Hear ye! Hear ye! To all M1031 contact truck owners!!

[davo727]

Thanks for the pics , Thats interesting, Barber colman was bought out by woodward governor

 

[lavarok]

Yes indeed, since Woodward makes the APEC 4500. Clearly this is the device in the OPs 1st post.

 

[IowaFamilyGuy]

Just for fun, I submitted a FOIA request for both TM 9-4940-562-23P and TM 9-4940-562-13. I guess we'll see what happens...

 

[b4thundr]

Well let me first start off by saying WOW i didn't think this would be a big deal! I was simply trying to help other M1031 owners that are having control box issues. I 'm not a vendor, I'm just a farmer who has a love for really cool vehicles like this one! I have purchased Three of these trucks and they all have had various failers in the governor control box areas. So i have a vast knowledge of the systems on these trucks. These boxes were made by Barber Coleman, this company does not exist anymore. So when My service trucks control boxes didn't work i set out to find a modern replacement that worked! And in doing so there is a lot of time, MONEY and leg work that gets invested into something like this. There was a purchase of a programming cable for the control unit, downloading of the software and parameters to be figured out. I have done all of this. Yes maybe i would like to recoup some of my investment, I'm sure anybody would. I know that there are some of these trucks with control box issues but not a ton of them so I'm not looking to make a killing on this. Maybe i should of posted a thread in the classifieds as well and i have no problem doing so i was simply trying to get the information out there! gwag said it best...."I personally don't think he's crossed the line here! He obviously did this to his truck and is posting up what looks like could be beneficial to other members!"

Thanks Doug

 

[b4thundr]

I have heard of people having great results with these universal cruise control kits to control generators- they are $200 from summit racing

Rostra Precision Controls 250-1223 - Rostra Global Cruise Control Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Hey Dave,
This cruise control unit are you using this to run the governor control system on the truck? If so how does it work? do you have one on your truck? or a friends?
Doug

 

[brianrbull]

First off let me tell you thanks from the M1031 club....
Locating parts for these can be problematic at best. I had to bypass the overspeed switch on mine to get the actuator to work, it is fine now but I would be interested in one of these if the rest fails....
Also dont let Nay Sayers bother you some people get self righteous when people want to make a profit. This is a free market and time is money, doing the legwork equates into time....

 

[south101]

Brianrull, I don't know what thread you have been reading but, I haven't read anything from any "Nay Sayers". All I have read about is a discussion in this forum about what this thing is and alternatives to the problem at issue. After all, this is a discussion group. If it wasn't open to discussion, then it shouldn't have been in this forum.

 

[gwag]

Brianrull, I don't know what thread you have been reading but, I haven't read anything from any "Nay Sayers". All I have read about is a discussion in this forum about what this thing is and alternatives to the problem at issue. After all, this is a discussion group. If it wasn't open to discussion, then it shouldn't have been in this forum.

You should go back and read the first 5 or 6 replies of people getting bent about whether the OP is a vendor, is the OP making any money off these, asking the OP if this is a classified ad, and the quote I think sums up the (Now that you have put all the time, effort, & expense into this tell me everything so I can cut you out of the loop" attitude . . . . . .


Posted by jbolty:
"I think it's great that you found this but I'm wondering if you are posting this to help out others, or are you a vendor trying to sell a product? If you are just helping then where do you get them and how much do you pay for them?"

Maybe you can buy the parts somewhere else then send them to him for programming & if you don't want to pay what thats worth maybe he would do it for free since you seemed determined that nobody is going to make a buck off of you.

Like I said before seems like a nice guy with something to offer the board. Is he just supposed to give these away now that he has done all the work? With the reception he got I'm surprised he hasn't told us all to pack sand, taken his ball & gone home!

I thought this board was about sharing with other members but everything can't be free!

 

[south101]

Initially, concern was raised that this should have been placed in the classifieds. The subsequent posts, for the most part, were of techinical nature. I myself have no need for one of these, but am interested in what it is he found a solution for. I take interest in learning of the systems of this equipment and any issues related to them. If people ask about his solution, so what, that's how people learn. I applaud the fact that he found a solution. Now, to just blindly follow or purchase what he created is not wise. Again, this is a discussion group. Why get upset about it. Nobody has attacked his solution.

 

[lavarok]

Control is $400.00
connector kit $35.00
Programming is $25.00
Plus shipping USPS or UPS

I will provide a cell number for support.....

Thanks,
Doug

Doug's prices are not too bad considering what the setup would cost the owner of a single truck. To get the controller, cable kit/software, etc will cost ~600

However, if I was offering the solution for sale I would disclose the actual hardware being used and sell my wiring diagrams and services which is really where the value is at. That is the uniqueness. That way no-one feels like they have to buy the hardware from you and it allows a potential buyer to research your solution for its validity.

With that said, I think you have a marketable service and stand to loose nothing by confirming if the unit is or is not the APECS 4500.

Have you installed just the one unit? How long has it been in use?

 

[davo727]

Woodward Apecs 4500 controller pn# SA-4489 are $299 from DrakeControls in Houston

 

[jbolty]

You should go back and read the first 5 or 6 replies of people getting bent about whether the OP is a vendor, is the OP making any money off these, asking the OP if this is a classified ad, and the quote I think sums up the (Now that you have put all the time, effort, & expense into this tell me everything so I can cut you out of the loop" attitude . . . . . .


Posted by jbolty:
"I think it's great that you found this but I'm wondering if you are posting this to help out others, or are you a vendor trying to sell a product? If you are just helping then where do you get them and how much do you pay for them?"

Maybe you can buy the parts somewhere else then send them to him for programming & if you don't want to pay what thats worth maybe he would do it for free since you seemed determined that nobody is going to make a buck off of you.

Like I said before seems like a nice guy with something to offer the board. Is he just supposed to give these away now that he has done all the work? With the reception he got I'm surprised he hasn't told us all to pack sand, taken his ball & gone home!

I thought this board was about sharing with other members but everything can't be free!

I'm happy to pay a fair price for anything but there is a long history dating back well before there was an internet of people selling a magic black box that would fix whatever you needed. I have been getting PM's from the OP for a while asking about this thing and frankly when he dropped it out there like a vendor it rubbed me the wrong way. Personally I am open to share information and If I found this I would have posted the link to where to buy it and let it go at that; but that's me.

 

[gwag]

I'm happy to pay a fair price for anything but there is a long history dating back well before there was an internet of people selling a magic black box that would fix whatever you needed. I have been getting PM's from the OP for a while asking about this thing and frankly when he dropped it out there like a vendor it rubbed me the wrong way. Personally I am open to share information and If I found this I would have posted the link to where to buy it and let it go at that; but that's me.

There seems to be 2 trains of thought here
#1 some seem to think the post is innapropriate for this section. I'm sure the mods will move or delete if it is. No need for us to worry about that.
#2 some seem to think he wants too much for what he is offering. If you don't think it's a fair price pass on it, it's pretty simple he's not forcing anyone to buy his set up or pay his price. The box is obviously availible to anyone so go ahead and buy it from whoever you want, hook it up & make electicity. Then after you let the smoke out of a few things & spend untold hours getting it right you will have the satisfaction he did not make a penny off you. Theres really no need to hem haw around and make innuendos that a guy is charging too much.

Frankly attitudes like yours rub me the wrong way far more than a guy trying pass on a benificial product and cover his costs & make a fair profit.

Apparently theres more to it than buying the box & like I said before after everyone figures out how to bypass him on the box then lets browbeat him into giving up the info on how to make it work. For free of course cause thats what we all really want, someting for nothing. Some guys have obviously already found the box, and with all the knowledgable people on this board some one else already knows how to make it work. If they want to give you the link then tell you how to do the rest of it that's their business all you have to do is wait for someone to post up a thread on it & your'e set.

I'm not sure if the box in the post above selling for $299 is the same but if it is after freight to him thats less than $100 profit, the other products & services he's offering look more than reasonable to me.

I'm curious what all you guys who are rubbed the wrong way by his price think a fair price would be for all he's offering. He wants $460 for the box, connector, programing & tech support + freight. Seriously what do you think is a fair price?

Personally if I had gone to the trouble he has and and couldn't make $100 a copy on a product that has a very limited market I wouldn't even bother.

I know I've beat this horse to death but nobody is holding a gun to anyones head here. Lets quit bickering about it and see if some tech makes it's way into the thread.

 

[b4thundr]

Doug's prices are not too bad considering what the setup would cost the owner of a single truck. To get the controller, cable kit/software, etc will cost ~600

However, if I was offering the solution for sale I would disclose the actual hardware being used and sell my wiring diagrams and services which is really where the value is at. That is the uniqueness. That way no-one feels like they have to buy the hardware from you and it allows a potential buyer to research your solution for its validity.

With that said, I think you have a marketable service and stand to loose nothing by confirming if the unit is or is not the APECS 4500.

Have you installed just the one unit? How long has it been in use?

I have installed 1 unit and its been working on my truck for about 2 weeks, it really is a nice piece its reaction time is spot on and holds the voltage and hertz perfectly.

 

[gwag]

Doug's prices are not too bad considering what the setup would cost the owner of a single truck. To get the controller, cable kit/software, etc will cost ~600

However, if I was offering the solution for sale I would disclose the actual hardware being used and sell my wiring diagrams and services which is really where the value is at. That is the uniqueness. That way no-one feels like they have to buy the hardware from you and it allows a potential buyer to research your solution for its validity.

With that said, I think you have a marketable service and stand to loose nothing by confirming if the unit is or is not the APECS 4500.

Have you installed just the one unit? How long has it been in use?

You have been one of the few voices of reason in this thread as far as I'm concerned and I tend to agree with everything you are saying but if it were me I would charge more to program a controller someone bought from someone else and would not stand behind a part that I did not know the history on. Someone could try to figure this out on their own, damage the part then send it to our new friend here & try to blame him for breaking it.

I heard a quote this morning "would you take your own eggs to the diner & ask them to cook them" this kind of puts it in a nutshell for me.

$460 + freight is more than fair for all he's offering to a guy who does not have the knowledge, tools, & time to do this on his own to 1 truck as you stated. If however someone has the knowledge, tools, & time to do it by all means buy the part & have it. He's not the only source for parts & hasn't claimed to be that I'm aware of.

When I bought my M1031 I had a shop get my governor/actuator working as I don't have the knowledge or time to do it and I'm sure I would have had days into figuring it out. Information on these gensets is the only thing I have ever searched on this board and NOT came up with good info & answers. I paid $220 to get the original controls working and from everything I've gathered It probably won't stay working for long. The tech said the hertz are not quite spot on & the reaction time is a little slow. My genset has less than 30 total hours on it. When I bought my M1031 I posted it up and one guy replied "nice truck, I wish you luck those things hardley ever work" The next time it acts up I will be looking at this set up & buying from him & taking advantage of his tech support and doing the install myself.

 

[gwag]

Initially, concern was raised that this should have been placed in the classifieds. The subsequent posts, for the most part, were of techinical nature. I myself have no need for one of these, but am interested in what it is he found a solution for. I take interest in learning of the systems of this equipment and any issues related to them. If people ask about his solution, so what, that's how people learn. I applaud the fact that he found a solution. Now, to just blindly follow or purchase what he created is not wise. Again, this is a discussion group. Why get upset about it. Nobody has attacked his solution.

I agree no one has attacked his solution thats not what upsets me. I just don't like to see a man "attacked" for trying to pass along a beneficial product and get fair compensation for the product, his time & monetary investment in it.

I own one of these trucks and have a need for his product. I wanted to hear more about the product and less about price.

 

[b4thundr]

more info on the Woodward controller http://www.steelsoldiers.com/cucv/52024-m1031-governor-control.html#post595239

 

[SmokeyDod]

With this new controller, are you still able to use the 3-phase onboard compressor?

 

[b4thundr]

Yes you are, the controller runs the engine part of the truck, and air compressor part is separate, Thanks!! Doug

 

[SmokeyDod]

Thanks b4, Just want to say a couple of things reference some comments made earlier. I agree with gwag, some of these guys come on here making comments on someone trying to help. They gripe about everything from price to "you didn't put it in right column". Guys just come on site brand new & complain even when they don't even have the ------ truck to even use the item. If you can't say something good, best to keep ------ shut. I have seen many posts ref. the M1031 w/pto version that they could not get to work. That nice truck with 12kv gen ain't worth a ---- w/o the gen. Then when some locates solution help they want to know where to get it so they can get it themselves direct and save a dollar.
Sorry abt being so sarcastic, but enough is enough. I have seen good members slowly dropping out of this site because of crap like this.
To the newbies that seem to know everything abt these MVs but will get thier 1st one next week, suggest you read up on TM's, then just look & read past posts before putting someone down who is trying to help.
I FEEL BETTER NOW --Now I await my chastizing.