Ok,so both my TT and my T pickup need ignition switchs.I see in a catalog that I can buy the parts,the 1's I need are 45 bucks.
A overseas made switch is 78 or so.
I know there is a man that is spoke of well here on the forum that fixes switchs as well.But has anyone had good luck buying the rebuild kits and doing it your self?
Both the ignition and low beam lights is not working on my TT.It has caused back fires which caused califlowered muffler disorder twice.
And the pickup,is similar.Both are original switchs.
I got a good 1 for the speedster but it is the peg type and the 1's I need are the bend over type.
Take them apart snd check what you've got - you can do it yourself. If you're lucky you can reuse the parts - just bending the brass tabs, cleaning and sanding the innards flat & clean may help?
By cleaning I mean scraping and sanding brass and carbon tracks off, the cardboard material likes to stay dry.
what is wrong with your ignition switch? do they not make contact? or is the tumbler cracked?
im rebuilding mine currently, its not terribly difficult, but if you just need to replace or clean the contacts its super easy.
I have done the clean and bend thing twice on this 1.It has wear in the cardboard and such.No dim lights and the ignition is ify,sometimes on,sometimes off.
I keep Ben Martin rebuilt original switches in stock danuser@ktis.net
The kit I got from Lang's was better than original, with phenolic in place of cardboard. Because Ford used different suppliers, the notches may not exactly line up with the tabs (assuming your switch is the tab type). It was easy to fix that by widening one of the notches with a little grinder.
Phenolic? That should last much longer than cardboard.
Mack, if you have any swap meets in your area and aren't in too big of a hurry, check them out. I have found a few that way, also they come up on ebay pretty often, although they don't usually go for cheap. Just keep looking, you never know. Dave
DONT DO IT! Find a decent original switch, stay away from the plastic
I always had good luck with originals. The secret is buy them when you see a good one, and save it in case you might need one someday. I like the pin type, because they come apart easier. When they warp, I reset the pin area with Crazy Glue. It works every time. After everything is dry, I face off the inside with 220, and it gets the switch back almost perfect.
don't forget to change you lock if it broken since you have it apart
There is a guy sell off a lock mold that makes the barrels for the ignition switches. ebay Item number: 251135631905
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1909-27-FORD-MODEL-T-IGNITION-SWITCH-LOCK-MOLD-/25113563 1905?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_A
Hold on a second. It sounds to me like your ignition switch may be fine.
What you are describing is a telltale sign of a bad connection from the battery, especially if you are running an ignition system that runs off of the battery.
An ignition system doesn't take much current, so everything seems to be fine, even with a bad connection. However, if you turn on the headlights, which is a big current draw, then the voltage drops substantially, the headlights won't work because of it, and the ignition system will function poorly, if at all.
Take a look at this thread here. Orlando was having a similar problem. It turned out that it was a bad connection, and the problem was easily fixed.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/290852.html?1337813047
Thanks,I did check that,I put a toggle switch on the dash about a year ago and have been running it with no issues.But when the headlights quit on the hi side,I decided I needed to work on it.The dim work fine as I drove it late 1 evening with no trouble.
Ok,Again,I went to the books,I couldnt beleive that the Mac's book listed the switch repair kit for 10 dollars More than smith and jones online.
But I can find the pulley I need in the Macs book,but cant tell which 1 to order on the smith page.Looks like I will have to order from 2 companys and spend more on shipping.
Unless you have a narrow nose pan the larger pulley will work, along with the correct fan belt. Smith and Jones only list one pulley that I could see and I would guess it's the later style. 1920 to 25 should work for the fan belt, maybe later for TT's.
OK,So I took the switch apart.Didnt see anything obvious but brass shaveings imbedded in the cardboard or whatever it is.I used a dremel tool to clean all that and the contacts.Cleaned all the rest.I rebent the tabs and reinstalled and it works fine.Thanks for the advice.
Also,a side note.I called Smith and jones and talked to 1 of their people and he said he did not even carry the rebuild kits as he got alot of complaints.