1986 TMC 102A3 - To keep or not to keep: retractable step

jraynor · September 26, 2018, 05:31:53 PM

Hello everyone,

As I have been working to remove items that I no longer need from the front junction box, I have come to the retractable step. Now when I got my bus I never knew it had a step. It has the switch but there is no physical step that extends or retracts as I assume someone ripped it off with their awesome driving ability. An air line is still there as I have looked under it in my question to figure the switch out.

So the question is, would it be worth to put one back under there or are they more trouble than they are worth as far as things failing/needing cleaning. The only thing I have worked on so far would be the electrical connections

Let me know what y'all think. I think it would be cool and useful to have but then again, I haven't even had the experience of having it so I won't know what I'm missing out on

Geoff · September 26, 2018, 06:02:50 PM

My RTS came with a kneeling feature, which I kept when I converted over to to electric air bag controls. If I want to lower the front end for a low stepwell, I simply hit the front air bag deflate toggle switch.

If manual air bag leveling is in your future, you may want to forget about the steps.

BTW, I retained the the factory air bag levelers, while having an override for electric camping levelers.

jraynor · September 26, 2018, 06:09:24 PM

Quote from: Geoff on September 26, 2018, 06:02:50 PM
My RTS came with a kneeling feature, which I kept when I converted over to to electric air bag controls. If I want to lower the front end for a low stepwell, I simply hit the front air bag deflate toggle switch.

If manual air bag leveling is in your future, you may want to forget about the steps.

BTW, I retained the the factory air bag levelers, while having an override for electric camping levelers.

I plan to do the same with the levelers on the bus for camping. My bus didn't come with the kneeling feature so it's either a retractable step or a big step when aired up

sledhead · September 27, 2018, 04:23:30 AM

I had one and it worked but that was only when the bus system was on so not used when camping . because it used air to go in and out after a short time the air would leak out and it would slowly retract on it's own and that made it unsafe . I did remove it and never mist it

replaced with this

https://www.amazon.ca/Quick-Products-QP-ASS101-Platform-X-Large/dp/B01M7UX47P/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1538047344&sr=8-4&keywords=camper+step

dave

jraynor · September 27, 2018, 04:43:14 AM

Quote from: sledhead on September 27, 2018, 04:23:30 AM
I had one and it worked but that was only when the bus system was on so not used when camping . because it used air to go in and out after a short time the air would leak out and it would slowly retract on it's own and that made it unsafe . I did remove it and never mist it

replaced with this

https://www.amazon.ca/Quick-Products-QP-ASS101-Platform-X-Large/dp/B01M7UX47P/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1538047344&sr=8-4&keywords=camper+step

dave

So it retracts on its own with low air? that may be the deciding factor unless I put a valve that I can turn off when we reach the campsite to keep its air up

buswarrior · September 27, 2018, 05:25:08 AM

Retractible steps were a menace.

Scrap it.

They broke more ankles, legs and faces, as the air goes away, the support for the step went away, step on it going downhill, you fall on your face, if you are lucky. It was spaced wrong, so passengers fell off them even when working correctly.

Then there's the loss of under step area, which you need to swing the front of the coach over the curb in many urban situations, to make a turn.

Suspension lowering "kneeling" systems are a FAR SUPERIOR way to get that last step down to an easier climb.

Old bus drivers had a step stool made, wide base, wooden... and if you forgot it, you often ran it over to remind you...

A light dog chain lead attached to the last grab handle in the stairway meant you couldn't close the door without bringing it in to the stairwell...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

jraynor · September 27, 2018, 05:44:28 AM

Quote from: buswarrior on September 27, 2018, 05:25:08 AM
Retractible steps were a menace.

Scrap it.

They broke more ankles, legs and faces, as the air goes away, the support for the step went away, step on it going downhill, you fall on your face, if you are lucky. It was spaced wrong, so passengers fell off them even when working correctly.

Then there's the loss of under step area, which you need to swing the front of the coach over the curb in many urban situations, to make a turn.

Suspension lowering "kneeling" systems are a FAR SUPERIOR way to get that last step down to an easier climb.

Old bus drivers had a step stool made, wide base, wooden... and if you forgot it, you often ran it over to remind you...

A light dog chain lead attached to the last grab handle in the stairway meant you couldn't close the door without bringing it in to the stairwell...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

And that's why I asked this forum. Great answers from experienced drivers and owners.

I will move forward this weekend of removing all associated wiring and parts that went with this step. It will removed quite a few connections in the junction box as well as items from under the front of the bus

chessie4905 · September 28, 2018, 05:39:45 AM

These are quite popular with rv owners. The adjustability makes it work with a variety of step sizes and splayed legs make it quite sturdy. Available at several sites.

bigred · September 28, 2018, 06:40:20 PM

I have been thinking about checking into having one installed on my Preavy .It could sure use one at times!

jraynor · September 28, 2018, 07:14:07 PM

Quote from: bigred on September 28, 2018, 06:40:20 PM
I have been thinking about checking into having one installed on my Preavy .It could sure use one at times!

I've been working to remove mine today. Pulled the wire from the junction box to the spare tire bay and from where it connects to the relay and air valve. Issue I'm having right now is determining why a wire splits off to the shifter. I plan to cut open the wire harness tomorrow as it got dark on me today. I would have imagined that this harness was complete by itself but it may just be reading a position from the park brake to do an auto retract. But I'd hate for it to affect the wiring of other items from me ripping it out. Just another fun aspect of taking out old systems from the bus

buswarrior · September 29, 2018, 06:07:40 AM

Yes, there were interlocks to prevent deployment when underway.

Be careful how you terminate that... unintended performance or lack there of...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

blue_goose · September 30, 2018, 05:23:15 AM

I like the step on my 102C3. When the air goes out the step is locked out with a pin. When you take the parking brake off the step will come in and won't go out unless the brake is off.
Jack

luvrbus · September 30, 2018, 06:16:37 AM

Those steps are good if the PO hasn't hit a curb with it and done the maintenance keeping it clean and lubed

sledhead · September 30, 2018, 09:58:42 AM

mine never had a lock on it that I knew about . the day I decided to remove it was when DW fell because the step moved in from lack of air when she stepped on it . it was on the bus for about a year after conversion before this . I plugged the air line and cut out all the step mechanism and capped the wires ( but did not remove )

no more step rub on uneven ground

dave