Power window switches WTF????
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 382
Likes: 8
From: Wellington
Power window switches WTF????
Seriously I have had my car on the road now for less than a month and I have just had my third power window switch fall apart, and the fourth is starting to jamb just like the last three did before they fell apart!
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=24054
Am I the unluckiest SOB in the world, or is this normal for these switches to be such poor quality? I got the first two from Willcox, and after they died I got some more locally, but they were all in the same packaging (Corvette America) if I remember correctly.
Is there a good quality option for these switches, or should I just buy them in bulk and carry my toolbox with me all the time?
Just incase you have never experienced this, the switch starts jamming up in one direction, then when you try to push it in the other direction, one if the terminals breaks out of the back, then they stop working in one direction (usually up) and they crackle and make your lights dim when you try to use them. I have installed them correctly, with the proper pigtails on the back, I am 100% sure of that.
Kev
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=24054
Am I the unluckiest SOB in the world, or is this normal for these switches to be such poor quality? I got the first two from Willcox, and after they died I got some more locally, but they were all in the same packaging (Corvette America) if I remember correctly.
Is there a good quality option for these switches, or should I just buy them in bulk and carry my toolbox with me all the time?
Just incase you have never experienced this, the switch starts jamming up in one direction, then when you try to push it in the other direction, one if the terminals breaks out of the back, then they stop working in one direction (usually up) and they crackle and make your lights dim when you try to use them. I have installed them correctly, with the proper pigtails on the back, I am 100% sure of that.
Kev
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,187
Likes: 7
From: Chetwynd B.C.
Yup that's normal. 
I have the same problem. Someone once posted about a fix you can do if you take it apart and add a piece of plastic for a spacer and it's supposed to work fairly well. Maybe they will post a link to their thread. Good Luck. 
shmoky
I have the same problem. Someone once posted about a fix you can do if you take it apart and add a piece of plastic for a spacer and it's supposed to work fairly well. Maybe they will post a link to their thread. Good Luck. shmoky
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 382
Likes: 8
From: Wellington
Thats interesting, one of the old ones that I took out has a piece of white plastic sheet sticking out of the back. It is an old crusty looking switch, but it never seems to fail, so I use that as a spare until I get more of the new ones.
I bet that has had the repair you are talking about.
Kev
I bet that has had the repair you are talking about.
Kev
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 223
From: Beecher Illinois
If you still have your original GM switches, take them apart and clean them.
Clamp a switch in a bench vise and bend up the 4 tabs on the back. Don't worry if some break off.
Pull the insides out paying attention to the orientation inside the housing. If they go back in 180* off the windows will work opposite of normal.
The contacts inside are simply copper leaves that get burned and corroded. Clean that up with some fine sandpaper.
Put it back together and bend the tabs back in place. Take a screwdriver and stake some additional spots over if desired or if some tabs broke off.
I'm always suggesting this repair but everyone keeps saying just replace them.
Clamp a switch in a bench vise and bend up the 4 tabs on the back. Don't worry if some break off.
Pull the insides out paying attention to the orientation inside the housing. If they go back in 180* off the windows will work opposite of normal.
The contacts inside are simply copper leaves that get burned and corroded. Clean that up with some fine sandpaper.
Put it back together and bend the tabs back in place. Take a screwdriver and stake some additional spots over if desired or if some tabs broke off.
I'm always suggesting this repair but everyone keeps saying just replace them.
Last edited by KapsSA; Oct 10, 2010 at 06:47 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 382
Likes: 8
From: Wellington
If you still have your original GM switches, take them apart and clean them.
Clamp a switch in a bench vise and bend up the 4 tabs on the back. Don't worry if some break off.
Pull the insides out paying attention to the orientation inside the housing. If they go back in 180* off the windows will work opposite of normal.
The contacts inside are simply copper leaves that get burned and corroded. Clean that up with some fine sandpaper.
Put it back together and bend the tabs back in place. Take a screwdriver and stake some additional spots over if desired or if some tabs broke off.
I'm always suggesting this repair but everyone keeps saying just replace them.
Clamp a switch in a bench vise and bend up the 4 tabs on the back. Don't worry if some break off.
Pull the insides out paying attention to the orientation inside the housing. If they go back in 180* off the windows will work opposite of normal.
The contacts inside are simply copper leaves that get burned and corroded. Clean that up with some fine sandpaper.
Put it back together and bend the tabs back in place. Take a screwdriver and stake some additional spots over if desired or if some tabs broke off.
I'm always suggesting this repair but everyone keeps saying just replace them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
OK. Here are the pieces in a stock switch.
The piece of thin white plastic goes between the switch and the switch contacts. What I do is add a piece of plastic, about .015 (15 thousands), sized to fit into case, between the switch and the thin white plastic.
What this does is to close up the clearance between the switch "rocker" and the contacts. This makes the switch more responsive. The contacts must be clean and in good shape. The pot metal case must be able to be closed back up after the modification. Sometimes the case breaks and becomes useless. Good luck. mike...
The piece of thin white plastic goes between the switch and the switch contacts. What I do is add a piece of plastic, about .015 (15 thousands), sized to fit into case, between the switch and the thin white plastic.
What this does is to close up the clearance between the switch "rocker" and the contacts. This makes the switch more responsive. The contacts must be clean and in good shape. The pot metal case must be able to be closed back up after the modification. Sometimes the case breaks and becomes useless. Good luck. mike...
Last edited by mds3013; Oct 10, 2010 at 07:21 PM.
