Daily Archives: February 15, 2015
Two Weeks From Today . . .
Yesterday it suddenly dawned on me that we leave for Tucson, two weeks from today. That’s March 1st, TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!
YIKES! That’s a real scary thought.
My ‘To-Do List to Do Before We Leave’ seems to be getting longer, not shorter.
First up, I changed out the windshield wipers on the truck, using the same Rain-X wipers I used two years ago. Previously I replaced my wipers every year, but I’ve found that these Rain-X Latitude Wiper Blade – 21″ (Pack of 1) with the graphite-infused rubber, last a lot longer than other blades. And even this time I only replaced them ‘just because’, since they still weren’t streaking, and the rubber wasn’t ragged and worn like you would expect after two years.
The Denso blades I ordered from Amazon for the rig should be in on Tuesday, so that’s up next.
Next up I was back on the step motor problem. Using the test leads I made up last night, I put 12v directly to the motor, with the only result a spark when I touched the terminal. So I figured I’d take it out and have a look. Pretty easy, I just removed the 4 corner nuts and it came right out.
Then I removed the 3 screws holding the motor to the gear box and pulled it apart. This is where I was this time last year when I replaced the linkage arm, which had broken off. Replacing a Broken Step Motor Linkage.
I thought maybe the gearbox was jammed, but without the motor attached, everything moved freely. I was happy to see, that unlike newer models that have plastic, easily stripped gears, everything in mine is all metal.
When I first tested the motor earlier and thought it was bad, I had checked online, and found replacements were anywhere from $161 to $238. Ouch!
So figuring I had nothing to lose, I checked the motor by itself.
And it worked fine! WTH!
Thinking there must be a problem somewhere, I put it all back together and tried it again.
And it still worked.
Now I was confused. Why hadn’t it worked before, or even better, why had it stopped working to begin with?
So I crawled back under the rig, and reinstall the motor/gearbox combo.
And it still worked fine.
I glad it’s fixed, and I’m certainly glad I didn’t have to spend a bunch of money, but it always bothers me when I don’t know why something quit working, or why it started again. That usually means the original problem is still lurking in the background, just waiting to jump out and say “BOO”!
Jan said it was probably lonely under there, and just wanted to be held. I guess that’s as good a reason as any.
Just in case I left the step set so that it goes in and out every time we open and close the door, so I can keep an eye on it. I’d rather it fail now than when we’re back on the road.
Finally, as I was working on this, I keep thinking that the motor looked awfully familiar.
And then I remembered where I’d seen something like it. A few years ago I had to replace the power window regulator (lifting mechanism) in our 2004 Dodge Dakota, and this motor looked a lot like that motor.
So I went back on line, and found that most of the motors used in Kwikee steps are Ford Taurus power window motors, and you can buy them at AutoZone for $40. The only difference is the power connector, which you just cut off the old motor.
So now I know for next time.
Although we had planned to eat in tonight, I decided we should go out and spend some of the money I just saved us, so about 4:30 we headed up to Webster to eat at King Food.
Along the way, we checked out the new RV Park that’s going up at SR 96 and Hwy 3 in League City. We driven past a week or so ago, but the entrance was blocked off. But today it was open, so we drove through it.
This is going to be a very nice park, with all-concrete roads and pads and looks be more than 100 sites.
It has a mixture of both back-in and pull-thru sites, a nice pool, and it’s built around a big lake. The sites are on 3 sides of the lake but the road goes all the way around.
Everything looks ready to go, except for the clubhouse, which has plywood on the doors.
The one funny thing about the operation is that there is not a sign anywhere giving the name of the park, or when it will open. But hopefully we’ll know something before we leave the area.
Since Galveston Bay RV Park seems determined to start pricing their way out of our comfort zone, I ask Jan it she could live here, and she said, “YES”.
So we’ll see.
Thought for the Day:
If history teaches us anything it’s that history rarely teaches us anything.
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