Headlight knob broken!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 405
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh NC
Headlight **** broken!
So I picked my '88 up from the shop and it appears that somehow my headlight **** was broken. The stem feels like it's not connecting to something internally and I had to wiggle and jiggle it for about 5 mins to get my headlights to flip down. Has the **** stem become detached from something? Can it be re-attached somehow? How do I get to it?
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,996
Likes: 304
From: MOORESVILLE NC
Just changed my headlight switch this year on my 88. You have to pull the top dash off. To fix your switch, remove the **** using a small screwdriver. Turn the dimmer until you see a metal tang, press toward the **** and the **** comes off. To get the switch out, I used a screwdriver - needle nose pliers to un-screw the center "nut". GM must have used a special tool. Once the center part is unscrewed look for a small metal button on the back of the switch, press it (easier said than done) and the shaft will come out of the switch. When you get this far you should be able to find your problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
If you're interested in removing the **** only, here's an eBay offering and you can ZOOM the back-side of it to see the retention release required. If you do the rod removal, pull the rod to it's extremity and with slight tension on the rod then push the button for release. I'm guessing you'll find likely just a failure of the ****.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-corvette-head-light-****-headlight-1985-1984-1987-1988-1995-1996-1994-/331556029526?hash=item4d32478456&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-corvette-head-light-****-headlight-1985-1984-1987-1988-1995-1996-1994-/331556029526?hash=item4d32478456&vxp=mtr
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 10,036
Likes: 346
From: Anaheim CA
This pic shows the headlight switch with the various components involved:
The small groove on the tip holds the shaft in place and operates the sliding part of the switch. The thing on the side of the switch that looks like a rivet head with a spring under it is the release for the shaft. You press in on that and the shaft will come out with some wiggling.
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The small groove on the tip holds the shaft in place and operates the sliding part of the switch. The thing on the side of the switch that looks like a rivet head with a spring under it is the release for the shaft. You press in on that and the shaft will come out with some wiggling.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 405
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh NC
Thanks all! I really appreciate all the good info. From the looks of it and from the way my **** feels, it has completely become unattached internally. I'm gonna take the top dash off and try to fix in the morning....thanks again!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
I'd first remove the **** - why go deeper than required on the first move? Way more stuff to break in your adventure. I'm going to think that the **** is the failure - I'd likely wager.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 405
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh NC
Thanks for the response but do you mean the **** or the actual shaft? I've removed the plastic **** but that just leaves me with still a very loose shaft.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
The shaft is actually quite loose, if you have all of the detents and the rheostat works for diming and courtesy it's certainly questionable. Was the metal retainer securely into the plastic aspect of the ****? Before you tear into it I'd buy a new light switch. It would be foolish I believe to take it apart without one in hand. The light switch would be the reason for the "looseness" if it were excessive.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 405
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh NC
The shaft is actually quite loose, if you have all of the detents and the rheostat works for diming and courtesy it's certainly questionable. Was the metal retainer securely into the plastic aspect of the ****? Before you tear into it I'd buy a new light switch. It would be foolish I believe to take it apart without one in hand. The light switch would be the reason for the "looseness" if it were excessive.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 405
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh NC
So after removing the dash pad I discovered that the plastic part of the dash that holds the headlight switch stable had broken which was causing all the looseness. I placed some pvc pipe under the switch to stable it in position then I JB welded the switch back to it's original plastic surrounding. We'll see how it works. Thank you guys for all your info and know how!