Help! how to attach wiring to switch head without damaging bakelite?

[ilangford]

For lack of knowing the proper name; I am calling it the 'switch head'. (Where the wiring harness wires attach to the black bakelite switch.) There must be some trick to attaching the center wire (horn wire) to that brass pin that I cannot figure out. Looks like its soldered on, but how the heck can you get the brass pin hot enough for the solder to stick without overheating the bakelite switch head? (In my limited experience, bakelite turns brittle if gets too hot)

I am dead in the water with my restoration until I can figure this out!

Ivan

[Y-Blockhead]

Not 100% sure what you are asking but there is no "hard connection" of the horn wire in the light switch. it is held together by spring pressure to allow it to rotate.

No soldering needs to be done in the light switch.

[ilangford]

Y -
Yes, there is a spring load on the brass pin, on the side of the pin that contacts the horn rod in the steering column. I am on the OTHER END of the pin where the wire that runs from the horn connects inside the light switch to the bottom end of the pin.

Ivan

[shew01]

Originally Posted by ilangford

For lack of knowing the proper name; I am calling it the 'switch head'. (Where the wiring harness wires attach to the black bakelite switch.) There must be some trick to attaching the center wire (horn wire) to that brass pin that I cannot figure out. Looks like its soldered on, but how the heck can you get the brass pin hot enough for the solder to stick without overheating the bakelite switch head? (In my limited experience, bakelite turns brittle if gets too hot)

I am dead in the water with my restoration until I can figure this out!

Ivan

Ivan,

Can you post a picture?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by shew01

Ivan,

Can you post a picture?

Yes a photo would help as I am confused also. Are you talking about the horn button?

[Bob C]

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Are you asking about this wire?

[ilangford]

Bob,
Exactly... old bakelite broke apart; can not figure out how to connect wiring to new bakelite... attempting to attach pictures...

[ilangford]

Again; how to solder the steel wiring connector to brass pin without overheating the bakelite? If you look closely at the second pic, you can see where the bakelite is broken.

Thanks!

[J Franklin]

The original one doesn't look to be soldered. Is the slot in the new one for a spade?

[rotorwrench]

I'm not sure that it needs to be soldered. Generally the female spade connector is just pushed down into the slot in that terminal pin. The others are easily soldered but I don't solder them.I just push them on there. If they are loose I adjust the gripper portions of the spade connector to tighten them up.

If you do try to solder it, a person should use a fairly large and reliable soldering iron and concentrate the heat just on the smaller narrow portion left by the cutting of the slot. A good soldering iron won't have to be on there long to get it hot enough.

Good quality Bakelite should be able to take the heat but a lot of the modern stuff is questionable.

[ilangford]

Thanks guys! Yes, it is soldered to the brass pin, but as you said, the wiring connectors can be tighten for a snug fit! I will go with that, (just push on); do not want to risk damaging bakelite.

Just hope they wont vibrate loose over time.

Ivan

[J Franklin]

Could the old one be repaired with a dab of JBWeld?