Door Jamb switch housing

Randy and Easton · Jan 12, 2023

Ok, we know this will be way easy for y’all but we are stumped between Lowes and Home Depot.

Got Painless door switch kit. Switches have “nothing” to screw “into” on door frame. What can we use to put into hole with a ridge on back that will allow switch to screw into doorframe? I can see it in my head what it looks like but don’t know what it’s called or where to find it. Kinda like when I was looking for ferrules last week!

All help greatly appreciate as always

Randy and E

WP29P4A · Jan 12, 2023

The easy fix if you want to use the switches you have is to use a fender washer that the switch will fit in and tighten up. You can adjust the hole size with a drill bit, if needed. Then drill two small mounting holes for pop rivets to mount the washer over the existing hole.

75gmck25 · Jan 12, 2023

My original door switches are rusty and unreliable, but the new ones I bought have slightly smaller diameter threads and they won’t thread in.

My plan is to buy rivnuts or nutserts (different name for similar products) to make a new threaded hole, but I have not found them in small quantities. I don’t want to buy @50 from Fastenal just to get two.

WP29P4A · Jan 12, 2023

I do believe after playing with nutserts recently, the depth of the nut might be a problem for the switch. Plus the switches are pretty much a sheet metal type thread, where the nutserts are a machine thread that comes in course and fine threads. Just a thought.

Rickf · Jan 12, 2023

What about something like these?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FC22NWK/

Randy and Easton · Jan 12, 2023

@Rickf those might work. All great ideas. @Matt69olds directed me to some aftermarket switches that may work as well. Got a switch and have plans to see how it goes tomorrow, but all great ideas. I have a nut for back of the switch but the connector is to wide to allow it to slide over connection but a C or E clip may work as well..

Kids 1976 C10… the gift that keeps giving..

Randy and Easton

Randy and Easton · Jan 13, 2023

WP29P4A said:
The easy fix if you want to use the switches you have is to use a fender washer that the switch will fit in and tighten up. You can adjust the hole size with a drill bit, if needed. Then drill two small mounting holes for pop rivets to mount the washer over the existing hole.

Going to start on this route, however I just figured out why my original plan to add a washer and nut behind new switch did not fit. After I crimped the new connection I put a small piece of shrink wrap to keep it together so that mad it too wide for but to slide over. Gonna work on both these methods today. I will keep everyone updated. That is for all the great advice and help..

BTW the switch from auto zone was not any wider that what was included in the painless kit. That being said, it did not have the locking device behind the switch either so really not like the s scamazon pic. I was hoping with that retainer backing even if it was small it would have worked.

Randy and Easton · Jan 13, 2023

Went to Painless this morning. One size of switch is all they manufacture so back to square one (no pun). Reworked the ground to pin connection without the shrink wrap and it fit. Drivers door finished. Pax door will not be as easy but we have a plan

Thanks for all the help y’all

Randy and Easton

SirSmartyPants · Sep 3, 2024

I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm dealing with the same issue on my 74 C10. I ordered a pair of switches from LMC Truck, which appear to be identical to the Painless replacement. The problem is that there's nothing in the door jamb to screw into, and the hole is larger than the nut on the switch. Additionally, putting a nut and washer on the back isn't an option because I have no way to get to the backside of the sheet metal. My truck doesn't have that flexible conduit from the jamb to the door since it's a base model (so no power locks or windows, thus no wiring running to the door). Does anyone have any idea how these were mounted from the factory?

75gmck25 · Sep 3, 2024

My door frame has a hole with threads and it had very rusty factory door switches. I tried using the LMC switches on my K25 and they were too small to thread in correctly.

I then bought some Dorman switches and found they were the right diameter. However, they screwed in so far that they went through the threads in the door metal and just ended up loose. I finally figured out that if I put a washer under the Dorman switches it would hold the threaded portion out a little bit from the sheet metal and the threads would tighten and not go right through. It's still not the greatest looking setup, but it does work.

Where are you at in Northern VA? I'm in Alexandria.

SirSmartyPants · Sep 3, 2024

75gmck25 said:
Where are you at in Northern VA? I'm in Alexandria.

I'm in Gainesville.

I'm thinking something like this might be the ticket: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=MS21047

I might be able to fit it through the hole to rivet it on the backside. Failing that, I could flip it over and rivet it on the outside. Before I order those, though, I'm going to check TSC for some Hillman 3/8"-24 weld/tee nuts. I've found them online in 3/8"-16, so maybe they have them in 3/8"-24 as well.

75gmck25 · Sep 3, 2024

I think Rivnuts or Nutserts would also work, as long as you find one with the right threads. You might have to drill out the hole a little for clearance, but then you do the installation from the front.

The tool threads through and into the back threaded half of the Nutsert, and then you compress the tool and it pulls the threaded part toward you and compresses the splined area. You need a tool with a lot of leverage, since you are actually compressing and mushrooming the insert.

Door Jamb switch housing

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