WW2.0 Twisted

[stampedecarwash]

Hello, I have a WW2.0 from Coleman.

Problem: the machine rocks due to Passenger side front wheel lifting itself up starting ~10 feet from the Home position. Therefore the proximity sensor can not detect the Home position metal and the machine hits itself to the end of the track.



I have had this problem for more than a year now. We changed all the wheels/bearing and it was good for a year. Changed all the wheels/bearings again a month ago and it was good until yesterday when i noticed the couplings connecting gearbox to the drive wheel are falling apart.

I think the cause of this is because the machine is twisted. Before all these more than a year ago, the Driver side motor failed. While we were removing the failed motor, the Passenger side stared running while Driver side stayed in place. So the Passenger side drove so much that the safety eyes in the cans could not see each other anymore therefor Passenger side motor stopped. I think this incident made twisted the machine.



My local maintenance people seem to be out of options. So i have come up with this trick to extend the metal at the Home position to help the proximity sensor to detect it and the machine dont hit the end.



My other maintenance person who is from another city tells me i need to use strap and ratchet to pull the Passenger side toward the Entrance door. Basically trying to undo what happened more than a year ago while we were replacing the Driver side motor.

Could you please help me here? It is very frustrating. Thanks

 

[soapy]

I did extend my sensor.plate on a track unit once that was have a hard time detecting home position. It worked for years.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

My other maintenance person who is from another city tells me i need to use strap and ratchet to pull the Passenger side toward the Entrance door. Basically trying to undo what happened more than a year ago while we were replacing the Driver side motor.

About 25 years ago I attended a service school for Mark VII. This exact issue was discussed, and the solution was basically what I quoted. I think they said to run the machine several feet from home and then anchor/block one side of the gantry. IIRC, they suggested something like a 4X4 against the gantry, with the other end against the track stop. Then attach a come-along at the same positions on the other side and pull it back into shape. I'm sure it's harder than it sounds, but I think you get the picture.

Have you done an "X" measurement inside the gantry to verify that it is actually bent?

 

[stampedecarwash]

I did extend my sensor.plate on a track unit once that was have a hard time detecting home position. It worked for years.

Thanks its so good to know i'm not the only one had to do this. here is a picture of how I have done it.
its springy shape helps the sensor to detect it but my concern is that the sensor failes after few month since it is in direct contact with the metal. after all it supposed to be a proximity sensor. Although I rather change the sensor every 6 month than wheels. the other problem with this is sometimes the machines goes too far (Closer to the end of the track) and it ends of pulling this piece with it when it starts again.

Wondering how you did it before? Thanks

 

[stampedecarwash]

Have you done an "X" measurement inside the gantry to verify that it is actually bent?

Thanks, I have not done the X measurement, but its easy to see that one side stays closer to the end track than the ther side so it is twisted.
How do you do this X measurments?

 

[Greg Pack]

Check your overhead boom carefully for bad bearings and a cracked mounting plate on the wall.

 

[scrubs3]

Could be a weak drive motor which could cause the machine to do a "wheelie" and the prox is too high to detect the plate.

 

[carwashireland]

That coupling to the gearbox failing is almost always down to the inside drive bearing failing. What soaps are you using as these may be causing the bearings to fail. I have in the past fitted an extra metal piece to extend the home plate toward the exit. This way if the machine lifts and misses the plate then when it hits the end stop it still has a plate to see!

 

[I.B. Washincars]

My tracks have a lot of wear at the home position and I ran out of adjustment on the prox switch. I relocated the switch to point out the side of the gantry, pointing toward the wall. For a travel limit plate, I mounted a stainless L on the floor, with the long side vertical, for the prox switch to read. The gantry rocking shouldn't have any effect with this set-up. I'll try to get you a picture the next time I think about it.

 

[srr5008]

We've had that happen to both of our WW's over the years. One time it was a failed bearing that slipped by us on our routine checkups. The other time it was a weak drive motor, as mentioned above. One side would leap out in front of the other, and start the "wobble." Our dealer (diagnosing over the phone) also had mentioned the ratchet strap trick to straighten out a racked frame - but in our case it was motors/bearing each time.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

My tracks have a lot of wear at the home position and I ran out of adjustment on the prox switch. I relocated the switch to point out the side of the gantry, pointing toward the wall. For a travel limit plate, I mounted a stainless L on the floor, with the long side vertical, for the prox switch to read. The gantry rocking shouldn't have any effect with this set-up. I'll try to get you a picture the next time I think about it.

 

[toddmullens]

You can block up both drive ends on the gantry to raise the drive wheels off the track. Place a black line on each of the drive wheels and run the machine forward and see if the lines are still matching as they were before you moved the wheels. If they are, do they same test while in the track and see if the lines stay matched up. If they do not, you either have a bad gearbox, slow motor, or possibly bearings that are not straight and causing the wheel to slip and get one side of the gantry behind causing a wheelie.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

How do you do this X measurments?

Standing inside the gantry, measure from the driver side exit corner to the passenger side entrance corner. Do the same with passenger side exit to driver entrance. These measurements should be the same.