Neutral/Park switch bypass

[HIGHPLAINSDRIFTER]

Is there a way to bypass the switch in the steering colum without tearing it apart?  I have had to move the shifter around to "find" the connection for a while now, but now it is shot.  I will fix it right in a month or two when I can afford it, but right now I need it to work.  It is a 79 K15/350/350/203.  Thanks for any help.

[bd]

http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/techinfo/wiring_diagrams/77-80_cab_inter.jpg

Neutral safety is on top of the steering column just inboard of the firewall.  It's not difficult to reach.

[VileZambonie]

Fix the slop in your linkage and then adjust the switch. Bypassing it is foolish and can get someone killed.

[bd]

X10
The vehicle shouldn't be driven this way.  Jumping the switch even one time is dangerous and potentially reckless.  It's simply a bad idea.

[thirsty]

Here is a reason why.
I had a bad clutch switch in my truck that was bypassed. We were working on the race car at my buddies shop one day. One of the little guys wants to get in the big red truck. His mother sees nothing wrong with it and puts him in my truck while she is standing next to it. From inside the garage we here my truck turning over and BANG, it hits my buddy's Peterbuilt that it was nosed up to. I know I should have not left the keys in it and I did not set the parking brake either. The mother should not have just put the kid in my truck. It could have been worse if I would have left my truck in reverse the door would have taken the mom out, the truck would have probably started and taken out a car or two in his lot. I changed the switch the next day.

[HIGHPLAINSDRIFTER]

Good points, I will fix it right.   I know my linkage is off a bit because it looks like it is bent around the headers a little.  That may also explain why the surge breaks on my boat trailer sometimes lock up while going into reverse.  The actuator pin on the tongue is powered by the reverse lights in the truck. After looking at the wiring diagram, it looks like the switch does the reverse lights also.   Thanks for the help, I guess I just got in a hurry.  After getting the thing driving good finally (bushing kit), I just wanted to drive it.  I guess the work is never done.

[bake74]

Here is a reason why.
I had a bad clutch switch in my truck that was bypassed. We were working on the race car at my buddies shop one day. One of the little guys wants to get in the big red truck. His mother sees nothing wrong with it and puts him in my truck while she is standing next to it. From inside the garage we here my truck turning over and BANG, it hits my buddy's Peterbuilt that it was nosed up to. I know I should have not left the keys in it and I did not set the parking brake either. The mother should not have just put the kid in my truck. It could have been worse if I would have left my truck in reverse the door would have taken the mom out, the truck would have probably started and taken out a car or two in his lot. I changed the switch the next day.

     Now that is a learning story to point out to anybody who doesn't want to do extra body work to their trucks.  Thirsty, did it do a lot of damage or just hit the bumper ?

[thirsty]

No it didn't do any damage to either, I pulled up within a foot of his peterbuilt when I parked. It just lurched into it when it turned over.
That switch was bad when I got the truck and didn't think it was a big deal because nobody ever drove my truck. I was just lucky that day nobody got hurt. Imagine if I had parked in front of his garage door and the truck did start up while we were all busy working on the race car.
It's funny how this subject came up because that little accident really bothered me knowing that I chose not to fix the safety issue on purpose.

[VileZambonie]

I tried to start my buddys 77 GMC K10 with 40" tires in neutral by reaching through the window one time when we were working on it and it took off, smashed his lower valence into an LT-1 I was building and luckily stalled without anyone getting hurt. Another guy I know put a remote starter in his Honda, hit the button and watched his Honda ghost ride itself into the guard rails.