Brake Light Switch Upgrade Question

[DeucesWild11]

First let me apologize for starting another thread but I wasn't getting an answer putting this question on my original thread. Just want to confirm this looks OK to ya'all.

OK, got the upgrade kit and.. uhh arggh mine of course looks and is set up different than most. Now my truck was a firetruck so perhaps that's why I don't have an air line running to the back of the truck for trailer brakes. Take a look at the pic. I actually didn't need most of the kit because where the switch goes I had a plug there before.. no airline to re-route. I assume that is where the airline comes out of to go to the back for trailer brakes? Your thoughts?

Anyway I tried out the truck and it works great and the brakes light up too!

 

[Commander5993]

Hey DeucesWild, Didn't see your other thread, and I don't have an answer for you, but glad to hear your lights work now

Don't mean to highjack your thread or anything, Just got a quick question. I am looking for location of the brake light switch. Looking at your photos, is that your air pack where the switch is screwed into?

Thanks!

 

[cattlerepairman]

Now my truck was a firetruck so perhaps that's why I don't have an air line running to the back of the truck for trailer brakes. Take a look at the pic. I actually didn't need most of the kit because where the switch goes I had a plug there before.. no airline to re-route. I assume that is where the airline comes out of to go to the back for trailer brakes? Your thoughts?

Anyway I tried out the truck and it works great and the brakes light up too!

Affirmative. Your truck does not support trailer brakes and has no service or emergency air line. The airpack itself is the same and IMHO you plumbed the switch correctly. Glad to see that it all works. Air switch removes a nasty hydraulic failure point.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Commander, not a hijack at all, it's related..here is the original Brake light switch location at the head of the airpack. As you can see I tightened too much and SNAP! Hence the upgrade that was recommended by others here (Thanks!!). I also included the spec that shows the new plumbing incase you want to do the upgrade.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Affirmative. Your truck does not support trailer brakes and has no service or emergency air line. The airpack itself is the same and IMHO you plumbed the switch correctly. Glad to see that it all works. Air switch removes a nasty hydraulic failure point.

Thanks for the confirmation, do you think it would be a difficult task to run a set of airlines to the back for trailer brakes? I do have a M105 that would be great to have working brakes on.. I think I would need to take a look under someone's Deuce to see how it's run. Perhaps someone at Sussex will let me take a look..

 

[Commander5993]

Commander, not a hijack at all, it's related..here is the original Brake light switch location at the head of the airpack. As you can see I tightened too much and SNAP! Hence the upgrade that was recommended by others here (Thanks!!). I also included the spec that shows the new plumbing incase you want to do the upgrade.

Thank You very much for the info and photos DeucesWild!

After I first posted my question to you, I went out to look at my air-pack to see if I could locate it from your first photo.

Well... I found it... And I went to remove mine to as I was going to test it on the bench and see if it was working properly. (as I was thinking it was air not hydraulic) And guess what --- I did the Exact same thing that you did! I put a wrench on it, and the threaded part just twisted right out of the switch. Looked exactly like your last photo, with the exact same little nub sticking out. Looking at mine closely, it didn't look like "new" metal was exposed though. I think the threaded shaft, may just be a separate part Pressed into the base of the switch, and not actually formed as part of the base.

Ended up drilling and using easy outs to remove the threaded part, and put in a plug. Had to move up to larger drill bit and easy out 3 times, before I got a large enough easy out to remove it. We for sure didn't want to break off the easy out in there. Flushed any possible shavings by pressing the brake pedal and shooting out a bunch of fluid.

In any case, I'll be doing that upgrade now.

Got to order parts, Will be watching your thread while I wait

 

[steelandcanvas]

Thanks for the confirmation, do you think it would be a difficult task to run a set of airlines to the back for trailer brakes? I do have a M105 that would be great to have working brakes on.. I think I would need to take a look under someone's Deuce to see how it's run. Perhaps someone at Sussex will let me take a look..

I have an Deuce air line schematic on the computer at home. I can post it for you tonight when I get to my LZ.

 

[Junkyard Wars Crusher]

I have an Deuce air line schematic on the computer at home. I can post it for you tonight when I get to my LZ.

Hey Jonathan,

I will save you the trouble.


I highlighted the trailer service brake air line in red.

I believe that this line is simply routed rearward from the air/hydraulic booster (air -pak) along the inside left (driver's side) frame rail to the rear glad hand.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Jeff, thanks this is just what I needed to see. I guess I would need the other side of that line as well. The one coming off the air tanks it seems, sooo I guess by the way I am reading this the Drivers side trailer hookup would be driven off the airpack when applying the brakes and the other side would have constant air pressure from the air tanks.. Do I have that theory correct?

Thanks again for posting.. much appreciated!

 

[steelandcanvas]

Line DD is your Service Line (pressurized by brake pedal)
Line AA is your Emergency Line (constant pressure)

 

[DeucesWild11]

S&C, Thanks that's how I read it.. I also see the dotted AA line in the diagram, I assume that is a backup or emergency line incase something happens to the other AA line?

 

[JCKnife]

Who has the upgrade kit in stock now? Saturn does not seem to have it on their website anymore, Erik's is out of stock, White Owl does not have it...

 

[DeucesWild11]

Yikes! I got mine from Eriks... If you want to get creative you could probably get the T fittings that you need at a local hardware store and just purchase the air switch separately.. Don't know who else has them, perhaps Eastern Surplus?

 

[emmado22]

These guys sell them. Check the link in the first post.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/electrical/83707-good-modern-m-series-electrical-reference.html

Look under the parts kits section, it's the first item.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Hey yeah they have it listed about 3/4 of the way through, doesn't list a page # though.. Even if they don't have it in stock there is a good closeup pic of what you need.

Thanks Emmado, It was nice to meet you at Sussex on Sunday! Thanks for the Jerry Can!

 

[JCKnife]

Hey yeah they have it listed about 3/4 of the way through, doesn't list a page # though.. Even if they don't have it in stock there is a good closeup pic of what you need.

Thanks Emmado, It was nice to meet you at Sussex on Sunday! Thanks for the Jerry Can!

They have the kit or just the switch?
(I don't know what all is included in the kit so I'm not sure what I'm looking for)

OH--I FOUND IT! Page 45 of that PDF.

They close at 3:30 pm eastern time.

 

[emmado22]

They manufacture all the parts, so they have both parts and a whole kit.

 

[DeucesWild11]

They have both.

The kit is listed as follows:

STOPLIGHT SWITCH KIT
Ordnance 12255668
UCOM # 7006
NSN 2530-01-105-5025

Scroll down till you hit the section "Part Kits" as emmado said it's the first one..

 

[JCKnife]

I tried calling UCOM; press 1 for sales I get Linda's voice mail. Left a message couple hours ago, haven't heard anything yet.

Does anyone know for sure that this company will sell single units to individuals?

Does anyone else have the upgrade kit in stock?

 

[Commander5993]

I tried calling UCOM; press 1 for sales I get Linda's voice mail. Left a message couple hours ago, haven't heard anything yet.

Does anyone know for sure that this company will sell single units to individuals?

Does anyone else have the upgrade kit in stock?

Hey JCKinfe, I don't see a upgrade "kit" in stock, but when I did my conversion a couple weeks ago, I only used two parts out of the upgrade kit. The air brake pressure switch, and the " T ". I threw all the rest of the parts in my bolt box as I didn't need them.
When I did my conversion, I unscrewed the airline, screwed in the " T " with the center hole pointing down. Then I screwed the airline into the end of the " T ". Next I screwed my brake air pressure switch to the bottom of the " T ".
Then I looked at the electrical connection, and cut off the old plug, and just redone the two wire electrical connections with new connectors, and the job was done! I can take a couple pics of mine tomorrow if it will help, just let me know.

Instead of waiting for a "kit" to become available, You could just save some $$ if you just buy the switch by itself, then get a pack of mil connectors (if you don't already have some). Then just go to homedepot and get a simple 3/8" brass " T ". You might also pick up an 3/8" male-to-male coupler just in case you need to change one of the female ports on the " T " connector to male for your air line to screw onto. And a simple brass plug, so that you can "plug" the hole where the old hydraulic brake switch went. And That's all you should need.

You can see the " T " in this picture of the kit for reference purposes:
Brake Light Air Operated Switch Upgrade Kit For M35A2, 12255668

The Brake air switch by itself is in stock here:
Brake Light Air Operated Switch, M35/M54/M809/M939 etc, 11602160

And a 10 pack of the mil electrical connectors are here:
Rubber Shell Connectors (qty 10) MS27144-1

The " T " Connector, plug, and any other brass adapters you need, you can get from homedepot or other local hardware stores.

This is the way I would go if I had to do it over again, as it is cheaper than the "kit", and you have 8 more mil wire connectors left over to use elsewhere

Just my hope it helps!
~ Peace