| Author | Message | ||
     ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 793 Registered: 11-2015 |
The little arrow lights on the dash stopped blinking recently. The marker lights on the car work but the dash ones help you remember you left them on. I found the culprit. A bodged repair on the switch assembly.  Turns out the other contact had a crack too. Here is the plate in the steering column.  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 794 Registered: 11-2015 |
Here's how to make replacement contacts. First go in your shed and find an old switch.  Crack it open to reveal the contacts.  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 795 Registered: 11-2015 |
Then remove the bad contacts from the plate by shaving off the tops of the brass tube rivets.  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 796 Registered: 11-2015 |
Separate the diner springs from the switch mechanism. I didn't have any tools so I nicked the steel backing plate at the beginning and end of the cut then bent it back and forth to form a crack at that line. Cracks always form from little Nick's so if you make the nicks yourself you can control the cracking.  The finished cut.  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 797 Registered: 11-2015 |
My goal was to do this as one might mend it roadside with just the tools in the toolkit. That's probably possible, but because no one would ever NEED to fix their dashboard turn indicators, and the only file in the RR toolkit is a disaster, I folded and grabbed a proper soldering gun and swiss file.   | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 798 Registered: 11-2015 |
The switch contacts tops were pretty close in shape from the start.  The contact portion at the bottom were not very close in shape.  The thickness of the RR part was a lot thinner than the replacement.  I filed the contact portion to shape and thinned it. I gave it some distal taper leaving the anchored end full thickness to prevent bending ( and eventual cracking ) in that area. A well known trick in some circles is to file each course over a surface at a slightly different angle to ensure even filing.   | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 799 Registered: 11-2015 |
An original and some replacements in the works.  Having already given up on trying to make this a roadside tool only affair. I got or the drill poked some holes and bolted on the contacts.  | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 800 Registered: 11-2015 |
Works a treat | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1912 Registered: 4-2016 |
That is an amazing step by step job mate. Nothing gets in your way does it!! You look like you had fun with this problem. | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1538 Registered: 4-2009 |
Great Job Ross. Also most entertaining and ingenious | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1883 Registered: 9-2004 |
Ross, nice work there, very rewarding when completed and working. | ||
| ross kowalski Grand Master Username: cdfpw Post Number: 801 Registered: 11-2015 |
Thanks, I figured finding one would be harder than a fix on the old one. Also, quicker and cheaper. I forgot to thank my wife who provided the swiss file which was a absolute pleasure to use. | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 919 Registered: 2-2013 |
That was a supercool repair Ross. I now award you the title "master tinkerer". A repair shop could have fixed the problem for you with an invoice that would have made your wallet tremble and yelp. |
