Towing connecter

[Yankee802]

When I hooked up my toad for the first time to test it, none of the lights worked. I put a voltmeter to the pins and got nothing. What should I check next? It looks like the wire loom terminates in the box above the engine, where you can start the engine, should I look there? Are there any fuses I should check, and if so where are they?

Geoff

[gmcbuffalo]

What are you using for a ground? Most of my tow light problems are usually a bad ground.
GregM

[Yankee802]

I'm not sure, I assumed the ground wire was in the loom that went into the box above the engine, I haven't opened that up yet.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Checking at the pins on the plug should have produced some indication of power.

If your tester is connected to a good ground and the pins do not yield any voltage indication at all start following the wires. (I am assuming you had the bus lights on and the flashers and the brakes engaged so the lights lit up)

Your bus lighting is 24Volt so typically the way the converters brought 12 volt power to the pins on the plug was to use a relay with a 24 volt coil which was powered by the specific light function of the bus to open and close contacts which were powered off the 12 volt post in the electrical box.

I cannot imagine a failure of every relay, so as you follow the wiring back to the relays the problem may be as simple as the power from the 12 volt post may not be getting to the relays.

There is no shortcut. You have to start at the plug (take it apart and make sure you have continuity at every step) and work your way back. The good news is 100% of the wiring and components are going to be right there at the back of the bus and in or around the big electrical box.

[HarborBus]

Yes, start at the box above the engine, mine is on the firewall behind the air cleaner. Everything is color coded. Put your tester on the individual pins and confirm all lights then see if the corresponding wire colors are in the plug and test them. Like Jon says there are no short cuts you just have to go back until you get power then work forward or visa verse.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Where have you been Yank? Find yourself a different campground?

[Jerry Winchester]

I have to think a Marathon that old didn't have the master switch for the tow package, but that is where I usually end up.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I believe the trailer wiring is of Prevost origin, if that is true is there wiring provided to the drivers area for a brake controller?

My bus has a 10,000# Prevost hitch. Is the 20,000# hitch a simple exchange?

To install the 20,000# unit would one simply remove the old and install the new in the same place (bolt holes) with similarly shaped and more robust components, or is it more complicated than that?

JIM

[Kevin Erion]

Jim,
I changed the hitch on my 99 Marathon, 98 shell. You have to change the engine cradle also. It took me about 8 hours to do the job, there is also some welding involved.

[Toy Box]

No, Jim, you have to buy and install a new engine cradle. I got mine from Prevost Jax.