Dome light door switches. How to change without twisting wire?

[Lowered87]

These are weird, but I think I'm getting closer. It won't let me screw the threads in all the way, or it pushes though and won't tighten. So, I have to put them in so about half the threads are in half out. Seems to be working well on the driver's side. Light comes on and it's tight. The passenger side is giving me fits. The threads don't want to hold it in place.

Any tips to get it to bite in and stay?

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If you do not want to install a rivet nut then you need to build up and te-thread. Weld or use epoxy then drill and rethread. Weld in a nut that is same threads as switch.

 

[bucket]

If you do not want to install a rivet nut then you need to build up and te-thread. Weld or use epoxy then drill and rethread. Weld in a nut that is same threads as switch.

My crew cab did not originally come with dome light switches in the rear door jambs. But it had been rust proofed (I'm assuming) and had a hole in each rear door jamb. I wanted to install door jamb switches using that hole, but they were too big. I simply put a piece of a cotter pin in the hole and screwed in the door jamb switch. It got a good bite into the metal and still works fine a decade later.

 

[Blue Ox]

Gotcha. What about the fact that if I scew the outer nut all the way it pushes though and won't tighten anymore (of course at that point)? Should I use washers or something?

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From your photo it looks like the new switches have a back cut on the threads that the old ones do not. That is probably where the sheet metal ends up when you screw them in and since there are no threads there, well, you know.

I think you're on the right track. A washer thick enough to keep that back cut out of the equation should do the trick.

 

[Lowered87]

It's been a w


From your photo it looks like the new switches have a back cut on the threads that the old ones do not. That is probably where the sheet metal ends up when you screw them in and since there are no threads there, well, you know.

I think you're on the right track. A washer thick enough to keep that back cut out of the equation should do the trick.

or use a die and cut the threads all the way to the nut making sure the switch will still be pushed by the door.

 

[Blue Ox]

or use a die and cut the threads all the way to the nut making sure the switch will still be pushed by the door.

The picture looks like the material between the threads and the hex has been cut to a smaller diameter. Probably to facilitate the thread machining operation.

Which is why the sheet metal kind of falls into the groove and the nut just spins. There's no material there to use a die on.

 

[Lowered87]

The picture looks like the material between the threads and the hex has been cut to a smaller diameter. Probably to facilitate the thread machining operation.

Which is why the sheet metal kind of falls into the groove and the nut just spins. There's no material there to use a die on.

Totally agree. The threaded part on my door was barely 1.5 revolutions. That is why I had to use rivet nuts to add many more threads for a more positive connection. As well the threaded part was a little inset so I avoided that problem. Chevy cheaped out on this. I thought there would be at least a cage nut. Designed to fail so you buy a new truck. not me.

 

[bucket]

Totally agree. The threaded part on my door was barely 1.5 revolutions. That is why I had to use rivet nuts to add many more threads for a more positive connection. As well the threaded part was a little inset so I avoided that problem. Chevy cheaped out on this. I thought there would be at least a cage nut. Designed to fail so you buy a new truck. not me.

I disagree. No problem with GM switches and the fitment, just the aftermarket.

 

[Blue Ox]

Totally agree. The threaded part on my door was barely 1.5 revolutions. That is why I had to use rivet nuts to add many more threads for a more positive connection. As well the threaded part was a little inset so I avoided that problem. Chevy cheaped out on this. I thought there would be at least a cage nut. Designed to fail so you buy a new truck. not me.

You were right the first time. Not intentionally designed to fail, but designed to be cheap to make and quick to assemble. i.e. adjust by slamming the door. Manufacturing is all about banging them out the door as fast and cheap as they can get away with.

 

[Lowered87]

Good thing about an old chevy pickup is you can fix it however you want. There are so many different tools and parts you can do whatever makes you happy because you have a metal base to work with. New cars are too much plastic that has one time use tabs that break if you just look at them the wrong way.

Another great interior light repair is a big titted young lady with a low cut tank top. Jam your flashlight between them and problem solved. Make sure there is enough cleavage to hold your beer as well.

 

[Ewhitaker0020]

Does anybody know how to fish the wire out of the body panel? I unscrewed my switch to replace it and the wire was disconnected. I looked around the floor board and there doesn't seem to be any way to access that area.

I was hoping somebody had an easy method for fishing it out with. It's on my driver's side.

 

[Lowered87]

Does anybody know how to fish the wire out of the body panel? I unscrewed my switch to replace it and the wire was disconnected. I looked around the floor board and there doesn't seem to be any way to access that area.

I was hoping somebody had an easy method for fishing it out with. It's on my driver's side.

Look at the photo on my Dec 19 post. There is a rubber plug with the orange and white wire going through the cab. Need the guage cluster out to access properly.

 

[75gmck25]

The rubber plug is for the stock door switch wires, and that's one way to get into the space between the two sheet metal layers. Another option is go up very high on the kick panel metal and you will find the top of the inner metal panel. I was able to run wires up and over that inner panel, and then back down into the door frame area.

I ran wires for power door locks (not a factory option for my '75) and for speakers, and drilled holes to come out of the door frame area near the light switch. The first time I just wrapped the wiring with electrical tape and ran it over frome the frame to the door. Later on I picked up the rubber door-to-doorframe connectors from a newer truck with PW and PL, and used that to run the wires. However, I couldn't get good access to drill the larger hole (1" or 1.25"?) for the OEM rubber piece, so I had to take each door off to get clearance for the drill bit.

Bruce

 

[Maxgforce]

If you push the plunger in a little while unscrewing it the nut floats on the plunger??

Correct....