Aftermarket Headlight Switch

P

Pictou County T & A

Member
I recently installed a new wiring harness and headlight switch.

The lever positions are fine for operation, but the detents are very very weak, and while driving the headlights turn themselves on and off, and sometimes the horn even wants to sound.

The horn rod seems to be fairly straight. The insulator at the bottom of the horn rod seems to be in good condition and the soldered end has no continuity to the rod.

Has anyone else had similar problems?:confused:
 
That's just the opposite of what I usually find with repro switches. Is the complete switch new, or just the cover and contact plate? Are there any wire strands or uninsulated wires on the contact plate that can touch each other?
 
Have you checked to see if the light swithc turns when you turn the steering wheel. Found that gunk could get in the steering rod between the light switch rod and cause binding.
 
I had a problem using a replacement headlight contact with an original housing. Once I replaced the housing with a new one the set worked beautifully. It seemed to me like you couldn't mix and match the parts.
 
The wiring harness, light switch housing and bail are all new.

You can hold on to the housing when everything is together, and move it enough by hand to make the horn sound.

There was quite a bit of tension on the horn rod spring when I re-assembled.

I don't seen any loose or fraying wires at the main switch plate of the harness.
 
There should be a copper shim on the light rod where it goes into the shaft to prevent it catching as you turn the wheel , Sometimes a washer slipped over the light rod before inserting can shimm it so as not too catch. Most repo light switches are not firm in the clicks , Spring is here in NZ ?? well maybe.
 
I put in a new harness from Bratton's, and I had to 'massage' the contact detents to get mine to smooth out - it moved so hard, it felt like you could twist the light rod off.
 
I'll drop the steering column and pull the horn rod out and make sure everything is clean and all the parts are there.

Other than stretching the spring, any ideas on how to get a little more pressure for the detents?


Thanks,

Rob
 
I have found that the repro bails sometimes need to be bent a bit to shorten them slightly so the housing fits tighter to bottom of steering box.If loose,they can wiggle & ground out on bottom of LS rod.
 
Pictou County T & A said:
I'll drop the steering column and pull the horn rod out and make sure everything is clean and all the parts are there.

Other than stretching the spring, any ideas on how to get a little more pressure for the detents?


Thanks,

Rob
Click to expand...

Take drill bit and by hand deepen the detents. Sand off the rough edges.
 
I also have had a problem with my repro headlight switch it worked good for about 2 years but now when you turn on the head lights it causes the motor to stumble and miss. Turn it off it runs fine. You can then take the switch off clean it wiggle the part that turns in the switch itself and put it back together and the lights might not give you a problem for a day or so. As for my connections into the plastic harness connected each wire is individually shrink wraped so that none of the connections can hit the metal case and short the harness and the switch are both repress. What do u think is wrong and what is my best option. I recently for went driving the old girl home from ossipee becouse it got two dark and the ideas or driving 120 miles or so with iffy headlights is scary
 
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