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PowerSteps Stuck in Down Position

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Old Jul 30, 2020 | 09:36 PM
  #1  
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PowerSteps Stuck in Down Position

Gents, why are my PowerSteps mostly staying in the down position? It's only on the passenger side..They react and go up once I open and close a door on the passenger side but returns back down. What's the fix?
 
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Old Jul 30, 2020 | 09:46 PM
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This just happened to mine last week. The problem 99% of the time is gunked up pivots/road debris. What I did was drop the step, put a drain pan under the hinge and SOAK IT with WD40. Helps flush out any crud and and helps free up anything in the way. After really soaking, i used the air compressor and blew out the hinges. The amount of crap that came out surprised me. After soaking down the hinges and cleaning everything out, wiped down all the mess and then i applied a quality lube to all 4 pivot points on each hinge. I used this stuff. Works well on heim joints as well :
https://www.amazon.com/SUPERIOR-LUBE-TRI-FLOW-DRIP-BOTTLE/dp/B0015VD03M/ref=asc_df_B0015VD03M/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312070810048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14189695205525636289&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003579&hvtargid=pla-569330388688&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/SUPERIOR-LUBE-TRI-FLOW-DRIP-BOTTLE/dp/B0015VD03M/ref=asc_df_B0015VD03M/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312070810048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14189695205525636289&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003579&hvtargid=pla-569330388688&psc=1

EDIT: I used almost an entire can of WD40 on just my passenger side. I would really soak the pivots, open and close the door a bunch, soak some more and repeat. I was also using my foot to assist the step up at first until it free'd up enough that it would go up on its own. After talking to my girlfriend's father (40+ year master ASE Ford Tech) he said these steps require periodic maintenance. I didnt realize this, my Amp Research powersteps never required maintenance in 5 years.
 
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Old Jul 31, 2020 | 02:36 PM
  #3  
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Originally Posted by Absoluteblack2018
This just happened to mine last week. The problem 99% of the time is gunked up pivots/road debris. What I did was drop the step, put a drain pan under the hinge and SOAK IT with WD40. Helps flush out any crud and and helps free up anything in the way. After really soaking, i used the air compressor and blew out the hinges. The amount of crap that came out surprised me. After soaking down the hinges and cleaning everything out, wiped down all the mess and then i applied a quality lube to all 4 pivot points on each hinge. I used this stuff. Works well on heim joints as well : https://www.amazon.com/SUPERIOR-LUBE...30388688&psc=1

EDIT: I used almost an entire can of WD40 on just my passenger side. I would really soak the pivots, open and close the door a bunch, soak some more and repeat. I was also using my foot to assist the step up at first until it free'd up enough that it would go up on its own. After talking to my girlfriend's father (40+ year master ASE Ford Tech) he said these steps require periodic maintenance. I didnt realize this, my Amp Research powersteps never required maintenance in 5 years.
Nice...I really appreciate the insight, this is exactly what I will do. I'll let you know the results!
 
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Old Jul 31, 2020 | 03:42 PM
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My dealer won't order a truck with power steps unless front mudflaps are installed
 
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Old Jul 31, 2020 | 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by helifixer
My dealer won't order a truck with power steps unless front mudflaps are installed
I wish there were decent mudflaps for trucks with large tires!
 
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Old Jul 31, 2020 | 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Motor Head
I wish there were decent mudflaps for trucks with large tires!
Check out Trigger Industries. They make so really nice mudflaps.

Yea typically the motor won’t go bad, it’s just gunk’d up with debris. This was a common problem on earlier fords that had the powersteps as well. My girlfriends dad said he’s only had to replace a hinge/motor a couple of times in all the years working on them. Usually frees up like new then once cleared just add it to the list of periodic lube points.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 06:22 AM
  #7  
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From: Greene, NY
Originally Posted by Absoluteblack2018
This just happened to mine last week. The problem 99% of the time is gunked up pivots/road debris. What I did was drop the step, put a drain pan under the hinge and SOAK IT with WD40. Helps flush out any crud and and helps free up anything in the way. After really soaking, i used the air compressor and blew out the hinges. The amount of crap that came out surprised me. After soaking down the hinges and cleaning everything out, wiped down all the mess and then i applied a quality lube to all 4 pivot points on each hinge. I used this stuff. Works well on heim joints as well : https://www.amazon.com/SUPERIOR-LUBE...30388688&psc=1

EDIT: I used almost an entire can of WD40 on just my passenger side. I would really soak the pivots, open and close the door a bunch, soak some more and repeat. I was also using my foot to assist the step up at first until it free'd up enough that it would go up on its own. After talking to my girlfriend's father (40+ year master ASE Ford Tech) he said these steps require periodic maintenance. I didnt realize this, my Amp Research powersteps never required maintenance in 5 years.
This. I'm in CNY.. and on a partial dirt road.. they get gritted up and need a little lube. Then they work fine again for 6months to a year..

And these ARE Amp steps, just licensed to Ford.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2020 | 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Xwild
This. I'm in CNY.. and on a partial dirt road.. they get gritted up and need a little lube. Then they work fine again for 6months to a year..

And these ARE Amp steps, just licensed to Ford.
I wonder if they’re a different grade of Amp Steps. I’ve owned and installed 2 sets of Amp Research steps, the hinges are completely different and motor sound/setup is different. Both of my Amp steps didn’t have the rod that goes from the motorized hinge side to the non powered one.

The second set of amp steps I had on my last truck were on there for 5 years before I sold the truck and I never lubed or cleaned the hinges and never had a issue with the steps not deploying or retracting. That’s why I was a little confused after 2 years the steps on my platinum started to act up lol. This is also daily driven 365 days a year through northeast rotbelt awesomeness haha.
 
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Old Aug 3, 2020 | 02:24 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Absoluteblack2018
This just happened to mine last week. The problem 99% of the time is gunked up pivots/road debris.

EDIT: I used almost an entire can of WD40 on just my passenger side. I would really soak the pivots, open and close the door a bunch, soak some more and repeat. I was also using my foot to assist the step up at first until it free'd up enough that it would go up on its own. After talking to my girlfriend's father (40+ year master ASE Ford Tech) he said these steps require periodic maintenance. I didnt realize this, my Amp Research powersteps never required maintenance in 5 years.
Gave it the beans with WD-40 today...I could tell that I need an air compressor though. I had some mud stuck on the joints. We will see next week if that was the fix, if not I'll do another can WITH compressed air right behind it.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2020 | 10:48 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Absoluteblack2018
Check out Trigger Industries. They make so really nice mudflaps.

Yea typically the motor won’t go bad, it’s just gunk’d up with debris. This was a common problem on earlier fords that had the powersteps as well. My girlfriends dad said he’s only had to replace a hinge/motor a couple of times in all the years working on them. Usually frees up like new then once cleared just add it to the list of periodic lube points.
They cost a pretty penny, but it may be the option I go with. Anyways, a week later and my PowerSteps are operating the way they should! I still want to get in there with compressed air and lube those puppies up.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2020 | 11:28 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Motor Head
They cost a pretty penny, but it may be the option I go with. Anyways, a week later and my PowerSteps are operating the way they should! I still want to get in there with compressed air and lube those puppies up.
Glad to hear everything worked out! Mine definitely freed up completely as well. Live and learn, just something to add to the list

Also the prices you see on their site are in Canadian Dollars, so actually they aren’t too bad once you convert to USD. Love when the conversion rate works in our favor haha. Considering switching out the flimsy OEM ford ones for these.
 
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Old Aug 6, 2020 | 11:31 PM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Absoluteblack2018
Glad to hear everything worked out! Mine definitely freed up completely as well. Live and learn, just something to add to the list

Also the prices you see on their site are in Canadian Dollars, so actually they aren’t too bad once you convert to USD. Love when the conversion rate works in our favor haha. Considering switching out the flimsy OEM ford ones for these.
For sure. The OEMs get the job done but the triggers look better and are wider.
 
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