Trouble with HD F/R switches. What am I missing?

[TGJR]

I've had two of Scottie's HD F/R switches on a couple of carts at the hunting camp for a while now. One being a late '90s TXT and the other being an '04 TXT. They both suffer from the same issue where reverse is a bit buggy to engage. I can put the carts in reverse, check for continuity on the top contact/lug and nothing will be there until I put the slightest pressure on the linkage arm to push it toward the switch.

I have adjusted both of the large nuts on the front and backside of the F/R switch and even tried adjusting the entire switch on the cart so it better lines up but I still can't get it to make good contact 100% of the time. What else could be adjusted?

[Gonkulor]

Originally Posted by TGJR

I've had two of Scottie's HD F/R switches on a couple of carts at the hunting camp for a while now. One being a late '90s TXT and the other being an '04 TXT. They both suffer from the same issue where reverse is a bit buggy to engage. I can put the carts in reverse, check for continuity on the top contact/lug and nothing will be there until I put the slightest pressure on the linkage arm to push it toward the switch.

I have adjusted both of the large nuts on the front and backside of the F/R switch and even tried adjusting the entire switch on the cart so it better lines up but I still can't get it to make good contact 100% of the time. What else could be adjusted?

What do you mean by "adjusting" the large nuts? Did you loosen or tighten them? Also what do you mean by "a bit buggy"? is your power hesitant, slow, or a flip of the coin as to whether or not it will work?

Do all your linkages move from the forward stop to the reverse stop and back again? Do they move with any resistance or noises?

[scottyb]

Refer to this diagram and first tighten nut B... this is the contact engagement tension if nut is not tight the contact will fail, arch, and the contacts may be damaged. So run nut B all the way down to the bottom of the threads and then back it out 1/4 to 1/2 turn.

If you have to hunt for contact in either direction you need to make a shift linkage adjustment. This adjustment is made by mount the whole switch on the slotted floor mount bolts.

Loosen the floor mount bolts and move the F&R base east or west 1/4 inch maximum at a time and retest, until you can reliably get both directions working.

For anybody about to do this install I suggest you clean around the base of the F&R before removing the old one scribe or mark it's position on the cart floor and bolt the new switch in the same location to minimize linkage adjustment.

Below are 2 of the instruction pages that come with my custom HD F&R #EZ575
I hope this helps!

[yurtle]

The way I adjusted mine was to put the FNR exactly in neutral, then move the support bracket side to side until the FNR know was straight up and down. I still double checked to make sure the cam traveled all the way to the stops.

[TGJR]

Thanks for the tips. I got one of the carts to work fine so far. The other cart will work 75% of the time the first try. When reverse doesn't engage, you can hear a slight buzzing from the F/R switch with the cover off and your ear close as the gas pedal is pressed. Going to have to keep tinkering with it.

[scottyb]

The buzzing is the amperage arching across the compromised contacts.... park it and send the F&R to me and I will see if it can be rebuilt. If you wait it will be beyond repair.

[DaveTM]

Yeah......those copper contacts should line right up when you hit fwd or rev. There are two small lugs on the bottom of the rotating cam that can be adjusted so that when you move it to FWD, the brass contacts line right up.

The same should happen when you move the FWD\REV to REV.

If you sent it back to Scotty he will adjust it for you. If you still have the other one, the next time you do maint, and you have this apart, pull it completely apart and sand all of the copper plates and then re-assemble. I did that and got great contact, and much better power and better battery life from my just about dying Batt's. It's amazing what a little TLC can do.

FWIW

Dave

PS....Scotty, If I've told any lies above, please feel free to scold, and beat me about the head and neck. Then force me to buy more of your products!!!

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by DaveTM

If you still have the other one, the next time you do maint, and you have this apart, pull it completely apart and sand all of the copper plates and then re-assemble. I did that and got great contact, and much better power and better battery life from my just about dying Batt's. It's amazing what a little TLC can do.

If you're just cleaning them with a Scotch-Brite pad, that's probably OK. If you're actually sanding them, I'd use a very fine paper, and do the cam with the lugs in place. That ensures the lugs are perpendicular to the sandpaper. I wouldn't try and sand the stationary lugs. If cleaning alone isn't enough, it might be time to replace the lugs, or more.

I know you probably did yours right, but I'd hate to hear someone sanding on their lugs with 20 grit sand paper, and then wondering why they smell burning plastic and hear a buzzing sound.

[Gonkulor]

Originally Posted by yurtle

If you're just cleaning them with a Scotch-Brite pad, that's probably OK. If you're actually sanding them, I'd use a very fine paper, and do the cam with the lugs in place. That ensures the lugs are perpendicular to the sandpaper. I wouldn't try and sand the stationary lugs. If cleaning alone isn't enough, it might be time to replace the lugs, or more.

I know you probably did yours right, but I'd hate to hear someone sanding on their lugs with 20 grit sand paper, and then wondering why they smell burning plastic and hear a buzzing sound.

No doubt. Personally I would use emery cloth. Then I would back the nut off of the center post enough to get the paper in between the contacts and use a back and forth motion after tightening the center post down to the point you can barely pull the emery cloth without breaking it. The only problem with doing it this way is you only match the contact you are on at the time. When you rotate your FNR you could be 1 or 2 degrees off on the next contact.

[DaveTM]

Originally Posted by yurtle

I know you probably did yours right, but I'd hate to hear someone sanding on their lugs with 20 grit sand paper, and then wondering why they smell burning plastic and hear a buzzing sound.

Ohh.....20 grit?.......I just use a big rock and whack at it until I see pretty flecks of copper!!!! Ok...now that was just sarcasm...don't actually do this at home!!!!

I'm glad you guys cleared that up. I did a really poor job of the details....and we all know the details are the most important part!!!

Yes....when I "cleaned up" the brass I use a super fine emory paper of about 1600 grit. You want a billion tiny contact points and not 8 gigantic peaks and valleys.

Thanks for making that clear guys!!