Electric short in CaseIH 24DXe

[Harry Palmer]

I recently bought a CaseIH 24DXe tractor with 130 hours. Everything seems to work okay except for a short in the electrical. The engine starts fine, the turn signals and flashing lights work fine. The running (work) lights work fine, but when I turn the switch to the headlights the fuse blows. I removed the hood so I could tell if the problem was in the lights or elsewhere. The short seems elsewhere. The work light and headlight are on the same switch, just different positions of the switch levers. My approach: a) See if a short exists in the wiring, which means I need to remove the steering wheel and cowl; b) determine if the switch is bad, then I will replace it ($45). My questions are: a) how do I remove the steering wheel? It has a nut on top, which I can remove. But the wheel won't come off. Does anyone know how to remove it?
b) How can I test the switch to see if its bad? I have an ohm-meter, but I don't really know how to use it to test the switch. Thanks :confused2::confused2:

 

[David-Davies]

Hello Harry Palmer.Before you take every thing apart. I would disconect your head lights. Make a jumper wire that will reach the battery, and the headlight wires. Put a light bulb, [back up light bulb, or the likes] in the circut, [the bulb is so you don't melt your wiring] Don't turn the key on or the lights on. If the bulb lights up you have a short. It's very unlikey it's in the switch.Wigle and jijle the wires. when the bulb goes out, you will know were to look for the short.
Dave

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I would look from the headlights back if you can for a wire that is pinched to the switch. As the other guy said see if there is a connector in the harness feeding the headlights and unplug that first. Chances are the hood or a piece of metal has pinched the harness going to the lights. Or the wire has chaffed against something so you might have to grab and wiggle the harness to get a good look.