Making a wiper/ washer pull switch

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:26 pm

OK, no pictures, because a/ it looks a bit bodgy as I did it, and b/ the camera battery was flat!

Following on from a grand idea seed in another thread, I bought a second push-pull headlight switch for my 62 moggy, and converted it to a combined wash/wipe action ( well, after the central locking brainstorm, I needed a little light relief!), first pull for the wipers, second pull for the wipers and washers together.

First I got rid of the twist-to-second pull function of the switch by chipping the bit of bakelite out of the side (not as nasty as it sounds) and re-profiling the other side of the slot with a cocktail stick and araldite to give a straight two position pull.
I then decided the second pull position (wash function) should be spring loaded, to return to the wipe-only function when you release it.
Out came an old distributor. The lighter of the two bob weight springs inside it is just the right tension and length for the job!
Not going into too much detail about this bit, if you are brave/foolish enough to play with the inside of a 50 year old switch, then you will work it out! Nothing a 2mm drill bit and a steady hand couldn't cope with!

One thing-the switch function for the wiper is in the earthy side of the circuit, so I took a handy bit of "live" power from the fuel pump to the washer motor "+ve" side, and wired the "-ve" side through the wiper/washer switch.

Now, back to the overdrive gearbox installation.....

Post by **mike.perry** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:58 pm

Someone else has seen the light (switch). I didnt' bother with the spring loaded bit, the hand isn't steady enough for that. I just used a push pull switch on the Series MM and swapped the knob for a brown one with a W. I guess that must have come from an MO as the Minor hasn't got any brown W switches. Were the late Series II switches black?
The Traveller has the standard toggle light switch but I might invest in a spring loaded switch as they are still available.

Post by **Mick_Anik** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:32 pm

linearaudio....did you get the switch off - we discussed this in another topic? Judicial tapping, and so on.

linearaudio · Post by **linearaudio** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:57 am

Mick_Anik wrote:linearaudio....did you get the switch off - we discussed this in another topic? Judicial tapping, and so on.

Ha-de-ha!

six broken pieces, and still trying to get the dried "super glue gel" off my finger tips! Why does that stuff only stick things to skin?

Both headlight and wiper switch knobs had seized on the shafts due to rust formation. It's amazing the pressure build up caused over the eons hadn't fractured the bakelite! All worth it for the end result.