Dome light switch snafu

[hey mister]

Shortly after getting the truck, I was tinkering around and cleaning up inside the cab. Opened the passenger door and noticed no dome light action. Fiddled with the switch and found it to be rusted solid. Considering all the undercoating and finding that rusted solid, made no sense, then it hit me...original owner's wife rarely rode in the truck, hense the door was rarely opened, hense the switch rarely moved and never demanded attention.
(That's just my eswag) (no real proof)
So, no biggie..jumped in a catalog and ordered two. May as well replace both. Cheap and easy...(last famous words)
Parts arrive. Nice day and with deep wall socket in hand, the passenger switch is out. Tied a string to the wire and grabbed the new switch.
Oh buggers! Really? The wrong size thread. This switch will darn near fall thru.
Now what?
Ok, let's see what size this new one is. 1/4-20. And the old one is 3/8-24. Fan-freaking-tastic. Wonder if I can make a threaded adaptor bushing? Sure enuf about a half hour later the bushing was done and the switch was in and working like new. Driver's side was done a few minutes later.
Looking back I don't believe the replacement switch gave thread specs.

 

[Grit dog]

Well kudos to you for being able to fab up a 1/8” larger adapter bushing. I wouldn’t even know how to do that!
Although I may have tried the plumbing aisle at the hardware store
That said, I think you got sold the wrong ones because I replaced them in the 86 and they were plug n play.
Or do 70s squares have smaller diameter dope light door switches?
The 77 works fine so haven’t even looked at them.

 

[Turbo4whl]

That said, I think you got sold the wrong ones because I replaced them in the 86 and they were plug n play.

Yes, 2 different sizes. NAPA has both. Don't remember what years are different.

Tied a string to the wire and grabbed the new switch.

This is a good idea, that wire would have jumped back in the hole. Me, I use tape, I'm not coordinated enough to hold the wire and tie a string.

 

[hey mister]

Yes, 2 different sizes. NAPA has both. Don't remember what years are different.

This is a good idea, that wire would have jumped back in the hole. Me, I use tape, I'm not coordinated enough to hold the wire and tie a string.

Oh, I was almost hating life there.
Switch was out, wire was off and some little monkey was inside the panel tugging on that wire. Whooa! Wait a minute...
Grabbed the switch and plugged it back in. Then went for the string.
I keep a couple old shoe laces in the toolbox for just such occasions.
Do you know how many factory gremlins are shipped with new vehicles?...and they multiply over time. Shoe laces are cryptonite to those buggers.