TruCenter Solenoid Problems with Pics!

[mrschwarz]

I am another voice of experience with the Tru Center. I installed one early last spring. Without ramps, the impact wrench I borrowed would not clear the bolts, but a breaker bar and 6 foot pipe (and a lot of effort) got the required bolts off.

I have put a couple of thousand miles on it and only have good things to say. It works like advertised and does what it is supposed to. I can't speak for any design or manufacturing problems of the past. There is a timeout relay in the wiring to the solenoid and the operator's manual says to not hold the button down for more than 10 seconds (if memory serves).

[David Bott]

Yes, mine and others worked as it should for some time before the issues started. 3 of the 5 I had were like that. 2 arrived DOA not working out of the box which makes me wonder about the QC of the manufacturing. I can only report the issues have had and the emails exchanges with BlueOX top brass which some of which I posted showing a known issue....yet still shipping them.

Seeing it was mentioned March 2011 maybe they are better now. But still well over a year went by that they knew they had an issue and did nothing it seems about it.

All in all, I surely hope anyone that has one continues to be able to push the button. After all, that is the main idea. (other that what I was told yesterday.) But if you ever here the click stop...well...you now know your unit is no longer working for centering. I have said when the product worked, it worked well and I really did not want to be without a centering device. Glad I found one.

[lajuene]

Originally Posted by David Bott

..... I have said when the product worked, it worked well and I really did not want to be without a centering device. Glad I found one.

Tell us about the system you use now. Name, link, model?

oops, never mind, found it farther up this LOOONG thread.

Thanks

[David Bott]

Morning...

I now use the Henderson Trim Kit from Henson's Line-up... Here a link to the one for Freightliner... SuperSteer Trim Unit for Freightliner Chassis

You use this with a product that has been out for a LONG TIME and is very proven, the Safe-T-Plus. Steering Controls for RV's, Trucks, Buses | Safe-T-Plus Steering Control

So the the Trim Kit trims out the steering and the Safe-T-Plus does what what it was made to do...Help with issues.

Here is a write up with a video I did on it. The video really shows why a TruCenter or the Henderson Trim Kit is a get improvement to your coach.

http://www.outsideourbubble.com/supersteer-trim-unit

Note...As I have said, I really would have stayed with BlueOx, and I tried for a long time to work with them. I only broke my silence after seeing this thread popup. Until then, I had not said anything. But I really felt this needed to be brought up.

[lajuene]

Thanks! That's much appreciated.

[RickO]

Originally Posted by David Bott

Hummm...If I wanted just that, I would just have bought a Safe-T-Plus. Oh wait, I did, and I used the Henderson Trim Kit to make it do what the TruCenter should have.

I still use BlueOX for towing product.

I am a HUGE Blue Ox fan and was disappointed to see the Tru Center problems crop up a year or so ago... along with how they seemed to handle it.

I had the Safe T Plus installed at Henderson's four years ago and love it. Their trim kit has been on my wish list since before it was released. Glad to hear the Henderson's trim kit works as advertised... AND that the recent Tru Center units are delivering too!

Rick

[lajuene]

I checked Hendersons and my coach has no option for their unit. I have a 2004 Winnebago using a 2003 Freightliner which is fine but mine is the ZF with IFS and that line on their list is blank for the device model number.

[David Bott]

You may care to call Robert to be sure. He is here in QZ currently. But it is worth asking about it.

[lajuene]

Yeah, I should contact them directly. You never know. The website list may not reflect recent additions to their inventory. Thanks. Been reading your blog, very nice. Good job.

[David Bott]

Thanks, glad you enjoy the blog. My wife does most of the writing. If you are thinking about an area in the South West to stop, try the search box and see if we have been their and it may help with ideas. Just the name of the town or place may pull up a result.

[lajuene]

Will do... We plan on being in the SW in November or December this year. We go fulltime in May and launch retirement in September then it's off to AMSolar in Oregon to get a new system (with HandyBob requirements of course) then South to the desert. Then in late December we go to Texas and fly to Managua to visit friends for a month then back for Mardis Gras and back up the East coast to visit family in the Spring in NY........... Oh did I mention we've been thinking about this?? 8-)

[myarmar]

I was going to start a new thread, but then found this and I think it is appropriate to revive it despite it is being very old. All information in this thread is still relevant, I just add to it a little.
Let me start with statement that Trucenter is a very clever device. To better understand its working I suggest reading the patent 6698777.
https://www.google.com/patents/US6698777
When it works, it works very well and helps a lot with RV handling. However, as was pointed here, the activation solenoid is a problem. I had my share of this problem. I bought trucenter and installed it myself last year. All was good, but recently I’ve noticed no trimming effect, and also no more loud clicks.
I emailed trucenter and got immediate response. Followed a few troubleshooting steps – check ground (OK), measure resistance of the solenoid – measured 0.9 Ohms, nominal should be 0.84±10% - OK, measured solenoid current at over 10 Amp. All was OK but unit did not work. At this time I was told I need to send it back to Blue Ox for repair. Sent it in and got it back in about 2 weeks, was told it was solenoid issue.
Re-install it, and guess what? It did not work. At this point I decided to open the box and look at the solenoid. I fund that solenoid did not develop enough pulling force to activate re-centering. If I helped it just a little, it worked. I have a few thoughts regarding this problem – first is solenoid itself.
Item # 28-655, 1-1/2" Dia. Pull Type Pulse Duty Tubular DC Solenoid On ROSS DECCO
The data sheet shows that force at 0.5” stroke is 10.4 lbs, but actually plunger was extended more than 0.5”.
BMW the other problem with all this setup was that plunger extension was limited by geometry of the slot in the plunger and actuator level. That could lead to a problem experienced by David (see post 3) when trucenter slowly move back to “neutral” position because the lever still pushes the activation plunger in if solenoid is not allowed to fully extend plunger.
Solenoid requires 15 Amp current at 12 V, and in ideal situation it may work if not for voltage drop in the wiring. In reality, with unavoidable voltage drop it doesn’t receive full voltage and just doesn’t have enough pulling force. What makes it even worse is the heat. At 0.84 ohm solenoid has to dissipate about 170 Watts, and this obviously lead to rapid temperature rise in the winding. That leads to rise of the resistance of the winding and further decreases current and pulling force. I think it may work first time, but then as temperature increases it doesn’t produce that healthy click anymore. So at best, this solenoid is marginal.
Anyway, I decided to get rid of solenoid and convert trucenter to air activation. It works on the bench, I still need to install it back into the RV and see how it goes. See pictures of the solenoid and air activation for details.
Sorry for being long, Mike

[vtwinwilly]

Myarmar,

Great information. Please keep us updated on how this mod works out.

I have a question:

I assume the way this works is the pull solenoid is attached to some sort of locking or clamping mechanism that is Normally clamped (locked), and energizing the solenoid pulls the plunger back releasing the clamp (lock). Is that correct?

If so, using an air solenoid (or air locker - to borrow a term from the 4x4 world), what is the normal state of the air solenoid? In other words, does air-pressure pull back the plunger (releasing the clamp), or does air pressure keep the plunger closed (locked) and you release the clamp by removing the air pressure.

I'll be follow this mod with great interest.

Thanks for sharing.

[myarmar]

Yes, normally solenoid is not energized and trucenter is locked in the center position. Same for air cylinder - no air pressure - trucenter is locked. To adjust to a new center position solenoid has to pull a lever and lever pushes on a little pin that goes into the air spring inside. This pin is visible on a second picture. It allows re-centering. Air cylinder when pressurized, doing same thing by pulling same lever. So normal condition is no pressure, cylinder is in the fully extended position.
Read the patent, it is really cool design spoiled by marginal actuator, unfortunately.
Mike