Planning on installing Dodge OEM Jacobs Brake this weekend - any hints?

[klenger]

I am planning on installing the Dodge OEM Jacobs brake on my truck this weekend. I am not a gear head, but am mechanically inclined and a professional in electronics. Do I need any special tools? I don't have a shop manual for the truck, do I need one for this? I plan to get one later.

 

[Archive]

I have done about four of them now. They are pretty straightforward. If you plan to use a "shifter switch", it makes it much easier... no hole to drill/shape in your dash.



Start by checking to see if you have all of the parts. 50 percent of the ones I have installed were short on something, either bolts to hold the vacuum selenoid to the firewall or a fiiting was wrong that screwed into the selenoid.



No special tool at all. The ECM comes of with an allen wrench. The directions tell ya to unhook the batteries prior to installation. Use antisieze on the exhaust bolts. When you plug the red wire into the ECM, you must first remove a little red plastic piece from pin #20... sometimes it can be a bear... precision needle nose pliers may help here.



If ya get stuck, my phone number is in my profile... feel free to call.

 

[Archive]

I just looked at my profile and could not see the phone number... I will email it to you.

 

[Thomas]

If you go with the shifter switch, the connection to the cigar lighter wire (hardest part of install for me) is not needed-it is only to illuminate supplied rocker switch.



To get to ECM, remove two(?) bolts that attach bracket holding fuel filter to engine and move filter assembly out of your way a bit.

 

[Archive]

One other thing... connect your shifter switch wires to the yellow and the red. I did the green wire and had a "re-do"!



If you use the factory switch, and later add the shifter switch, you can just splice into the yellow wire from the shifter... cut the yellow and connect one wire from the shifter switch to each end of the yellow that you cut.

 

[Mr. C]

This is a minor detail, when installing the solonoid assembly on the firewall I used the drilling template to mark and cut out only as much of the firewall insulation as the bracket requires to bolt up,I think it makes a cleaner installation. Or you can just hack off a great big piece per the directions. The sugested switch location is the only thing I don't care for, it's a bit of a reach clear down there. Good luck--it's a piece of cake to install.

 

[CRuD]

This is a easy project, I just did it a couple of weeks ago. You may want to go to the "Products/Acc" and see my post on this subject. The #20 pin is marked on the plug pretty good. I had to use a "VERY SMALL wire" to push the red plug out enough to grab it with needle nose pliers. It is smaller than a 1/16 drill bit so don't waste your time trying that I already did.

I did the inventory of the parts prior to starting, good idea. I was not missing anything.

I recommend that you read through the direction a time or two and then have at it. They are very complete. With our year model you don't have to loosen the fuel filter canster from the filter head. I agree take the two screws out and move it out of the way. That is the only way to get at the ECM bolt. I used SAE allen wrenches to get mine out I don't have metric allen wrenchs and it wotked fine. I was careful and removed my "VOID" sticker off the connector and when I finished I reinstalled it as well.

Shoot me an e mail if you have any other questions. It took me about 4/5 hours to install including lunch.

I like mine and use it ALL the time. I bought the B&D shifter switch due to not caring for the whistle that it makes at an idle(stop signs or Lights). You may like it, I don't and it is much easier to turn the brake on or off when mounted to the shift lever.

Good luck. Sorry so long.

See Ya

Chris

 

[klenger]

I received the Jacobs brake today. Stopped at NAPA on the way home from work to pick up the recommended tools and supplies for the mod.



I'm not sure what to do about the switch. I'd like to keep the installation clean, without exposed wires, but don't want to cut up the dash to find out that I would prefer the shifter mounted switch. If I decide to get the shifter mounted switch, where can I get it? I think that I may do a temporary installation of the supplied switch till I figure out what I want to do.

 

[Archive]

Marine stores, your local NAPA may have it, but a lot of us order it from BD in Canada. They are less than 50 bucks, I believe, I don't recall the actual price. It comes complete.



BD Power

 

[WestTN]

E-brake install

The easiest way to get the cigarette out is with a two inch piece of dynamite! I broke a fairly good pair of circlip pliers trying to get that thing out. Then I used a heavy duty o-ring pick and finally gorilla'd it free.



I didn't put the switch where Dodge recommended. I removed the panel under the steering column and installed the switch there. It was much easier because I could stand upright at the workbench while making the hole and there was no mess inside the truck. If I ever need to replace the fuse it is under there too.

 

[klenger]

Need some help now.

I started on the exhause brake tonight. I sucessfully installed the brake assembly, the pneumatic control, and most of the wiring harness is installed. When I got to the part about connecting to the ECM, I got stumpted. According to the directions, I should be able to remove the ECM connector without removing the fuel filter canister. 98 1/2 and 99 need to remove the canister, but 2000's do not. I have a 2001. 5, which I assume is the same as the 2000. After finally locating the ECM connector, I found it is buried under the fuel filter. Here is a picture of the top of the fuel filter #ad
and here is a picture of the ECM connector #ad
which I was able to shoot by holding the camera under the fuel filter. I don't see how I could remove the connector w/o removing the canister. Any suggestions? I ran out of time tonight, so I'll try to finish tomarrow night.

 

[Archive]

Remove the fuel filter... all you have to do is remove the top two 10mm bolts,(these hold the entire unit to the intake) then gently push it out of the way. This allows you access to the ECM from the top... you may have to kneel on the valve cover, but you can get at it. It uses a hex key in the middle of the ECM.

 

[klenger]

That seems like a good way to do it. Thanks for the reply.



I'm still undecided what to do about the switch. I may install the one with the brake kit under the trailer brake controller,which is in the ash tray compartment. If I decide to put a switch on the shifter, I can re-use the switch to operate the truck bed light so that I can use it without turning on the dome lights.



Do you know the part number for the BD switch? I briefly checked on their web site, but didn't see it.

 

[Archive]

Ken... I have purchased four of those switches now... never saw a parts number on any of them. If you call, they will know immediately what you want tho.



I will call ya shortly!

 

[jcbrown]

Part Number and Source...

I ordered my switch from Diesel Injection Service in Texas. About $33. with shipping. Their part number is 1300210.

 

[klenger]

Thanks



I ordered it from BD Power today for $32. Same P/N.



Rob Hanson told me that he has drilled the shifter shaft to thread the wires inside on 6 speed shifters. Does anyone know if this can be done with the 5 speeds also? I'd sure hate to drill the shifter just to find out it's solid.



Ken

 

[Archive]

Ken... I don't know if this will work for ya, but its worth a try!



Gently pry off the shift pattern button with a small screwdriver. Remove the shift knob. Then survey the shift lever end... see if it is hollow or not. Might help.

 

[klenger]

I got the ECM wiring done tonight (pretty simple once I pulled the fuel filter out of the way), and installed the factory switch temporaryly (sp). It seems to work OK. It makes a noise like a vaccume leak at idle. I guess that's normal. It would have been nice if the ECM would turn the brake off at idle with no speed. I ordered the BD Power switch today from BD for $32. 00. I'm very happy with the installation. Dodge wanted to change me $500 more that what it cost me to install it. I figure I made close to $100/hour, and probably did a nicer job that the mechs. It's not lawyer's pay, but it's better than what I make at work. Also, money you don't spend is tax free (at least until the liberals find a way around that - end of editorial).



Thanks to all for the help and support.



kl

 

[Archive]

Originally posted by klenger

It's not lawyer's pay.

But it is respectable work... something some of the lawyers have forgotten!



Glad to hear its done! Did ya check out the shift lever? Is it hollow like a six speed?

 

[MikeR]

Klenger,



There is no difference in the shift levers between the 6pd and 5spd,it's the same rod. Straighten a coat hanger and shove it down the hole so you can see where you'll have to drill at the bottom of the lever. You only need to drill a hole big enough to run the wire to run.