Backup light switch
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,820
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Backup light switch
Anybody ever change over to a Hurst manual shifter and find it impossible to get the backup light switch adjusted right ? I played with my 72 for hours and would adjust the switch to where it would just come on when the shifter was in reverse but then when I would take it out of reverse and put it in neutral the light would stay on. so then if I would just move the switch enough to get the light to go off in neutral , it wouldn't come on in reverse. It was impossible to get it right. I have had many 4 speeds with stock shifters and they were always easy to adjust so I took the Hurst shifter arm off and held it on top of the stock shifter arm and the small hole on the Hurst shifter arm that the steel switch rod goes through runs off a little from the stock position making it impossible to get the right adjustment. Lucky thing that I am a fabricator by trade because the way I solved the problem was to buy a small push button switch at Lowe's and neatly fabricated a bracket that bolts to the original switch bracket and it pushes the button when it is in reverse. I made up a new harness to hook up to the harness in the engine compartment. Works great and very easy to adjust . Just another flaw in the design of these cars. But we still love them though !
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 56
Likes: 8
From: Ontario, Canada
I have a 72 coupe that came with a hurst shifter and missing the link for the backup lights. I've purchased the missing rod but have yet to install it. I guess I will run into the same adjustment problem you experienced. Do you have pictures, parts purchased, and your setup?
Thanks Derrick
Thanks Derrick
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,820
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
I have a 72 coupe that came with a hurst shifter and missing the link for the backup lights. I've purchased the missing rod but have yet to install it. I guess I will run into the same adjustment problem you experienced. Do you have pictures, parts purchased, and your setup?
Thanks Derrick
Thanks Derrick
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
I rebuild my Muncie last year. There is definitely some fine tuning needed when you put the switch on. If the rod is on backwards or out of adjustment you will have issues. It took me some back and forth but I eventually got mine straight. I don't have a good pictures, but you just need to play with the rod to the switch.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 56
Likes: 8
From: Ontario, Canada
Okay that will be great.
I've been too busy working on other things on this car so glad I did not waste time on this switch.
thanks again,
Derrick
derrickmarshall@sympatico.ca
I've been too busy working on other things on this car so glad I did not waste time on this switch.
thanks again,
Derrick
derrickmarshall@sympatico.ca
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,820
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
I rebuild my Muncie last year. There is definitely some fine tuning needed when you put the switch on. If the rod is on backwards or out of adjustment you will have issues. It took me some back and forth but I eventually got mine straight. I don't have a good pictures, but you just need to play with the rod to the switch.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,820
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
If you are talking about the connection under the hood at the end of the wire harness that I made, I just used two spade wire ends and plugged them into the original harness and taped the connection . On the switch itself it comes with two screws so you can use two small eyelet connectors .
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 9
From: Winston Ga.
wow, all this for that little switch? I got lucky i guess. my car came with a hurst shifter and an inoperable rev switch. I threw one on it and it just worked. lights come in when i put it in rev, i however had a bit of a prob getting the clips on the rod ends but that has more to do with my fat fingers than the switch.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,820
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
wow, all this for that little switch? I got lucky i guess. my car came with a hurst shifter and an inoperable rev switch. I threw one on it and it just worked. lights come in when i put it in rev, i however had a bit of a prob getting the clips on the rod ends but that has more to do with my fat fingers than the switch.