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Lokar neutral safty sw. I'm bummed

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by RDAH, Oct 17, 2012.

  1. RDAH
    Joined: Mar 23, 2007
    Posts: 465

    RDAH
    Member
    from NL, WI

    Anyone else have one fail ? Took my 54 F100 out for it's second run & the power brakes where dragging. Came back home replaced the master cyl. & proportioning valve & had brakes again. So I go to start it up in nuetral & the truck goes forward & smashes the front right fender on my metal 10' bench before I can stop.. I think I spent 2 or 3 days fixing rust & dents on each fender. Slept for about 3 hours tonight & up at 2 AM. I should have been a carpenter like my Dad.
     
  2. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Check the adjustment. Make sure transmission and shifter are in sync and car only starts in park & neutral; and neutral on trans is neutral on shifter. A slight maladjustment will do that, how do I know, it happened to me? I certainly made sure this time around, it wasn't much but enough to cause this damage. OUCH!
     

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  3. ^^^ this, it had nothing to do with the switch failing, it had everything to do with the shifter not being adjusted or set up correctly.
    bummer but it could be worse.
     
  4. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Correct, it was only out of adjustment a poofteenth of a inch, enough to not work as it should! Definite operator error.
     

  5. I was taught to never start a car without my foot on the brake.
     
  6. Grumbler
    Joined: Mar 2, 2009
    Posts: 358

    Grumbler
    Member

    If the switch "failed" the engine won't turn over at all. There would be no electrical circuit. I had that problem though it was self induced, one of the two *tiny* screws that connect the wires to the switch fell out while driving and I found out next time I went to start it and dick all happened. Had to call a buddy to bring me some wire cutters to do a parking lot bojang repair.
    X4 on the shifter or switch not being set up correctly
     
  7. joee
    Joined: Oct 9, 2009
    Posts: 486

    joee
    Member

    shit happens......relax have a beer.....it gets better !!!
     
  8. chopped
    Joined: Dec 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,139

    chopped
    Member

    Sometimes you need a shim on the adjuster, I cut one from flashing to cure the same problem.
     
  9. RDAH
    Joined: Mar 23, 2007
    Posts: 465

    RDAH
    Member
    from NL, WI

    Went out this morning at 2 AM, couldn't sleep, with my test light & if I move the shift lever just a little it won't start in gear. Yesterday I just had to close the garage door & walk away from it. 2 1/2 years of dent & rust repair & I'm not done yet I guess. I'll remember to always have one foot on the brake whenever I start another vehical. = bummed.
     
  10. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    That was my first shifter. The neutral safety switch was it's weak point. You have to set it PERFECTLY for it to function properly.
     
  11. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    Why wouldn't you just start it in park??? Whats the point of putting it in neutral and then starting it?
     
  12. I ve installed and been around a ton of these shifters over the years,and I believe they are a very safe gearshift.
    Altho the setting of the neutral safety is rather precise[has to be BTW].....I have never saw one actually fail,but often they just are not adjusted properly by the installer.
    another issue is the fact that many builders do not even have a shifter with neutral safety switches,that is a lot more common than the lokars being out of adjustment and that is placing lives at risk for no reason .......EVERY HOT ROD NEEDS ONE!
     
  13. henryj1951
    Joined: Sep 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,306

    henryj1951
    Member
    from USA

    sorry for your issues
    now my 20/20 hind site
    always / never stand in front or behind the other guy
    starting his car / truck / racecar etc etc etc...

    :cool:
     
  14. yep.
    just had a 32 in here with a similar problem.
    it has to be set ever so precisely. i almost ran out of adjustment on the shift linkage.
    you'd think there was a better way to skin this cat, but i guess not.
     
  15. Randy in Oklahoma
    Joined: Sep 18, 2008
    Posts: 301

    Randy in Oklahoma
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    Back in the day, I used to pick up and deliver cars for my dad ( Car wholesaler) The number one rule we practiced was to always start the car with foot on the brake and secondly, never trust the gas gauge!
     
  16. No one is going to appreciate this but if you depend on your car being idiot proof then it will not be.

    simple rules for starting any car:

    Plant you but in the eseat.
    Check to make sure it is either in neutral if it is a standard or park if it is an automatic.

    Depress clutch if it is a standard or brake if it is an automatic.

    Hit key or starter button.

    Funny the things that you remember after 40 or so years from driver's education class. :rolleyes:
     
  17. Many (all?) new cars you HAVE to push the brake to turn it over. Gas gauge? I learned to never trust a fart :D
     
  18. Von Rigg Fink
    Joined: Jun 11, 2007
    Posts: 13,418

    Von Rigg Fink
    Member
    from Garage

    If my butt isnt in the seat, with my foot on the brake, and the trans in park,Than the ignition switch doesnt get turned
    , If its a standard trans..Butt in seat clutch to the floor trans in nutral, foot on brake
    just a policy I have
     
  19. 34toddster
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 1,482

    34toddster
    Member
    from Missouri

    Benno, that is 2 B's Butt, OK? Thanks
     
  20. KIRK
    Joined: Nov 17, 2005
    Posts: 384

    KIRK
    Member

    I had the same problem when I was setting up mine. Just took some time to get it right. Good thing it happened at home.
     
  21. Hey hows the back? I have wheels on the stude and all I have to do is clean up around it and set her down. I won't start it until I am sure it is in Park though. ;)
     
  22. The best way to correctly set up the switch is with a OHM meter. Use a small drop of Loc-Tite on the screws so that the wires won't vibrate off someday.
     

  23. That and drive your car like it doesn't exist. You cannot depend on a switch they fail.

    Literally every horror story that gets posted on one of these neutral switch threads is about someone who had one and either bypassed it and forgot or the switch failed and the car took off anyway. One must forget that they grew up in the later half of the 20th century where cars were made to be dumb proof and learn to drive on properly.
     
  24. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    That is why I always try get the parking brake working before I get a car on the road and use it.
     

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