Found out my 81' is actually an 84'

[SinisterC10]

 

Safe to say I'm pissed.

I have a dilemma now as well. The wiring kit I putting in the truck is for up to a 1982. I just recieved a rebuilt floor shift column for this truck because I'm putting my auto shifter on the floor as well.

The problem is that in 1981 the wiper switch was on the dash. In 1984 the switch was on the turn signal lever on the column like the one I'm replacing is. I can't just send the rebuilt column back and reuse the old one because the wiring kit is different now. I didn't know any of this at the time as this is the first C10 I've owned.

Sooooo, my question is this: Since my truck has intermittent wipers, How do I use a intermittent wiper switch in the dash of this truck? There is nowhere to mount it as the dash design changed. Also, did these trucks have intermittent wipers in 1981? If they didn't I'm not sure if I'll be able to wire it to this American Autowire kit.

[zieg85]

Go to the pick and pull and find a up to 1983 and cut out the lower left dash surrounding the headlight switch and wiper switch leaving enough to securely rivet it to the cab you have.  The dash bezel will cover it.

[SinisterC10]

Go to the pick and pull and find a up to 1983 and cut out the lower left dash surrounding the headlight switch and wiper switch leaving enough to securely rivet it to the cab you have.  The dash bezel will cover it.

Well unfortunately no wrecking yard around here has anything in the right year.

[Irish_Alley]

do your wipers work now?

[Captkaos]

You should be able to just rewire if you have the old connectors.

Chris Lucas
73-87chevytrucks.com
squarebody.biz

[SinisterC10]

do your wipers work now?

They did but the entire truck is apart. I'm doing a frame-on resto. I have the AAW wiring kit I bought from this site partially installed already. That kit is for up to an 82.

The vin n this truck says it's in an 81' but the dash and column say it's an 84'. I talked to the last 2 previous owners and they too were under the assumption it was a 1981. On the registration it has 1981 AND 1984 as model years in two different boxes on the registration. I'm still waiting on the title. The bank owned the truck so it's an electronic title and could take up to 2 months to get.

[SinisterC10]

You should be able to just rewire if you have the old connectors.

Chris Lucas
73-87chevytrucks.com
squarebody.biz

Well, there lies the issue. In 1984 all the wiper wiring was in the column. Before that, it all ran to the dash switch.

If I can find an up to 1983 dash switch AND can find a place to mount it I should be able to wire it to my existing wiper system right? I though I read somewhere that I also need some type of factory module for the switch?

[VileZambonie]

Are you saying you have the stalk on the column, no provisions on the dash for a switch but a wiring harness made for an 81-83 wiper system? If so why not just wire it up like the 84? You should match the wiring to your needs, not the truck to your wiring harness. That doesn't make much sense to me.

[SinisterC10]

Are you saying you have the stalk on the column, no provisions on the dash for a switch but a wiring harness made for an 81-83 wiper system? If so why not just wire it up like the 84? You should match the wiring to your needs, not the truck to your wiring harness. That doesn't make much sense to me.

 Because I already have a new rebuilt steering column for an 81'. If I returned it and exchanged it for an 84' I would be in it $$$ just in a steering column.

I think I'm going to buy an 80-83 dash bezel and mount it up and see if I can trace out a hole to mount the wiper switch.

If I put an 84 column back in then I don't even know if I could wire this harnress into a plug that would connect to the column.

[zieg85]

You will have to move the headlight switch some to make it right.

[SinisterC10]

Does anyone have wiper schematics for an 81' and an 84?  Mine are the intermittent wipers.

[hatzie]

Does anyone have wiper schematics for an 81' and an 84?  Mine are the intermittent wipers.

Yes.  Look in the "My Bucket" link in my signature for the GM shop manuals and wiring diagrams.

BTW  You'll need the 1985 wiring diagrams to show the full later model column switch. The 1984 wiring diagrams show the dash mounted wiper switch with a column mounted dimmer.

I'd use the wiper control and delay module on the column if you have it.  It's less fragile than the dash mounted delay switch/control and you can go to the local parts store to buy replacements.
You can put your dimmer on the floor or the column fairly easily.  Three wires.  Pick your poison and get the proper connector...  they both use the same Female Packard 56 terminals.
The floor dimmer uses Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8900855
The column dimmer uses  Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8917693

Here's a thread with a few of my posts that contain a fair amount of detail on the subject of wiper and dimmer wiring on 78 & up dashes and columns.   http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=32195.0

I may do an autopsy on the GM through hole circuit board 78-84.5 delay module.

[SinisterC10]

Does anyone have wiper schematics for an 81' and an 84?  Mine are the intermittent wipers.

Yes.  Look in the "My Bucket" link in my signature for the GM shop manuals and wiring diagrams.

BTW  You'll need the 1985 wiring diagrams to show the full later model column switch. The 1984 wiring diagrams show the dash mounted wiper switch with a column mounted dimmer.

I'd use the wiper control and delay module on the column if you have it.  It's less fragile than the dash mounted delay switch/control and you can go to the local parts store to buy replacements.
You can put your dimmer on the floor or the column fairly easily.  Three wires.  Pick your poison and get the proper connector...  they both use the same Female Packard 56 terminals.
The floor dimmer uses Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8900855
The column dimmer uses  Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8917693

Here's a thread with a few of my posts that contain a fair amount of detail on the subject of wiper and dimmer wiring on 78 & up dashes and columns.   http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=32195.0

I may do an autopsy on the GM through hole circuit board 78-84.5 delay module.

So I should just use the 84' column? Also what's the dimmer that you keep talking about? If I used an 84 column wouldn't this dimmer (whatever that is) already be incorporated into the column along with the module?

[hatzie]

Does anyone have wiper schematics for an 81' and an 84?  Mine are the intermittent wipers.

Yes.  Look in the "My Bucket" link in my signature for the GM shop manuals and wiring diagrams.

BTW  You'll need the 1985 wiring diagrams to show the full later model column switch. The 1984 wiring diagrams show the dash mounted wiper switch with a column mounted dimmer.

I'd use the wiper control and delay module on the column if you have it.  It's less fragile than the dash mounted delay switch/control and you can go to the local parts store to buy replacements.
You can put your dimmer on the floor or the column fairly easily.  Three wires.  Pick your poison and get the proper connector...  they both use the same Female Packard 56 terminals.
The floor dimmer uses Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8900855
The column dimmer uses  Delphi Packard 56 Female connector # 8917693

Here's a thread with a few of my posts that contain a fair amount of detail on the subject of wiper and dimmer wiring on 78 & up dashes and columns.   http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=32195.0

I may do an autopsy on the GM through hole circuit board 78-84.5 delay module.

So I should just use the 84' column? Also what's the dimmer that you keep talking about? If I used an 84 column wouldn't this dimmer (whatever that is) already be incorporated into the column along with the module?

It dims or brightens the headlights depending on how it's set.  The 83 and prior trucks used a dimmer button on the floor.  84 and later used a dimmer switch on the column.

Judging from the people I meet on the road at night with their high beams on... I have to assume they don't know what the dimmer is either.  LOL.

I'd use the 1984 column or even upgrade to the 1985 and later column.

[SinisterC10]

What's the difference between an 84 column and an 85 and up one?

Also if I do use the correct column (wether it's an 84 or 85) how hard do you think it will be to wire it up to this 82 and down AAW wiring harness? Do you know what differences there are in the harnesses?