Trans Dip stick tip..

[dusterdoug]

My small block in my 69 dart has just enough engine set back to cause me grief. Lokar was out of stock until December so I bought a copy on eBay. Piece of crap it was! The Hughes steel version I bought previously was impossible to install. The tab for the trans bolt couldn’t slip over a stud, and it was impossible to get a bolt started all for lack of firewall room.

I did get the eBay unit in, but discovered that the dipstick was very difficult to pull out and impossible to reinstall with the curve in the tube at the bottom.

So I went back to my Hughes and laid under the car. Thinking...

I cut the as supplied tab off and came up with this. A cushion clamp over the tube, bolted to a simple cut to length aluminum scrap L bracket bolted to the assembly line ear on the trans case. Simple and solved a major headache for my situation!

 

[Professor Fate]

and laid under the car. Thinking...

If I do that, I fall asleep...
Seriously, good fix!

 

[Ironracer]

Man, think I got mine from Mancini 12 years ago. It was a major pain, one of those things, you think, oh cool, slam it in and go. Nope. Had to get my 300# Brother involved. Rack/ twist the tube, loosen some things, cuss, skin some knuckles. Over that ( BLEEEEEP%!%#/#@) tab. That Lil.trick right there would haved aved the day! Nice outside the box thinking! I'll file that away for Any use in the future! Thanks

 

[gm1236]

Great idea, I battle with that bolt all the time.

 

[dusterdoug]

If I do that, I fall asleep...
Seriously, good fix!

Oh I sure could have...lol!

 

[flyfish]

I might be a weirdo, but I have never used the bolt on the dipstick. I didn't think it was necessary...29 years and counting on my race/street car.

 

[gm1236]

I might be a weirdo, but I have never used the bolt on the dipstick. I didn't think it was necessary...29 years and counting on my race/street car.

It’s a good idea to bolt it in with a locking dip stick. The stock dip stick will just pop out of the tube if the fluid gets overheated. I ran a stock tube for years without it bolted in also. Never a problem.

 

[73smallblock]

I have installed the Hughes dipstick in several cars without any major issues. The tab does usually need tweaked a little but nothing major. Installed on Big blocks and small blocks

 

[Mopar Sam]

I might be a weirdo, but I have never used the bolt on the dipstick. I didn't think it was necessary...29 years and counting on my race/street car.

Same here. Never use the bolt and always cut the bracket off.

I don't ever use the dust covers either, and we have a lot of gravel roads. Never any trouble there either.

 

[dusterdoug]

Guys, this wasn’t posted to start a debate. Simply an idea to overcome a problem I had and maybe help someone else.

If you’ve never bolted one down, good for you. I wanted mine bolted down.

 

[Mopar Sam]

Guys, this wasn’t posted to start a debate. Simply an idea to overcome a problem I had and maybe help someone else.

If you’ve never bolted one down, good for you. I wanted mine bolted down.

I think your idea is slick. I may even use it in the future.

I wasn't intending to debate. I just meant to let flyfish know he wasn't the only one running without a bracket.

Maybe it's an Indiana thing, or in my case a lazy thing...

 

[dusterdoug]

I think your idea is slick. I may even use it in the future.

I wasn't intending to debate. I just meant to let flyfish know he wasn't the only one running without a bracket.

Maybe it's an Indiana thing, or in my case a lazy thing...

Gotcha. I have one unbolted one come out. It was only at 65 mph on the freeway, but it was a handful to get it stopped. Since then, I’ve said “never again”.