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alexiskai · 03-29-2021, 09:08 PM

I was inspired by this thread to go back and check out my light switch, because re-doing the light switch and steering column was one of the very first Model A fixes I ever did, and I made a lot of mistakes.

What I found was that I also had the misshapen light switch body. I had worked around it by loosening the bail so that the switch wasn't held so tightly to the steering column. However, this was causing the light switch to rotate with the horn rod, because the key on the bottom wasn't sufficiently engaged with the notch in the end of the steering column. When I re-tightened the bail, I got the same problem as the OP – horn rod too tight to move.

I unpacked the light switch and ground down the back side of the disc. I used a rotary tool with an abrasive stone at a 45° angle to the disc (chamfering, basically). I took a bit off all the way around, then put the switch back together and tested the horn rod.

It still wouldn't move, so I took a bit more off. It started to move more easily. Eventually I got it to move in a reasonably smooth way. I had to take off a lot more than 1/32", though.

03-29-2021, 09:08 PM	#8
alexiskai Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Mebane NC Posts: 3,183	Re: Light / Horn Switch I was inspired by this thread to go back and check out my light switch, because re-doing the light switch and steering column was one of the very first Model A fixes I ever did, and I made a lot of mistakes. What I found was that I also had the misshapen light switch body. I had worked around it by loosening the bail so that the switch wasn't held so tightly to the steering column. However, this was causing the light switch to rotate with the horn rod, because the key on the bottom wasn't sufficiently engaged with the notch in the end of the steering column. When I re-tightened the bail, I got the same problem as the OP – horn rod too tight to move. I unpacked the light switch and ground down the back side of the disc. I used a rotary tool with an abrasive stone at a 45° angle to the disc (chamfering, basically). I took a bit off all the way around, then put the switch back together and tested the horn rod. It still wouldn't move, so I took a bit more off. It started to move more easily. Eventually I got it to move in a reasonably smooth way. I had to take off a lot more than 1/32", though.