Left hand side of the steering column
High Beam Switch-Where is it??
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
High Beam Switch-Where is it??
Hi
i have a 77 vette and cant turn on the high beams on cause i cant find the switch!
i have looked at the floor foot area and theres nothing there, nor do any of the steering levers switch them.
where should i find it?
thanks
i have a 77 vette and cant turn on the high beams on cause i cant find the switch!
i have looked at the floor foot area and theres nothing there, nor do any of the steering levers switch them.
where should i find it?
thanks
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Rich
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
The switch may be broken. If you have checked, pulled it towards you, and heard no click or see no change in lights...then the switch is bad. That means you can either drive around with low beams only, or take your steering column apart and replace the switch. If you have a tele/tilt wheel you're in for a real adventure.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
The switch may be broken. If you have checked, pulled it towards you, and heard no click or see no change in lights...then the switch is bad. That means you can either drive around with low beams only, or take your steering column apart and replace the switch. If you have a tele/tilt wheel you're in for a real adventure.
thanks guys.
Unfortunately i cant hear a click and it is a tele/tilt wheel!
Any hints or guides on how to go about it
I need these to work to get the car registered
thanks
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Are you adept at working on your own Vette, and good at taking things apart that have a lot of specific parts that go in in a specific way? If not, or if you get things mixed up, or spend a lot of time in between steps...I suggest having a shop do it for you. It will cost more...but if you get into it, and lose your way you'll have to pay a shop to put her back together. I did it, did it well, and I almost wish I had taken it to a shop.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
Are you adept at working on your own Vette, and good at taking things apart that have a lot of specific parts that go in in a specific way? If not, or if you get things mixed up, or spend a lot of time in between steps...I suggest having a shop do it for you. It will cost more...but if you get into it, and lose your way you'll have to pay a shop to put her back together. I did it, did it well, and I almost wish I had taken it to a shop.
The problem of taking it to a shop is that i would struggle to find one in Oz which has experience in these.
I would firstly need to purchase the item, which i would do from corvette central. Their part no. is 593106. Is this all i'd require?
Should i pull it apart first to see whether it is fixable, or is it a foregone conclusion?
Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
This is a writeup on the column mounted dimmer switch.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...radj28de06.doc
This is a trouble shooting page from one of my service manuals.
Hope that this helps,
Jim
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...radj28de06.doc
This is a trouble shooting page from one of my service manuals.
Hope that this helps,
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Dec 28, 2006 at 10:51 PM.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: London
If you do take the column apart make sure to order from corvette central one of these
HORN CONTACT CARRIER RETAINER; 563022
99% of the time its either broken or it will break when you try to remove it.
The part no you quoted is for the turnsignal switch not the dimmer.
I had the same problem as you and it turned out it was the accuvator cam was not making contact with the rod on the column.
You might want to check that before you order a new switch.
HORN CONTACT CARRIER RETAINER; 563022
99% of the time its either broken or it will break when you try to remove it.
The part no you quoted is for the turnsignal switch not the dimmer.
I had the same problem as you and it turned out it was the accuvator cam was not making contact with the rod on the column.
You might want to check that before you order a new switch.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: London
Durango Boy
I think we have an Anglo-American language breakdown here.
What we call the dimmer switch i think you call the brights switch.
by meaning dimmer switch i meant this
http://www.zip-products.com/Corvette...B6684A255C6C11
The part no Tedpav quoted from corvettecentral ;593106 is the turn signal switch which is not what he needs
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
Thanks Jim Shea for your reply, i will use as a guide on dissassembly
I'm a little confused here, my 77 has the gauge dimmer on the on the pull **** for the lights, you rotate that to either turn the interior lights on, or dimmer gauges.
On my turn signal lever there are also the controls for the washer and wiper.
Is there different mechanism i need to order after i check whats wrong?
Thanks
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: London
Thanks Dell Boy, i will order one of those also.
Thanks Jim Shea for your reply, i will use as a guide on dissassembly
I'm a little confused here, my 77 has the gauge dimmer on the on the pull **** for the lights, you rotate that to either turn the interior lights on, or dimmer gauges.
On my turn signal lever there are also the controls for the washer and wiper.
Is there different mechanism i need to order after i check whats wrong?
Thanks
Thanks Jim Shea for your reply, i will use as a guide on dissassembly
I'm a little confused here, my 77 has the gauge dimmer on the on the pull **** for the lights, you rotate that to either turn the interior lights on, or dimmer gauges.
On my turn signal lever there are also the controls for the washer and wiper.
Is there different mechanism i need to order after i check whats wrong?
Thanks
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...107000&page=19
its a lot easier to understand with pics
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
Tedpav read this post by Kortensi as he rebuilds a 77 column with pics
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...107000&page=19
its a lot easier to understand with pics
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...107000&page=19
its a lot easier to understand with pics
The rod actuation to the dimmer switch is moving when i pull on the indicator handle, but i dont get any clicking or lights on high beam.
where is this clicking noise to come from?
And if this is the case and i only need to replace the dimmer switch at the bottom side of the steering column, then do i still need to pull the guts out of the steering column to change that. (looks messy in there!)
What the best way to replace it?
thanks
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: London
First of all disconnect the battery,
then If i was you before i striped anything,i would remove the little dash panel just under the steering wheel.
With this removed if you get right under you should be able to see the dimmer/brights switch its the one with a rod running up the column towards the steering wheel.
There should be a small dimple where the rod fits into it.Use a screwdriver and press on the dimple you should hear a click,if it clicks chances are the switch is okay and the problem is the rod has come away from the cam further up,
(you can if you like at this stage carefully reconnect the battery and switch on your headlights press down on the dimple and hopefully your main beams should come on)
if they do then im affraid you will need to strip the top of the column,its not as bad as people make it out to be
(if i can do it being all fingers and thumbs,then im sure you can do it)
then If i was you before i striped anything,i would remove the little dash panel just under the steering wheel.
With this removed if you get right under you should be able to see the dimmer/brights switch its the one with a rod running up the column towards the steering wheel.
There should be a small dimple where the rod fits into it.Use a screwdriver and press on the dimple you should hear a click,if it clicks chances are the switch is okay and the problem is the rod has come away from the cam further up,
(you can if you like at this stage carefully reconnect the battery and switch on your headlights press down on the dimple and hopefully your main beams should come on)
if they do then im affraid you will need to strip the top of the column,its not as bad as people make it out to be
(if i can do it being all fingers and thumbs,then im sure you can do it)
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
If you don't want to drill holes in the floorboards you can just glue the switch to the floor with silicone or whatever and install it in such a way as it is easily reversable, should you repair the column lever switch.
My 77 was done this way before I got it and has been problem free.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Geelong. Vic. Australia
All Done!
After painfully getting to the dimmer switch, i discovered all it needed was to be adjusted as per Jim Shea's trouble shooting guide.
Thanks to all those who helped with their information and knowledge, it was most valuable and i couldnt have fixed it without your replies.
This is a great forum and a must for vette owners.
After painfully getting to the dimmer switch, i discovered all it needed was to be adjusted as per Jim Shea's trouble shooting guide.
Thanks to all those who helped with their information and knowledge, it was most valuable and i couldnt have fixed it without your replies.
This is a great forum and a must for vette owners.