Have you had bigfoot-itis?

[missourijan]

We have the TK3, ordered it with the built in vacumn. One morning DH comes down the stairs and steps on the plate and brakes off the part that you flip on to sweep in crumbs. We ordered the part but can't figure out how to replace it. The configuration in the basement is impossible to get to. If we take off the trim on the bottom step, do you think it will fall forward? My DH can't be the only one that has stepped on that darn plate thingy.

[bstark]

One question. Does the vacuum thingy share a step riser with the propane detector?

[Red Ram]

Jan you are right, there are more bigfoot's out there than your husband. I broke mine a few months ago the same way.

I replaced mine and it was not an easy job, but if he wants to tackle it here are the steps as near as I remember them. The top of the step has to removed completely to do this as the new unit can only be installed with the step top removed.

The trim needs to be removed and then start a sharp edged wedge along the front edge and sides of the step. The step is secured by brads and wood glue. I used a heat gun to release the glue as I tapped on the wedges. The glue holds very tight and you will destroy the step if you don’t get this task right. You need to do this carefully and get the glue soft as too much pressure can break the step in half.

Don't give up on it, it is a tedious job. When you have the front and ends loosened up, the back of the step is held by long brads, (nails). The back top side of the step is hard to get off, but I found that using a flat steel bar that measured about 1/4"x 2" wide by maybe 12" long. Slid it in from the front under the step so it reaches the back (has to be a gap here to pry the board up). Then I take a 10" adjustable wrench, (Cresent Wrench) and twist the end of the steel bar so that the other end pushes straight up on the other end of the step, thus pulling the nails without scaring up anything.

Once you are inside, two screws and two wires to remove. One thing I had to do here was to use the heat gun to heat up the vacuum hose that was glued to the unit. It stated right on the unit not to glue the hose on, but guess what, yup they glued it on.

I am retired so I took plenty of time and I was not using the unit for camping, so it turned out real well. You can not tell that the step had ever been removed. Good luck, hope this helps you, or maybe another “bigfoot” out there.

[MooseSuite]

The plastic toggle on our vac pan was stepped on and broke. I went to a vacuum store and purchased a whole new unt for $15. Unscrew the vac pan plate from your stair riser and simply replace the new toggle. One screw holds the toggle in place.
Only problem I had was to find a brown vac pan. Our toggle is white.