[wpd519]

We haven't had any issues with our controls yet, but thanks for the info. Will keep that in mind if it happens. Knock on wood that it doesn't...lol.

 

[Rusty]

Joy-Stick problems

I am stuck in the boonies of Eastern British Columbia so don't have ready access to a dealer - closest is Calgary, AB - 3hr drive.
I have had problems with my joy-stick over the years (this is the only plow I have ever owned) but am happy with the poly-pro generally. But the joy-stick not working is a pain in the butt, like most of you have found.
I finally bought another (like you said, expensive) because I couldn't find anyone to fix the old one. I took it apart and found the problem: one of the Cherry switches was malfuncting. I looked all over even on the net(remember I am in a small country town) for a replacement switch (a $2.00 item) to no avail. The rest of the joy-stick seems solid, just the potential of the switch going bad.
So, why can't Western provide something as simple as a little switch - to be a little service oriented. Instead we have to buy a new unit for $300. At least I have a space for parts now.
Anyone been able to find someone to fix the joy-stick for a few dollars?

 

[Jerre Heyer]

Rusty, if you're talking about the small on off switch on the side of the circuit board for the rectangle box joystick meant to be solid mounted then I have them in stock as replacements. Pretty sure the other guys are talking about the hand held units for the most part.

Jerre

 

[Rusty]

Joy-Stick problems

Jere -
No, I am talking about the the four switches inside the joy-stick - one for each direction. I have tested these and one of the switches is bad but I can't find a replacement switch.
I went ahead and bought another complete joy-stick to finish out the season. Now I have spare switches. The only good thing about buying a second one. The buggers are expensive. It still takes some time to take it apart and put in another switch so a person really needs a spare complete ready to go.
I am still looking for someone to repair (i.e. replace the switch, or sell me a switch) my older unit.

 

[MBB]

Those cherry switches should be available from any large electronics supply house. You are right you can not get just the internal parts from Western. You might have to go thru a local tv/radio repair shop to get them. As a side note If you can get the models with the gold plated cross point contacts you will only have to replace them once. The main fail point of these switches is oxidation or arcing of the contacts. They seldom fail mechanically. the low current/voltage conditions used in solidstate electronics do not supply enough oomph to burn thru the oxidation resulting in intermittant operation which at that point is very vexing to find. most common volt/ohm meters put out way to much current/voltage to trouble shoot this condition and simply show that the switch is good under that combination. The gold plated contacts eliminate the oxidation problem. This info is from 20 years of field service work in the electro/mech. field. hope it helps.

 

[96 12footer]

western sells the pc board for the hand held finally its just like the one in the joystick controller.

 

[Rusty]

Thanks MBB for the information. I will look further.

 

[PonyKiller87]

Does anyone happen to have a broken controller they want to sell cheep? I have one of the newer ones that works but part of it is kind of smashed so I'm looking for some parts to fix it.

 

[thatsaneagle]

i bought a new one on Storks. Waiting for delivery.

 

[thatsaneagle]

Have the cab control for the MVP - was brand new in December 2006.

Started having sporadic problems with it yesterday in that I would push the buttons and the plow wouldn't do anything; moved the truck a little bit, and it would seem to work again for a few seconds.

Finally died - the on/off switch was blinking.

Called the dealer - he knew what it was right away. He said that Western has problems with the controller and is working on a fix. He said that the wires going into the controller are so small and fragile that they tend to separate/break very easily.

Dealer gave me a new controller and it works fine. He said that Western is sending him new cords and would let me know when they came in (because the new controller he gave me could end up having the same problem).


So...just letting anyone out there know that the cab control may die on you and, if it does, Western will replace it.

it was the wires on the controller which unplug at both ends. inrteradesting.