zmotorsports
Well-known member
During the last trip of last year our step well air cylinder became disconnected from the step well cover. This has happened once before as the nut on the end of the air cylinder came off and the rod moved freely without being connected to the cover. That was a quick fix of simply removing the end cover and re-installing the nut to the end of the ram.
However, this time it was the other end that became disconnected and a little more time consuming to get to. I had done a search and came up empty handed so I thought I would throw a thread up because I am sure I am not the only one who has had this happen and it really is a simple repair.
This repair should cover most of the late 90's thru about 2004 Monaco coaches with the front door entry. I beleive in either 2005 or maybe as late as 2006 Monaco went away from the air cylinder and installed an electric step well cover.
First off remove the cover or face of the step well cover. You have to extend the step well cover and while looking up under the backside you will see four screws holding the cover/face piece onto the metal angle that the air cylinders rod attaches to.
http://i49.tinypic.com/vgkhuw.jpg
If you are lucky enough to just have had the nut come off of the end of the ram then this is as far as you need to go. Put the nut back on, I prefer to use some blue Loctite but that is up to you. If the nut is still on here and the other end of the ram is the loose part then you must remove this nut and continue onward.
http://i46.tinypic.com/25s0sn5.jpg
Once the nut is removed and the rod is free from the front of the step cover, you must remove the four screws on each side of the step cover which hold the cover to the slides/tracks. These are not hard other than you kind of have to stand on your head to get to them. Once the step cover screws are removed you can remove the step cover and gain some access to the air cylinder. No need to remove the large angle iron bracket on the face of the step cover that the rod and the cover face attach to.
Look up inside and you can see the cylinder end of that is loose/disconnected from the body or floor.
http://i48.tinypic.com/9869w1.jpg
Make certain the rod is retracted and you can flop the cylinder end for end to get to the broken bolt. Here you can see the configuration from Monaco. Not the best in my opinion. There is some oportunity to have the bolt rock back and forth the way it is bolted from the factory. Although I can't say it is a poor design or a problem because it has lasted 10 years and 90k miles, however, I have a solution that should be a permanent fix.
http://i45.tinypic.com/2qkhyps.jpg
I made a block out of .500" thick carbon steel and drilled and tapped it to 1/4"-20 so I could thread a piece of allthread through it and put a nylock nut on the top holding the cylinder to the block. The block is just large enough so it will fasten tight to the floor of the step well rather than the cylinder being the point of contact with the floor.
http://i48.tinypic.com/10o2seu.jpg
Here is the underside of the block with the 1/4"-20 allthread threaded through it. I tightened the nylock on the top of the cylinder to the block so I could just tighten the assembly to the floor from underneathe the coach. This will drop into the hole and the whole assembly will be attached by a nut from underneathe.
http://i46.tinypic.com/97pg5s.jpg
Here it is dropped into position and ready to be bolted from the underside.
http://i47.tinypic.com/1sigrl.jpg
Access is obtained by pushing the generator out the front of the coach and above the generator there is a section of spray on insulation. Remove that and there is the access for the attachment point. It is covered with metal covering but there is a whole cut where the attachment point is, after installing the washer and nylock locknut I covered this area with a black sealant to protect any moisture from getting into the wood and under the metal covering which covers the underside of the coach.
I assembled using a large fender washer to spread the load agains the plywood structure.
http://i48.tinypic.com/2u5e5mt.jpg
That is it, not a bid deal but I hope this will help anyone who has this bolt break and is unable to find any other information.
Mike.
Edit: Fixed links.
However, this time it was the other end that became disconnected and a little more time consuming to get to. I had done a search and came up empty handed so I thought I would throw a thread up because I am sure I am not the only one who has had this happen and it really is a simple repair.
This repair should cover most of the late 90's thru about 2004 Monaco coaches with the front door entry. I beleive in either 2005 or maybe as late as 2006 Monaco went away from the air cylinder and installed an electric step well cover.
First off remove the cover or face of the step well cover. You have to extend the step well cover and while looking up under the backside you will see four screws holding the cover/face piece onto the metal angle that the air cylinders rod attaches to.
http://i49.tinypic.com/vgkhuw.jpg
If you are lucky enough to just have had the nut come off of the end of the ram then this is as far as you need to go. Put the nut back on, I prefer to use some blue Loctite but that is up to you. If the nut is still on here and the other end of the ram is the loose part then you must remove this nut and continue onward.
http://i46.tinypic.com/25s0sn5.jpg
Once the nut is removed and the rod is free from the front of the step cover, you must remove the four screws on each side of the step cover which hold the cover to the slides/tracks. These are not hard other than you kind of have to stand on your head to get to them. Once the step cover screws are removed you can remove the step cover and gain some access to the air cylinder. No need to remove the large angle iron bracket on the face of the step cover that the rod and the cover face attach to.
Look up inside and you can see the cylinder end of that is loose/disconnected from the body or floor.
http://i48.tinypic.com/9869w1.jpg
Make certain the rod is retracted and you can flop the cylinder end for end to get to the broken bolt. Here you can see the configuration from Monaco. Not the best in my opinion. There is some oportunity to have the bolt rock back and forth the way it is bolted from the factory. Although I can't say it is a poor design or a problem because it has lasted 10 years and 90k miles, however, I have a solution that should be a permanent fix.
http://i45.tinypic.com/2qkhyps.jpg
I made a block out of .500" thick carbon steel and drilled and tapped it to 1/4"-20 so I could thread a piece of allthread through it and put a nylock nut on the top holding the cylinder to the block. The block is just large enough so it will fasten tight to the floor of the step well rather than the cylinder being the point of contact with the floor.
http://i48.tinypic.com/10o2seu.jpg
Here is the underside of the block with the 1/4"-20 allthread threaded through it. I tightened the nylock on the top of the cylinder to the block so I could just tighten the assembly to the floor from underneathe the coach. This will drop into the hole and the whole assembly will be attached by a nut from underneathe.
http://i46.tinypic.com/97pg5s.jpg
Here it is dropped into position and ready to be bolted from the underside.
http://i47.tinypic.com/1sigrl.jpg
Access is obtained by pushing the generator out the front of the coach and above the generator there is a section of spray on insulation. Remove that and there is the access for the attachment point. It is covered with metal covering but there is a whole cut where the attachment point is, after installing the washer and nylock locknut I covered this area with a black sealant to protect any moisture from getting into the wood and under the metal covering which covers the underside of the coach.
I assembled using a large fender washer to spread the load agains the plywood structure.
http://i48.tinypic.com/2u5e5mt.jpg
That is it, not a bid deal but I hope this will help anyone who has this bolt break and is unable to find any other information.
Mike.
Edit: Fixed links.
