Chassis and Running Gear
RV Electric Entry Step Repair and Replacement
Typical range
$400 to $2,000
Shop hours
2 to 8
Labor rate
$260/hr
The short answer
Entry step service covers electric step motor and linkage replacement, control module diagnosis, manual step repair, and mounting bracket rebuild. Work runs $400 to $2,000, or 2 to 8 hours at $260 per hour plus parts, performed at our Yorba Linda facility.
01
What this work actually involves
An electric entry step is a simple machine in a hostile location. It hangs below the frame directly in the road spray path, it cycles thousands of times, and it carries the full weight of everyone who enters the coach. The failure sequence is usually mechanical before electrical: the linkage bushings wear, the step develops side-to-side slop, the extra travel loads the gearbox, and then the motor draws high current and either stalls or burns. Replacing the motor on a step with worn linkage buys a season at most.
Corrosion decides the timeline. On a coach that lives near the coast in Oceanside or Long Beach, salt film on the linkage pivots accelerates the wear dramatically, and the mounting bracket where the step hangs from the frame corrodes at the same time. On high desert units in Hesperia and Barstow the problem is grit driven into the pivots by wind, which acts as a grinding compound. Either way, the fix is the same: assess the linkage and the mount, not just the motor.
The control side is worth checking before condemning anything. Kwikee and Lippert steps use a controller that reads door position and ignition state, and a step that no longer retracts when the door closes is frequently a magnetic door switch or a corroded ground rather than a step problem at all. We check the switch, the ground, and the feed voltage under load first, because those are the cheapest things on the list and they are a large share of the failures.
Systems and brands we work on: Kwikee, Lippert.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- Electric step motor and gearbox replacement
- Linkage arm, bushing, and pivot pin replacement
- Control module and door switch diagnosis and replacement
- Feed voltage and ground circuit repair at the step
- Complete step assembly replacement in matching rise and width
- Mounting bracket repair, reinforcement, or fabrication where corroded
- Manual and folding step repair and replacement
- Step tread, skid surface, and step light replacement
- Corrosion treatment and coating of the mount and linkage hardware
- Cycle testing and adjustment for correct stowed and deployed position
03
When you need this service
- A step that no longer retracts when the entry door closes
- Side-to-side slop or wobble when weight is placed on the step
- A grinding, clicking, or straining motor during extension or retraction
- A step that stops partway through travel or needs help to complete it
- A step that drags on the ground or sits too high at the stowed position
- Visible corrosion at the mounting bracket or the frame attachment
- A step that deploys while driving or fails to deploy at a stop
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Electrical check first
Feed voltage under load, ground integrity, door switch state, and controller output verified before any mechanical component is condemned or ordered.
- 02
Linkage and mount inspection
Every pivot worked by hand and the mounting bracket inspected for corrosion and cracked welds. Slop in the linkage is what kills motors and it hides behind them.
- 03
Motor current measurement
Current draw measured through the cycle. A motor pulling high current on a stiff linkage is a symptom, and replacing it alone puts you back here next season.
- 04
Documented findings and options
Findings priced with a component repair and a complete assembly replacement quoted side by side, since on badly worn units the assembly is often the better value.
- 05
Repair or replacement
Motor, gearbox, linkage, or full assembly replaced, and the mounting bracket repaired, reinforced, or fabricated where corrosion has compromised it.
- 06
Corrosion treatment
Mount and hardware treated and coated, which is what determines whether the new step lasts three years or eight on a coastal coach.
- 07
Cycle test and adjust
Step cycled repeatedly with weight applied, stowed and deployed positions adjusted, and door switch retraction verified before delivery.
05
Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $400 to $2,000 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 2 to 8 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Mechanical and electrical labor | $260 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
07
Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Class A Gas Motorhomes
A Class A gas motorhome is a flat-front coach built on a Ford F53 or Workhorse front-engine chassis, typically 28 to 38 feet. Rear
Vehicle
Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhomes
A diesel pusher carries a rear-mounted diesel on a raised-rail air ride chassis, usually 34 to 45 feet with full-body paint and pa
Vehicle
Class C Motorhomes
A Class C is a coach body built onto a cutaway van chassis with a sleeping or storage cabover extending above the factory cab. Tha
Vehicle
Travel Trailers
A travel trailer tows from a ball hitch behind the tow vehicle rear axle on an A-frame tongue, which makes it the most sway-prone
Vehicle
Standard Fifth Wheels
A fifth wheel couples to a hitch in the truck bed through a kingpin and pin box, with a raised forward bedroom over the truck. The
Vehicle
Toy Hauler Fifth Wheels
A toy hauler fifth wheel carries a cargo garage behind the axles with a full-height rear ramp door. Load behind the axle centerlin
08
Questions about entry step replacement, kwikee and lippert
Frequently asked questions
How much does RV step replacement cost?
Step work runs $400 to $2,000, or 2 to 8 hours at $260 per hour plus parts. Replacing a door switch or repairing a corroded ground sits near the low end. A complete assembly replacement plus fabricating a new mounting bracket where the frame attachment has corroded sits at the high end. Step assemblies are billed at parts markup.
My step will not retract when I close the door. Is the motor bad?
Frequently not. The controller reads a magnetic door switch, and a failed switch, a misaligned magnet, or a corroded ground will produce exactly this symptom with a perfectly good motor. We check the switch, the ground, and the feed voltage under load first, because those are inexpensive to correct and account for a large share of the calls.
Why does my step wobble side to side?
Worn linkage bushings and pivot pins. The step is a scissor linkage and every pivot has a bushing that wears, most quickly on coastal coaches where salt film accelerates it. The wobble is not just annoying, it loads the gearbox off-axis and is the leading cause of motor failure. Replacing bushings before the motor fails is the cheaper sequence.
Do you work on Kwikee and Lippert steps?
Yes, both, including their control modules, magnetic door switches, linkage kits, and complete assemblies. We also repair and replace manual and folding steps, and we fabricate mounting brackets where the frame attachment has corroded past repair, which is a frequent finding on coaches that have lived near the coast. All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility, and we do not offer on-site or route service.
09
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Ready to move on entry step replacement, kwikee and lippert? Bring it to Yorba Linda.