conduit recommendation

[pmsmechanic]

I really like this idea. I have never even tried to drill into cast before, would it be similar to drilling in mild steel? When you say 1/8" or 3/16", I am assuming you mean the depth of the hole, because you would probably need rivets with a fairly large diameter for the clamp. Am I understanding you correctly?

Thanks for the input.

Cast steel is very easy to drill. About half the effort of regular steel.

1/8" or 3/16" refers to the pop rivet size. You drill the hole the same size as the pop rivet. You can get pop rivets in various lengths and head diameters. I don't like to drill any deeper than I have to so I use short rivets. I don't like to drill right through the casting. Though if you do a bit of silicone on the rivet and in the hole will keep dirt and water out.

This is a picture of how I did the brake wires on one of my trailers. As you can see it's a tor-flex axle. All I did was use the axle to protect the wires from mostly gravel out our way. It's -40 two wire elecrical cord which seems to be able to handle the odd rock when it's cold out. The "P" clamp is just pop riveted to the axle. The hole into the cast part of the axle is about 1/4"+ deep.

If I rewire an axle with springs the wire is run down to the axle on the rear top of the leaf to the axle tube. I run a wire in the tube for the opposite brake and yes it's a pain to fish the wires but still easier than fixing in the cold of winter. On those brakes I weld a 3"x4" shield onto the brake drum just touching the spring and attach the wires behind the shield.

I use solder and heat shrink and leave the wires pretty well out in the open. I seen wires in boxes and all the box seems to do is collect dirt and moisture and hold it nicely around the wires. Add a bit of salt from winter roads and over time your brakes don't work any more for some reason!

 

[OzarkChris]

Thanks Chis! I didn't even know such a product existed. I just did a quick search and see that my local harbor freight has some in stock. I know what I am getting with harbor freight, but I am thinking even a low grade stainless has to be better than plastic, do you agree?

I would think so, that's why I use them.

 

[brown91]

Cast steel is very easy to drill. About half the effort of regular steel.

1/8" or 3/16" refers to the pop rivet size. You drill the hole the same size as the pop rivet. You can get pop rivets in various lengths and head diameters. I don't like to drill any deeper than I have to so I use short rivets. I don't like to drill right through the casting. Though if you do a bit of silicone on the rivet and in the hole will keep dirt and water out.

This is a picture of how I did the brake wires on one of my trailers. As you can see it's a tor-flex axle. All I did was use the axle to protect the wires from mostly gravel out our way. It's -40 two wire elecrical cord which seems to be able to handle the odd rock when it's cold out. The "P" clamp is just pop riveted to the axle. The hole into the cast part of the axle is about 1/4"+ deep.

If I rewire an axle with springs the wire is run down to the axle on the rear top of the leaf to the axle tube. I run a wire in the tube for the opposite brake and yes it's a pain to fish the wires but still easier than fixing in the cold of winter. On those brakes I weld a 3"x4" shield onto the brake drum just touching the spring and attach the wires behind the shield.

I use solder and heat shrink and leave the wires pretty well out in the open. I seen wires in boxes and all the box seems to do is collect dirt and moisture and hold it nicely around the wires. Add a bit of salt from winter roads and over time your brakes don't work any more for some reason!

Thanks for the pic and the clarification. I think that is awesome. I will be using this technique in the future for sure!

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Hello everyone...newby here!

I am currently in the process of rewiring a 1972 MF 135 for my dad. The wiring for the lights over the rear fenders got ripped out by some brush he was pushing with the box blade. I wanted to come back with new wiring from the dash, but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for the conduit to I should use. The issue I have is that there really isn't any good connection locations for any kind of conduit across the rear axel housing. Right now the best I can come up with is to use a flexible plastic or rubber conduit similar to "liquidtight" and maybe use zip ties (won't last long) or pipe clamps. I had thought about adding some sort of steel tube, but again, there doesn't appear to be any places to secure it. I just didn't want to run unprotected wire or a plastic wire loom, but I see that used a lot on older tractor wiring. I was wondering if anyone has any good solutions/suggestions or am I overthinking this?

Thanks.

Just use brake line. You can get tabs in the electrical section that will let you bolt to tractor. Just flare ends of tube so it won't cut wires.