Clutch safety switch delete

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
Ya know, I should know better than to ask a question on the internet.

Thank you, @SquareRoot, for the tip on the fuse. That will solve my current problem, and it has the benefit of being easily reversible later on if my panties ever get in a bunch over how safe my 45 year old tin can is…
 

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
Do you have children?
Two. That will rarely ride in the truck, and never drive it. Lol

It’s not the family car. Did I mention these trucks have a reputation for catching fire and exploding?
The 4Runner is the family car.
 

Snoots

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Posts
8,158
Reaction score
15,957
Location
Georgia
First Name
Roger
Truck Year
1973
Truck Model
Jimmy Sierra
Engine Size
350
? Is this the switch that also has a vacuum dump for cruise control?
 

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
? Is this the switch that also has a vacuum dump for cruise control?
Moot point, no cruise control. It’s one of the few things not spec’d on this C10 Silverado. Cruise and A/C.
 

Vbb199

B-rate Hillbilly Customs
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Posts
8,871
Reaction score
14,885
Location
Salisbury NC
First Name
Vince
Truck Year
89, 79
Truck Model
89 Suburban R1500, 79 C10
Engine Size
350, 502
For the short duration I had a straight drive truck recently, the malfunctioning safety switch made it unpleasant..... to say the least

I wouldn't recommend it., and I do some DUMB chit sometimes


Edit,

Right the question at hand, it's like a th400 kickdown switch, it just needs the slide to be fully engaged/disengaged to complete the circuit, it'd held on with a little plastic clip I think, the arm that is.

Just remove it and zip tie it down for now
 
Last edited:

Turbo4whl

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
2,837
Reaction score
6,356
Location
Downingtown, PA
First Name
Wayne
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
........... Did I mention these trucks have a reputation for catching fire and exploding?
The 4Runner is the family car.

You forgot to mention the self disconnecting type "B" seat belts on the later model squares.

I did answer your question, along with a how to.

My opinion on why it is not a good idea, is just that, my own opinion. This was the only way I can justify telling you how to disconnect a safety feature.
 

RecklessWOT

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Posts
2,548
Reaction score
4,744
Location
New Hampshire
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
350 TBI
This is the crux of it. It only takes one moment of not paying attention to kill or permanently maim someone. If your entire mitigation relies on everyone that could ever get behind the wheel of that truck paying attention... its not going to work. Most people that have ever driven a manual trans vehicle have the habit of jumping in and putting the clutch to the floor and slamming the shifter side to side to make sure it's in neutral... that doesn't prevent people from accidentally bumping the starter with it in gear, it happens ALL THE TIME.
Why in the world would some random stranger be starting my vehicle? If someone is trying to steal it and gets themselves killed by their own stupidity, I'm okay with that. Leave my sh!t alone.
 

RecklessWOT

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2015
Posts
2,548
Reaction score
4,744
Location
New Hampshire
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V10 Suburban Silverado
Engine Size
350 TBI
These are some very extreme examples and only the Toyota is really relevant to my original post. Military equipment is extremely dangerous and should never be tampered with. Same goes for commercial and industrial equipment. But as far as a clutch switch in an old Chevy truck where most of them barely have FLOORS… I think you’re worried over nothing.

That Toyota tale… how fast did that thing idle? Did he not have the brake set? He couldn’t walk beside it, open the door, and turn off the ignition or knock it out of gear or slam on the brake? Seems like we’re missing part of the story. The few times I’ve accidentally started the car in gear (before the muscle memory of “clutch in, wiggle stick” set in), the vehicle jumped a little before I uttered an expletive and let go of the key, and it didn’t even cover a distance of 12 inches.
basically took the words right out of my head.
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
5,905
Reaction score
7,252
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
I’ve owned a few cars without CSS from the factory. Newest was my ‘93 urS4.

TBH, I don’t recall if I hooked up my NSS wires to a CSS when I swapped the nv4500 in the square. I definitely know I put the clutch in when I start it, but I’m also in neutral with my foot on the brake. I that being said, I have nothing against a CSS.
 

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
I’ve owned a few cars without CSS from the factory. Newest was my ‘93 urS4.

TBH, I don’t recall if I hooked up my NSS wires to a CSS when I swapped the nv4500 in the square. I definitely know I put the clutch in when I start it, but I’m also in neutral with my foot on the brake. I that being said, I have nothing against a CSS.
I don’t have a problem with them either. I’d put up with it (just like I do in my Jetta) if it hadn’t gone kerplewy on me. I’m just not so married to it to tear the dash apart to find where it belongs, where I’ll likely break other bits of brittle, aging plastic I’d rather not replace right now.
MAYBE I’ll replace the switch when I eventually restore the truck. But for now, I’m the ONLY person that will drive the truck, and I automatically check that the truck is in neutral, the clutch is depressed, and I’m on the brakes before I start ANY vehicle with a manual. Plus, I always set my parking brake and I make sure to keep it well adjusted as it is there FOR SAFETY…
Y’all… smh.
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
5,905
Reaction score
7,252
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
The metal on my square is decently thick though. Maybe original sheet metal varied.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
28,966
Reaction score
23,480
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I will by no means promote disabling a safety feature, but some are just a major annoyance and in different situations, their absence will not cause any harm.
 

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
The metal on my square is decently thick though. Maybe original sheet metal varied.
One thing you’ll find with me is my fondness for hyperbole. I speak fluent sarcasm and exaggeration. Lol
 

Disco

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Posts
87
Reaction score
82
Location
Texarkana, TX
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 "Big 10"
Engine Size
350 4-bolt
There’s probably more than a dozen bolts holding the front clip to the frame and cab, too. But if I Had to choose which vehicle to be in a wreck with, I’d choose the Volkswagen with the crumple zones and the airbags.

Everyone freaking out about the safety concerns of bypassing the clutch switch on an inherently unsafe vehicle is like everyone freaking out about me carrying a jug of gasoline into a burning building with me. Is putting a jug of gas in a fire a bad idea? Yes. Doesn’t change the fact that I’M ALREADY ON FIRE! Lol
 

SquareRoot

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2017
Posts
3,659
Reaction score
6,602
Location
Arizona
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
85
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
Since we're on the topic, I'd also suggest cutting the dash for a DIN style radio, adding a windshield visor to further reduce gas milage, drilling a hole to vent the gas cap, put some 6x9 speakers in the lower doors and anything else that annoys the Snowflakes. If you can swing it, do a LS swap and paint the valve cover mounted coils a bright contrasting color. To hell with the masses! It's your truck, do what you want with it. The snowflakes can fill out a "Hurt feelings report".
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
41,857
Posts
903,628
Members
33,370
Latest member
mitchell1128
Top