistance I can make it go in and out--- just seems too weak to do it unaided.

Haven't had much luck

I say --- I can't be the first one to need a new one surely?

Is it me??? I used to work at Bletchley House We are talking about a step here Right???

 

[icantremember]

We had the same problem on our Autocruise Augusta so I replaced the complete step with a new one only to find the problem was still there.

I had it looked at by an auto electrician who traced it to a faulty Sargent unit ... Sargent replaced the unit and no more problem.

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[Hettie's Crew]

Our step, on our previous Swift E450 started acting strangely. It usually got stuck half way like it didn't have enough power to finish the action. I removed and rebuilt/cleaned it to no avail. At the same time I was having trouble with the water tank level indicator telling me it was empty all the time. My local Workshop FMCaravans diagnosed the Sargent control box over the phone and advised I remove it and send it to Sargent. Sargent were great to deal with and it came back looking like it had completely new innards, not just a repair. I'd taken photos due to the complicated wiring connections. It was £75, two years ago, no post as they are local to me.
This may all be academic if the OP doesn't have a Sargent box, but the step has to be controlled by something.

 

[timdownieuk]

Well I must admit I hadn't heard of a Sargent box. What is it and where is it likely to be hidden?

As I've said, it's behaving as if the motor is just very weak and underpowered. It tries to do all the proper things when you press the appropriate buttons or start the engine but just doesn't seem able to overcome the friction in the mechanism. If I give it a "helping hand" it does still do all the things it ought to do.

 

[icantremember]

Well I must admit I hadn't heard of a Sargent box. What is it and where is it likely to be hidden?

As I've said, it's behaving as if the motor is just very weak and underpowered. It tries to do all the proper things when you press the appropriate buttons or start the engine but just doesn't seem able to overcome the friction in the mechanism. If I give it a "helping hand" it does still do all the things it ought to do.

It's the box of tricks that controls all your 12v electricks and will have a number on it starting EC.....

edit ; your symptoms are exactly as we had.

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[hilldweller]

With a bit of hand assistance I can make it go in and out without too much difficulty but the motor just seems too weak to do it unaided.

Have you tried two wires direct to battery. Swap wires for in/out. Only by doing that can you be sure it's the motor.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

Well I must admit I hadn't heard of a Sargent box. What is it and where is it likely to be hidden?

Looking at your profile and seeing you have an A class, it's unlikely to have one. Sargent are the makers of the electrics control boxes on Swift products. Don't know who else uses them, but it's unlikely continental models do.
You must have something similar controlling your electrics.

 

[Jaws]

If it is working but painfully sluggish I would check the wiring to start with.. Special attention to any and all earth points relating

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[timdownieuk]

An update!!

Well it was fine weather this afternoon so I got out my multi meter and a portable 12V supply.

I quickly established that 12V was getting sent to the motor and after a bit more disassembling I found that the motor on its own worked just fine. Something was clearly seized in the gear-train.

On opening up the gear train I couldn't get the large plastic worm driven gear wheel to rotate at all. After sticking its central metal skinny cog in my vice and working it back and forth and pulling I was able to pull the skinny metal cog right off its steel central shaft. It really did NOT want to come off!

After a bit of a clean up and some lube the whole thing turned freely. It would seem that a bit of alloy/steel corrosion had fused the two components together locking the mechanism up.

All reassembled and working better than ever now. I'm some ways I'm quite surprised that the motor hadn't burnt itself out working again such massive resistance.

Anyhow, it *wasn't* the Sargent unit and I would definitely recommend a complete strip-down of the motor gearbox to anyone with a similarly sluggish unit (assuming everything tests out okay with the voltmeter first).

 

[aztecannie]

my Omnistep ceased to function. I diagnosed the switch wasn't much cop so ordered a new one. While I awaited its arrival I stripped the step and cleaned it out and applied generous lubrication.
When the new switch arrived I partially reassembled and it worked consistently well. However, when I reattached the face plate and tried it the damned thing jammed when fully extended.
If I unscrew the face plate, ensure it is in position, then activate the switch to retract the step, I observe that the jointed arms extend slightly and push the faceplate away from the frame of the step by about half an inch before quite happily retracting the step all the way inside its box.
I expect i've done something really dopey, but thus far I can't work out what it is. The problem is definitely mechanical or maybe I need to make adjustments. My step is an Omnistor as opposed to the Thule version. Can anyone help please

Dave