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mbrandt1402 · 03-29-2013, 12:15 AM

The installation is about 90% complete. I have not found the headlight relays, but I also have not spent more than 5 minutes poking around.

Here is the thumbnail sketch of the connections on my 2004 Freightliner chassis / National Tropi-Cal:

The Smartwheel clearance light function needs three connections, all at the marker relay located in the electrical bay at the left front corner of the coach. Easy-peasy, and a short wiring run through the top of the electrical bay beneath the dash.

It took me a few minutes to understand the logic of the wiper control circuit. I was still somewhat lost when I discovered a tutorial on Youtube. Wiper motors are very popular for animating Halloween displays. With the circuit diagram shown on the video, I was able to put together a test matrix to identify the circuits. I'm not sure how much of this Freightliner supplies and how much is done by the RV manufacturer, but red was high speed, black was low speed, yellow is park and green was 12v+. The ground is through the chassis.

The washerpump switch supplied ground to the circuit, while the Smartwheel supplies 12v+. I wired in a relay to switch the washerpump ground.

I had fretted about the cruise control, but it was actually reasonably easy. There are many different cruise systems in use, so the Smartwheel system is quite flexible. Once you find how your control switch works, it is easy to match the Smartwheel choices. My cruise switch had 12v+, ground, Set & Resume circuits. The molex connector where the stalk harness plugs into the cruise harness is the same as the power connector for disk drives in computers & RadioShack sells a Y harness. I left the stalk controls connected (through the Y) and added the Smartwheel circuits.

The Smartwheel horn control needs an external relay. After verifying that both horns are driven by the same relay, I pulled the horn wire out of the steering column and re-routed it to the Smartwheel.

Add 12v+, ignition and ground and everything except the headlight flash is done.

I'll add the headlight flash, as the Smartwheel has what I think is kind of a neat feature: if you turn on your wipers, it turns on the lights. The headlight circuit also controls the backlighting for the control buttons. If this was just to make the lights flash, I might not bother.

VIP has on occasion thought about putting together a retrofit kit. The biggest problem is the clockspring. Early systems using the wipe-ring and grounding through the steering column were not terribly reliable and everyone wanted backlighted controls. It took a steering column re-design to accomodate the clockspring. My hacked-up Mazda clockspring works, but the way I have it installed cuts telescoping range way down. I can improve on that by machining a different drive arrangement for the clockspring, but not too many people have access to a lathe and mill to monkey around with this sort of thing.

So. It is in and working, save one feature. I'm pretty happy!

dengraham · 03-30-2013, 11:48 AM

Mike,
Good news on your project. I am glad you are almost complete. I am still in the “design stage” and not ready to begin but your post raises sever questions for me. See my notes below:
The installation is about 90% complete. I have not found the headlight relays, but I also have not spent more than 5 minutes poking around.
>>>> My newer model does NOT have headlight relays. Instead, they have a new “headlight control module” with its own integrated circuits. But they do have two TABs available; one for the headlight flasher and one for the marker flasher. (You just ground them and they work.) So, those two I can figure out but it does not address the need for the headlight to be on when the wipers are on? <<<<<<<

It took me a few minutes to understand the logic of the wiper control circuit. I was still somewhat lost when I discovered a tutorial on Youtube. Wiper motors are very popular for animating Halloween displays. With the circuit diagram shown on the video, I was able to put together a test matrix to identify the circuits. I'm not sure how much of this Freightliner supplies and how much is done by the RV manufacturer, but red was high speed, black was low speed, yellow is park and green was 12v+. The ground is through the chassis.

>>>>> I am assuming there is an output from the VIP module to these wires?? Are you just taping into them? I am not sure which VIP module to buy because I have a newer chassis. They don’t show the wiring diagram for the newest version?? Did you talk to them about which version for your chassis? I have not found wires for the wiper control circuit as I cannot get to the back of the switch on the new dash. <<<<<

The washerpump switch supplied ground to the circuit, while the Smartwheel supplies 12v+. I wired in a relay to switch the washerpump ground.
>>>>>The washerpump switch on my previous SmartWheel turned on the wipers and the pump?? Are you just turning on the pump or will it do both?<<<<<<<

I had fretted about the cruise control, but it was actually reasonably easy. There are many different cruise systems in use, so the Smartwheel system is quite flexible. Once you find how your control switch works, it is easy to match the Smartwheel choices. My cruise switch had 12v+, ground, Set & Resume circuits. The molex connector where the stalk harness plugs into the cruise harness is the same as the power connector for disk drives in computers & RadioShack sells a Y harness. I left the stalk controls connected (through the Y) and added the Smartwheel circuits.
>>>>> The Y harness from RadioShack is a great find, especially realizing it is the same as the disk drives. I have used the pc power supply harness for connecting the compartment door locks on my motorhome. Nice find!! Again, I presume this goes straight into the VIP module? <<<<<

The Smartwheel horn control needs an external relay. After verifying that both horns are driven by the same relay, I pulled the horn wire out of the steering column and re-routed it to the Smartwheel.
>>>>> I just have not found the horn relay. I know it must exist but I just don’t know which one is for the horn. The hunt continues. <<<<<

VIP has on occasion thought about putting together a retrofit kit. The biggest problem is the clockspring. Early systems using the wipe-ring and grounding through the steering column were not terribly reliable and everyone wanted backlighted controls. It took a steering column re-design to accomodate the clockspring. My hacked-up Mazda clockspring works, but the way I have it installed cuts telescoping range way down. I can improve on that by machining a different drive arrangement for the clockspring, but not too many people have access to a lathe and mill to monkey around with this sort of thing.
>>>>> Are you milling the steering wheel or the shaft? Could I not buy the correct shaft from Freightliner, or would it be a real project to try to replace? Are you saying the Freightliner (or VIP) clockspring will not rest on the existing shaft? Or, are you saying a SmartWheel “wheel” needs to be turned to accommodate the clockspring? (Note: I am asking these questions as I have not seen the “inside” of the steering wheel so I don’t know how the clock spring is mounted. Did you take any pictures. <<<<<
I can send you my email if that would be easier for you to communicate?
Thanks again for all your postings and for your help on this. It is greatly appreciated.

mbrandt1402 · 03-30-2013, 12:49 PM

Well, (insert favorite expletive here)!!!

I just spent 40 minutes composing a reply to about 90% of your questions and somehow lost my reply window. Please email me ninetyfive_msm@frontier.com. I'll get back to you in a couple of days (we're out enjoying the RV this weekend).

dengraham · 03-30-2013, 02:00 PM

Thanks Mike,
I am sorry you lost your reply window. That is extremely frustrating. I sent you an email but no rush. Enjoy the weekend!!! Talk to you next week.

mbrandt1402 · 06-18-2013, 12:21 AM

(reviving my own semi-comatose thread):

Last week I drove our motorhome in the rain for the first time after installing the SmartWheel.

My goodness, there should be insurance discounts for these things! Our previous MH had the same round wiper switch (GM?) with the important controls on the small knob in the middle and the intermittent interval on the easier to operate ring around the outside. A total PITA to use under the best of circumstances, and driving in the rain and having to lean forward to adjust the wipers via that awkward control is any but the best of circumstances.

The SmartWheel wiper controls are super intuitive to use. I found myself smiling constantly as I adjusted the interval, switched to low, briefly to high, then just swipes-on-demand as we drove in and out rain squalls. It would have been 100 times more difficult to have done all of the adjustments with the dash mounted switch I replaced.

The other features are fluff in comparison, though being able to cancel cruise w/o tapping the brakes is nice.

dengraham · 06-18-2013, 05:14 AM

Sounds great. I am gland you are enjoying the upgrade. I am surprised others have not taken an interest in your project.

Wayne M · 06-18-2013, 08:19 AM

I'd be very interested if I were parked next to him and could watch him work on my coach.

Nice job by the way.

jtermini30 · 06-19-2013, 05:57 PM

Could someone post a link with this items so Incan do a bit of research?

mbrandt1402 · 06-19-2013, 11:47 PM

Vehicle Improvement Products - SmartWheel

I got lucky and found a new leather wrapped SmartWheel steering wheel on ebay. It was excess inventory from an RV supply company. I found a control module from a private party on craigslist that bought a replacement, then didn't need it.

Total cash outlay: less than $300.

I happened to have a spare Mazda Miata clockspring and made it work. There are lots of clocksprings listed on ebay, but of course there are no dimensions. Some VW units look to be quite compact and virtually round (many clocksprings have wings that stick out from the round body). Perhaps you can find a seller willing to measure the outside and inside diameters. The hex on my steering shaft was 1" across the flats IIRC, so you'll need a clockspring with an ID in the 1 3/16" range (my estimate, not a measurement - go measure across the points of a 6 point socket for a more accurate number), and an OD that will fit into the steering column cover of your rig.

jtermini30 · 06-20-2013, 05:24 AM

Thanks.

Elevensdad · 06-16-2018, 12:00 PM

Any pictures you may have would be very helpful.

mbrandt1402 · 06-17-2018, 08:59 AM

Sorry, but when I'm in my "creative" mode I'm consumed with making the project work. Later on I look back and think "I should have documented that".

All I can offer is that we've put a lot of miles on the RV (WA to FL & back, another long winter trip and a 60 day trip playing with our Wildcat side-by-side that we are just winding up) since I got the SmartWheel installed and everything continues to work. I use the cruise controls constantly, but the wiper controls are the ones that I value the most.