Anyone cut a hole in their cucv floor to access the top of the transfer case?

[TexAndy]

I'm considering cutting a hole in the cab floor to be able to access the 4wd indicator light switch and the cotter pin holding the lever to the transfer case. Then bolting my fire extinguisher bracket over the hole to cover it up.

Is this a crazy idea?

Guess I'm just out of patience and ideas for trying to get this stuff apart as it is currently. It'll be more or less a permanent mod, I guess, short of welding in a patch. Oh well. What I really want to do is shoot the darn thing a few times, but I guess I'll settle for constructively drilling and cutting a hole.

 

[Barrman]

Warthog has a M1009 with a cut out over that area. He can tell you exactly where to cut.

I suggest you move the shift lever to different spots and then try getting at the cotter pin and plug. 4Lo worked best for me. Bear hugging the t-case from both front and back works too. Just wear goggles because dirt and junk will go straight to your eyes during this process.

 

[TexAndy]

I was able to get the pin. I was actually going after the wrong pin, previously. One is meant to be removed and the other isn't. The one that is meant to be removed is one of those bent vaguely "R-shaped" pins.

Still can't get the switch off. The points were a bit damaged before I got to it and I think I've just made them worse.

I'm going back and forth on cutting a hole in the floor. It just isn't looking like the exact place where I want to put my fire extinguisher bracket.

I might drop the transfer case but I'm having a hard time tracking down the Transfer case adapter gasket (Part number 14020854). NAPA, Oreilly, Carquest, and Autozone all can't find it or anything that cross references.

The local GM dealership does have a replacement part number (15642510) but I don't know if that will work or not.

I might just pull the old one, see what it's made of, and make a replacement on the laser engraver. That way I'll know it will work. I'm guessing it's just a thick paper gasket, right?

 

[Warthog]

Post #6 is the only pictures I had.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?57162-4-wd-light

 

[TexAndy]

Post #6 is the only pictures I had.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?57162-4-wd-light

Thanks I saw that. That's a wee bit bigger of a hole than I was thinking of!

 

[Augi]

You don't need a transfer case adapter gasket. Use permatex.

Augi

 

[TexAndy]

You don't need a transfer case adapter gasket. Use permatex.

Augi

Plain old black automotive RTV?

I did that for my rear differential cover but I wasn't sure it was an accepted practice for the transfer case adapter connection.

 

[Augi]

Yep, that's the stuff. It's used to seal the transfer case halves together too.

I did split and re-sealed the transfer case in my HMMWV with it and also used it on the trans to adapter joint and adapter to t-case. There were no gaskets anywhere.

Augi

 

[TexAndy]

I went ahead and drilled a 1/2" hole in the floor. And then I drilled a second one... in the right spot.

Then I put a deep well socket on the switch, put extension through the hole and into the socket, and used a breaker with a cheater on the handle to break it loose. It was on there really tight.

My fire extinguisher bracket will cover it quite well. Not the way I really wanted to do it, but it worked.

Anyways, I took some pics in case anyone else wanted to mutilate their truck this same way

 

[cucvrus]

You could always put a rubber cap-plug in the hole and it would hardly be noticed. That would allow the fire extinguisher to be mounted on the fire extinguisher bracket. It's your call. I am just sharing a thought. Good Luck. Glad to hear you got the switch out.

 

[TexAndy]

I'll see if I can find some rubber plugs. Not a bad idea.

I'm testing my switch now. When I depress the spring-loaded ball, it reads between 30k and 50k ohms. Seems awfully high. Corroded contacts?

 

[KansasBobcat]

Thanks for sharing a solution for a problem I haven't had, yet. Hope to see you on Sat.

 

[TexAndy]

I soaked the switch in gasoline. Pressed the ball to open a space between it and the housing, then stuck a piece of copper safety wire in there to keep it open so gasoline could infiltrate.

Let it soak a few hours, then worked the ball in and out by hand a bunch. Now it reads about 40 ohms with switch closed.

Plugged it into the wiring harness connectors then pressed the ball by hand while someone watched the dash. Light comes on, now.

Now to screw it back onto the t-case and see if it works.

 

[TexAndy]

Thanks for sharing a solution for a problem I haven't had, yet. Hope to see you on Sat.

No problem. I think I'll be at the mabry thing, if that's what you mean.


And the fix worked. 4WD light works now!