Community Forums

wrangler05 · 06-15-2011, 09:20 PM

I have an 04 Windsor w/ an inoperable footrest in passenger seat. I have traced the electricity through the switch. All seemed OK could NOT get to motor. Dismounted seat (had to tip it forward to get to motor) then remove 3 of the 4 bolts in the secondary frame to reach motor. Then retraced electric up to motor junction, still OK. So I was convinced that motor was bad. Removed motor and I had continuity ??? Took motor to auto electric shop and it rotated in both directions. OK motor appears fine. Back to electrical. Measured voltage and had 13 volts everywhere. Rehooked up motor - won't run. Removed switch. tested continuity for both positions seemed fine. Noticed that flat copper jumpers were always hot, problem?? The issue must be in switch although it seems fine.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

wrangler05

Alga Forrest · 06-15-2011, 10:40 PM

After you removed the motor, did you try to manually move the footrest, making sure it wasn't binding somewhere?

JDT · 06-16-2011, 06:44 AM

Mine quit working last year. It tries to go out on one side only causing it to bind. Trying to remember but I think there are two screw type mechanisms that make it work and one side is just spinning. I called Monaco and they gave me the name of who they think is the manufacturer or vendor, Villa International.

I just googled it and Villa International must be the vendor. They are in Cerritos, Ca and their phone number is 1-888-707-7272. They are two hours behind us so will call later this morning.

wrangler05 · 06-16-2011, 09:04 PM

Thanks you two. No, I did not get that far because the motor will not turn when disconnected from screw drive. I have been in contact with Villa International and just a couple minutes ago sent him two pictures of motor and screw drive. I am getting frustrated because I can follow 13 volts through switch to last snap coupler to motor and motor will rotate on bench, but NOT when connected to coupler that I know has power.

itdave · 06-17-2011, 08:09 AM

Double check the grounds

JFC · 06-17-2011, 09:52 AM

Had problems with the passenger seat in our Scepter twice. Once it would not operate. Thought I checked everything, then had it looked at the next time it was in the shop. They changed the electrical connectors nearest the motor, worked fine. Started "chattering" and the footrest wouldn't go out all the way. Lubricated the screw drive, works fine again.

JDT · 06-17-2011, 04:35 PM

I sent pictures last night of the part underneath the chair that is not working. Got a call today and the part I need is $25. Well worth it if it gets one more thing off the wife's to do list for me. I just hope it is not too difficult. I know I'll have to remove the seat to get to it.

Villa International has been wonderful to work with. Robert has gone out of his way to help me and said he would be glad to answer any questions if I have any problems changing out the part.

I could take it back to my dealer as I have a service policy that has a $34 deductible. They said it would be covered. But it is a 160 mile round trip and with fuel costs would be a lot more than me doing it myself. Plus, I have no plans on getting another policy when this one expires in 2 years so I need to learn to do these things myself.

RCLImperial · 06-19-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrangler05

Thanks you two. No, I did not get that far because the motor will not turn when disconnected from screw drive. I have been in contact with Villa International and just a couple minutes ago sent him two pictures of motor and screw drive. I am getting frustrated because I can follow 13 volts through switch to last snap coupler to motor and motor will rotate on bench, but NOT when connected to coupler that I know has power.

One has to be a bit careful with voltage measurements. While you may have 13 volts when you measure at the connections, it may drop to nearly zero when a load is put on the line. Voltmeters are designed to present as little load as possible when measuring so that they don't distort the measurement. If you can measure the voltage with the motor connected to all the wiring, you will be able to see if the problem is in the wiring.

Dick Lucas '04 HR Imperial

wrangler05 · 06-19-2011, 12:57 PM

Thanks for all the responses:
itdave - there is no ground wire to motor. Must be a "body" ground although motor does not work in that situation. Taking it to another shop to clarify.

JFC - I will make sure I lube screw and transmission prior to reassembling chair, thanks for responding.

JDT - So far I have not received the pictures. Yes, the chair is a sucker to remove. I found that to get to the footrest motor (rear of chair), I had to remove the first frame, then tip chair forward and rest on pillows so not to stress cable holding it to base. Then I still could not get to motor until I removed secondary frame (4 more bolts). Then I could remove motor. Motor drive is flexible and about 4" long. My first major find was in the switch. I found that both brass strap jumpers on back of switch were hot all the time, so the motor was being told to turn both ways at the same time. Robert (Villa Intl) is sending me a new switch.

What part "under seat" is at fault on your chair and is expected to cost $25?

I would suggest you dismount the chair yourself, I can't imagine paying someone around $90/hr for this work. However, with a deductible maybe you are OK with the mileage.

Thanks for the continued dialog. Pete

JDT · 06-19-2011, 03:02 PM

Pete, I think the motor turns two different cables that operate an arm on each side of the footrest about half way back from the front of the seat and close to the bottom cushion. The cables come in at a 90 degree angle to the shaft that extends the footrest. The cable on the outward side of the seat is spinning but the screw is not turning. Roberts said it must be stripped where the cable with a square shaft on the end comes in to it. The part I am getting is the part that operates the screw to extend the shaft and has the cable connection. It doesn't look too complicated so I will do it myself. I have had the seat out before when I was looking for the problem so I know it is heavy.

Hope you get yours fixed. I got counseling from the wife on our last trip because I kept forgetting to do something about it. She loves the footrest. Thanks to your post jogging my memory I will have it fixed before our next trip, which will be over 2k miles. Villa said the part was shipped Friday so maybe I can get it done this week. I will post something on my success or failure.

wrangler05 · 06-22-2011, 08:23 PM

JDT - I DID IT. Success, but you will NOT believe what I found. I only have one main worm (screw gear) running down centerline of chair tied to transmission and coupled to motor with a 4" flex drive. So here it is. Somewhere between Villa Intl and me, the blue wire attached to a red (hot) wire through a wire nut should have been tied into a separate wire nut with two black ground wires. I only needed 1 hot wire to switch. I am very poor at electricity so a friend of mine looked at motor and indeed it would not work with a body ground, but when the circuit was completed (+ to one terminal and - to other) it rotated both directions. WOW what a fiasco. I bet the past owner never had an operable footrest and it is also hard to believe Monaco would have done that so its probable someone tried to fix it and made it worse.

WOW we now have a foot rest. Next is step cover - it never ends. Thanks for your help and good luck with everything.