I have managed to replace the dashboard bulbs with the recommended brighter ones. Since I am in the area I figured that I will take out the dimmer rheostat and see if I can fiddle with it to get rid of the 2v drop that people are talking about. I am guessing that the wiper portion of the potentiometer doesn't quite travel to the end, hence leaving a little resistance to account for the voltage drop. So now I have two questions: 1. How do you remove the dimmer? It looks to me that you either push it into the dash or push it forward, it doesn't look like there are any screws holding it. 2. If anyone has ever taken it out, can you actually get to the potentiometer or is the whole thing housed in a plastic box and the only way to get to it is by breaking it. (Of course I don't want to do that.) Image Unavailable, Please Login
It pushes out from the back of the dashboard, and out the front. The switch can then be taken apart by lifting the front cover (the section you see while in the car driving) over the retaining lips on the switch body. This then frees up the wheel and gives access to the small light in there. Hope that helps.
There appears to be 2 clips holding them in, one on the bottom (seen on the picture) and one on top (hard to get to). Do I have to somehow push them together beefore I try to push them thru the front?? Or, just ignore and push?
Take a small screwdriver and work one of the clips over the lip, tilting the switch, and then work the other over. Should come right out.
The 2 volt voltage drop that someone once mentioned was on a 308 if I'm not mistaken... a different part/different rheostat and by definition older. I seriously doubt you'll find that kind of voltage drop on many rheostats. In any event it's just a matter of cleaning up the contacts as they get oxidized with age and lack of use. But.... why even bother with that? Just bypass it and connect the wires together unless you find that the lighting is too bright now (not likely, I would think).
