Temperamental Thule "one small step"

[tigerblue]

My 3 year old Thule electric step only opens fully if I put some tension on it when closing and only fully retracts when the engine starts. Lube doesn't seem to help. Any ideas before I strip it all down would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Norfolk Nige]

My 3 year old Thule electric step only opens fully if I put some tension on it when closing and only fully retracts when the engine starts. Lube doesn't seem to help. Any ideas before I strip it all down would be greatly appreciated!

Have you tried jetting it out with a pressure washer. Ours did the same, it is pretty new but had got bunged with dirt thrown up from the road. Also used silicone spray to help free it

 

[Bobby-gg]

I think that I'd be stripping it down because after only three year's it shouldn't be having any issues.

My van is a 2009 and the step started struggling last year, after 13 years, when I stripped it down I found that the motor gears were starting to seize up and if I'd left it any longer I think it would of seized solid and would of probably stripped the gears.

It's really not a bad job to strip insitu, or even drop the step off completely and do it in the garage

 

[Lenny HB]

What have you been lubing it with?
If WD40 that tends to bugger them as bearing & runners are nylon & WD40 makes nylon swell.

 

[tigerblue]

Have you tried jetting it out with a pressure washer. Ours did the same, it is pretty new but had got bunged with dirt thrown up from the road. Also used silicone spray to help free it

I'll certainly give it another good pressure wash and lube to be sure but previous attempts haven't helped. Thanks for replying!