DNE2 Shift Motor Replacement Odd

jayro88

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So my DNE2 had started to not want to shift correctly. It shifted fine when cold, but once it got hot is would shift into LOW, but did not want to shift back into HIGH until it cooled down. I figured it was probably the shift motor getting week or a failing switch. I had already purchased a replacement motor and switch for it over the winter. I was just waiting until the weather warmed up to replace them. I figured today was as good a day as any.

My first plan was to just pull the unit and put i ton my work bench. However, the RTV I had used for a gasket would not let go. I tried a number of different methods and it refused to budge. So on to the next plan, replace the parts with the DNE2 installed. While this isn't overly difficult it is more of a pain than on the work bench.

The curious part is that when I removed the motor and switch it was not set up like all the others I had read about. There was no switch on the inside of the cover as shown in the pic
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All my research had shown one of these on the inside of the terminal plate.
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Then when I pulled the motor it had a type of circuit board with some relay on it. See the pic. The old motor is on the right and the new one is on the left.
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I am assuming that the relays on the motor performed the job that the terminal switch I had seen did. It limited the amount of time that the motor would be energized in-case the other electronics failed and supplied a constant current.

I replaced the old motor with the new one. I decided to go ahead and put the switch in as well. The motor functioned correctly, but the switch did not.
The tab on the screw gear did not engage the switch correctly and allow it to open the circuit from one post and close the circuit for the other. Instead it appeared to complete both circuits and blow the 15 amp fuse in the DNE2 power supply. I removed the switch and wired it with the original posts/terminals. Since the DNE2 shift switch in the cab only energized the circuit when pressed and the control box switched leads every time it is pushed the DNE2 shift correctly without the new switch. The only danger is if the control box goes out and does not cut power to the shift motor after the button in the cab is released. In this case it would either fry the motor or blow the fuse. I have plans to eventually make my own simplified harness that should reduce any electrical gremlins. So far so good. The DNE2 unit is shifting quickly and consistently. Just though you guys might find this interesting.
 

jaluhn83

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Do you have a DNE2 or a US Gear box? As far as I know, the US Gear is the only one that has the delay box, DNE2 should be directly wired to the motor and use the control switch in the box.

None of the units I've looked at (3-4 DNE2 & 1 USG) had anything like that relay motor thing... not sure what's going on there.

Do you have the USG manual? There's a thread I posted some time ago on here that has a link to it - that has some info on how the system works and wiring.

The switch should have worked. Maybe you put it in upside down or connected backwards, or missing insulator? The 2 wires going to the switch are fwd & reverse, ground goes through the case, so nothing in the switch should have caused a short unless the terminals were grounding against the case somehow. If you'd messed up installing it the motor should have never stopped running when you applied current to one or the other shift terminal.
 

jayro88

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It is a DNE2 unit. That is what is stamped on the plate on the unit as well as on the shift button in the cab. I have both the USG and DNE2 manuals.I will have to read through them agian. As far as the switch, I am not sure exactly what happened. The insulators were in place. When I went to test it the motor started to run but only got about halfway between shifting. Then the 15amp fuse blew. When I pulled the terminal plate back off the switch had not clicked over to the other side and the piece on the screw shaft had only moved about half way. It is quite possible that something else caused the fuse to blow and that it wasnt the switch. Or maybe the pressure of the tab pushing on the switch in its attempt to switch it caused it to contact the case. Of maybe the new motor drew morw than 15amps. I didnt have the time to mess with it too much since I needed the van to pick the kids up at school in an hour. Reinstalled the old posts and replaced the fuse (used a 20amp since it was all I had) and now it ahifts flawlessly. I may look back into adding the switch, but for the time being it appears to be working. I had already verified that the signal from the control box/harness only happens when you are holding down the shift button and that it switches from post to post each time.
 

FarmerFrank

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I agree, my motor was like your new one. I still stand by my two position momentary toggle switch for these boxes. Only thing thy can go wrong is a bad wire or a bad switch
 

jayro88

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Do you have a DNE2 or a US Gear box? As far as I know, the US Gear is the only one that has the delay box, DNE2 should be directly wired to the motor and use the control switch in the box.

None of the units I've looked at (3-4 DNE2 & 1 USG) had anything like that relay motor thing... not sure what's going on there.

Do you have the USG manual? There's a thread I posted some time ago on here that has a link to it - that has some info on how the system works and wiring.

The switch should have worked. Maybe you put it in upside down or connected backwards, or missing insulator? The 2 wires going to the switch are fwd & reverse, ground goes through the case, so nothing in the switch should have caused a short unless the terminals were grounding against the case somehow. If you'd messed up installing it the motor should have never stopped running when you applied current to one or the other shift terminal.

Here is a pic of the switch I have. I don't see where it could have grounded to the case.
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jayro88

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I agree, my motor was like your new one. I still stand by my two position momentary toggle switch for these boxes. Only thing thy can go wrong is a bad wire or a bad switch

Did your old motor have the electronics on the end of it?

I am going the same route as you in regards to the wiring. make the circuit as simple/fail proof as possible. It is just a little further down the to-do list since it is currently functioning.
 

jaluhn83

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Where the terminals go through the cover plate it could ground if the bushings weren't put on properly, or the back of the bolt heads maybe could.

Unlikely, but there's not a lot else to go wrong with those.
 

jayro88

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Where the terminals go through the cover plate it could ground if the bushings weren't put on properly, or the back of the bolt heads maybe could.

Unlikely, but there's not a lot else to go wrong with those.

I figured it would have to be something simple like that.....its a pretty simple circuit. Right now I am just going to leave it as is (without the switch) and probably redo the harness for it.
 

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