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Question Scheduled Service - change and clean ground cables

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MapNerd

RVF 1K Club
Joined
Nov 17, 2019
Messages
2,298
Location
Prince William, VA
RV Year
2020
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Ventana 4326
RV Length
43
TOW/TOAD
2020 Ford F-150
Fulltimer
Yes
Looking at the punch list for the Freightliner XCR scheduled maintenance. Chassis Maintenance | Freightliner Chassis RV

Under Electrical, the last item listed is “Change and Clean ground cables”

First, I assume these are the ground cables on the chassis battery. Is that correct?

Second, if the service calls for changing the cables, which I presume to mean replace with new, what is there to clean? Or it is only clean and replace if necessary? Or is it clean the battery terminals and replace the cables?

I am trying to figure out if this was actually done during a recent chassis service I had performed. The question came up because I went to open the chassis battery compartment the other day less than three days after having chassis service performed and the door wouldn’t open. Tug as much as I might, the darn thing would not open. I crawled under and found that the latch was corroded because Newmar leaves that compartment exposed to the elements, even though there’s really no need since chassis batteries are AGM. Anyway, not being able to open the door made me wonder, how could they have even inspected the chassis electrical connections if they couldn’t get the door open?

I crawled below with a hammer and gently tapped the latch lever a couple of times to release the catch, then hosed it down with PB Blaster.

When I finally got the door open and took a look at he chassis battery compartment - the cables still have dust on them - even the rubber caps that go over the terminals. There’s no corrosion on the terminals but since there is still dust on the terminal caps, I’m wondering how they could have been changed or cleaned.

So either they went through the trouble of getting the door open as I did, then did the job very carefully, not even disturbing the dust on the caps then closed it up and didn’t say a word about the corrosion issue with the latch, or they didn’t do it at all. I’m not concerned with the cables. They look fine. My concern is that if they didn’t even do that, what else did they not do? Did I get my engine oil change? What about the gearbox oil change? Did they lube everything? Drain my air tanks?

Before I reach out to the business that did my chassis service, I want to make sure the ground cables that are supposed to be cleaned and/or changed, are the ones in the chassis battery compartment.
 
Last edited:
False alarm. It turned out that the “cables” to be changed and cleaned is the ground chassis strap, not the battery cables.
 
False alarm. It turned out that the “cables” to be changed and cleaned is the ground chassis strap, not the battery cables.
Easy Mapnerd, easy. At least your DEF head sensors are good. Have another beverage as it’s all good!
 
What was the cause of stuck door? Was it rust or just a collection of dirt and debris?
 
Easy Mapnerd, easy. At least your DEF head sensors are good. Have another beverage as it’s all good!
The Nerd abides

What was the cause of stuck door? Was it rust or just a collection of dirt and debris?
I haven’t investigated thoroughly yet. One of those two. I suspect rust but it could just as well be dirt or a misaligned catch.
 

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