Ex. Brake wiring question

[dremelts]

I have a PACbrake and have the master on/off switch on the dash and a micro switch on the throttle pedal linkage. Has anyone wired a second micro switch to the clutch pedal linkage so the ex. brake will not come on when you shift or when you're sitting at a light?



Seems pretty straight forward, just wondered if anyone else had done it.

 

[drees1]

When I bought my truck the dash switch was same as yours. Now I have almost a year running with the main switch on the shift lever and love it there. Its and easy and natural reach to it. I leave it on when on the interstate so I can get some drag if some one cuts me off or pulls out, and switch it off after my last down shift before I stop. Switch it back on after getting back up to speed. Works great that way. Even the cruise control will actuate it if the hill is steep enough and the speed is increasing.



Doug Rees

 

[QRTRHRS]

SPST NC Relay

While replacing my master and slave cylinder, I woke up when I saw the clutch lockout switch that prevents starting without the clutch disengaged. Since depressing the clutch allows the flow of current, you need to use a relay to take advantage of this switch. Just yesterday, I got a Single Pole, Single Throw Normally Closed 12V relay from a tech at work. I am going to try to get it wired in this weekend.

 

[RHARVEY]

I also put a push/pull 2 speed switch on the shifter so that when I am sitting at a stop light I can turn the brake off... .



It looks cool too...



Rick

 

[BFaoro]

switch

My father in law has the switch on the dash, and I have it on the shifter !! He likes mine better because you have better controll to turn it off or on while you are driving !!

 

[TPCDrafting]

I just put on a pac brake last week. (THANKS TO R. EBEL) I set the throttle switch to be real sensitive. Such that even the slightest pressure on the go pedal will disengage the brake. It's light enough that it disengages the brake before all the slack (what little there is) is taken up in the pedal before any fuel is applyied. I wasn't sure if at first I'd like it this way, but it does allow me to shift w/o the pac engaging. Just resting my foot on the go pedal between shifts works well. Happy braking.

 

[dremelts]

tpcdrafting, that is how I have the microswitch on the throttle set on mine too. And I can keep the brake from coming on between shifts if I concentrate on what my right foot is doing, but the exhaust brake will still come on when you're sitting at a light with one foot on the clutch pedal and the other on the brake pedal (unless you manually disengage it).



I'm intrigued by qrtrhrs' idea of using the clutch interlock switch with a relay. That would eliminate having to fabricate a bracket for another switch. I'm no electronics whiz, but I wonder if you need a diode in the relay circuit to prevent current from feeding back thru it?? Please let us know how your project turns out.

 

[drees1]

Pac Brake Switch setting

It is wise to set the throttle micro switch on the pump to be light contact as we are talking about. I have set mine various ways and find that the micro switch fails quicker if it is mechanically loaded beyond it's range of 1/16 inch.



Incedently, this switch is same as a Jake brake switch and same as many clutch switches as used on trucks. Caterpillar stocks them at about $8. 00. I carry a spare.



Doug Rees

 

[Ron Bissett]

switch ?

Not a good idea to have one foot on brake and one on the clutch at stop light ,clutch will not last long as it will spin with the eng . You can add a switch to the shift lever added to the switch on dash in series , I use a boat switch from Wally world cost about five dollars (pull push ) mounted just to side of and below the shift knob , light on original switch still works I leave that on on all the time ,except if I have to take truck to five star, switch can be found in boating section of Wally world or other boating stores. Easy to make a mount and cover with insulation tape or goop ect , I used a rubber sealer in black after mounting works fine , in place for two years now . LOL Ron Bissett in LOUISVILLE KY:-{} Oo.

 

[mangle]

The more I think about using the clutch switch the more I like it. This is not a solution to replace the switch on the shift knob, rather it's an additional switch that would be of benefit when down shifting, perhaps even reducing clutch wear.



I have used my BD exhaust break on my rig for over a year while towing a 5'er and when driving in traffic empty in the San Jose area. I use the exhaust break to save my service breaks. The issue is when I slow down and also want to down shift; no big deal, you just turn off the exhaust break, down shift, and turn the exhaust break back on. No big deal except when you do this many times in the course of a short time.



As I mentioned, disengaging the exhaust break while down shifting will reduce clutch wear, how much I don't know - but I believe this idea to merit a try.



cheers,

 

[dremelts]

Re: switch ?

Originally posted by Ron Bissett

Not a good idea to have one foot on brake and one on the clutch at stop light ,clutch will not last long as it will spin with the eng .

I see your point Ron, I may have to change my driving habits. I've been driving for over 35 years and my personal vehicle has ALWAYS been a standard trans. so my old habits are going to be hard to break. However, I know that the roller pilot bearing is a weak point in the design and can sieze, so I'll try to change my ways.



I would still like the switch on the clutch just to keep the brake from engaging while shifting. I'm hoping QRTRHRS will post the results of his attempt to connect into the existing clutch interlock switch.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have to apologize that I did not get the relay wired in yet. Things have been totally nuts for me lately.



By the way, I though I would mention that I use a throttle switch and a shifter mounted switch already. I use my brake constantly and alternate between switches as needed. I figure the clutch switch would be useful for those situations where I only stop momentarily otherwise I put the transmission in nuetral. I keep the throttle switch adjusted so I barely have to touch it. That way, I can shift without the brake coming on yet not have to use the shifter switch.

 

[LAV25]

Funny this should come up!!

Helped a friend install a PacBrake Sunday. After going through the install we found that we had the kit for the electrical delay for the brake. Well being men we decided that we needed instant gratification from the brake.



So since we didnt have the stuff to wire up the pedal swith we improvised. We made a bracket that mounted to the throttle body. When the go pedal was release it activated a small swith that activated the brake. After test driving we decided that the delay is a good thing for normal driving conditions. So, after looking at the thing for a while, we came up with another nifty little bypass.



Take the factory supplied electrical harness wire it up to the engine computer, split into the hot wire coming off the intake mounted PacBrake module, and get a DPDT (double pole double throw switch). This enabled us to set the truck with this one switch that would allow either mechanical operation or electrical operation. Just move the switch to the position you desire, and move it to center to turn the whole system off.



So, if you can get the electrical setup from PacBrake this is an easy setup, and is the way they should have done it in the first place!!



I do have pics of the throttle switch body switch, for those interested.

 

[Gray Ghost]

Great minds think alike. As I was pondering the lint in my navel one night, I thought the same thing. Just havent gotten around

to ordering a switch. Wire it in series and that should fix the problem. I am still looking for a source for a push/ pull switch

to mount on my shifter. I have a piece of mahogany that is just

waiting to be made into a gear shift and mount for the switch.

Still tring to figure out how to route the Big C

 

[mangle]

Ok, I install a clutch Exhaust brake switch

If I had known how much hassle this would be, I would have had another beer first. Anyway, to set the record straight, I have a BD exhaust brake on a 3500 six speed stick. I have a micro switch on the pedal plus a switch on the stick, both switches are out of the box BD options.



As of about four hours ago I finished installing a relay activated by the clutch/starter switch. The relay is a Radio shack 12vdc 10amp double pole double throw. One side of the relay contacts replace the clutch/starter switch, the other relay contacts are used for the exhaust brake. When the clutch is depressed, 12vdc energizes the relay, which opens the exhaust brake contacts and closes the starter contacts. Opening the exhaust break circuit turns off the break, a nice option when down shifting.



I also added a hidden switch between the relay's 12vdc source (a painless box under the steering column) and the relay. This 12vdc connection is to the always on circuits, not the keyed circuits on the Painless. This hidden switch when set to off will prevent anyone from starting the truck after removing the ignition switch with a slide hammer. Do I need this? No. But why not add the switch since I had already opened the wiring. Another post somewhere advised of placing a hidden anti-theft switch in this manner. Since I often park my truck in out of the way places while hiking, this will make me feel a little better about leaving it for extended periods.



Yes, this arrangement works. Is it needed? I don't think so. Will it help save my clutch. Who knows, since the clutch switch does not close till the clutch pedal is nearly on the floor, the value of this solution for saving the clutch is limited at best. One may be better off saving the $10 towards a new clutch



cheers,