Front Drive indicator

[breckbone]

Hi. On my 68 40 my green front-drive indicator light is constantly on. This happened after having some rewiring and suspension adjusted. I'm assuming it's just a bad switch now and would like to swap it out but I'm not exactly sure I know where it is. I've followed the lines as closely as possible in the FSM and think I can see it but it doesn't look accessible w/o removing the skid plate. Does that sound right? If I don't need to remove the plate, maybe I'm looking in the wrong place...any help would be appreciated!

 

[Poser]

The front drive indicator switch is located on the front drive vacuum actuator assembly that is attached to the nose cone on the transfer case.


I would unplug the wires to the switch and see if that has any effect on the indicator lamp.

If unplugging the wires does have an effect, I would then verify that the front drive shaft is isolated and rotates freely if the transfer case is indeed in two-wheel drive and the lockouts are unlocked.

Doing so will verify that the vacuum control box on the firewall is functioning correctly, that the vacuum actuator assembly on the transfer case is functioning properly, and that you do not have a corroded, blocked or damaged tube or hose between the control box and the actuator diaphragm.


You then can remove the switch and figure out if it is corroded into the on position or if something else is going on with it.

 

[breckbone]

Ok thanks. After thumbing through my chassis & body manual, the switch that I found that I was thinking was the front drive indicator was actually the Transfer indicator switch...at least that's what the book calls it. Is that something completely different or is that what I'm looking for? It vaguely looks like the switch that SOR sells.

Oh, and if this IS the front drive indctr, when I unplug the wires, am I supposed to unbolt the thing? I couldn't really reach it too well due to the skidplate, but when I touched the wires they don't seem to be unpluggable. It's probably moot anyhow since I'm probably looking at the wrong thing. I'll go for take 2 tomorrow and see what I can find.

BTW, the front drive shaft spins freely so I know it's in 2wd.


Thanks for the help.

B-

 

[breckbone]

Ok. I finally got access to the switch and pulled it out. While it was out, with the wires attached, I pressed the button and my FD light went off like it should. The wires that were soldered to the end of the switch on the outside were exposed. I cleaned them up and resoldered them. I then replaced the switch and tried it out. Same thing. The indicator light is still on. The front axle spins freely and my hubs are unlocked. Is it possible that the ball that rides on the diaphragm push rod is missing now? Looking at my FSM, it looks like the ball should push up against the FD button while FWD is NOT engaged. When it IS engaged, the ball hits a little divot that lowers it a bit to release the button to enable the FD light to show.

It worked fine until I had some work done including a transmission replacement. (forgot to mention that in my first post).

The guys that worked on this say that nothing they did should have any effect on the FD system including the switch. So...I'm not sure how to proceed.

Thanks for any help!

 

[greytandy]

Is it possible that you can put your finger in the switch "cup" and feel the ball when FWD is not engaged? I'm not sure how recessed it is. SOR does sell the ball for $1.98. Does your front axle lock up when the FW knob is pulled and the hubs are unlocked?

 

[breckbone]

Looks like I'm gonna have to get creative with a mirror and flashlight today. The plug entrance is a bit small for my fingers to fit in to feel for the ball...boy, out of context that last sentence is pretty disturbing.

BTW, Dave, I found something on ebay for you to make good use of your new pintle (sp?) hitch.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1962...ryZ80770QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Degnol]

Go after it with a magnet.

 

[breckbone]

The magnet idea is a good one, but my magnet is too broad to fit in the threads. Anyway, something between the cleaning, resoldering, removing/replacing several times must have fixed it. I put it in FWD and then back to 2wd and the light went out. Hooray!

Anyway, thanks for the help. Now on to other issues.

 

[Degnol]

The magnet idea is a good one, but my magnet is too broad to fit in the threads. Anyway, something between the cleaning, resoldering, removing/replacing several times must have fixed it. I put it in FWD and then back to 2wd and the light went out. Hooray!

Anyway, thanks for the help. Now on to other issues.

Well, if it now works, the ball is in there.

Ed