Head light switch question

[Bob from Northport]

In the process of restoring a Sport Coupe-1930-and was checking the headlight switch operation prior to installing the body back onto the car.
We installed a new wiring harness about 5 years ago when the frame/engine was restored.
I have the original switch off the car as well as another original switch.
When I install the spider fitting that attaches on the end of the horn rod, and use a screw driver to manually move the switch, it clicks in only two positions.
It should click on two one direction for low/high beam, and one the opposite for the parking lights.
A friend in Long Island said it might be the brass detents in the bakealite light fitting are not deep enough, and the brass light switch contacts are simply slipping past the contacts.
Can anyone advise what the problem might be and /or a solution??
Thanks!!

 

[Mister Moose]

Are you saying it will only travel 2 clicks, or it travels further but doesn't click?

If you don't have any lights hooked up yet, you cant tell where the "Off" position is. You can only tell there is 3 clicks from stop to stop.

It should be easy to drop the switch and split it in half (Twist 1/4 inch, look for the embossed tracks in the outer shell half) and then inspect the contacts and rotor. The contact plate is a slip fit, and is aligned by a keyway that goes on a stamped bulge in the housing. The contact plate may not be aligned correctly and forced in at the wrong position. Check for unimpeded travel of the rotor in enough of an arc. With the switch off, check for free travel on the control lever.

 

[gw]

I had a problem where the light switch was difficult to move and sometime locked. The problem started after I had replaced both the wiring harness and the switch with remakes. I found two problems with the remake supplies. First on the wire harness disc, the blank (non-contact) dimples were deeper than the original. Second, the light switch dimples were more pointed than the original. I tried several corrections but the only one that worked was replacing the light switch with an original.

 

[Bob from Northport]

My shop has been at this for nearly 50 years. I appreciate M Moose comments, but we are aware of the structure of the switch housing. The two we have and are using slide together with little effort. Everything is lined up correctly. Off is at 6 o'clock. Headlights should be at 5 and 4 o;clock. Parking lights at 7 o'clock. The switches we have are both original switches, not repops.
We simply don't get the two clicks for the head lights in one direction. Four other cars in the shop all work like that. Two one way, one in the other direction.

 

[Badpuppy]

It would make sense the path between contacts wears smooth over the years. Also spring tension behind the movable contacts weakens with time. You might massage or replace the movable part.

 

[Mister Moose]

My shop has been at this for nearly 50 years. I appreciate M Moose comments, but we are aware of the structure of the switch housing. The two we have and are using slide together with little effort. Everything is lined up correctly. Off is at 6 o'clock. Headlights should be at 5 and 4 o;clock. Parking lights at 7 o'clock. The switches we have are both original switches, not repops.
We simply don't get the two clicks for the head lights in one direction. Four other cars in the shop all work like that. Two one way, one in the other direction.

You haven't stated if you're getting full travel, or at what angle the single click to the right occurs.

I'd put an ohm meter (or volt meter if your battery is in) on it to both headlight wires. You could then narrow it down to both lights work with missing click, or 1 light doesn't ever connect.

If you narrow it down to which headlight works, you'll know if you are missing the middle contact, or not even getting travel to the high beam* position. It's time to start eliminating possibilities.

*I use high beam euphemistically, in my experience it's dim and less dim.