Door ajar switch
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: West Slope of the Sierras California
Door ajar switch
How can something so simple be a #$%&*! This is the switch at the rear of the door jamb, driver side, on my '73, has 3 wires. It appears as though the little button came unscrewed and lost. These wires don't want to just unplug, what gives? Are they soldered in? Corvette Central shows the switch AND a terminal set! Any tips on this would be appreciated. Is ANYTHING on these cars easy???
Le Mans Master
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From: Omaha NE
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Do the wires have female push on connectors? Mine does and for some reason they where super tight. Had to use a pair of needle nose pliers to get em loose. Lots of wiggling.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: oh
on my '69 the wires terminals are bent into a "v" shape so when you push them into the slot on the bottom of the plunger switch you cannot pull them out. sort of like a barbed effect. If you are ordering a new switch order the terminals and replace them at the same time.
Jeff
Jeff
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 10,861
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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida
The connectors are like little fish hooks. You push it up, and a little barb pops out, not allowing it to fall back.
Probably all of the catalogs sell the barb connectors. I've bought them by the bag.
If you have the original switch, these are the only connectors that will work.
It can be a real PIA working on those switches. To gain access, you might try to remove the cover plate in front of the real wheel well. That's the plate with 4 screws, one on each corner.
To get even MORE room, you can take off the quarter panel trim, and see where the wire loom feeds to the switch from the inside of the car. Chuck
Probably all of the catalogs sell the barb connectors. I've bought them by the bag.
If you have the original switch, these are the only connectors that will work.
It can be a real PIA working on those switches. To gain access, you might try to remove the cover plate in front of the real wheel well. That's the plate with 4 screws, one on each corner.
To get even MORE room, you can take off the quarter panel trim, and see where the wire loom feeds to the switch from the inside of the car. Chuck
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
The connectors are like little fish hooks. You push it up, and a little barb pops out, not allowing it to fall back.
Probably all of the catalogs sell the barb connectors. I've bought them by the bag.
If you have the original switch, these are the only connectors that will work.
It can be a real PIA working on those switches. To gain access, you might try to remove the cover plate in front of the real wheel well. That's the plate with 4 screws, one on each corner.
To get even MORE room, you can take off the quarter panel trim, and see where the wire loom feeds to the switch from the inside of the car. Chuck
Probably all of the catalogs sell the barb connectors. I've bought them by the bag.
If you have the original switch, these are the only connectors that will work.
It can be a real PIA working on those switches. To gain access, you might try to remove the cover plate in front of the real wheel well. That's the plate with 4 screws, one on each corner.
To get even MORE room, you can take off the quarter panel trim, and see where the wire loom feeds to the switch from the inside of the car. Chuck
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: West Slope of the Sierras California
O.K., I got it!
Thanks, Guys, for the responses and help. The terminals were in just a bit tight. A little wiggling with the needle nose and they came right out, no barbs. Now to find the right switch. CC shows THREE different ones although both rears are the same.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
Most aftermarket Vette parts supply places have all of these switches available. Just tell them the year, model and where the switch is located. They will send the right ones. My suggestion is to replace (or at least buy) a complete set. It's a real pain to get them one at a time after they fail.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
Most aftermarket Vette parts supply places have all of these switches available. Just tell them the year, model and where the switch is located. They will send the right ones. My suggestion is to replace (or at least buy) a complete set. It's a real pain to get them one at a time after they fail.
cc
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From: Lenoir City Tennessee
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These switches are amazing to me. Very simple in operation but cheaply made. I like the way the switches on the new cars are made. I had thought about trying to find a suitable replacement to go there. I find myself hitting the switch sometimes getting in and out of the car. I am afraid I am going to break the end off the switch like it was when I got the car.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 19
From: Manhattan Beach Ca
I bought replacement switch, think it was from Zip and it was too long. When the door hit it smashed into and cracked the surrounding fiberglass. Very upsetting and very hard to get right.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
From: West Slope of the Sierras California
The switch for the forward jamb, courtesy lights, is longer than the rear one for the door ajar. I'm thinking that's what 'bubba' did before I got the car was put the longer switch in the rear. And, YES, I've tagged the darn thing getting in and out as well.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
The correct switch for this position is somewhat unique in that one switch has to accommodate a variety of gaps due to variations in the fiberglass panels and door fit. Because of this the switch contains an inner sleeve that must get set the first time the door is closed.
Consequently, if your gap is greater than the gap in my door/door jam, my switch will not function properly in your car. Therefore you need to be careful in simply replacing the switch with a used one from another car. (On the initial set, my switch will seat deeper and not function with a larger gap.) I have had little luck trying to reset these switches once they have been initially set.
Here's a picture I took from CA's web site that shows the different switches for the door ajar as well as the door jam switches. The first 3 are the door ajar (rear) switches and the last 2 are the door jam (front) switches. You can see the inner sleeve that must get set once the switch is installed.
I have also added a small rubber bumper to the tip of the switch once it is set to protect the paint on the door and it works well.
Good luck... GUSTO
Consequently, if your gap is greater than the gap in my door/door jam, my switch will not function properly in your car. Therefore you need to be careful in simply replacing the switch with a used one from another car. (On the initial set, my switch will seat deeper and not function with a larger gap.) I have had little luck trying to reset these switches once they have been initially set.
Here's a picture I took from CA's web site that shows the different switches for the door ajar as well as the door jam switches. The first 3 are the door ajar (rear) switches and the last 2 are the door jam (front) switches. You can see the inner sleeve that must get set once the switch is installed.
I have also added a small rubber bumper to the tip of the switch once it is set to protect the paint on the door and it works well.
Good luck... GUSTO
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS