door ajar switch

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Apr 11, 2007 | 10:50 AM

jnb5101

Thread Starter

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jul 2006

Posts: 8,117

Likes: 104

From: charlotte north carolina

door ajar switch

i've read posts about the poor quality of the repo door ajar switches. on my 70 vert can i just not install replacements? are they wired to anything important? after all, it's such a long reach to the pass side door, i'd have to get out and run around to the other side to close the door!

Apr 11, 2007 | 11:10 AM

bluthundr

Burning Brakes

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,223

Likes: 174

From: Fort Wayne IN

If you have a factory alarm, there will be 2 wires going to the switch. If you do not have the alarm there will be one. When the door is opened, the switch grounds those wires. The switch has spade connectors on it, so if you pop off the access panel in the wheel well, you can just pull the wire(s) off the switch and wrap them in electrical tape.

Apr 11, 2007 | 11:39 PM

Rab16

Instructor

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 169

Likes: 0

From: Tullahoma Tennessee

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluthundr

He's right, but you should also be able to unscrew the switch from the doorframe, it comes out with a 1/2 or 5/16 socket if I remember correctly.

And yes these switches can be a pain, if you still have the stock switch, clean up the contacts and keep it.

Apr 12, 2007 | 02:45 AM

Prestige593

Instructor

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 240

Likes: 57

From: Jacksonville, Florida

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rab16

if you still have the stock switch, clean up the contacts and keep it.

I am in the middle of a resto. I bought new switches for both doors to have a new looking switch. You are saying that the repros are junk? What is the problem with them?

Apr 12, 2007 | 01:25 PM

bluthundr

Burning Brakes

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,223

Likes: 174

From: Fort Wayne IN

I bought replacement switches from Autozone and they have worked fine so far.

Apr 12, 2007 | 04:17 PM

72ragtop

Pro

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 567

Likes: 5

From: bradenton fl

got mine from local chevy dealer. the thing to watch for is the flimsy contacts that clip in the plastic. replaced mine while out as 2 broke. but otherwise a easy job.

Apr 12, 2007 | 09:22 PM

FRSTR90

Drifting

Joined: Apr 2007

Posts: 1,892

Likes: 3

From: Springfield Illinois

You guys got lucky... Today, I tried to replace the one of the drivers door and it came out with a little bit of a hassle, but the worst part was putting it back in... The thing that the switch screws into was loose on the upper rivet and I did not notice... When I went to tighten it, the bottom rivet ripped the fiber class and made the main hole one bigger hole...

hopefully its not too costly to have it repaired

Apr 12, 2007 | 11:50 PM

CCrane65

Safety Car

Joined: Apr 2000

Posts: 3,802

Likes: 61

From: Wichita KS

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluthundr

The switch has spade connectors on it, so if you pop off the access panel in the wheel well, you can just pull the wire(s) off the switch and wrap them in electrical tape.

I don't know when they changed to spade connectors but my 72 has crimped ends that slide into a nylon ring and lock in place. It is very difficult to remove them without destroying the conductor or the nylon insulator ring or both. when you pull on the wire to remove the conductor you are pulling against a barb which will dig into the sidewall of the nylon insulator ring. I pulled too hard on one and the barb came all the way through the sidewall which made removal even more difficult.

Bubba had cut all of my wires. I purchased new switches from Zip but they would not screw into the door jamb. So I returned those and bought some from Riks which worked fine.

If you decide to fix them you can buy the connectors from most vendors. They come in a package of 6. Buy an extra set since they are thin and fragile. Plan to destroy a few trying to push the wires back through the hole or inserting them wrong into the nylon insulator ring.

cc