Hi Derek, Don't get rid of the LCD control unit if that is still working. You can buy a new wheel on ebay as another lister mentioned. That's because when the LCD drive unit fails, you have to buy a new wheel, new fluxgate compass, new LCD monitor (which requires a bigger hole) and a "computer" that now is required. Total cost is about $1450, although I got it all from Defender for about $1000.
The wheel (a new gray one, which is perfectly compatible with your old display) costs about $400-500 US on ebay. Raymarine won't fix the old display, so they make you buy an entirely new unit - the pieces are not available separately. So that's why you will see just the wheels and just the flux gate compasses on ebay. I bought a new wheel on ebay when my old wheel failed (like yours) but then my LCD display failed this spring, so I had to buy the whole new package. I then had a brand new spare wheel and compass. Because of all this, I bet you could sell a working but old LCD control unit for several hundred dollars. I would have bought it in a flash. The new unit certainly has more features and settings, and has accelerometers as well as the flux gate compass, but the old unit worked fine for my purposes. Bill Walker, who wrote you about his similar problem, fixed his old wheel as he described, and it works fine. I sent him my new wheel in response to his questions on the list (I had already replaced the old one with one I bought on ebay) and in return went sailing with him this summer. A nice guy, and his repair has worked fine, so he hasn't used the wheel I gave him. I would try fixing yours the way he describes. Let me know if you need more information, but do contact Bill - very helpful guy. Good luck, Eric Eric Frank Cat's Paw C&C 35 Mk II Mattapoisett, MA > On Sep 12, 2012, at 9:52 AM, Tortuga <tortugas...@gmail.com> wrote: > > During our last sail, the wheel drive for the Autohelm ST4000 on > our 1979 30 mk1 stopped engaging. When I moved the drive lever into the > engage position it seemed to not catch, although it stayed in position. > The unit was clicking away but the wheel was not engaged. > I put a note on the Raymarine tech forum, asking whether I > should take the wheel drive apart. I received a reply, asking "What > color is the wheel drive, Black or Gray?" I replied that I thought it > was black faded to dark gray. > I received another reply, "There is no adjustment on black wheel > drives, and unfortunately no parts available any longer as well. > Sometimes with those symptoms, changing the belt might help, again there > are no parts available but there is a company…" > I took the wheel drive apart and found that the cam mechanism > was rotating on the shaft connecting it to the drive lever Once there > were 2 pins which passed through the cam and the shaft to prevent the > cam from free-rotating. They had been worn down or snapped off. The > remains were still lodged in the shaft. > As a temporary fix, I cut 2 thin brads to length and shoved them > through the cam and shaft, then placed them both back into the drive > wheel assembly, jammed the wheel drive back together and put the drive > lever back on. > I haven't had a chance yet to try it out because of the winds > and rain from Leslie. > I have contacted CMC Electronics to ask about a replacement > drive eccentric assembly. I was told someone there will call me back. > My apologies if this has been discussed too many times before. > Is it a common problem? What are my chances of finding a replacement > assembly? > > Thanks > Derek Kennedy > C&C 30 mk 1 > Ballantyne's Cove, NS
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