What fails in a 38 ford headlight switch

yngrodder

yngrodder

Member
I just bought a 38 ford and trying to learn the ropes on things, My lightse quit working and I took the cap off the switch and i am getting power to the switch and all the wires still look connected, so what on these fail? can the be fixed or do i need to replace the whole switch?
 
I can run a jumper to the light wire and the lights came on both highs and lows work,
so i figure its in the light switch..
 
Hi, Maybe this will help somewhere along the line. I clipped it from www.vanpeltsales.com, a great resource.

-VT/Jeff
 

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If the 38 is like the 37 pick up the switch is at the bottom of the shaft that goes to the stearing box. They get all gunked up with oil and dirt. Try giving it a good cleaning and that may solve your problem. Hope this helps.
 
1937pickup said:
If the 38 is like the 37 pick up the switch is at the bottom of the shaft that goes to the stearing box. They get all gunked up with oil and dirt. Try giving it a good cleaning and that may solve your problem. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
I second that . A very common ailment for those style switches;)
 
Check the foot dimmer switch. 38 was the first year for that and it could well be where the problem is.
 
Rodder: YES cleaning is your best bet. callup the diagram, Tangled sent you, put the curser on the light switch area and click again, it will enlarge, you say you have hot to the switch, when you turn the switch on it sends hot to the foot switch, Jimtn; may have hit on it.You should find hot there, it's the center post on the foot sw. if not, it's lost in the light switch...Or with any luck, a broken wire, easy fix,,,, And yes it is repairable / restorable too..... OLD.....BILL
 
I take a lot of old Ford switches apart and find lots of different things. Spiders, dirt daubers,old hard grease, usually green corrosion. Dont be afraid to bend the tabs and look inside. Open carefully, some have spring loaded pieces. Dont break or lose anything, almost all of my switches work again and you have a genuine Ford part instead of a chinese reproduction.
 
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