Thread: Help! My Leatherface's Head no longer moves!

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Hello,
I have a life size Leatherface, I had an accident he fell over and no his head does not shift from side to side I unscrew his head and found that the wires that are connected to the motor became loose! I am pretty sure that the motor is the one that makes his head move! I don't know how they are supposed to go! Can someone who has a Leatherface prop please unscrew the head and locate the motor that turns his head! Please take a pic of the motor and the wires that are connected to it! That can help me figure out how they are supposed to go! I can't take a pic of his motor because I dont have a camera! Any help will be greatly appreciated! I want to fix this prop it is one of my favorites!

Here is what I found on mine.

Red and Brown wires go to the head turn motor that is buried inside the plastic neck and shoulder mechanism.

White and Black wires go to the head connector (to drive the eyes)

Orange & gray wires go to the shoulder movement motor (on the underside of the plastic neck and shoulder mechanism.

Leatherface :: Wires into neck motor picture by bradbaum - Photobucket

This picture shows the cable coming from the base and the pairs of wires. the red and brown go inside the gear box, the orange and gray go down to the shoulder motor and the white and black go to the head mounting unit connector.

Leatherface :: Shoulder motor2 picture by bradbaum - Photobucket

This picture shows the wires going to the should turn motor.

I took other pictures as well. They can be seen in this album:

Leatherface pictures by bradbaum - Photobucket

If the head is not turning it could be a problem in the gear box.

Hey,
Thanks for the help Brad really do appreciate it! The strangest thing is that the eyes still move the arm does also, and so do the blades! I took him apart there are a red a back wire! How can I make sure they stay in place everytime I try to put them on the motor it slips off should I use a touch of crazy glue? And where is the gear box on the bottom of the base? I know you are probably thinking do they know anything I really don't know nothing about electronics! I really do hope I can fix this! Thank you very much for your help! I would buy another one but these are rare and expensive I have not found one in a while! I think my Leatherface is a prototype because he does not have any eyebrows does yours have eyebrows? Please reply back thanks!

Ok.

Can you describe the connectors that go to the motor?

They are likely spade connectors. Please confirm. Spade connectors consist of the male connectioon which looks like a very small flat shovel, and the female connector looks like a very flat handlebar mustache.

Mine does have eyebrows.

You will need to solder the wires to the motor. glue is non-conductive and won't work.

The gear box is under the neck between the shoulders.

The control circuit board is located in the base, along with the light sensor and sound sensor.

Spinman - Gemmy doesn't use connectors, they build everything as cheap as possible. The only connectors will be at the power supply input on the base and the where the head mounts. All other connections are soldered.

Typically they also save a few pennies by making the wires too short, and this is why they break loose from the motors.

Hello,
Just took the base off know the sound does not work! He did not tuen at the waiste either there is a long black tube that coats the wires! I opened the bottom of the base and nothing seems wrong! The black tube has the wires that power up the motor for the head and the motor for his shoulders to move side to side I attached a video of the same Leatherface that I have! Please check it out and see if you can help!
YouTube - Gemmy Animation Leatherface

I have the exact same problem......the head and waist no longer move on mine, i took completely apart and checked motors and gears but no luck and then had to re-connect all the wires to the motors. I do not think you can find these type of motors for sale. Good luck.......

for the audio problems, make sure the connector on his arm is fully plugged in:

Leatherface :: 3.5mm 4 Contact Connector on arm picture by bradbaum - Photobucket

The audio speaker resides in the chainsaw on this prop, if the audio still doesn't work make sure the wires are still soldered to the speaker:

Leatherface :: Speaker inside Chain Saw picture by bradbaum - Photobucket

If it is still not working then there may be wires broken in the body between the circuit board in the base and the connector in his right arm that feeds the chainsaw.

If it is still not working it is on the circuit board. Either the audio amplifier chip or the personality module chip. See my previous post on the Gemmy butler for notes on the circuit board:

Edwardian Butler Repair

These circuit boards vary from prop to prop, but for the most part they are very similar.

As far as the motors not working, I used a 6VDC regulated power supply to check the motors on my butler, but I had cut the circuit board out so I could work on it, so it was easy to hook to the wires that drive the motors and drive them one way then reverse polarity and drive them the other way.

What I found on my butler is that the transistors that drive the motors on the circuit board tend to blow because they are somewhat under powered for the job at hand. If the motor gets jammed up for any reason it draws more current then the transistors can handle and they heat up and pop.

Hello,
Yes I took the base off I did not try to reconnect them though! I don't know how can fix this a shop or something! Gemmy should try making better props that last! For that kinf of money these props should last a long time.