I have ordered a new trim rocker switch after the trim stopped working again. Van's said there is trick to replacement of the rocker and I should go here to see if some else has done it. I'm on my second trim motor, have adjusted the pot, reconnected the connects at the motor, and it was working fine for a while, then just stopped.
Van's Air Force
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Trim Rocker Switch Replacement
- Thread starter n74846
- Start date
D-180 EFIS or Skyview?
The standardized way a switch gets replaced is to remove the entire face plate / switch assy from the pcb's and then reinstall it using a special fixture after the switch is swapped.
Trying to pry out just a single switch has some risk in damaging the pcb. If I were doing it I would first cut the retention tangs off of the switch.
Why are you sure it is the switch. Have you tested it?
I am only aware of 1 or 2 actual failures out of many thousands.
If you have already replaced the trim motor once, and now you think the switch is bad, it sounds like you may be chasing this problem around without any clear cause being determined.
Trying to pry out just a single switch has some risk in damaging the pcb. If I were doing it I would first cut the retention tangs off of the switch.
Why are you sure it is the switch. Have you tested it?
I am only aware of 1 or 2 actual failures out of many thousands.
If you have already replaced the trim motor once, and now you think the switch is bad, it sounds like you may be chasing this problem around without any clear cause being determined.
Actually I'm not sure. But I had the system tested at a shop that said the motor was bad. I changed it out and sent the old one to Ray Allen who said it was fine. The new worked slowly but worked. I increased the pot for a stop to stop of 30 seconds. The trim started hanging up in one direction until released going the other way, then fine. Today on a trip it stopped again and won't move. Another RVer I fly with said his experience has been the switch not the motor. I figure for $11 I'll eliminate that possibility...if I can replace it myself.
No solid reason to assume it's the switch. There aren't that many things left. Are there?
No solid reason to assume it's the switch. There aren't that many things left. Are there?
There is no need to replace the trim switch to determine if it is good or not.
Disconnect the D-Sub connector from the switch panel.
Remove pins 18 and 19 from the D-Sub connector.
Ground the pins one at a time, never both at the same time.
If the trim motor runs fine by grounding a wire, then suspect the switch.
But if the symptoms remain unchanged, then look for other problems like
mechanical binding or speed adjustment.
Disconnect the D-Sub connector from the switch panel.
Remove pins 18 and 19 from the D-Sub connector.
Ground the pins one at a time, never both at the same time.
If the trim motor runs fine by grounding a wire, then suspect the switch.
But if the symptoms remain unchanged, then look for other problems like
mechanical binding or speed adjustment.
I was one if the many thousands.
One of the two master switch contacts failed after a year.
You have to be careful and wriggle the front panel up bit by bit, but it can be done.
Make sure it is really bad before starting the job.
Working for 3 years now after the replacement
One of the two master switch contacts failed after a year.
You have to be careful and wriggle the front panel up bit by bit, but it can be done.
Make sure it is really bad before starting the job.
Working for 3 years now after the replacement
Bill_H
Well Known Member
The weak point is the connector back at the trim motor - particularly wired the original way with spade lugs. Those crimps of small diameter wire are tricky. Some use another piece of the same wire as filler when making the crimp. (Before the change to a Molex connector.)
Well, the good news. After double checking power from harness, all was well coming into the tail. I did a detailed inspection of the spade lugs and sure enough found a wire that had frayed most of the strands, not enough to disconnect, but enough not to carry current. Installed a new spade and lucked out, all is working...sort of.
The trim still hangs up occasionally in one direction (no motor activation), to be freed when activated first in the opposite direction, then back. Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem, and identified the culprit?
The trim still hangs up occasionally in one direction (no motor activation), to be freed when activated first in the opposite direction, then back. Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem, and identified the culprit?
Post Post-Script
Even after reinstalling new connectors the problem remained intermittent. Finally on my flight to Sun n Fun the trim stopped working again. This time I replaced the trim switch ($11 and LOTS of effort) and, ta-da, things are working great again. Nothing different other than a new switch. I'm still planning to replace the blade connectors with D-sub or molex, by I'll fly for a while before that.
Even after reinstalling new connectors the problem remained intermittent. Finally on my flight to Sun n Fun the trim stopped working again. This time I replaced the trim switch ($11 and LOTS of effort) and, ta-da, things are working great again. Nothing different other than a new switch. I'm still planning to replace the blade connectors with D-sub or molex, by I'll fly for a while before that.
