brake light, backup light, aux power fuse blowing when 4020 put in reverse

[sassafraspete]

My 2003 branson 4020 started blowing a 15 amp fuse (second one down on the fuse block) that feeds the brake lights, backup lights, aux power. I disconnected both harnesses going to the back lights and the fuse would still blow when I turned the tractor on. I finally discovered that it would blow when the shuttle was put into the reverse . I am wondering if any of you electrical brainiacs out there can tell me how the backup lights are triggered to come on when the shuttle is put into reverse? I am assuming that the switching mechanism is linked to the shuttle linkage... and theorizing that it is shorting out. I briefly pulled off the plastic cowling below the steering wheel and noticed a round flat disk that had a plastic fork on top, which straddles part of the shuttle linkage. This plastic fork moves back and forth when moving the shuttle arm. I only looked at this briefly as it was getting late and i ran out of time. This fork sits at the floor level, and I couldn't readily see under neath it for wires etc without removing it. Am I close , or way off base? Sage advice from TBN contributors always appreciated.

sassafraspete

 

[sassafraspete]

ok, so looks like that fork contraption probably controls the safety start...eg must be in nuetral . Is there a backup light switch located somewhere? Anybody?

sassafraspete

 

[sassafraspete]

Well, haven't had time to work on this... but just ordered some new tools for my tool collection. One is a "short finder" tool that consists of a circuit breaker you can put in place of your fuse that resets so you are not wasting a bunch of fuses testing, and also included a type of amp meter you hold against the wire or bundle to find the direction of the short. The second tool, is a cheap wire tracer and tone generator to help me trace the wire and can possibly help me find the short. Will be getting these soon, and maybe I can track down this short. Any excuse for a new tool is a good thing, right?

sassafraspete

 

[Texasmark]

Is it shuttle shift? My 6530 is shuttle and under the steering wheel where everything goes through the floorboard is an area between the two extremes mentioned where my backup switch is located.