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Help! BD exhaust brake switch rattle

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I installed a Cummins E brake along with the BD exhaust brake shifter lever switch. The switch works, however the rattle is driving myself and anyone who rides with me crazy. I e-mailed BD and they blew me off. They said that all of them rattle, get over it. I can not take it. It is one thing to have them rattle in a noisy 18 wheeler, its something else to have it be louder than the radio in in a P/U truck. Does any one have a solution? I would not order one of these from BD unless you are prepared to listen to it. To get you prepared for the noise before you order one, you may want to put some ball bearings in a tin can and let it roll around on your dash.

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Y2K 2500, QC, 4X4, 3. 54LS, ST, 5 speed, SWB,Cummins E-brake,Westech Pyro and Boost Dual guage, 12 Disk JVC CD
 
I use a rubber O-ring. I looks clean and doesn't dry out (so-far).

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1972 Chinook class C with 96/215 5spd, 4/5" exh, 4"BD, MagHytec, 85gal fuel, K&N RE0880, AutoMeter, 370's, BD gov kit, BD afc kit, 16cm, 16%btdc, yada-yada-yada
www.fostertruck.com/cummins
 
Just take a punch to the side of the switch neck and dimple it where the switch shaft goes into the body of the switch. I did this twice, 90 degrees apart and "no more rattles" hit hard enough to take up slack in housing, not enough to squeeze tight. Don't forget the housing is pot metal.

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Denny
'99 2500 4X4 White short Q cab to much added to put here
Mom's Ram 2001 Qcab CTD with auto trans and all the bells and whistles
 
sorry to hear that!!!... mine doesn't rattle at all that i know of... . good luck!!. . tom

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2001QC 2500HD LB ETH/DEE 4x4 4:10's LSD,275 RV injectors, Pacbrake,Boost/EGT Gauges on A pillar,All options except cab lights,AFE cone air filter,straight-pipe w/resonator,Forest Green/Light driftwood. Westin tubular black powder-coated side bars. Husky 16k 5th wheel hitch,26' Holiday Rambler 5th wheel,Extra Class Amateur Radio Operator ke3rx.
 
Put the rubber band on mine this weekend and the rattle went away. I'll try the o-ring next weekend.

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2001. 5 White 3500 Quad Cab 4x4 Sport SLT+, ETH/DEE, 4. 10 Anti-Spin Axle, Camper Special Group, Trailer Tow Group, Line-X, Tekonshsa Sentinel Brake Controller, ICOM 706MkIIG HF Radio, Guages, 15. 5 Pullrite Hitch, DEE-ZEE FX Running Boards, and BD Exhaust Brake. 2001 Alpenlite 35RK fiver. Ham Call: AF9W/7
 
I made a gasket out of silicon seal and it has lasted over a year so far.

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1999 QC 4x4, Pac brake, DC nerf bars, K&N filter, trailer brake, Manik cow catcher, boost & EGT, RS9000's
 
Mine rattles too. You can't blame BD, blame the company that manufactures the switch. I have Gear Vendors overdrive, and the switch for that is the exact same switch as the BD switch. It doesn't rattle at all. When I was at the company that installed my overdrive, I asked if I could buy another switch to replace the rattling one on my exhaust brake. The man brought out a box of switches, and I checked every one of them. They ALL rattled!
I asked Piers about the rattle in the switch when he was still working for BD, and he told me that they have searched high and low for a non-rattling switch.
The easy solution is to double up a rubber band and slip it over your shift knob and over the shaft of the switch. No more rattle. If you use a black rubber band, it will hardly be noticeable.
Andy
 
I found the rubber bands only lasted about 3 months before they were dried out. I've found an even better solution than a rubber band. I stole one of my wife's hair ties (the ones with the little brass clip holding it together) and used that around the knob, it's been on there for almost a year now and hasn't broken.



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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax3, 275hp RV injectors, Joe Donnelly modifed Sachs Clutch, SS ladder bars, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)
 
Xplorer
Tell me more about the silicone seal. I was thinking about some type of sealant to put in around the shaft. How did you apply the silicone? How much and where?
 
posm,

Sorry to say,but yes just about all of them do rattle. The switches are all originally made by one company. I bought mine at a marine supply house that had about 20 in stock. I shook and beat them all and bought one that didn't rattle. Well,after about a month of use it started rattling. I made a thin foam gasket that worked great for eight months,but it's rattling again. Now I'm gonna try some felt pad.

-Mike

[This message has been edited by MikeR (edited 05-30-2001). ]
 
My wife was ecstatic to see this posting. So far her solution is to stuff a Kleenex under the switch while we're driving. She has the ears of a bat... . me, I can't even hear the rattle. Or her voice. (According to her. )



But now I guess I'll be forced to try one of these solutions!
 
I have the same problem with the switch for my GearVendor. I just put a dab of silicon grease on the shaft.
 
The switch for my US Gear Overdrive rattled like mad too. A local with the same unit and same switch (who shall remain nameless unless he chooses to speak up) was nice enough to disassemble mine, hog out the hole, and install a larger bushing in there, which cured the rattle completely.



A couple weeks after he did this, I heard the rattle return. BUT, it turns out that it wasn't the switch. It was the SHIFT KNOB. It seems that the jamnut in there had worked loose and was rattling around.



So... give your shift knobs a twist too and see if that doesn't help with the rattling too.



Rob
 
Mine rattles too and much more than any of the others I have heard. I tried a whole bunch of stuff and finally figured out that I could just put one of coils of my cell phone charger cord around the base of the button and it was gone. It also keeps the cord under control. I would love if some one could come up with a definative answer to the problem.



Some one told me at the Conn, Hooters get together that the swiths we are using are much cheesier than the two speed switches that NAPA sells but I have not had a chance to check it out.



Ted
 
what does it take for a nice black anodized switch, i am in the hunt for one right now







it is for the wife's truck so its gotta look good





any info really appreciated
 
BD exhaust brake switch

I'm not experiencing the rattle problem because I don't have a BD exhaust brake.

I have the PacBrake in my truck with the supplied toggle switch in the dash.

I would like to know if the BD switch will work with my PacBrake and if so where can I purchase one.

If it works and I purchase one, I will then deal with the noise issue. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
dresslered you caught me in the act of making something a little better. I am in the process of getting some more material to make some more of these anti rattle switches if anyone is interested drop me an e mail.
 
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