The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Neutral Safety Switch addition help

I have a 1953 Chevy 3100 with a 261 and T5 transmission. I'd like to add a neutral safety switch. Has anyone added a neutral safety switch when installing a T5 transmission?

Is there a kit or specific parts that I would need to purchase?

Wiring diagrams?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Never heard of a neutral safety switch on a manual transmission. I imagine it would be a challenge because of so many positions the stick could be in. It would be easier to rig it where the clutch pedal must be depressed to start I would think.

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Here is a Wiring Diagram for 1954 & Early 1955 Chevrolet Hydra-Matic Auto transmission.
The Hydra-Matic Auto transmission wiring is included (dashed lines) which has a neutral safety switch.
Starter circuit is closed, when the steering column shifter linkage is in neutral.
The 1954 & Early 1955 Chevrolet Hydra-Matic Truck used a keyed on ignition switch along with a push button start switch.

In your case you would likely use a keyed spring ignition starter switch and a under dash clutch pedal switch.
Where as the starter circuit is closed, when the clutch pedal is pushed towards the floor.
Something like THIS

Clutch Pedal Position Switch

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If your clutch pedal is still coming out of the toe board.
You could use a 1942-1954 Chevrolet Truck Brake Light Switch
Just mount it under the clutch pedal lever arm, just like the Brake Light Switch is mounted under the brake lever arm.
You can use the same switch, so engine will not turn over unless clutch is depressed.

If you still have foot activated starter button.
you will have to use a relay to carry the starter voltage.

Your emergency brake will come in handy because you will need
one foot to push foot activated starter button and the other foot to push in clutch pedal.

Jorb,

Excellent idea! And yes, I'm still using the original clutch pedal and foot starter.

I've spent so much time and money on this truck that I want to take every precaution that someone doesn't try to start it while it's in gear. It's always that rare time you aren't around and some genius tries starting it while it's in gear causing needless of damage (both financially and personally).

I wish Chevrolet would have installed a switch within the T5 case. That would have made everything a little easier.

Thanks again for the input. I need to post pictures of the truck once I'm finished.

Adding a safety switch inline with the foot starter is going to be an expensive, frustrating process. You're going to have to add a starter button, a relay, and a switch that requires the clutch to be depressed before the relay can be energized. Just teaching a driver to push the clutch pedal to the floor before engaging the starter, like we were taught 60 years ago would be a much simpler solution. There's no substitute for common sense, and no matter how idiot-proof we try to make something, we will probably encounter a sufficiently persistent idiot to make our efforts useless!
Jerry

".... I want to take every precaution that someone doesn't try to start it while it's in gear. It's always that rare time you aren't around and some genius tries starting it while it's in gear causing needless of damage ...."

all you need Smokey, is a simple battery cutoff switch, under the hood or under the dash .... and maybe not leave the key in it .... and have a sign telling folks to keep outta yer truck when you're not around

Bill

99% of the public driving today have absolutely no clue how to start your truck. Foot starter? What's that? You have to push a button on the floor to start your truck? Make sure you have a properly functioning emergency brake and leave your truck in neutral when parked. As red58 mentioned above ****** put in a battery disconnect. Problem solved.

Thank you all for your input.

I'm planning to install a battery disconnect switch to keep anyone from starting the truck. Much less work to install and accomplishes my goal.

Be sure the disconnect is rated for the current draw the starter will have- - - -the cheap ones are far too light-duty. Get one that's rated for at least 500 amps, and a 1,000 amp capacity switch is better. A "marine" rated cutoff switch or one certified for NASCAR racing is a good idea.

Here's a good one:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-45782/overview/

Jerry

As the saying goes: Knowledge is fleeting, but stupidity lasts forever. (or something like that).
Common sense has become a rare commodity in these times.

Here's a sign I had prominently posted in my school shop:

IGNORANCE CAN BE FIXED

STUPID IS FOREVER!




Jerry