Just got to Washington state from Alaska and noticed today at border crossing that the pneumatic entry step is not going up with engine on and door closed. Magnetic reed switch is working and it has 60 psi going to cylinders. Tried to lift step and it hardly budges, so I would assume cylinders are in good shape and that it isn't getting signal to close. Any ideas on what to check next and how can I keep stair in closed position until fixed? I could turn regulator down to relieve downward pressure, but how do I keep the stair up after that.
Make sure the magnetic switch is working properly. You can even manually jumper the switch at the terminal contacts.
John M.
Not sure if this will work or not but you could try a small magnet to close the contacts.
I checked the reed switch. It has continuity when door closed and doesn't have it when door open. Even tried jumping it to be sure but no go.
Maybe a broken wire to the norgren valve.
I know our GV step is entirely different, but it operates on the same principal. We lost our air step function one time early in our ownership. Turned out to be a faulty ground wire going to the same Norgren solenoid valve mentioned by Craneman (above). The wire was not tied down, and due to vibration finally broke clean off at the point of connection to the grounding point (a sheet metal screw).
Was able to take the wire connector that goes into the valve apart to verify if it was getting 12 volts and it is, so I guess I have a bad solenoid valve. Is this something that can be repaired or do I need to buy a new one? How can I keep step up in the mean time, so I can drive?
You can have 12V power going in, but still have a bad ground wire. No ground - no circuit - no workee.
You can adjust the step air pressure regulator so it won't open and send pressure to the step. Bleed the pressure off the cylinders, then close the step, and hold it closed with wire or duct tape.
REMEMBER it is NOT there when you go out the door!
Try these threads for a lead on the solenoid valve(s) part number:
Entry step/step cover solenoid/norgren valve (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28407)
Step Step/Cover Solenoid Part (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=37109.msg355246#msg355246)
Leaking norgren control valve (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=36028.msg340256#msg340256)
Temp fix is to swap the valve to the step slide for now
I was thinking that maybe I could try to tee off the step well cover valve solenoid temporarily and when I close the step well it will close the step. Since I almost always use step well when underway this should work for temp fix. Do you'all think this will work?
It should work until you get time to repair it.
I teed of the step well cover air lines and the step air lines together and now my steps go up when the step well cover is out. Unfortunately the two brass tees (that's all they had) that I got from NAPA cost $40, almost half of what the replacement valve will be. O well, I guess I will have some extra tees for the emergency repair kit. Now I just need to get a butt connector to connect the two supply lines together, so I can remove the step valve and see if I can repair it. Didn't think about that until I had it all together and started to take off the valve and realized I would need to connect the two supply lines together. As they say no project is complete without a least two trips to the store. :)
I finally got to test the solenoid and found the coil was bad. Called Norgren (now called IMI Precision Engineering) and they no longer make the coil or solenoid. They did send me the coil for the new solenoid which worked with some minor modifications. I had to rewire it to fit the bigger spade connectors on the new coil, as the old one was mini spade connectors. Then had to get a longer screw and some washers to hold the coil onto the solenoid body. The coil was part # 54469-01 coil, 22mm, 12VDC. Cost $24.83 plus tax and shipping. Much cheaper than a new solenoid. Step is working now with ignition. Thanks for everyone's help.