Anyone added a smartwheel, can it be done?

[Letsgoagain]

Afternoon,
Wondering if a smartwheel with the cruise and wiper functions could be added as a aftermarket job?
Every time I glance over to look at the various cruise control buttons or have to reach for the wiper controls I realize how much better and safer the smart wheel would be.
Anybody think it could be done? Seems like the wiring would be the most difficult part.
Letsgoagain

[Letsgoagain]

Afternoon,
Wondering if a smartwheel with the cruise and wiper functions could be added as a aftermarket job?
Every time I glance over to look at the various cruise control buttons or have to reach for the wiper controls I realize how much better and safer the smart wheel would be.
Anybody think it could be done? Seems like the wiring would be the most difficult part.
Letsgoagain

[Pusherman]

Letsgoagain, I wouldn't try it. My observation is that Smart Wheels have been fraught with problems. Winnebago yanked them as an option in 2007 for the Journey line. So mine didn't come with one.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Well, anything can be done if you are skilled and patient enough, but I wouldn't attempt that. And I think it is a pretty big job - there is the wheel itself, the controller box, the connections between the box and the various components it controls (cruise, wipers, washers, lights, ICC switch, etc), and a thing called a "wiper", which makes the electrical connections to the smart wheel while still allowing the wheel to turn for steering purposes.

[J Walker]

Talk about a monumental job of finding all the wiring, re-routing it to the smartwheel, and doing it right. Just bolting the smartwheel on will be a trick requiring some heroic effort. The payoff is that the Smartwheel is a complicated thing with slip rings to close circuits. I wouldn't have one. The one thing that goes through my steering wheel is my horn and I have had to get in and use contact cleaner on the slip ring already.

[doc]

I'm with JWalker - don't want or need one. The more complex and complicated things get, the easier it is for something to go wrong. After all, how much effort does it take to move my hand a foot and push a button?

[Robin_M]

I agree, Doc. I have a smart steering wheel now, and it's nice, but I didn't miss the features in my prevous motorhome. You don't really need to use the wipers very often - only when it rains. On my last motorhome I installed a heavy duty two-way momentary toggle switch with a large paddle handle to signal the lights, and that worked fine. (They sell those at truck stops for that very purpose.)

[Letsgoagain]

Well the consenus seems to be that there is a lot that can go wrong with the smartwheel and that it would be a very difficult job to add one. Kind of thought maybe it seemed to simple.
I am still momentarily uncomfortable glanceing at the buttons to my left while I'm driving especially in a tight situation so I do as most of us have learned and thats to try and plan ahead when you see that situation develope.
I guess the simple fix would be to buy a motorhome with the smartwheel. Since thats definitely not going to happen anytime soon I will just live with that slight unease.
Thank you all for your opinions.
Letsgoagain

[beaverjim]

robin, you stated you installed your own icc switch on your previous motor home. where did you pick up that circuit at, was it a monaco product? thanks, jim.

[SargeW]

I gotta chime in here I really like the smartwheel option on mine, and it has worked flawlessly. I don't see the problem. Cars have had steering wheels with many inserted options for years. Can it have a problem? Sure, any part of this huge bundle of parts could. I looked at a newer model of my coach with all the controls spread around the dash board, and it would be more difficult to reach for all the individual switches.

However, adding a smartwheel would be a chore, unless the wiring was already in place and you just had to hook it up.

Sarge