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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: dans96u295ft on February 17, 2020, 11:48:05 am

Title: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: dans96u295ft on February 17, 2020, 11:48:05 am
The slide to cover the steps when traveling has never worked since I bought this last October. Is it really needed? The air valves are still under the coach for it but the rams are gone. I can manually pull it out when needed. Just wondering
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on February 17, 2020, 11:53:52 am
I'd say that is up to your copilot...what is their opinion?
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: DavidS on February 17, 2020, 11:54:27 am
The slide to cover the steps when traveling has never worked since I bought this last October. Is it really needed? The air valves are still under the coach for it but the rams are gone. I can manually pull it out when needed. Just wondering

Preference.. We put it out when we have the Grand baby and my wife uses it to step on when traveling.. Some close it while parked to keep the cold out.. So we use it every trip..
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: craneman on February 17, 2020, 11:56:47 am
DW says it shuts some of the road noise off, and with small dogs loose it is closed when traveling.
Do you have a way to see if the PO still has the rams?
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: Don & Tys on February 17, 2020, 12:08:35 pm
If the ram is gone (unlike the OEM drop down step which has two, there is only one ram on the step cover...), you should be able to slide it out manually by hand unless someone has locked it down somehow.
Don
The slide to cover the steps when traveling has never worked since I bought this last October. Is it really needed? The air valves are still under the coach for it but the rams are gone. I can manually pull it out when needed. Just wondering
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: craneman on February 17, 2020, 12:29:03 pm
Seeing as this topic has come up, my brothers Monaco uses an electric actuator for the step cover and I like that idea. Saddlesore put actuators on his bed, so I am sure something could be done to put one on your missing ram.
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: Chris m lang on February 17, 2020, 06:42:08 pm
Chuck, I think the linear slide are the way to go,  you can get just about any length with about any amount of force you want.
There are several brands available— google linear slides. They come with gear drive and belt drive
Chris
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: craneman on February 17, 2020, 06:54:16 pm
It is now on the long list of upgrades.
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: John Morales on February 18, 2020, 04:49:10 am
Chuck, I think the linear slide are the way to go,  you can get just about any length with about any amount of force you want.
There are several brands available— google linear slides. They come with gear drive and belt drive
Chris
Its on our list of upgrades along with the flip up step. Less air leaks to worry about too.
John M.
Title: Re: inside air stairwell slide repair
Post by: tothetrail on February 18, 2020, 02:19:40 pm
Yes, I'd do whatever you can to use something other than air.  That thing scares everyone when it's deployed.  So I rarely pull it out.  After re-insulating under the steps (with the same foam used to re-do the generator compartment,) it was eerily quiet in the coach.  The old stuff was barely hanging on, and apparently, not doing much for sound control.  Never thought about closing that to keep the cold out or more noise out, but will have to try it.