Light Wire Harness Bucket Seized/Issues

[Mike1291]

I'm about 90% done with rewiring my A and have been having issues with the connection between the wiring harness and the steering column. At first I was just having issues with the bucket turning on the column while switching the lights on and off but now it won't even fit to the steering coluumn right and when it does I can't move the switch. I don't know if the inner part of it is jammed or something but whatever it is it's not working.

Does anyone have any idea on what I can do to free it?

[TMarsh]

I think there are three different length light rods. Did you change the rod.

[Mike1291]

If you're referring to the rod which the horn button is also attached to then no, it's the same one

[lrf]

I think the best and quickest solution is to contact someone in your club and have them look at it. LRF

[Bob C]

The tab on the light switch upper body should fit into the slot at the bottom of the column to prevent it from rotating.

[Mike1291]

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Originally Posted by Bob C

The tab on the light switch upper body should fit into the slot at the bottom of the column to prevent it from rotating.

Is that at the end of the steering column? And I guess that the orientation of the bucket matters when you push it into the column?

I haven't seen that before. Maybe it's on the underside of the car.

If it matters (as my signature says) my car is a 31

[Bob C]

It's at the bottom of the column.

[rotorwrench]

The spider on the end of the rod needs to fit the switch plate that rotates inside the housing. They made at least four or five different switches but most of the ones available are for the final design used through the end of production. If anyone was mixing and matching parts then there could be a problem late ones have a triangle shaped or 3-contactor switch plate and some of the real early ones are H-shaped or 4-contactor types. The other common problem is the black plastic contact disk that connects to the harness. Some disks are too thick and some have poorly shaped detent cups in the terminals. If the detents are too deep then the switch plate doesn't want to turn very easy. If they are too shallow then the switch plate can want to turn with the steering wheel under certain conditions or it just doesn't want to hold contact positions very well. This PDF file link has some good photos and information for all model A cars. There is a section on light switches,
https://www.mafca.com/downloads/Semi...ex%20Janke.pdf

[LAV]

Common problem, appears to be due to poor quality of reproduction harness. I’ve attached notice describing the issues from the vendor, they included in the package. They should have said something about this BEFORE I purchased the unit. Anyway I followed the instructions to modify and it fit ok.

[Mike1291]

So, some good news. I figured out what Bob C. was talking about. I saw that there was a key on the harness bucket and a key hole on the steering column. I took pictures of both as seen attached.

Unfortunately I have a new problem. The reproduction harness bucket has a poorly fitted tapered key. This taper makes it easy for the bucket to come out of position and rotate freely under moderate pressure. I was thinking of adding some JB weld or something to the bucket to prevent it from slipping out but I'd like to hear other's opinions.

[Mike1291]

Originally Posted by LAV

Common problem, appears to be due to poor quality of reproduction harness. I’ve attached notice describing the issues from the vendor, they included in the package. They should have said something about this BEFORE I purchased the unit. Anyway I followed the instructions to modify and it fit ok.

I also noted what that paper said. If I have problems I'll check the fitment of its thickness and deepness of the indents.

[Gregb]

When I replaced mine it all fit and seems to work well but one issue I did run into was some of the wires were not crimped well onto their connectors. I did go through and soldered all of them, just to the connector not the switch.

Greg B

[katy]

Possibly the bail isn't holding the switch assembly in tight enough, you might need to bend it a bit for more "holding pressure".

[Mike1291]

Originally Posted by katy

Possibly the bail isn't holding the switch assembly in tight enough, you might need to bend it a bit for more "holding pressure".

Yeah, thought of that, too. I bent the bail so it takes all my strength to put it on but it still doesn't go in enough to prevent it from escaping they keyed area.

I'm not hugely impressed with the fitment of the bucket so I believe that modifying the key on the bucket is the way I'll fix this issue.

[rotorwrench]

Reproductions still don't hold up as well as good old original parts. Finding OEM parts is not as easy as it used to be. I see a lot of model A parts that were removed from restorations in the 1960s & 70s so it's not uncommon to find reproduction stuff on the old cars now days.

[Mike1291]

Alright so I have a new one for you guys today.

The JB weld on the bail worked pretty okay. It held up to some torture, but it would be best if I had a welder and built up a bead on that area.

I also added some epoxy to the holes so it would come in and out of position better. It seems to have worked for a little while but then it got sloppy as the epoxy wore out. I went back and grinded around the holes and it's more consistent now.

I noticed that the light switch and the light switch spider mate in a specific orientation. I think the binding I was getting before was because I had misaligned the two and couldn't rotate the light switch as designed. I need to get a new spider retainer so when I get that i'll button everything up again.

[nkaminar]

In my 60 years experience with Model A's, I have always had problems with the light switch. In my opinion, it was not the best of designs. A lot of old cars had "modern" light switches put in to replace the original ones. By modern, I mean the ones that were available from Pepboys in the 1960's. These mounted in the dash and you pulled them out or turned them to turn on the lights. The dimmer switch was on the floor board.

[gdmn852]

Hello, had some trouble with mine and found the small c clip the attached at the bottom of the rod was missing, it keeps the spring under tension without it the the forked selector would bind in the metal housing , those little clips can be something of a problem to fit and easily lost .

[Wick]

I finally got around to making a video on the light switch,horn rod. This might help a bunch of folks that hate working on the light switch.
It's posted on my YouTube channel named. Hookemfair garage.

[David in San Antonio]

I wonder why Ford bothered to put the headlight thingie on the steering wheel hub but the switch itself at the bottom of the steering column. I presume this was a deliberate decision, so I’d love to know the thinking that led to it.