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08-31-2016, 11:24 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 10
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Auto steps hit ground or are very close
So everyone please bear with me as we bought our first RV this weekend. So all of this is new to me. When we open the door the stairs go out, but if you are parked on grass the stairs actually hit the ground first and won't extend all the way out. Even when parked on pavement, they are very close to the ground. I am wondering if this is normal? To me it appears wrong. I honestly can't understand why the third step is there to begin with. Is it because they need to have the last stair as support for the stair system? I can tell the bottom step is slightly bent and perhaps I simply need to fix that, but it is only slightly bent and to me it appears like they get just too close to the ground. Any help on this is appreciated. We are working on one small thing at a time until we get all the kinks worked out of the unit. Oh BTW it is a 2011 FR Georgetown 327DS.
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08-31-2016, 05:46 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 507
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At times depending on how lever we are our's will come real close.. How is it after you hit the auto level and the coach has leveled out?
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364 Georgetown 2016
in Montana
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08-31-2016, 05:49 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Holland, MI
Posts: 114
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When you level the unit, the bottom step could be off the ground much further than without the leveling. On a recent trip, a "level looking" site had the front wheels off the ground and that bottom step was really needed.
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08-31-2016, 05:51 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 507
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I will say at times we have been in spots where we use our helper step because 4 were needed
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364 Georgetown 2016
in Montana
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09-01-2016, 01:39 PM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 26
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when motorhome is on level ground stairs should not hit
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09-01-2016, 01:49 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 657
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2x Phil
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2014 Georgetown 378 XL
Toyota Prius on dolly.
Full time since 2014
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09-01-2016, 01:55 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 25
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Is there a way to disable the steps
We have a FR Sunseeker 2400w and on several occasions when street parking we've discovered that the curbs are too high and our step hits when it goes out. I was wondering if there is a way to disable the steps when you are parallel street parking.
Thanks
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09-01-2016, 01:59 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
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No switch will accomplish that but you easily pull a fuse.
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09-01-2016, 04:22 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sunriver, Oregon
Posts: 502
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VinceU
No switch will accomplish that but you easily pull a fuse.
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I have a switch on mine that disable's the steps. Just inside the door.
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
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09-01-2016, 05:06 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Willis, TX
Posts: 548
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When I first bought my first new RV, I have to park it on the grass before the parking for the RV was put in.
When parking on the grass, the wheels sink a little into the soft ground which makes the steps not fully extended. I was very much worried at the time. But after the parking space is available, the steps seems working fine, and yes, mine was also very low to the ground, 5" from the bottom of the lowest step to the ground.
As far as turn off the switch, I do not have the "step disable switch" on my model, and I do not think that it is a good idea to have this switch because if you do so, the height of the coach floor to the street level is quite high, it will cause more harm than help if you turn it off and forgot about it when you open the door and walk out without thinking.
That said, I would not worry about the steps did not fully extend on the grass because it will automatically stop when it reach the grass, if did not hear the motor trying to force the step anyway, at least mine was working fine for couple weeks before I have asphalt the parking put in.
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Tam & Ha from Willis, TX
2016 Georgetown XL 352QS
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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09-01-2016, 07:02 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 138
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I had a concern on my FR3 with the stairs hitting objects like the curb outside my home. While my stairs are designed to stop when resistance is met, I wanted to have control myself.
Most stairs will extend when the engine is off and the screen door is opened and the coaches are delivered this way because of the 'walking out and not realizing' comment made earlier. But I still wanted this feature.
On mine, the magnet switch activated by the magnet on the door is closed with the door closed. So, a switch that bypasses/shorts the magnet switch will make the coach think the door is closed and retract the stairs. The factory lockout extended switch needs to be in the off position. For a slight margin of safety and not explaining my whole stair setup, I have two switches (serial) that need to be in the correct position to force the stairs in such that if anyone hits one of the switches while standing on the stairs, they will not have the stairs disappear.
When concerned that the stairs might hit something, I flip one of the switches and stand by on the other while opening the door to retract the stairs if necessary.
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2015 FR3 30DS
2010 Ford Escape Toad -or- 2012 Ford Focus Toad
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09-02-2016, 12:03 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Clinton
Posts: 154
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I wire a toggle switch between door magnets wire .
As at the border when they want come on board can't put steps out or the
Ferry we take to close to other vehicles
Don
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Georgetown 335DS 2013
Toad 2016 Ford Focus se
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09-02-2016, 05:26 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 52
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Wouldn't a separate magnet to the door frame magnet accomplish the same thing as a switch?
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2020 GT7 36K7 (on order and should be delivered soon)
2013 Georgetown 350 XL (sold)
2018 Ford Focus toad
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09-02-2016, 06:16 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Clinton
Posts: 154
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chill960
Wouldn't a separate magnet to the door frame magnet accomplish the same thing as a switch?
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No you switch the power off so steps stay in and no matter what going on.
It won't open till you switch it on. Had to put one on my previous MH
Don
__________________
Georgetown 335DS 2013
Toad 2016 Ford Focus se
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09-03-2016, 06:27 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Willis, TX
Posts: 548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donlock
No you switch the power off so steps stay in and no matter what going on.
It won't open till you switch it on. Had to put one on my previous MH
Don
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Hello Don,
Where about this switch is located in relation to the screen door or door?
Thank,
__________________
Tam & Ha from Willis, TX
2016 Georgetown XL 352QS
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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09-03-2016, 08:08 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Willis, TX
Posts: 548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tamdle
Hello Don,
Where about this switch is located in relation to the screen door or door?
Thank,
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Just look at my screen door and found the switch.
TL
__________________
Tam & Ha from Willis, TX
2016 Georgetown XL 352QS
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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09-03-2016, 10:28 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western New York State
Posts: 1,928
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On my Allegro I had a steps disconnect switch. One camping trip my son and his girl friend were stay over with us and my son woke up during the night to go to the bathroom. Since they were sleeping on the fold out sofa he decided he would use the "natural bathroom" outside. Someone flipped the step switch by mistake at 3:30 in the morning we hear this Whoaaaaa! as he takes a header out of the RV. Luck he wasn't hurt and that we could only laugh, but the point was made about the danger of the step dis-connect. Can't understand the need to turn the steps off.
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sherman12 and The Fabulous Miss Barb
2014 SportsCoach Cross Country 360DL DP
Former 2011 Georgetown 330TS
Kia Sportage on MasterTow Dolly
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09-03-2016, 10:51 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Wakefield,Ma
Posts: 64
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My Georgetown has a switch that keeps steps from closing when door is closed . When you start engine and door is closed ,stairs will close even when switch is engaged. The switch is only to keep stairs open when parked and engine off. Placing a magnet at bottom of door where mag switch is will keep stairs from opening. When parked to close to a curb or something real high this will work. But for uneven surface I will raise right side of coach with jacks in manual mode.
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Ron & Joanne
Bella The chihuahua
2014 Georgetown XL 377
2007 Jeep Liberty
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09-03-2016, 12:19 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Clinton
Posts: 154
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sherman12
On my Allegro I had a steps disconnect switch. One camping trip my son and his girl friend were stay over with us and my son woke up during the night to go to the bathroom. Since they were sleeping on the fold out sofa he decided he would use the "natural bathroom" outside. Someone flipped the step switch by mistake at 3:30 in the morning we hear this Whoaaaaa! as he takes a header out of the RV. Luck he wasn't hurt and that we could only laugh, but the point was made about the danger of the step dis-connect. Can't understand the need to turn the steps off.
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Why didn't, you have the steps locked out? This issue only happens when your in a tight close to curbs and other sistuations.
Don
__________________
Georgetown 335DS 2013
Toad 2016 Ford Focus se
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09-03-2016, 02:30 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Clinton
Posts: 154
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donlock
Why didn't, you have the steps locked out? This issue only happens when your in a tight close to curbs and other sistuations.
Don
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What I did was took a toggle switch , found the wiring to the magnet on screen door and put the switch on that line. And it locks the steps in. Make sure it's the
power line to the steps.
__________________
Georgetown 335DS 2013
Toad 2016 Ford Focus se
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