LockDoc's "Low Budget", "Low Maintenance" Project Thread

[LockDoc]

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I had a cab light wire loom that was in pretty good shape but it had a couple of small bare spots where a mouse had chewed on it. I thought about taping it up but decided to bite the bullet and build a new one. It made it pretty easy since I had the old one for a pattern. I don't want to have to pull that thing back out again....

Installed the new loom and tested all of the terminals so I am ready to install the nice cab lights and finish up that part of the project. I will do that tomorrow hopefully.

First picture is the new wire loom and second is the wire loom installed. It may be a little hard to see the terminals sticking up out of the holes in the roof but they are there.

LockDoc
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[LockDoc]

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OK, cab lights are finished up and all work great. I also installed the dome light and fuel tank sender wiring. I found a pretty nice complete cigarette lighter assembly in my parts stash so I can get it installed tomorrow.

Basically all I have left to do inside is the lighter, mirror, visors, and Radio. All pretty simple stuff. I am going to try and get all of those finished up tomorrow, then I will work on the under hood wiring some more, and a few other things on the engine.

LockDoc
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[68Gold/white]

As they say on Vice Grip Garage, You've got lightage!!!

[Ol Blue K20]

I like them, I might have to find some of those.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

As they say on Vice Grip Garage, You've got lightage!!!

You betcha' ...

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I like them, I might have to find some of those.

I have had these for a while but I think they are pretty easy to find. I think they look more "old school"...

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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I decided to do a little write-up on the cab lights. I wanted to make sure they were going to work from the git-go, so I disassembled and cleaned them good inside and out. I removed the wire pigtails (because I was going to replace them) and cleaned the inside of the sockets. Some of them had a little corrosion inside so I used a battery terminal brush to remove the bad stuff. I think a brush for cleaning the inside of copper tubing for plumbing or a gun cleaning bore brush would work good too. I know they make brushes specifically for the bulb sockets but they tend to be a little pricey and I had the battery terminal brush.

Below is a pictiure of the pigtails I bought. They look a little light weight but they worked good.

I bought the FRYIC racheting double terminal crimper and after a little practice it works really well to crimp the terminals on the new pigtails.

https://www.amazon.com/Fryic-Termina...s%2C160&sr=8-2

I also included a picture of the card from the bulb package. You can probably tell I have had these for a while.... .. I actually bought them at a swap meet.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

From what I read, if you use the Dakota Digital lever that you have to use relays to change the "Normally Open" state they use to a "Normally Closed" state. What I was reading was a little dated so maybe they now have one that is NC. I don't know.

LockDoc

Would a GM 1981-83 C/K style turn signal lever work for your application (part number 25030993)? The nice thing about this lever is that it has the OFF/ON/RA switch, and it has the old-style screw attachment. The Dakota Digital documentation says that factory GM controls have the opposite logic than their turn signal lever.

https://www.oldsobsolete.com/product...h-gm-25030993/

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

Would a GM 1981-83 C/K style turn signal lever work for your application (part number 25030993)? The nice thing about this lever is that it has the OFF/ON/RA switch, and it has the old-style screw attachment. The Dakota Digital documentation says that factory GM controls have the opposite logic than their turn signal lever.

That is a 3 wire lever and I think my setup would need the 4 wire lever. There is a thread on here that shows how to put a 4 wire switch into that lever and it is really easy to do.

LockDoc

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

That is a 3 wire lever and I think my setup would need the 4 wire lever. There is a thread on here that shows how to put a 4 wire switch into that lever and it is really easy to do.

LockDoc

Actually this is a 4 wire switch.

[pjmoreland]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

Actually this is a 4 wire switch.

You were right about that part number being a 3-wire switch. I assumed it was a 4-wire, because that's what I have, and the switch looks the same. I don't know what the part number is for the 4-wire version.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

You were right about that part number being a 3-wire switch. I assumed it was a 4-wire, because that's what I have, and the switch looks the same. I don't know what the part number is for the 4-wire version.

Yes, I was looking at the picture in the large format and only saw 3 wires. I don't know the part number for the 4 wire either. In his thread "ls1nova71" shows how to convert the 3 wire to a 4 wire and it looks pretty easy.

LockDoc
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[LockDoc]

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I finally took my driveshaft up to the driveline shop in Des Moines Wednesday morning. They called me yesterday at 10:15am and said it was done. They shortened the front shaft 4 inches, installed the carrier bearing and 3 "U" joints that I supplied, and painted it, and the total with tax was $75.87. I about fell over. I was expecting at least 200 bucks. I gave the guy an extra $20 and told him to have a nice dinner on me. He was happy, I was happy, and the driveshaft is happy....

Pizza and a movie tonight so I will install it tomorrow.

LockDoc

[kev2809]

wow that's encouraging lol will be in that stage soon and I was guessing about $300.

good deal

[May70]

Looking good Leon!

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice!

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by kev2809

wow that's encouraging lol will be in that stage soon and I was guessing about $300.

good deal

I hope you can find a good shop near you.

Originally Posted by May70

Looking good Leon!

Thanks Matt.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice!

Thanks Ryan.

I installed it today and it fit great.

I started working on the shift linkage and I think I have it figured out using all stock parts, which I have. I will have to lengthen the rod though.

I am also working on designing the fuel pump install and fuel supply system. I am going to try and use the stock 2002 Chevy fuel pump electric unit (just the pump, not the sender) inside the stock '71 tank, and use the stock '71 fuel vent line for the fuel injection return. I think that will work. I will have to do some reading on it.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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Finished up the shifter linkage and rod today. I spent an hour at the scrap yard looking for a piece of thin wall tubing that the rod would fit into snug. I only needed a 14" long piece but do you think I could find any? Nope.... That place has a lot of misceleanous scrap but not one piece the size I needed. I was bummed out. I went back home and drilled out a piece I had that the center hole was too small on. I should have just used it in the first place. I had to lengthen the shifter rod 10". Anyway, I got it done and it works great. I will have to make a new gear indicator because with the Allison 5 speed OD it goes outside the lense on the left side for PARK and outside the lense on the right side for LOW/1st gear. I will figure out something for that.

On the lower linkage I had to re-design the frame bracket to get it low enough. It had to sit down tight against the lower frame rail. The bracket on the left is the stock one and the one on the right is the modified one.

The last picture is the completed lower shift linkage from the transmission to the frame bracket. The TH350 selector arm and the cross bar fit without any modification. I put the spring and washers on the selector arm after I took the picture.

LockDoc
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[Ol Blue K20]

You're making some great progress. Looking good!

[Dieselwrencher]

That turned out very nice. I'm really surprised the TH350 selector arm fit the Allison.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

You're making some great progress. Looking good!

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That turned out very nice. I'm really surprised the TH350 selector arm fit the Allison.

Thanks guys. I am happy with the way things are going on it. I went back out last night and installed the stock type black cab floor insulator material.

Ryan: I didn't have any idea what the shaft looked like so I pulled the arm off to check it out. I was surprised about the direct fit too, and happy....

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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The electric Fuel pump assembly is pretty much ready to go in. I'm waiting on the new pump so I can use the filters on this one. I wasn't able to find just the filters. I am going to try the pump out of the donor truck first. It looks to be in good shape and was a running/driving truck when the guy hit the deer and rolled it..

First thing I did was to measure the overall length of the stock pickup tube. Then I cut the tube off so I had 1" of clean tube below the sender bracket and put a small bubble flare on it. I then figured out how much hose I would need between the pump and pickup tube to get the 14 1/2" overall length I needed to the bottom of the pump. I made sure that the pump wouldn't interfere with the float arm and tightened the clamps down. I can shorten or lengthen it overall by about 1/2" either way. I need to drill a small hole in the sender mounting flange to feed the wires through and get that sealed up. As I mentioned before I am going to try and use the original vent outlet on the top passenger side of the tank for my fuel return line.

We will see how this works out and if I will need to make any modifications to it.....

LockDoc

[rickcdewitt]

Doc what about drilling another hole closer to the pivot on one of the arms so the column shifter doesn't move as far? Could make finding gears tricky though

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by rickcdewitt

Doc what about drilling another hole closer to the pivot on one of the arms so the column shifter doesn't move as far? Could make finding gears tricky though

Thanks Rick. I may try that. If for some reason it doesn't work all I would have to do is go back to the original hole. The shift points are pretty positive on the Allison transmission so I don't think finding the gears would be too bad.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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I installed the radio yesterday. Pretty simple since part of it was already cut.

Sony with remote. I've had it new in the box for a couple of years so I decided I better use it.

LockDoc
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[LockDoc]

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I received the new fuel pump yesterday.

The large filter that came with the new pump wasn't going to work so I decided to use the sump filter that came with the pump (the white one) and modify the '67-'72 sock filter for the bottom of the pump. I think this will work.

I am working on the engine and transmission wiring and trying to figure out what I will need for relays and fuses. I had one connector that I couldn't figure out where it went, but I finally figured out that it was for the NSBU switch (neutral/start/backup) on the side of the transmission. The connector was different on the original 4x4 transmission than this 2 wheel drive transmission and I missed that. The little things like that can be a pain.....

I need to get a computer installed out in the shop so I don't have to keep running to the house to look things up. Maybe Iwill do that tomorrow. I guess that keeps me in good shape though....

LockDoc
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