# Puzzled. Must engage clutch on truck to operate plow?



## ihrules (Jan 25, 2012)

My plow has been intermittently not responding to the Meyer touch pad controls. I've found that when it doesn't respond if I engage/disengage the clutch on the truck it does. Seemed ground related so I cleaned or replaced every ground I could find whether it appeared related to the plow or not. Other misc. things improved but not my plow issue. Seems to happen less frequently at higher rpms, which is 2200-2800 with my 6.9l diesel motor.

Can anyone steer me in the right direction or have a theory to what the cause may be?

Thanks,
Mike


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

well,,where do you have the pwr wire hooked up to operate the plow???
is it run by the clutch pedal??? can you try and operate the plow and wiggle the wires and see if it starts working while doing the wiggle test?? how are the wires running through the firewall,,protected or not???
hope this gives ya a starting point


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## ihrules (Jan 25, 2012)

The power to the touch pad control is supplied from the fuse panel under the dash....right near the clutch pedal coincidentally. I'll check it for damage as well as the firewall point.......

...The power wire appeared to have no damage and is protected with a 10 amp fuse. The wires through the firewall appear to be unspliced and original ran inside split loom conduit all the way to the solenoids.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Also try the wiggle test...might revel something that a visual test won't. Also double ck the touch pad connector


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## cwby_ram (Jan 15, 2011)

Not sure how helpful this will be, but my touchpad controller went out at the beginning of this year. Blowing fuses as soon as it was turned on. After reading up a bit, I found that those things are prone to fail, and a lot of them have been going lately. Had to replace mine with a pistol-grip unit, couldn't get a new touchpad in a pinch.. Sounds to me more like a damaged or maybe pinched wire somewhere though in your case. Good luck, hope this helps a little.


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## ihrules (Jan 25, 2012)

No, that is actually helpful. I didn't want to believe it but I may have effed up the thing myself. See, I saw other types of controls attached to the gear shift on a truck once and thought it would be cool. I took my pad apart so I could attach a 1/2" pipe strap to it that secures it to my gear shifter. It was working fine but may be the cause. Curious, what did the new controls cost you?


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## cwby_ram (Jan 15, 2011)

ihrules;1440842 said:


> No, that is actually helpful. I didn't want to believe it but I may have effed up the thing myself. See, I saw other types of controls attached to the gear shift on a truck once and thought it would be cool. I took my pad apart so I could attach a 1/2" pipe strap to it that secures it to my gear shifter. It was working fine but may be the cause. Curious, what did the new controls cost you?


When I bought mine, we were supposed to get snow, so I had to have one NOW. Cost me around $300. A new touchpad would have been around $320. There are aftermarket ones one ebay and amazon for more like $150, and plenty of used ones around anywhere from $50 and up (I just couldn't wait on shipping). I was sure I would hate the pistol grip, but after using it a couple times, I do like it a lot, and (I haven't hooked it up yet) it has a feature where it will raise the plow when you put it in reverse, and lower it when you put it in drive. (Hooks to the reverse light signal, so should work on a standard). And it's supposed to be self-diagnosing to a point, such that it flashes a light a certain color or something like that. I haven't messed with it too much yet, not enough to snow.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

sounds like the wire is routed along the clutch linkage...as stated find the loose wire....rmember the more bells and wistles the more headachs


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## ihrules (Jan 25, 2012)

I like threads with an ending so even tho this is gonna make me look like a jackass I feel like I owe it to post.

Had snow day before yesterday, hadn't figured anything out so I was planning on just dealing with it like I have been. Got to my first job and the thing wouldn't lower, it wouldn't do anything, no clicking, no light on the pad, nothing. The power wire to the pad was hanging and the connector was still connected where it should be. Apparently the crimp connection was bad but I couldn't see when I was inspecting because of the plastic on the connector. Since I re-did the connection everything has worked perfectly. Still don't understand how the clutch was related but since its working great I don't find myself contemplating it either.

Thanks for the input!!!


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the ending....I understand bout feeling like a mule, I'm sure it has happened to all of us!!! The only difference is people who actually admit it. I've been wrenching for like 20 yrs, admitting to mistakes is still the hardest thing. Glad ya got it fixed, glad it was easy, glad it didn't cost a lot. Happy plowing!!


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

was it hanging close to the linkage or where your leg and foot would be? might have been moving it.


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## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

Hey a $.03 wire end sure beats a $300 controller


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