Broken Clevis Pin on Steps

[jpmihalk]

Just wanted to give a warning about the clevis pin holding the motor arm to the steps on Lippert Kwikee steps. This past weekend, we had a situation where we had to do an emergency disconnect of our toad. On the way out of the door the step (we have a single step) hadn't quite fully extended yet when I hit the step, and I heard a popping sound. Once we stopped for the night, I noticed that the step was moving freely but since it was dark, we just waited until morning to check it.

Upon inspection, I noticed the clevis pin that should have been through the arm was dangling from the step bracket and was bent severely. After removing it, it looks like the clevis pin had been worn and the cotter pin that should have held it fully in place (going through both sides of the bracket and the motor arm) was worn away to a smooth edge to match the clevis pin.

Replacing it was easy but finding a clevis pin of sufficient length wasn't. Going to Home Depot and looking through their bins of clevis pins we only found one of sufficient length that had multiple cotter pin positions. That didn't look very solid but it was all we could find. So be warned that the pins do wear and you should probably inspect that area fairly often when you lubricate it.

I plan to keep a few extras on hand just in case.

[Bob Denman]

In a pinch: could you use a bolt as a temporary replacement?
If so: what size would it need to be?

[jpmihalk]

I do think a bolt would work but it would be such a small diameter bolt that I don't know how much weight it would bear. I did think about that but didn't have any smaller bolts on hand either.

[John & Diane]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

In a pinch: could you use a bolt as a temporary replacement?
If so: what size would it need to be?

When the pin on our step broke a few years ago, I used a 1/4" x 2'' stainless steel bolt with a lock nut. The lock nut used was the type with a nylon insert. I had it off recently when working on the step motor and the are no signs of wear.