rec.autos.simulators

The *** was peeling on my 4 year old unit. Then it started loosing
buttons which turned out to be wires perishing in the steering column with
the radial movement.

I tried to botch some back together and had a brainstorm which went along
the lines of strength in numbers. So I wrapped packing tape round the loom
inside the steering column.

......then the whole loom sheared...

Since I'm mechanically biased, I'm looking for some feedback from the
electronics contingent who may be browsing, regarding whether its possible
to repair/resolder a 15 wire loom.

Can anyone give me any pointers/links ( I do have a cheapo soldering kit,
but never used it )

Pls see the current state of repair:-

http://freespace.***.net/ian.jarvo/wheel.jpg

AD

So the long*** wires are supposed to be connected to the short stubs
on the left? I don't see why you wouldn't be able to just solder them
back together. Just match the colors (thank god they are color coded).

If its soldering that you don't know how to do... its really very simple.
Just heat up your iron. Take two matching color wire, strip a bit of the
cover on each end, and twist them together. Then with your hot iron,
place the tip on the twisted part for around 1/2 sec, then touch some
solder on the twisted part, remove solder, remove iron.

You'll want to cover the soldered part with electrical tape, or with
heatshrink toobing or something, cause you don't want the wires shorting
each other.

Since the wires snapped, they might be old and starting the crack. If
thats the case, you could always replace the whole mess with new wiring.
On each end, the wires probably go to a copper part of the PCB, get some
desoldering braid/wick (search google for that and you should find info
on how to use it) and remove each end from the PCB, and just solder a new
wire from point A to point B.

Everything you need to get that job done can be found at Radio Shack
(braid and/or new wires).

--
josh boudreau
josh at kfoo dot net

Mike
http://mikebeauchamp.com