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Who's got Lokar's kickdown/throttle cable setup?

33K views 50 replies 22 participants last post by  KThaxton 
#1 ·
I am very interested in buying Lokar's throttle cable/trans kickdown cables and cable mount. I really only have one reservation about it, Is there a way accommodate the factory cruise control? By looking at the pictures, I can't really come up with my own method, but if I had it in my hands, I might. However I might have to keep the factory mount in place which almost defeats the purpose.
Also, what are your opinions about the setup? Is it the cats meow? Or is it just kinda nice?
Please share your thoughts and ideas (then send me the cash so I can buy it now instead of later! ;D).
 
#2 ·
I never drove the truck with the old set up so when I rebuilt everything I bought both shifter cable and kick down cable. Super easy and it is pretty slick! As far as cruise stuff I ditch all that too. I am not a big cruise control person.
 
#3 ·
I have been through three seperate carb setups with my Lokar K/D cable (original 1 bbl, 2 bbl, and 4 bbl) And was able to easily adapt the cable to all three setups, even though the 2 bbl carb rotated all the linkages 90* from the 1 and 4 bbl carbs.

My vote goes to "cats meow". ;D One of the best headache eliminator products out there for dodge transmissons IMO.

-SM
 
#4 ·
I went low-buck and fabbed a taller repositioned bracket, and lengthened the K/D rod with threaded couplings after my 2bbl Holley to 4bbl TQ conversion. A year later, my trans needed rebuilt. I think my line pressure was just barely low enough for long enough.
 
#6 ·
I currently have it on my RC and also had it on my '69 Coronet with a transplanted 383.
It works great and is infinately adjustable. You will have to custom cut the cable for your application but then just fine tweaks to get the kickdown perfect. My RC shifts and drives like a new truck after I installed it and tweaked it in.
 
#9 ·
Ok, job done. I'll post before and after pics tomorrow.
Now a couple of questions for those who are using the kickdown cable:

I am not able to use the full stroke of the kickdown lever (at the trans) with this setup (i.e. if I set the cable to have the kickdown lever full forward at idle, it doesn't go full rear when the carb is at WOT.
-Is yours the same way, if not what did you do to fix it?
-Am I correct in assuming that I should be able to use the full travel of the kickdown lever?

Also, with the engine off, the shift lever doesn't return to the full forward postion. With the engine on, it does return almost all of the way. My 2000 (which comes from the factory with a kd cable) has a return spring at the lever.

-Did you find a need to put a return spring on the lever?
 
#10 ·
My truck doesn't have cruise, but I would really like it. Are there any kits, or would it be hard to take it out of an RC or ram and put in mine? How does the cruise system work?

Sorry for the thread hi-jack, i just figured you'd know. Thanks
 
#11 ·
KT-

I did add a return spring for the trans lever to help pull it all the way forward. It does increase throttle pedal effort, but it was nothing I wasn't used to in a couple days.

In regards to getting full travel of the trans lever, two options:

1) Drill a hole in the trans lever inside the existing one, so less cable pulls the lever further.

2) Use a hole further out on the carb linkage (if one exists), so it pulls more cable. If one does not exist, you could fab a new linkage with a longer arm, but drilling a new hole in the trans lever is much easier IMO.

I had a similar problem with my 2 bbl carb not pulling the linkage far enough. I drilled a new hole in the trans lever. The 4 bbl carb linkage (Holley 4160) had enough travel for me to use the factory trans lever hole. :-\

-SM
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the ideas SM. I also thought of those two options, but I just wanted to make sure I just wasn't missing something since this issue wasn't brought up in this thread or in the instructions. I think I'll go with drilling the lever at the trans.
Now for kicks and giggles, here's a before picture:


 

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#17 ·
    Just in case somebody else does this mod with an Edelbrock carb, here are some pictures showing where I drilled the shift lever to allow full travel.
    The shape of the lever (from the side), starts out level (parallel to the trans pan), then has a slight angle upwords, then level again where the stock pivot point was. I drilled and mounted the pivot point smack dab in the middle of the "angled" part, and it turned out perfectly.
    Also, what you can't see in the photo is where I mounted the opposite end of the return spring. On lower side of the bellhousing, the is a small, flat cast "hump" that's in the perfect spot for the spring to mount.
   After removing the kickdown lever and the shift lever, I was able to get my drill up there and drill a small hole in the "hump". I then just used the stock return spring that was originally mounted up on the kickdown linkage at the carb (from the factory), between the "hump" and the hole where the original pivot point was on the lever.
 

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#19 ·
I hooked up my Lokar throttle cable tonight, got it cut and tweaked and it works good.  I haven't gotten to the kickdown yet, hopefully tomorrow or the weekend.  Will hooking up the kickdown stuff make the pedal any harder to push?  Its SO easy compared to my Ramcharger. 

Also do you have any tips to adjusting the Edelbrock carb?  I have a 1406 I put on my 318, a I do not know how to set up how the secondaries work.  I also need to get an electric choke because the other owner of the carb took it off.
 
#20 ·
so this is better for a 2bbl to 4bbl swap then using the factory linkage.

still not too clear on the trans linkage.
 
#22 ·
which parts you had too drill? the ones down on the transmission right?

also is the spring you were referring too down there also? im having difficulty pictureing it (one of those touchy feely learning kind of people)
 
#23 ·
The best thing I can do is refer you to replies # 16 and 17 of this thread.
If you need another photo angle let me know. It's too bad I didn't know this yesterday morning, I was installing a shift kit and I had the lever removed, I could have taken a much better photo of it then. :(
 
#25 ·
So what does this setup run $$ whys?  And did you find that one place offered better princing then others? I'm just in the process of rounding up all the pieces for my throtle/cruise control/kickdown and this looks way cleaner, if the price  isn't to high I think I'd rather go this route. Thanks for any info.
 
#26 ·
78crewcab said:
and you shouldnt have to drill any holes.
At least with an Eddy carb, if you don't drill a hole in the shift lever, you won't get the full stroke from it.

MtMopar said:
So what does this setup run $$ whys? And did you find that one place offered better princing then others? I'm just in the process of rounding up all the pieces for my throtle/cruise control/kickdown and this looks way cleaner, if the price isn't to high I think I'd rather go this route. Thanks for any info.
I think I paid about $120.00, for the KD cable, T-cable and bracket. You can just get the KD cable (around $50 I think), but you have to fab a little. Also note, if you want to use cruise control, you'll have to fab that part yourself. I haven't done this yet.

I only compared prices at Jegs and Summit. Summit was slightly cheaper.
 
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