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 Rheostat Switch Recovery
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Woody
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
2758 Posts

Posted - 06 Sep 2009 :  10:37:22 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Further to this topic:
http://www.saab-v4.co.uk/speedball/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=767&SearchTerms=Rheostat,switch

Last week-end when the weather was foul and I couldn't roll the Troll out, I looked for something I could do and started messing with two rheostat switches that didn't work.
Both had had the vinegar treatment but still were not functioning. I wanted to find out why. Closer inspection revealed that the internal metal contact wasn't in full contact with the wire coil as the springs which acted on the contact has broken or failed.
I opened up the switch after removing one end of each rivet. The two small springs which rest in the two holes in the central part had rusted away.
I found a compatible spring in a box of ancient carburettor parts
and cut two to length and re-assembled to switch. Now fully functioning.



Edited by - Woody on 06 Sep 2009 12:54:54

john-saab
Administrator

United Kingdom
2679 Posts

Posted - 06 Sep 2009 :  12:31:05 Show Profile Reply with Quote
My kind of car repairs..cost nothing but time! Might pull one apart myself. What did you use instead of the rivets when you put it back together?
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Derek
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
2187 Posts

Posted - 06 Sep 2009 :  12:34:07 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Excellent bit of tech. Amazed that you managed to get the pics of the 2 switches to look exactly the same.........................
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Woody
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
2758 Posts

Posted - 06 Sep 2009 :  12:56:23 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Whoops - Sorted !!

There was just enough material left on the rivets to splay for them to grip. A couple of small screws/nuts would be better.

Edited by - Woody on 06 Sep 2009 13:32:13
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x96
V4 Fanatic

Spain
415 Posts

Posted - 18 Feb 2018 :  19:18:39 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Very interesting and great pictures, thanks.
it's written on my list.
I try to figure out a situation where is necessary to dimm the already very dimmed gauges lights and I don't find one.
Maybe anticipates the black panel feature

Héctor

Edited by - x96 on 18 Feb 2018 19:19:24
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john-saab
Administrator

United Kingdom
2679 Posts

Posted - 19 Feb 2018 :  07:46:58 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Just to add a note on this.
When the rivets are too short to lap over they can still be used but find a short screw that is just larger than the internal hole in the rivet...screw that in and it will hold the 2 parts together. Beware of using a screw that gives a lot of resistance when tapping it in ..you will either chew the rivet up or break the rheostat body.

'73 96 (Vernon),'74 95 (Veronica)plus 4 other 95's and 2 96's
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stevebod
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
416 Posts

Posted - 21 Feb 2018 :  16:59:41 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Nice work.
Good write up too.
Just a thought on those rivets. Would be is possible to counter bore the plastic body a small amount to give a new shoulder for the shortened rivet to grip against?
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john-saab
Administrator

United Kingdom
2679 Posts

Posted - 25 Feb 2018 :  07:09:04 Show Profile Reply with Quote
A timely post resurrection..I have run out of working rheostats and have about 10 faulty units..that's this evenings desk job sorted.

'73 96 (Vernon),'74 95 (Veronica)plus 4 other 95's and 2 96's
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