How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Jordan Baker]

I’m trying to sort out the clutch linkage. Where does the clutch arm return spring hook onto? I’m guessing the spring should be pulled towards the front of the truck?

Also, at the pedal end. Is there a return spring hooking onto the clevis pin like brake pedal?

I’ve adjusted the pedal and linkage as per the manual, however I feel there should be a return spring or two somewhere in here.

[Bob Carriere]

....BUT GM did sell a civilian after market clutch rattle spring device that fitted at the other end to keep the linkage slightly tighter.

The Clutch springs should be enough to bring the pedal back but no harm will come if you do install a somewhat weak spring from the clevis to front frame.

Will you have it out for New Years day??????

Bob C

[Jordan Baker]

I’m thinking I’ll need one. With the 1” free play, I’m finding the pedal wants to drop towards the toe board. If I adjust so there is no drop the throw out bearing is up tight against the clutch fingers.

As for New Years.........well will see. I don’t want to rush things just to hit that date. I still need to install the propeller shafts, rear axle shafts and sort out the exhaust pipe.

[Jordan Baker]

Got the clutch pedal all sorted out. I found the weight of the pedal was pushing it down causing the throw out bearing to reconnect on the clutch finger springs. Once the spring was installed there was the textbook free play achieved with the push of my fingers. I forgot to take a picture of the springs. Will do that another time.

Also for the time I had today, I got the first propellor shaft installed between the transmission and the transfer case. All new mounting hardware was used along with new universal joints. The shouldered bolts were made from cut down grade 8 7/16 bolts. These gave the correct length of shoulder to match the originals.

[Jordan Baker]

Here is a picture of the other spring I added.

[Harry Moon]

I didn't notice previously but on mine that green spring is attached to the brake pedal and the clutch has a spring as i described directly on the clutch fork.

[Jordan Baker]

Ok thanks all for the advice on the clutch fork spring. There is a hole on the master cylinder metal mount that will work for the other end of the spring.


This afternoons project was to work on the exhaust pipe and muffler. I picked up a NOS muffler and exhaust pipe awhile back. However this pipe must have been for longer chassis as I had to cut out a section so the muffler would sit on the frame mount for it.

One question I do have, What is supposed to be used to seal the gap between muffler end and the exhaust pipe where the pipe slides into the muffler? Hopefully I have explained that clear enough to make sense.

[Harry Moon]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

I’m trying to sort out the clutch linkage. Where does the clutch arm return spring hook onto? I’m guessing the spring should be pulled towards the front of the truck?

Also, at the pedal end. Is there a return spring hooking onto the clevis pin like brake pedal?

I’ve adjusted the pedal and linkage as per the manual, however I feel there should be a return spring or two somewhere in here.

In taking apart my latest project and pulling parts off that i haven't before I spotted the hole in the brake M/C bracket that anchors the clutch spring .. didn't know it was there. I'll check my other trucks to see what i did.

[Harry Moon]

10 characters!

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks for the pictures Harry.

I did a full rebuild on my transmission shifter. It didn’t need much other then building up the pivot slots with some weld then grinding down again. I don’t have a finished picture just yet. It does amaze me just how much wear these parts can take and still work. Hopefully with everything back to as new specs this truck will shift nicely. I also added a new return spring for the lockout latch. I believe this is the proper orientation of it.

[Jordan Baker]

Today I pulled out some NOS parts to use for securing the box to the chassis. The wood blocks were used to fit between frame so that it didn’t crush down when tightening the U bolt nuts. The one wood block had to have a part cut off to clear a bolt.

[Jordan Baker]

Well she went on her first drive today in a long time. Everything went very very well. Works and sounds great. Shifts beautifully and stops on a dime. A huge thanks to all who have lent a hand or helped out with endless requests and questions. There is still a pile to do but it’s getting there. Lastly thanks to my lovely wife, Vicki Baker for letting me disappear into the garage for hours at a time. Love you.

A short video of its drive.

https://youtu.be/L4r_AhlDeGQ

[Jordan Baker]

Before the truck drove out I had to have the Otter pulled from the shop. Thankfully one of my friends happened to be going by in his backhoe. We made quick work of it. I can’t wait for the Otter to be able to do the same and drive out of the shop.

Lastly Vicki came home from work and happily took a few more pictures for me. Then she wanted to climb up into the cab for a picture.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Jordan.

Quite another milestone. Congratulations!

A few posts back you commented about sorting out the Signal Buzzer wiring feed. My suspicion is the feed from the buzzer in the cab to the box is very probably the same on your WIRE-3 as the WIRE-5.

The wire would drop down from the buzzer to the Cab Roof Seam and turn to the rear to follow the seam until it arrives at a hole in the seam that allows it to pass through to the lower wall. Small cable clips hold it in place. On my WIRE-5, these clips were all painted. You should be able to spot the small holes where the clips were secured.

The wire dropped down to the lower wall/floor seam in a fairly straight line and disappears through a hole in the floor, the same size as the one in the Cab Roof Seam. This takes it out of the cab floor close to the Left Frame Rail of the vehicle. It then follows the Left Frame Rail, but I can not remember if that is along the top edge, or close to the top of the outer side. Clip holes should identify the route for you in that area.

At the leading edge of the WIRE-5 box, about 12 to 18 inches in from the left side of the box, another hole in the floor allowed the wire to be fed into a conduit assembly built into the front wall of the Wireless Box, behind the plywood wall. Your WIRE-3 is an open box inside so once the wire arrives in that area in your vehicle, you may have to rely on the small clip holes to guesstimate where it went. If the WIRE-3 box was set up for Wireless Operator seated centre front and a Cypher Clerk to the rear and left of the operator, odds are the buzzer switch was situated to the left side of the WIRE-3 box somewhere easily accessible for either the operator or clerk to use it.

Hope that helps.

David