Question re wiring pickup point for Toad

[heinz wittenbecher]

I don't have my lighting kit yet, though doubt it'll have any GMC specific
instructions.

I'm wondering where folks splice in for the Toad wiring. I'd prefer not to
just pigtail it off the taillights. I'd prefer to run an extra set from the
front if that seems feasable/reasonable.

Suggestions/ideas/hints greatly appreciated.

Heinz
'76 Transmode

 

[bartz paul]

Heinz:

If you haven't already looked, see if you have a bundle of wires
emanating from under the left rear exterior of the coach, usually
running inside the c-channel across the back of the coach frame.

My coach, for example, came with such, it was an optional trailer wiring
harness. The bundle of wires had no fitting or connectors on the end,
were just taped together.

If you have the wires, it will save a lot of work.

Otherwise, I believe the shop manual wiring diagram will show you where
to splice into the existing wiring.

Paul Bartz

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Heinz Wittenbecher [SMTP:heinz]
> Sent: Thursday, April 23, 1998 11:25 AM
> To: GMCnet
> Subject: GMC: Question re wiring pickup point for Toad
>
> I don't have my lighting kit yet, though doubt it'll have any GMC
> specific
> instructions.
>
> I'm wondering where folks splice in for the Toad wiring. I'd prefer
> not to
> just pigtail it off the taillights. I'd prefer to run an extra set
> from the
> front if that seems feasable/reasonable.
>
> Suggestions/ideas/hints greatly appreciated.
>
> Heinz
> '76 Transmode

 

[scott woodworth]

Heinz,

I've seen some specialty trailer light harness companies make up
special wiring harness pigtails for hooking up the trailer harness into
the existing wiring without cutting. It has 3 plugs. Disconnect the
nearest connector which in your case is inside your coach behind the
left rear interior panel. Plug the old connectors into the new and run
the pigtail outside to the hitch.

- -Scott Woodworth

 

[heinz wittenbecher]

Gonna be too late, David. Hope to be rolling down the road ( in a straight
line ) early in May. Thanks for the thought but you're dealing with a kid
that just got new additions to his lego set and patience has long been
replaced by anticipation of opening the box. ( or... just plain anxious to
get some more miles on the new toys).

Got the rest of my pieces today... almost.
I assumed the wiring harness would include source, i.e. Coach end. One more
assumption that went wrong. You'd thing the sales folks would've asked as
they missed an opportunity to sell more stuff

Guess I'll be making the rounds tomorrow locally for the Coach tie-in stuff.

Planning for rest of towbar/toad-brake installion on monday... unless work
interferes

BTW: hope to have some pictures of all the recent additions/enhancements on
My GMC's Homepage during/over the weekend. ( www.bytedesigns.com/gmc ).
Everything came together quite nicely, including the final design of
Macerator Pump installation.

Heinz

>If you hold off, Heinz, I'll be having my toad brake, light kit and
>saturn brackets installed on May 4th. I'll let you know how it goes.
>
>David Lee Greenberg
>GMC Motorhome Registry
>Delray Beach, FL
>davegreenberg1
>
>On Thu, 23 Apr 1998 08:25:02 -0700 "Heinz Wittenbecher"

>>I don't have my lighting kit yet, though doubt it'll have any GMC
>>specific
>>instructions.
>>
>>I'm wondering where folks splice in for the Toad wiring. I'd prefer
>>not to
>>just pigtail it off the taillights. I'd prefer to run an extra set
>>from the
>>front if that seems feasable/reasonable.
>>
>>Suggestions/ideas/hints greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Heinz
>>'76 Transmode

 

[heinz wittenbecher]

Everything works (he says cautiously
I'll have pics on my site in a day or so.

Only problem (sofar anyways) is that I got too short an extension for coach
to toad wiring. Trip into town tomorrow will fix that.

Found all the necessary wiring behind the left rear taillight, inside the
wall. There was a plug, but it was too far in behind the wall so I spliced,
but left, right and taillights were all right there. Yellow for left, Dk
green for right, brown for taillights.

Toad brake went well too. I did not cut my original brakeline but instead
bough a 3 foot one and used it. Adding fittings, etc. was relatively easy.
Quite an ingenious scheme. I'll go into more detail when I update the
website.

No serious test run yet as I was short the lights, but we did sneak it
around the block some. Brake seems equal to without toad, which is what I
was hoping for.

As to how long it took. Did wiring on Coach and Toad as well as Toad brake
setup today. Probably 1.5 man days, but we also messed with EFI programming
a bit. Did spend an hour or so contemplating wiring pickup as I was
reluctant to tear my rear corner apart, but it turned out less trouble than
anticipated (what a change

Heinz
www.bytedesigns.com/gmc

>Well Heinz,
>
>Since my installation will be later than yours how about letting me know
>how it goes, ie; time cost and whether everything works, especiall the
>toad brake.
>
>have a good trip!
>
>David Lee Greenberg

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> Note to Patrick: Are you all set up to tow?

Dave,

Not yet. The tax man set me back a couple weeks. I've ordered the
hitch from Paul Bennett and am waiting on it. I've got lots of other
"stuff" to keep me busy. Installing new water heater and fresh water
tank. Also taking care of some long delayed engine detail items.

I'm leaning toward the roadmaster toad brake system. It uses compressed
air(which we already have) and doesn't require modification of either
the coach or toad brake systems.

I'm curious what type of toad brake systems are being used by others and
their results.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com