Date:         Sun, 20 Jan 2013 02:50:47 -0500
Reply-To:     Tom Stone <tstone8359@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Stone <tstone8359@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Headlight switch for '91 Westy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

After a number of assurances from list members that disassembling the
headlight switch was the way to solve my failed dimmer problem and
after all the pointers to possible sources of new switches turned up
nothing, this fool rushed in.

I am on vacation in Florida so did not have the usual set if tools at
my disposal.  Using a paring knife, I carefully pried out the edges of
the bottom of the switch and freed up the plastic plate with the switch
pins on it.  I lifted it out and turned it over.  There were a few
burned spots on some of the contacts so took a sharp pointed object and
brightened up the contacts.  Still inside the switch was the slider and
the other parts of the contacts.  Don't try this at home, kids, but I
turned the switch over in the palm of my hand and was blessed with a
handfull of 10 springs, three contact pieces, a ball bearing and the
now naked slider.  I put the springs and other parts in a small bowl.

I examined what was left in the switch base.  Recall that my original
problem was that the dimmer, which supplied power to the dash lights,
had an open circuit.  I could see no breaks in the rheostat wires but
saw that the piece with the windings on it could be removed from the
switch. I removed it even though I saw no problems. I also noticed that
the wiper arm of the rheostat appeared to be making good contact with
the windings.

To be as prepared as possible to work on all the problems on my son's
van, I had brought a spare dash from an '86 from Ohio with me. I
removed the headlight switch from it and took it apart.  I carefully
noted how the springs, ball bearing, and contact pieces went together.
I removed the previously checked out rheostat winding piece and placed
it in the '91's switch base.  Then, as the manual says, reassembly is
the reverse of disassembly.  I took the bowl of parts and placed them
in the appropriate places on the slider after brightening up all the
contact pieces.  I figured out how to install the slider on top of the
ball bearing without losing the ball or the tensioning spring.  After
the tenth try, I reinstalled the bottom plate with the pins on top of
the slider and locked the edges into the switch base. I clicked the
switch on and off and it felt normal.  I inserted the switch in the
socket, turned on the key and checked the lights.  To be continued......

Actually, everything worked.  I was pleased with myself.  Thanks to the
encouragement from list members and the necessity that my son's Westy
be as safe as possible, the job was successfully completed.

The other major tasks of getting the van in shape were replacing the
power window motor on the passenger side and redoing the grounds.  The
van was getting around 8 mpg.  Both those tasks went well with positive
results.  Of course, I found a long list of other things needing
attention but Isn't that what Florida vacations are for?

Thanks again,

Tom