I'm just seeking advice on preventative maintenance on my deployable side steps. In 8 months I have only had one occasion when one step failed to deploy when I stopped the L322. Since then I have sprayed the moving bits with WD40 on a couple of occasions and it hasnt missed a beat. Is there anything else I should think about doing for the steps?
I noticed a long connecting rod when the step is down and the black paint was flaking. I treated with rust prevention and will touch it up with black hammerite for long term protection.

Grateful for any other advice.
Also someone mentioned previously in a thread a budget kitchen cleaner they had found which cleaned the step treads brilliantly. I can't find that thread. What are the metal inserts? Aluminium presumably?
Thanks in advance.

WD40 isn't a very good lubricant. I'd be inclined to use that or contact cleaner to help clean them and then a good quality spray grease, or motorbike chain lube (I'd use an MTB wet lube as I have a 10l drum of it which is too sticky use up on the bike, but it'll not be as water resistant as motorbike stuff which is generally waxier).

Thanks Ennoch. That makes a lot of sense. I will look to pick up some spray grease that can be applied.

No worries. Thinking about this more there are two options you could follow; spray grease and do it less often, or consider it regular maintenance and use something like Bilt Hamber Ferrosol (similar to WD40 in appearance but much, much better) and do it weekly throughout winter. I'd probably still use the spray grease reasonably regularly over winter as the linkages look like they're right in the firing line and it's amazing what water will strip off in areas like that! In those cases I'd probably blast out crap with the aforementioned Ferrosol (or even GT85/TF2) first, and then apply the grease. Spraying grease over salt will just trap it, and while some are better than others, the thin film of the spray dispersant will be much better at getting down to the metal than the grease is. Different products for different tasks and all that.

Ive used white lithium grease on mine and customer cars for years now without issue... Works on bonnet strikers and bonnet lock mech's very well too