BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Gorde Lang on February 01, 2016, 05:41:03 AM
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Here is the continuing Saga of our lovely 2000 Marquis Tourmaline.
Can someone walk me through how to fix the horn and cruise control in the smart wheel. Is there a way to pull the cover off the steering wheel accessing those components.
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If your steering wheel has the air bag (SRS) you dont want to mess with it. The air bag can go off resulting in severe injury.
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Hi Gorde,
Sounds like it could be the "clock spring" which is located under the steering wheel. This device transfer information from the touch pad to the control module. If you remove the wheel, you will have to rewind it 2 turns before reinstalling it. Usually the way you know that it is going south is intermittent operation with cruise control, horn wipers and headlight flash button. Each button on the smart wheel has an address and the control module knows who is requesting commands thru the contacts inside the clock spring. If you choose not to fix this, seek techs who have experience with smart wheels. Lots of wasted money spent while someone learns. Regards, Fred
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Hi Gorde,
Just got thru working on Dick Simonis '02 marquis and he provided research that I was not aware of. Smart wheel did not start using a clock spring until 2002 and prior to that they used "slip rings" with 2 bronze spring loaded contacts. We removed his steering wheel and he cleaned the rings with a pencil eraser and contact cleaner and I cleaned the contacts. One of the contacts bushings had moved upward and was not straight.
If you have a newer coach with a bad clock spring you may get one from Spartan or Freightliner.
Hope this helps, Fred
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I think what Gorde's trying to figure out first is how to get the wheel off.
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Gorde,
If you look under the steering wheel by the horn button, you will see an angled 3/16 allen head screw. When you remove the screw, the Pad will come off then unplug the 2 wires going to the smart wheel PC board. Use a 1 1/4" socket with a breaker bar to remove the nut. Make an index mark with a sharpie on the shaft and wheel so you can reference to get her back on when done. You will need a steering wheel puller with 2 - 5/16 X 24 thread bolts about 3" long to get the wheel off. The collar, springs and contact slip rings will now come off for cleaning. Fun project, Fred
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Fred,
If the air bag circuit is like a car, you want to disconnect the batteries before any work is done on the wheel.
Steve
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Sears offers a large selection of pullers and kits online, some of which they likely offer in the store nearest you, Gorde. And Ace Hardware, if there's an outlet nearby, usually has a stock of Craftsman tools. Otherwise an auto parts store should have pullers. If time isn't of the essence you may find the best deal at Amazon via the Beaver Amb. Club access portal. Getting a kit with mutiple bolt size applications can be the best option so you have convenience in case you ever need to pull a wheel on another vehicle; otherwise just the bolt parameters Fred mentioned will do.
I've had one for decades, but it has limited bolt applications. So years ago I got a gear puller with convertible arms; but though handy half the time, these things often prove the addage that nothing is absolutely universal, and a guy just can't have enough tools :) .
Joel
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We still dont have a Horn or Cruise Control, does anybody have a manuel for a 2000 Beaver Marquis Tourmaline Smart Wheel so we can see if it has a Clockwheel or other mechanics or an Airbag, Thank you in advance for your help, Belinda Lang
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Gorde,
2000 Smart Wheel has NO air bag or clock spring. Visit VIP web site for more info. Fred
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VIP didn't start using a clock spring until early 2001 so those didn't get into Beaver assy until their stocks ran out...probably early to mid 2002. Visually, if the keypad is back-lighted than it has a clock spring otherwise no.
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Thank you for your responses about the Horn and Cruise Control. 2 questions, What is VIP? and what is the exact address for the website?
Thanks, Belinda Lang
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http://www.vipwheels.com/welcome
VIP - Vehicle Improvement Products
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David, I took a picture of the wheel and went to VIP and there she was. I printed out the Troubleshooting manuel. We will have our mechanic friend here tomorrow to help us with it. Thank you again. For some reason we didnt have the product manuel in the original manuels.
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Well, they pulled the steering wheel, and now we have no wipers as well as no horn and Cruise Control. Could it be the fuses and where are they?
Belinda
2000 Marquis tourmaline.
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Sounds more like you have connection problems at the smart wheel. I would suspect the connections to the slip rings.
Steve
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Based on previous threads here over the years, I'd have to agree with Steve.
But if the slip ring connections pan out okay, there is at least on our coach (which admittedly is a lot different than yours) the black VIP module mounted low on the wall in the 12v. chassis electrical bay that's forward of the left front tire. On ours the module is so low that it has been subjected on occasion to water on the bay floor from windshield seal leaks above. There are a lot of connections, and as I recall relays, inside that module that can corrode. We've been lucky so far in that in spite of water intrusion, the module's components keep on truckin'.
But in lieu of slip ring causes, you might take a look at the VIP "black box", and there are circuit breakers -not fuses- in that bay that are associated with your troublesome components; I just don't know if yours is set up similarly to ours. And I'm more inclined toward your symptoms being linked to the slip ring.
Joel
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Thank you Joel, for your input on the Sterring Smart Wheel. We pulled the wheel the other day and cleaned the conections inside the wheel column, but when we reattached it. We don't windshield wipers now. We also did know where the master control was located. You pointed out some of the places to look, we will go ahead and look for it. The other thing is our coach is a 2000 Beaver marquis and the Model is a PC series, SM209.
Right now we had to put it back to the lot we rent so its not convenient right now. So this may take time and if we cant do it we will have to find an electronics Specialists to help us. Here we go!!!! Thanks for your help again it is much appreciated, Belinda Lang