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Old 07-17-2016, 02:07 AM   #1
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Dutchman stair issues

Any Dutchman owners have had issues with the Lippert folding stairs.

I purchased our 261BHS 3 years ago new. The stairs were very stiff but movable. I took it in 2 times and talked about this issues. I was
then told they need to break in....

Today they are next to non-moveable. I tried all the sprays etc,
but no luck.

I am at the point to replace them @ 175 each.

Just curious if others seen this.
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Old 07-17-2016, 02:10 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gazingm42 View Post
Any Dutchman owners have had issues with the Lippert folding stairs.

I purchased our 261BHS 3 years ago new. The stairs were very stiff but movable. I took it in 2 times and talked about this issues. I was
then told they need to break in....

Today they are next to non-moveable. I tried all the sprays etc,
but no luck.

I am at the point to replace them @ 175 each.

Just curious if others seen this.
See if you can Kroil spray worked for mine. They were very stiff but now fold up easy.
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Old 07-17-2016, 02:30 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by chily3 View Post
See if you can Kroil spray worked for mine. They were very stiff but now fold up easy.
I will try Kroil, I used about 5 or 6 others with no luck.
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Old 07-17-2016, 06:08 AM   #4
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I used Honey Goo on the nuts and bolts on the TV. I was skeptical that it would work, the stuff sprays like honey and starts to bubble away on the rust. Only needed to use the breaker-bar on the caster bolts.

If the stairs go unused they do tend to tighten, I hear they also don't like to smack into a stump. Mind you that's only rumor, I have no first hand knowledge of that.
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Old 07-17-2016, 11:52 AM   #5
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Kroil is good stuff, I have used it for years when nothing else would work.

Aaron
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Old 07-18-2016, 05:42 PM   #6
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I ordered some Kroil yesterday. I could not find any locally so
had to order from Amazon. Since it a chemical it will take a week
or so to get here.

I did have some improvement yesterday by take one of the
plethora of penetration oils I have in the trailer. I sprayed each
and every joint until it was no way they had no oil on them. Then
was able to move a little easier. But still a little stiff. I think I need
several applications.

I truly will not know how sucessful the plan is until I pull the trailer
out. As it parked on the side of the house with about 4" between the trailer and house.
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Old 07-18-2016, 05:58 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gazingm42 View Post
I ordered some Kroil yesterday. I could not find any locally so
had to order from Amazon. Since it a chemical it will take a week
or so to get here.

I did have some improvement yesterday by take one of the
plethora of penetration oils I have in the trailer. I sprayed each
and every joint until it was no way they had no oil on them. Then
was able to move a little easier. But still a little stiff. I think I need
several applications.

I truly will not know how sucessful the plan is until I pull the trailer
out. As it parked on the side of the house with about 4" between the trailer and house.
A little trick I learned many years ago when dealing with stuck stuff. Use your favorite penetrating lubricate and then smack the offending parts with a hammer. The hammer smack helps to open the stuck parts so the penetrate can flow to where it needs to go.
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Old 07-18-2016, 06:30 PM   #8
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Use your favorite penetrating lubricate and then smack the offending parts with a hammer. The hammer smack helps to open the stuck parts so the penetrate can flow to where it needs to go.
That works too, for something light weight like the stairs you don't want to smack it to hard. For the stairs I would use the 2 hammer method of smacking it. One hammer for doing the smacking and one providing support on the opposite side.

I haven't had to resort to that method for the stairs, when they start getting sticky out comes the old school oil can, a shot at each pivot and work it in. It usually frees up with one application. When I have to work at it over a couple of days, that means I've been ignoring the maintenance on them for awhile.
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Old 07-18-2016, 06:35 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by hddecker View Post
That works too, for something light weight like the stairs you don't want to smack it to hard. For the stairs I would use the 2 hammer method of smacking it. One hammer for doing the smacking and one providing support on the opposite side.

I haven't had to resort to that method for the stairs, when they start getting sticky out comes the old school oil can, a shot at each pivot and work it in. It usually frees up with one application. When I have to work at it over a couple of days, that means I've been ignoring the maintenance on them for awhile.
Hddecker,

I have had this trailer for 3 years (purchased new) and from day one we had stairs issues. I have tried several of the different oils
and powered to free them up. Even took it to the dealer when in
warranty 2 times. They just shoved me under the rug telling me
me they need to break in.

While the are gotten worst, I not a 100% they were not defective.
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Old 07-18-2016, 06:47 PM   #10
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I'm starting to think that one (or more) of the pivot points is causing the most problem. I say that because it just wouldn't make sense that ALL of the pivot points would be immune to the extraordinary attempts that you have made to address this.

Does your steps have 1 single fold\up and fold\out articulation? Or is it a two-step procedure? The reason I ask is if it is a 2-step procedure, are both "folds" equally stiff?

If it turns out it IS one really bad joint\pivot behind the issue, maybe it could be drilled out and re-fastened?
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:24 PM   #11
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They are very tight fitting joints and will remain so until they are opened and closed enough to start to wear them down some. Until that happens they need to be lubricated frequently. I just coated mine again with white lithium spray after using a penetrating oil. My preference is "Blue Creeper". https://www.bluecreeper.com/ It only takes a drop or two to dissolve any rust in the joints. After getting it moving by opening and closing, then use a lube that will "stick" I like with lithium and the spray molly with graphite. EZ Slide is outstanding for remaining in place once applied.

https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Slide-Aero...Slide+Graphite
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Old 07-18-2016, 07:35 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by gazingm42 View Post
Hddecker,

I have had this trailer for 3 years (purchased new) and from day one we had stairs issues. I have tried several of the different oils
and powered to free them up. Even took it to the dealer when in
warranty 2 times. They just shoved me under the rug telling me
me they need to break in.

While the are gotten worst, I not a 100% they were not defective.
When you get the camper pulled out, check to see if the stairs are binding because they have been bent. They don't need much of a hit to bend them so they bind.

They could have taken a hit one the dealers lot, or when it was being delivered to the dealer.

I barely caught the edge of a tree stump with the back stairs, there wasn't a mark on stump, but the stair got bent just enough to make them bind. The good news is didn't take much adjusting, (8 pound sledge for support and a 3 pound dead blow hammer) to get them back to being reasonably straight and stop the binding.
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Old 07-18-2016, 08:28 PM   #13
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I truly will not know how successful the plan is until I pull the trailer
out. As it parked on the side of the house with about 4" between the trailer and house.
I would wait until you can pull it out and get full action from the steps. That way can work the Kroil in there. This stuff really is amazing. Yesterday was working on some bolt together track at the Calif. RR museum and the replacement bolts had been left outside in the rain. Took the kroil and sprayed them a bunch then work the nuts back and forth a few times to free them up.
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Old 07-18-2016, 09:34 PM   #14
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My steps haven't loosened up much in two years and various oils.
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Old 07-18-2016, 11:04 PM   #15
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My steps haven't loosened up much in two years and various oils.
Mine was extremely tight the only thing that loosened them up was the Kroil. It is not an oil but highly good penetrating product. And it works wonders on rust.
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Old 07-18-2016, 11:33 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by snakebitten View Post
I'm starting to think that one (or more) of the pivot points is causing the most problem. I say that because it just wouldn't make sense that ALL of the pivot points would be immune to the extraordinary attempts that you have made to address this.

Does your steps have 1 single fold\up and fold\out articulation? Or is it a two-step procedure? The reason I ask is if it is a 2-step procedure, are both "folds" equally stiff?

If it turns out it IS one really bad joint\pivot behind the issue, maybe it could be drilled out and re-fastened?
Snakebitten,

I have a 3 step model 1774401 on both front and rear of the RV. I indicated they both have been very stiff from day one. But the last step or bottom step moves out much easier. Look at those pivots circled in red, I don't see much differences of the pivots from the bottom stairs to the other points.

The rear stairs did get smacked from the front, we believe by our
landlord at the time 2 years ago. We were storing it on his 5 acre lot in a grass field by itself. Between 2 trips when the grass got mowed it got hit. So that frame of the stairs is bent. But it seems
to be the better of the 2.

My daughter and I went out and spayed more penetration oil on all
the pivot points. Seems to be helping to get it moving easier than it ever has. But still nothing like the new ones on the RV on the RV yards.


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Old 07-28-2016, 02:17 AM   #17
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Kroil Oil Rocks!

Well I went on a war path using PB blaster penetration oil several days in a row. It help a bit but still was hard to move. I read about Kroil oil that it was amazing stuff. I had to order it online and took about 8 or 10 days to get here.

When the temps outside dropped below a 100 I went out there and with one application it resolved the issue! I can now move the stairs with one hand.
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Old 07-28-2016, 02:34 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by gazingm42 View Post
Well I went on a war path using PB blaster penetration oil several days in a row. It help a bit but still was hard to move. I read about Kroil oil that it was amazing stuff. I had to order it online and took about 8 or 10 days to get here.

When the temps outside dropped below a 100 I went out there and with one application it resolved the issue! I can now move the stairs with one hand.
Glad it worked for you. Our forum is a great place.
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Old 07-28-2016, 02:34 AM   #19
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Man, what's in that stuff? Lol

That's great news!
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Old 07-28-2016, 02:44 AM   #20
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Man, what's in that stuff? Lol

That's great news!
IMHO it the best perpetrating stuff on the market
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