I am beat up, scratches, bruises, aches an' pains all over my body, all from crawl'n up under that dashboard.
At one point, I was questioning my abilities....what if I cain't find the problem? "Take it to a RV service center Billy Bob". That had crossed my mind....but only as a nightmare. Most service guys in a rv service center are "poke an' hope" technicians. Got hired out of the local bar an' grill. They know much less than the old Billy Bob does when it comes to fix'n stuff.
On top of shady service centers with uneducated service people, there's the price you have to pay at them service centers. Last time I check, you lucky to get by with $125 a hour. How many hours do I have in the "fix"? *An' it all still needs put back together* Right bout 16 hours includ'n Google research time. At a rv service center I would be sit'n on a $2000 labor bill.....give or take. Plus the time to put it back together (2 hours or so). I'm think'n I save me a few bucks don't ya think?.
So here's what happen after I remove everthing to gain access the the underside of the dashboard. I lay under there scratch'n my head...."where do I start"? I check voltages at suspected places, mainly the ignition switch since everthing worked before it was replaced. Voltages are good. I Google for hours find'n wiring diagrams, photos an' read'n RV forums with the same problems. All to no avail.
Well, I know I can fix stuff an' I been in worser situations than this....I climbs back under the dashboard. I'm gonna trace some wires.
Before I go on any further, RV and chassis manufacturers (Workhorse in this case) will try to save a dime anywhere they can, even if it means shortening wires. Then you have engineers that have nuttin better to do but to complicate things. "Hey, let's put this bundle of wires up here out of sight, instead of where a "fix it guy" can get to them". In my book, this is shoddy engineering. The engineer should be fired an' sent back to the local bar an' grill.
So, with the shortening of wires, to save a dime, tension is applied to the wires an' connecters. Are ya with me....tension on the wires an' connecters?
Now, before we get to the "I found it", let me tell ya bout steering columns. Before they are installed at the factory onto the chassis, components are first installed....ignition switch, turn signal thingy, horn button....relays an' stuff. It's one component...ready to install an' plug in a couple or 5 or 8 connecters. Ya still with me?
While I'm at it....in order to replace a ignition switch on a Workhorse chassis, the steering column has to be unbolted an' pulled away from the dash mounts. That would put additional tension on already "shortened an' tensioned" wires and connecters. We back to engineering again.
You may recall, back in Dec., I replaced the ignition switch. I pulled the steering column back away from the dash mounts. Git the picture???
I'm think'n, how comes the horn an the turn signals both don't work. There ain't no way one has anything to do with the other. Since the horn would be easier to fix first, I grabs holt to this little wire an' start tracing it further up under the dash, look'n for the horn relay to check voltage and ground. Around big ol' wiring bundles, up over heavy duty steel mountings an' braces.....I'm follow'n that little wire. I got a arm full of bruises to prove it.
Ha, don't look so bad in a photo....
I got my flashlight an' I'm tracing that wire. My hand hits a wiring bundle (bout a hunnert wires). It moves. It ain't supposed to move, it's plugged into a big ol' connecter that's securely mounted to the metal framework. To gain access an' find out why them wires moved, I remove more dashboard. The wiring connecter with the "shortened an' tensioned" wires is unplugged. Could this be the problem???
This photo taken after the connecter is plugged back in, turn signals an' horn tested an' a bunch of holler'n an, shout'n....."Yeee haa"......everthing works. The connecter is now unsecured from the metal framework an' no tension on the wires.
An' there you have it, all voltages, ground wires, control circuits for all that stuff that didn't work, goes through that connecter. Let's put this sucker back together an' call it a day.
One more thing. In the process of check'n stuff, the neutral safety switch solenoid stays energized after starting the engine. It gets hot. A slight twist of the key in the run position an' the solenoid drops out, just like it supposed to do. An adjustment to the ignition switch is in order.
I crawled out of bed this morn'n hurt'n like hell. It's been a while since I been in all them positions I was in under that dashboard. Think'n pretzel here. For pain, I have switched back to aspirin. Right bout 1550 to 2000mgs a day. Bruises, I got to get back off the aspirin what is a blood thinner. I also switch from Advil to Aleve...naproxen sodium. But that was a accident. My eyesight has much improved taking a daily dose of 'Lutein', what ever the hell that is....a eye health herb. One foot still has a swell'n issue. Other one not so bad.
At one point, I was questioning my abilities....what if I cain't find the problem? "Take it to a RV service center Billy Bob". That had crossed my mind....but only as a nightmare. Most service guys in a rv service center are "poke an' hope" technicians. Got hired out of the local bar an' grill. They know much less than the old Billy Bob does when it comes to fix'n stuff.
On top of shady service centers with uneducated service people, there's the price you have to pay at them service centers. Last time I check, you lucky to get by with $125 a hour. How many hours do I have in the "fix"? *An' it all still needs put back together* Right bout 16 hours includ'n Google research time. At a rv service center I would be sit'n on a $2000 labor bill.....give or take. Plus the time to put it back together (2 hours or so). I'm think'n I save me a few bucks don't ya think?.
So here's what happen after I remove everthing to gain access the the underside of the dashboard. I lay under there scratch'n my head...."where do I start"? I check voltages at suspected places, mainly the ignition switch since everthing worked before it was replaced. Voltages are good. I Google for hours find'n wiring diagrams, photos an' read'n RV forums with the same problems. All to no avail.
Well, I know I can fix stuff an' I been in worser situations than this....I climbs back under the dashboard. I'm gonna trace some wires.
Before I go on any further, RV and chassis manufacturers (Workhorse in this case) will try to save a dime anywhere they can, even if it means shortening wires. Then you have engineers that have nuttin better to do but to complicate things. "Hey, let's put this bundle of wires up here out of sight, instead of where a "fix it guy" can get to them". In my book, this is shoddy engineering. The engineer should be fired an' sent back to the local bar an' grill.
So, with the shortening of wires, to save a dime, tension is applied to the wires an' connecters. Are ya with me....tension on the wires an' connecters?
Now, before we get to the "I found it", let me tell ya bout steering columns. Before they are installed at the factory onto the chassis, components are first installed....ignition switch, turn signal thingy, horn button....relays an' stuff. It's one component...ready to install an' plug in a couple or 5 or 8 connecters. Ya still with me?
While I'm at it....in order to replace a ignition switch on a Workhorse chassis, the steering column has to be unbolted an' pulled away from the dash mounts. That would put additional tension on already "shortened an' tensioned" wires and connecters. We back to engineering again.
You may recall, back in Dec., I replaced the ignition switch. I pulled the steering column back away from the dash mounts. Git the picture???
I'm think'n, how comes the horn an the turn signals both don't work. There ain't no way one has anything to do with the other. Since the horn would be easier to fix first, I grabs holt to this little wire an' start tracing it further up under the dash, look'n for the horn relay to check voltage and ground. Around big ol' wiring bundles, up over heavy duty steel mountings an' braces.....I'm follow'n that little wire. I got a arm full of bruises to prove it.
I got my flashlight an' I'm tracing that wire. My hand hits a wiring bundle (bout a hunnert wires). It moves. It ain't supposed to move, it's plugged into a big ol' connecter that's securely mounted to the metal framework. To gain access an' find out why them wires moved, I remove more dashboard. The wiring connecter with the "shortened an' tensioned" wires is unplugged. Could this be the problem???
This photo taken after the connecter is plugged back in, turn signals an' horn tested an' a bunch of holler'n an, shout'n....."Yeee haa"......everthing works. The connecter is now unsecured from the metal framework an' no tension on the wires.
An' there you have it, all voltages, ground wires, control circuits for all that stuff that didn't work, goes through that connecter. Let's put this sucker back together an' call it a day.
One more thing. In the process of check'n stuff, the neutral safety switch solenoid stays energized after starting the engine. It gets hot. A slight twist of the key in the run position an' the solenoid drops out, just like it supposed to do. An adjustment to the ignition switch is in order.
I crawled out of bed this morn'n hurt'n like hell. It's been a while since I been in all them positions I was in under that dashboard. Think'n pretzel here. For pain, I have switched back to aspirin. Right bout 1550 to 2000mgs a day. Bruises, I got to get back off the aspirin what is a blood thinner. I also switch from Advil to Aleve...naproxen sodium. But that was a accident. My eyesight has much improved taking a daily dose of 'Lutein', what ever the hell that is....a eye health herb. One foot still has a swell'n issue. Other one not so bad.
Good work Billy Bob! Those are tough things to find and if the connector was loose instead of unplugged you could have bumped it enough for it to make contact again but still not be connected properly. It would just be waiting till next time you hit a bump or something and you would have the same problem all over again.
ReplyDeleteI was just fortunate that I decided to trace that dad gum wire before I took more stuff apart. I'm also soooo glad it was fully unplugged an' moved.
DeleteGlad you found the problem, buddy. It's the little things that give us the biggest headaches.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should try some of that Lutein!
I really had no doubt that I would eventually find the problem. I mean, like what could be so hard bout checking a gazillion wires under a dashboard?
DeleteWhen I purchased the Lutein, I was look'n for Vitamin A. Vitamin A is good for yer eyes ya know. Walmart had none.
Looks like that needs to be cleaned ? My Mom used to bruise easy like that . Take care!
ReplyDeleteLOL Sherry, I was think'n the same thing. Bring the water hose in "da house" an' wash up under the dash.
DeleteBout that 3 wheel bicycle....I ain't never had me a electric bike, but I did do a lot of research. My suggestion is to do the same as I did....Google. The costs are high and the batteries you have will only give short rides.
Great trouble shooting and fix-it skills, Billy Bob. I quit taking aspirin about a month or two ago and feel much better. If I bump my arm hard enough though, I still bruise. I guess that is a left-over gift from the aspirin.
ReplyDeleteWell Gypsy, after I stopped the blood thinning meds Dr Fronk prescribed me, I stopped bruising. And I was tak'n aspirin every day....with no brusing. Just recently, say last month, I started to bruise again. Along with all the other crap I been whinn'n bout. Swolled feet, dizzy, stuff float'n round n my eyes, blurred vision,odd feel'ns...stuff like that. Most of that is get'n soooo much better. The bruising I don't understand.
DeleteJust knew you could do it, big problem simple fix after a, lotta work.
ReplyDeleteGood job Billy Bob !
Maybe you should run a couple of plastic tie wraps around the connector just for insurance.
ReplyDelete"stuff float'n round n my eyes"
ReplyDeleteblack spots? If so, it is nothing to worry about, according to the eye surgeon.