Headlight (aka: Column, Cluster) Switch & Switch Stalk Repair | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Headlight (aka: Column, Cluster) Switch & Switch Stalk Repair

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Verell, Jun 16, 2004.

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  1. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    May 5, 2001
    7,017
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    Verell Boaen
    #26 Verell, Dec 31, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hello,
    I just finished restoring a 246 Dino switch. Took some pix while I had all the pieces spread out for cleaning & examination & thought you might be interested in seeing them. You can readily see see the numerous infamous springs & balls they love to launch into the nether regions of your workshop. There are a even more than are shown! The spring & ball inside the headlight twist knob aren't shown as they were stuck inside the melted switch mechanism!

    The stalks were rusting (the earlier switches were steel instead of the anodized Al used for later stalks) & had to be sanded down & refinished.

    Also, as you can see in the 2nd & 3rd photo, the switch inside the twist knob was fried. I had to make new contacts from scratch & cast a new switch body.

    Casting the body was fun - NOT!!! The casting polyurethane kept leaking into the hollow shaft & plugging it so I couldn't get the wires thru it. Had to break the newly cast piece off several times, drill the shaft out & start over. After 3 or 4 tries, I finally ended up making a new mold that positively seals the shaft.

    Certainly got a lot of experience with this switch. (Experience is what you get when things don't work out the way you expected...)
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  2. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #27 Verell, Apr 2, 2008
  3. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #28 Verell, Aug 22, 2008
    mac308,
    Yes, I still service column switches.

    It appears that your fchat profile doesn't have the correct eMAIL. When I tried to respond to you I got this error:

    "
    Each of the following recipients was rejected by a remote mail server. The reasons given by the server are included to help you determine why each recipient was rejected.

    Recipient: <[email protected]>
    Reason: We would love to have gotten this email to [email protected]. But, your recipient never logged onto their free AIM Mail account. Please contact them and let them know that they're missing out on all the super features offered by AIM Mail. And by the way, they're also missing out on your email. Thanks.
    "

    Please send email to: Verell(at)UnobtainiumSupply(dot)com (sorry about the anti-spam substitutions). & I'll get you my response.

    Also your fchat profile doesn't have PM enabled, so I can't respond via PM. This is my last gasp attempt!


    Verell
     
  4. wcelliot

    wcelliot Formula Junior

    May 7, 2004
    577
    Maryland, USA
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    Bill
    #29 wcelliot, Aug 23, 2008
    Just wanted to drop a quick note of appreciation... I had purchased a remanufactured 308GTB wiper switch stalk from Verell well over a year ago (to replace the functional but nasty curtain rod support that the PO had inserted) and finally got around to putting it in when I hamfistedly broke it. (For those of you who have not been into the switch assembly this may be surprising... but it's not a real straightforward affair holding all the little balls and springs in place during resinstallation, particularly with the switch still in the car). When I inquired about buying a replacement switch, Verell was very helpful, offering to essentially replace the part I broke for free and also offering his services in installing the switch.

    I elected for the latter, removing the entire column assembly with little effort (thanks to his instructions). Then a "happy" accident happened... I had neglected to pop the c-clip on the left switch assembly, so there was nothing holding it in. The turn signal swtich popped out, spring and ball flying across the room. "Happy" because this revealed a headlight switch which was likely about a dozen uses away from breaking off in my hand.

    I packed the whole thing off (heavily insured) to Verell with the request to "just do it all". I just received the completely rebuilt and assembled column assembly back from him... it looked like it just came off the assembly line in Italy. Absolutely perfect. It took all of ten minutes to install and everything immediately worked perfectly.

    All for the price of a few basic console switches from Ferrari themselves.

    This is not the first time I've used his services and every transaction has been perfect... the quality of the assemblies, the ease of dealing with Verell, etc. He is a real asset to the community and I feel we are _extremely_ lucky to have him! I wish I could find someone similar in a few other marques... ;-)

    Bill Elliott
     
  5. Telerding

    Telerding Formula Junior

    Sep 30, 2004
    362
    Santa Maria/CA
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    Tom Elerding
    #30 Telerding, Aug 23, 2008
    Verell:

    How do the knobs attach to the stalks? I have a 72 Daytona, and I have been told that someone has installed a 308 switch at some point in the past. External difference is that the TS and WSW switch stalks should be fluted, mine are square.

    Would it be easy to replace these two square knobs with your fluted ones?

    Thanks. And it sounds like you are doing great, useful work!

    Tom
     
  6. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #31 Verell, Aug 24, 2008
    Last edited: Aug 24, 2008
    Bill,
    THANK YOU!
    Those are some of the kindest words anyone has posted to Fchat about me!

    The knobs are actually molded onto the stalk ends.

    IIRC, the correct Daytona knobs are like the knob in post #14, pls confirm. If so, yes I do have the molds for them.

    As for easy, that's subjective:

    To replace the square knobs with the correct ones will require disassembling the switch, removing the stalks, removing the square knobs, casting new knobs onto the stalks. All standard repairs.

    I'll be happy to send you my price list. Please make sure your profile has your correct eMAIL address, then click on my name by this post & select [Send eMAIL to Verell].
     
  7. shill288

    shill288 Formula Junior

    Feb 24, 2005
    900
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    Steve Hill
    #32 shill288, Aug 25, 2008
    It must have been some idiot.

    Steve
     
  8. shill288

    shill288 Formula Junior

    Feb 24, 2005
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    #33 shill288, Aug 25, 2008

    That's one of them. I'll post an original column stalk switch from a Daytona tomorrow. There should be some up on the Daytona Registry site as well where I sent pictures of a 308 vs. Daytona column stalk switch so the differences were easy to see.

    Steve
     
  9. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #34 Verell, Aug 25, 2008
    Hello Steve,
    I found the pix on this site:
    http://www.daytonaregistry.com/originality/index.html
    They're about 3/4 way down the page.

    BTW, I have the molds to repair the knobs & black contact holder arms of the correct Daytona Switch shown in these pictures as well. I'm actually restoring a Daytona switch at this time.
     
  10. f360racer

    f360racer Karting

    Sep 14, 2004
    193
    Renton, WA
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    PJ Z
    #35 f360racer, Nov 2, 2009
    I can't believe I forgot to thank you after you rebuilt my assembly. I am very happy with my NEW switches etc. They work great and I don't have to be so cautious anymore. I personally did not take it apart or put it together. It was down at Carlos shop in Tacoma so he did it. I'm sure I could have had I had the time.

    Thanks again Verell.



    Philip Z
     
  11. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    Bubba
    #36 BigTex, Nov 2, 2009
    The Man...the Legend...
     
  12. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #37 Verell, Nov 16, 2009
    You're welcome Philip, glad I could help! - Verell
     
  13. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #38 Verell, Feb 5, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I recently serviced a column switch. While removing tarnish from the contacts I discovered that one of the contacts (#1 in the 1st picture) was badly deformed by something that left parallel grooves on the left side of the contact as viewed in the picture.

    At most about 30% of the contact's surface was making contact with the mating sliding contact!!! Since these contacts carry the full wiper motor current, I was surprised that there was no signs of overheating.

    I've never seen a switch with this kind of partially crushed contact before. From the general appearance & extreme amount of tarnish in the crushed area's parallel grooves I believe the contacts were damaged while the switch was being manufactured.

    Two other contacts had fairly deep scratches/gouges (#2 in 1st picture), while surface irregularities are visible in almost all of the contacts.

    Fix was to make a clamping fixture that lets me mount the switch in my mill. I machined about 0.3mm off of the top of all the wiper contacts. The machined contacts are shown in the 2nd picture. All contacts had to be machined to keep them at the same height. This is necessary to ensure the mating contacts slide smoothly across them, and make good low resistance connections.

    What looks like scratches on the machined contacts are small chips & fleks of dust that were subsequently removed by cleaning.

    I occasionally get a switch in for service where the contacts have been pretty badly scratched/gouged in an attempt to remove tarnish. It's been taking me an hour or longer to manually file the contacts back smooth & flat.

    Now that I have a clamping fixture for my milling machine, I can restore damaged contacts more quickly, remove an absolute minimum amount of material, & produce a smoother flatter surface than when the switch was new!
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  14. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #39 Verell, Mar 31, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I've recently developed a process for stripping corrosion and old plating from a headlight stalk & the replating with a satin zinc that matches the OEM plating. The following pictures show the steps in restoring a 265 Dino's corroded headlight stalk:

    1. a large amount of corrosion was found INSIDE the stalk's cracked pivot end, also lesser corrosion was all along the stalk.

    2. The pivot end after the corrosion was etched out and the end was passivated to kill any corrosion remaining in the small pits.

    3. The dull satin finish on the stalk after it was removed from the plating bath.

    4. The satin silver finish left after a gentle rubbing with mild abrasive to remove the dullness.
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  15. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #40 uzz32soarer, Sep 18, 2018


    I'm very interested in the post by Verrel at the top of this page. I have an early 308 GT4 Dino and the PO has installed some sort of crap headlight switch after the rotary switch on the stalk failed.

    I've been searching posts and located plenty with pictures of 308 / 328 stalks with long copper brush contacts hanging off the end and lots of broken wires, but these don't look at all like mine when I slip the switch knob off my stalk. Mine looks a lot like the one Verrel has posted above which I read as being from a 246?

    Did the early Dino 308 GT4's have a different switch on the top of the stalk.

    Verrel, if you are out there somewhere can you please post up pics of the finished article of the damaged unit above so I can compare and see if it's actually the same as on my 308GT4 Dino please.
     
  16. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #41 Verell, Sep 18, 2018
    Ferrari only used two headlight twist switch variations in the Dinl & 308/328 series:.

    1.The Dino switches with satin silver colored stalks used either a black or white contact holder body with contacts wrapped circumferentialy around the end (1st picture).
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    2.A few of the switches with satin silver stalks and to the best of my knowledge all the switches with satin black stalks used contacts protruding axially in a V off the end of the black or white contact holder as shown in the 2nd picture:
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    I have the tooling & molds to reproduce either style of contact holder & install your original or new contacts. I can also make the headlight knob if necessary.

    You can always send me eMAIL: [email protected]
    or download my catalog or read instructions & tips on my web site: www.UnobtainiumSupply.com
     
  17. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #42 uzz32soarer, Sep 18, 2018
    Thanks for the pictures, dropped you an email last night to that address. On the top picture does the ball sit in that small depression on the left and is there supposed to also be a spring?
     
  18. Verell

    Verell F1 Veteran
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    #43 Verell, Sep 18, 2018
    Yes to both questions. You can see the hole for the detent spring & ball in this picture of the front of the switch:

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  19. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #44 uzz32soarer, Sep 18, 2018
    Mine looks similar and I was surprised to find the spring was still there, but alas, the bearing is long gone. Lost somewhere in the shed of the PO. If I can find a ball and repair the slight cracking, it might get me through until the next major service and then I can send it over to the USA for some loving by Verell.

    Anybody have a ball size on the early GT4 stalk?


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  20. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #45 uzz32soarer, Sep 19, 2018
    Well I located a ball, 3.9mm in diameter but even fully assembled and the detent ball feeling really good, the switch still doesnt work. The contacts are closed all the time.

    Then I went even farther into things and found the entire end of the headlight stalk and the contacts was completely missing. So it's now removed from the car, packaged up and awaiting some details from Verell before it hits the post.


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  21. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #46 uzz32soarer, Sep 19, 2018
  22. uzz32soarer

    uzz32soarer F1 Rookie

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    #47 uzz32soarer, Sep 19, 2018
    The hole under the fan switch and light is where the previous owner mounted his headlight switch rather than spend the time and effort to remove the broken part and have it repaired properly. He even fitted a foot operated high beam switch which is another thing that I need to remove.

    The big question for me now is what to do with this hole. I've seen some 308 GT4's that have an extra switch there. I think it's something to do with the wipers but not sure.
     
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