348 Light Stalk Stripped! Your advice please. | FerrariChat

348 Light Stalk Stripped! Your advice please.

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Juan-Manuel Fantango, Mar 13, 2006.

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  1. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 18, 2004
    12,356
    Full Name:
    Juan
    I almost had no headlights, but managed to jiggle it around to operate the lights. Someone stripped my light stalk or whatever it is called.

    Surley this has happend before. What do you typically need to purchase, and how difficult is it to repair?
     
  2. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,176
    Mount Isa, Australia
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    Pap
    Ive just incurred the same sort of trouble. But my lights wont go down. :( The light stalk,has pulled out twice now,i can get it back in,but it seems that the small "edges" on the light stalk are worn? Ill post a pic tomorrow,if no one beats me to it? I havent had a really good look at the condition of the plastic bush were it sits in the swtich yet? What can be done?? Replace the stalk?? The bush or the complete swtich cause you cant replace the bush? lol! I dunno??
     
  3. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    #3 Ricambi America, Mar 13, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  4. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,176
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Ouch! How much are they worth mate? :)
     
  5. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
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    Verell Boaen
    I haven't seen the innards of a 348 column switch, but I'd be willing to take a look at your broken one & give you a repair quote. Be sure to save any broken bits, as I may have to piece the original one together in order to make a mold for the new part.

    UnobtainiumSupply has been providing a repair service for 308, 328, 350, 330 GTC & similar switches for several years. I have molds & can replace individual switch contact ends, knobs, & can even have made complete new stalks. I also have metal forming dies for the contacts, & have sourced the little springs & balls. See this thread for some recent examples:
    Repairing Headlight Switch Stalk
    http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21548&highlight=column+switch+stalk

    Even if the 348 switch design isn't identical to one of those switches, I expect that I can repair it, if you have enough of the broken bits so that I can reproduce the broken part.

    Post pictures here or eMAIL them to:
    [email protected]

    Daniel,
    Would be interested in working with you so you could offer rebuilt switches, or a rebuilding service.
     
  6. 350HPMondial

    350HPMondial F1 Veteran
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    Feb 1, 2002
    5,187
    18 mi from the surf,, close to Pismo, CA
    Full Name:
    Edwardo
    It's usually the little female plastic part, inside the column, that splits... Super glue or epoxy might work,,, , . Take it apart of course....

    I would drill it,,,,, and then pin it before I used the epoxy.

    (I hate to buy parts that are just going to break again.)

    Good luck.
     
  7. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    May 5, 2001
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    Groton, MA
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    Don't use epoxy, it doesn't 'bite' into the plastic Ferrari's been using for column switches. Once cured, it just peels off. Same for Devcon's Plastic Welder that works with most other plastics. Been there, breaking my wiper stalk is what led to me starting Unobtainium Supply. See this thread:

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/256120/107784.html

    Surehold Plastic surgery is the only adhesive that I've found that works with column switches. Even then, it's not a super strong bond. I had to stitch the broken edges together with a half-dozen wire pins across each break.

    Loctite now makes a plastics adhesive that they claim works with all types, but I haven't had a chance to use it.
     
  8. Sloan83qv

    Sloan83qv F1 Rookie
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    Mar 8, 2001
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    with BIG Dave M.
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    Little Dave M.
    Verells 308 stalk repair is the best! and the price is unbeatable to boot.
    If he can do the 348 then you will be very lucky.
     
  9. ernie

    ernie Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 19, 2001
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    The Bad Guy
    LOL!!! Unobtainium Supply. Oh that's funny.
     
  10. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    Jim Pernikoff
    The left-turn signal indicator stopped working on my 328. I wound up buying a rebuilt unit from T. Rutland's for around $1k. It may have been rebuilt by the outfit mentioned above. My mechanic swapped the units in a bit less than two hours and now everything works like new.

    Check out the website and contact them: http://www.trutlands.com/
     
  11. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    May 5, 2001
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    Verell Boaen
    No,
    I'm not rebuilding them for T.Rutlands. First I've heard that anyone other than me was repairing them.

    My price for a complete restoration of a 3x8 switch is less than 1/2 that amount. Hmm, maybe I should raise my prices...
    ;)
     
  12. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
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    Mr. Sideways

    Here's a 355 light stalk assembly: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ferrari-355-Colum-Stalk-Switches-Brand-NEW_W0QQitemZ4620461546QQcategoryZ10380QQssPageNameZWD4VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    It wouldn't surprise me if some of the Fiat light stalk assemblies would work, though...and they sell for about $10 each on eBay. Perhaps the wiring might have to be re-arranged.
     
  13. ASG 86TR

    ASG 86TR Formula 3

    Aug 23, 2001
    1,474
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Adam G
    Verell....do you have a picture of what these stalk assy's look like inside, esp the part that the saft fits into that is stripped.
    Adam
     
  14. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
    Consultant Owner

    May 5, 2001
    7,017
    Groton, MA
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    Verell Boaen
    I don't have a 348 specific pic, but most switches (not just Ferrari), have the stalk molded into a plastic piece that moves the contacts.

    This thread shows pictures of both the 330 GTC headlight stalk, & early in the thread a 308 headlight stalk with close-ups of the new ends I cast onto them:

    Repairing Headlight Switch Stalk
    http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21548&highlight=column+switch+stalk
     

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