1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Topic: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers (Read 1515 times) previous topic - next topic

1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

September 01, 2012, 09:41:34 pm

I have recently bought a 1987 Grand Villa gas-engined motorhome. I think I might have blown a fuse (or tripped a breaker) while rewiring for a replacement radio. Can anyone tell me where the fuses/breakers are situated. The manual that I have states that the dashboard is hinged but mine does not appear to be - although I may be mistaken. the manuals do not appear to give the location of the fuses/breakers - although it would take about 6 months to read them all!!

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #1 – September 01, 2012, 11:31:17 pm

Marty, you may have a non-Foretravel Chassis such as an Oshkosh. The are known as ORED's here on the Forum. If so, you may not have a hinged dash. Several of our members have OREDs and can give you better info. When I bought my first 93 Foretravel, the dash had not been opened for a long time and was very difficult to lift up. There are retaining clips all across the front of the dash so just put as much upward pressure as you dare at either end of the dash and if it starts to give keep working your way across the dash until is finally lets go and lifts up. The fuse blocks are readily visible as are many other components of the electrical system.

If no luck, call James Triana at the Foretravel factory, 800-955-6226, on Tuesday. Give him your build number, located on the metal place next to the drivers left elbow, and he can tell you pretty much anything you need to know about the coach.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #2 – September 01, 2012, 11:48:49 pm

Marty,

Kent covers the way to do it. Mine sticks and takes a lot of effort if not opened for a few weeks. I installed a wooden foot that rotates down to hold the top open when I'm working inside. Otherwise, you have to hold it with one hand while working and it gets heavy fast. Fuses location diagram is visible on the dash top when you open it. Make sure to get a wiring schematic if it didn't come with one.

Pierce

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #3 – September 01, 2012, 11:52:34 pm

Thanks, Kent. You are correct about the Oshkosh chassis. The Oshkosh manual shows the dash with circuit breakers along the bottom edge (underneath I assume) but adds that individual manufacturers might incorporate the instruments etc. in their own dashboard design. I have looked underneath the dash but saw no sign of the breakers.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #4 – September 02, 2012, 12:03:02 am

Thanks, Pierce.

Kent, I thought ORED meant Oshkosh Rear Engine Diesel. Mine is a gas-pusher (not to mention a gas-guzzler lol). I have only had it a couple of weeks so I am still finding where everything is and what everything does.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #5 – September 02, 2012, 01:10:05 am

FWIW, my ORED is on an Oshkosh chassis and the dash lid lifts up as described by Pierce.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #6 – September 02, 2012, 08:52:02 am

Quote from: Marty Day – September 02, 2012, 12:03:02 am

Thanks, Pierce.

Kent, I thought ORED meant Oshkosh Rear Engine Diesel. Mine is a gas-pusher (not to mention a gas-guzzler lol). I have only had it a couple of weeks so I am still finding where everything is and what everything does.

OREG

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #7 – September 02, 2012, 06:15:04 pm

That dash panel is hinged, but as has been stated before it does stick to the vinyl portion of the lower dash panel so will take a fair amount of force to open and once open you will see the fuses directly in front of the guage cluster

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #8 – September 02, 2012, 11:28:03 pm

Thanks, everybody. I had assumed that the vinyl surround was part of what was hinged but you appear to be saying that it is just the black, metal part that is hinged. In that case I guess that you open it by pushing from underneath. I shall put on my deerstalker and do the Sherlock Holmes on the dash!

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #9 – September 03, 2012, 11:33:27 am

It is the vinyl dashboard itself, not the metal dash with the cluster. Just grab by the lip/overhang and lift up

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #10 – September 03, 2012, 12:31:07 pm

Quote from: Marty Day – September 02, 2012, 12:03:02 am

Thanks, Pierce.

Kent, I thought ORED meant Oshkosh Rear Engine Diesel. Mine is a gas-pusher (not to mention a gas-guzzler lol). I have only had it a couple of weeks so I am still finding where everything is and what everything does.

You are correct, OREG is the proper designation if it is an Oshkosh gas pusher. It will take a long time to figure out everything but this forum will cut the learning curve dramatically although I don't think there are very many members with an OREG so items unique to the OREG may take a phone call to James T.

If you can post a photo of your dash, we might be of more help.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #11 – September 03, 2012, 12:33:56 pm

My friends OREG was exactly the same as my ORED except shorter and you could sleep a kid where the Ford is instead of the CAT.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #12 – September 03, 2012, 02:20:15 pm

We have an '86 ORED, but it should be very similar to your "87 OREG. On ours, it is fairly simple to push up with the butt of your palms on the overhanging lip of the dash cover, right in the center (above the mic hook) and the clips should let go with a bit of umph. The clips going out towards either side follow along pretty easily once the center unsnaps. The clips are much like the spring-and-roller style clips on old kitchen cabinets. Pierce is right on the money about the lack of a hold-open device. Before you get started, find a 1"x1" strip of plywood or a foot long piece of broom handle (anything similar) to use as a prop once the dash lid comes loose. Once you have it opened, the fuse block should be easy to spot. Ours is directly forward of the steering wheel, under the dash hinge on the left-hand side. These are your "automotive" fuses, and have the horns and radio fuses included. Most 12 volt radios also have an inline fuse on the power lead. Not sure how you managed to remove & replace the original dash mounted radio without opening the dash in the first place. I couldn't have done it from underneath, as there is a 1/2 inch thick sheet of plywood as a base under the dash cavity. Once you get that puppy open, everything is pretty well layed out for the wiring upgrades you are doing (except that you will be fighting the flexi-ducts for the heat and dash air-conditioning). I installed a 12 post terminal strip to accomodate the radio power and speaker wiring very near to the new stereo. This was a brilliant idea!!!! I found that the new surround-sound unit was all menu driven and too difficult to use while driving...or parked. I ended up buying a newer unit that has the monitor (Double DIN) and 7.1 surround. The terminal block allowed easy wiring for the new(est) unit, and the several HAM radios that also found their way into my dash.
The rest of your electrical fusing and breakers should be located in 2 side-by-side panels in the base of your master bed. Those will be mostly your "Coach" electrical, both 12 VDC and 120 VAC circuits.
Hope this gives you some help. I had to figure some of this stuff out myself. The rest, I was guided through by the folks on THIS Forum. Once again, I thank you fine folks for gathering here!!!!!!
Steve and Nikki Davis
K1SLD

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #13 – September 03, 2012, 05:31:41 pm

Quote from: Twig – September 03, 2012, 12:33:56 pm

My friends OREG was exactly the same as my ORED except shorter and you could sleep a kid where the Ford is instead of the CAT.

Out here in the West there are a number of OREG units for sale cheap. Now, since a Ford Power Stroke 7.3 is the same bolt pattern as a 460 someday I'am going to do a swap, should be a fun project.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #14 – September 03, 2012, 06:06:42 pm

.........and pay .30 to .70/ gal more.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #15 – September 03, 2012, 07:41:56 pm

Hurrah!!! Success at last! Indeed I was trying to open the instrument panel because that is what I consider the dashboard to be. As I gently inserted a screwdriver to give a bit of umph to opening the "instrument panel" the top bit opened up and voila! a birdsnest of wires was revealed. I guess OREGs must be superior to OREDs because MY dash stays up by itself lol. Anyway I had indeed blown the radio fuse (confusing because there 2 totally separate fuses marked "radio") and after I reorganized the speaker wiring to how it should be the radio works perfectly back, front and sideways. The fuse for the fog/driving lights had also blown and now I need to figure out how and when those lights work.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone for your assistance. I am truly astonished by how helpful you all are and am grateful for it. No doubt I shall be back with more brainteasers.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #16 – September 03, 2012, 07:57:27 pm

Quote from: Twig – September 03, 2012, 06:06:42 pm

.........and pay .30 to .70/ gal more.

You couldn't give me a gasser anything, not on the Left Coast where our gas is between 20 and 30 percent Ethenol. A 460 on a good in a 3/4 ton pickup only get's 10mpg. My Cat 3208 is good for 10mpg if I stay around 55.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #17 – September 03, 2012, 08:30:12 pm

Quote from: Steve & Nancy Snow – September 03, 2012, 05:31:41 pm

Out here in the West there are a number of OREG units for sale cheap. Now, since a Ford Power Stroke 7.3 is the same bolt pattern as a 460 someday I'am going to do a swap, should be a fun project.

Very easy conversion. I put a 7.3 turbo in a SOB 26 footer. Foretravel would be much easier if you use a mechanical engine. Almost no wiring to do and with the turbo, you don't need much of a muffler. Might be able to get it running in a day.

Pierce

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #18 – September 03, 2012, 09:29:40 pm

Your lights will probably work only when the headlights are on high beam. That's how mine worked.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #19 – September 03, 2012, 11:29:13 pm

Treat her gently - blew up the 460 Ford in my 87 OREG - too much weight = too much heat = burnt valves. Plus I got about 5-6MPG. WOuld have loved and kept that one if it had a diesel or i was good enough to switch it out. Dave M, I needed you then!

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #20 – September 04, 2012, 07:58:12 am

7.3 Powerstroke is a good dependable motor. I bought a pickup with a runout 7.3, dropped it off at a rebuilder in Houston, he pulled the old motor, installed rebuilt, all in for $4K. Put 150K on it, never missed a beat. Finally just got tired of the truck, sold it and it's still working well. That would be a nice conversion.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #21 – July 08, 2020, 10:05:41 pm

The running lights on my 1987 Foretravel Gran Villa just quit working. Any idea where the fuse box is for this problem?. The two fuze boxes that are located on the front of the bed dont have any that affect these lights.Thanks.

Re: 1987 Grand Villa Dashboard Fuses/Circuit Breakers

Reply #22 – July 08, 2020, 10:19:56 pm

Straight in front of the steering wheel , under the dash.
The head light switch is a common failure point also. All of the headlight power goes through the switch. No relay. LED headlights let this circuit live longer by using less amps.

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