I fitted led strip lights that incorporate a push switch in the body so it minimises the wiring needed, also I do have one of those fancy led head torches with the " wavey" switch but it can be a bit random when it comes to deciding whether it wants to switch on or off with a wave and does have a tendency to switch itself off when you're moving about. It is very good when it does work though.
Or so I think. So I’ve got the top two old bolts out and the new bolts in. Let’s put it back together and see where we are. Could it be any more complicated guys ???
Right then, thanks for that Mr Wiggy. I think I’ve just about grasped it and got it all together then realised I hadn’t put the earth wire on and it was almost impossible once it’s got all the bolts in the flexi connector . Mainly because I was a bit worried about mullering the riveted spade connection point. So I took it all apart again ,,,, three times or more I did this. Then I couldn’t find a covered female spade so I used a plain one and covered it with tight shrink wrap. One of the times it was in pieces, I dropped the steering column and it must have pulled the ignition wires because it’s all back together and I went to test it and no ignition, no lights no nothing. But I haven’t tightened the column or the flexible connector yet. Oh dear.
Do you have an auto darkening welding helmet ? - if you don't then they are a game changer just don't use an incandescent bulb (if you can still get themBirthday boy at the end of next month and the wavey led headlight is on my wish list. Then I’ll be able to leave this other one velcroed on my welding helmet where it’s done some sterling work lately as it’s really helped me getting into the nooks and crannies and still being able to see. I still can’t see the weld pool but I can remember how it’s supposed to go with that wriggly wrist action (Ooooerrr) and so long as I can see to start off or somewhere near like in the same post code then I’m still good to go.
I’ve been trying to sort out putting this pedal pan on for a while now and it’s got pushed back and back because of lack of brakes etc etc etc then I noticed my flexi joiner thingy on the end of my steering column was indicating a few stress marks and I had one to change over from another van so that’s on my to do list that I’m doing today. So far it’s been a proper battle of wills. Started last night and thought to clean everything up and spray all nuts and bolts etc before going out for some food with the lovely Mrs Ozziedog. So got started today and an hour or so in and I’m getting nowhere then realised all the nuts had a split pin through that had done a mind meld with the nuts and the bolts so after an hour or so of trying, I then relinquished and got serious with the grinder and cut half the nut off each one. Next battle of wills is how to get the top two bolts out ? Luckily I’ve got some bits here that I could look at to try and see what I was up against, no luck, I’m thinking if I’d left the hold down plate bolted on then I may have been in with a chance. So now I’ve dropped the steering column from the dash and put the steering wheel by the ash tray and got the other end on a beer crate to see where I was going wrong. In this position it was almost easy, top tip was to use some mini mole grips to take the bolt out while leavering the column end down for clearance and and as the book says, installation is the reverse procedure. Once I got it out, I could see the male spade connected to the outer column but I was still totally at sea with how the damned thing worked. I knew the horn was ignition fed permanently live but I could not for the life of me work out what was going on after that, until I saw the spade connector. Part of the issue is that my brain fogs up a bit as soon as that word is used,,, electrics
Another part of the issue is I’ve been reading up on it and it would appear there are two different systems, one for the Earlies and one for the Lates. I just couldn’t work out why the horn wasn’t going off all the time and how the earth switch worked. So if I’ve got this right, it’s permanent live when the ignition is on to the horn. The earth then comes from the horn and connects to the fixed spade terminal on the steering column via a little clip in the column holder down plate this is then connected via the column outer to the horn push which is then part of the circuit through the wire going down the column and bridged across the flexi coupler to earth out through the steering box.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,finished lunch so back on it.
) in any work lamps as they cause them to auto darkening prematurely!
Funnily enough I have a Miller auto darkening professional grade welding helmet that an older member on here sent me a good few years back. It was from a factory he worked at that legally had to change their helmets every year, so he sent me the best of what would otherwise have been thrown away. I’ve also put new lenses in it quite recently while trying to get to the bottom of this not being able to see thing. The upshot of all this is I’ve gotten old and that’s snuck up on me while I wasn’t looking. I’m also not sure exactly when this happened or if indeed I’ve been waving my hand about and not really seeing for quite a while now. I welded on a nicely prepared piece of metal on the bench a short while ago and the weld was as proud both sides of the piece of metal, a very reasonable weld indeed but I couldn’t really see what was going on , I was just welding from memory. AND. as we all know, my memory is also extremely shot to pieces and I spend more time in my garage wandering around trying to find this part , that part, or something that’s just been delivered then same process again for tools that I’ll need for the job then by the time I’ve collected everything,,,,, where’s me glasses, then it starts all over,,,,Do you have an auto darkening welding helmet ? - if you don't then they are a game changer just don't use an incandescent bulb (if you can still get them
It certainly frees up your hands and let’s you get on with what you was doing. The other plus is you can spread them around to get a nice even light all over. I used the cross hatch of framework above engine bay and formed an ‘H’ of six six inch led strips. Very cheapso and one has committed Hari Kiri after about four years but I’ve got a couple of spares. The sticky back on a couple have given up too and been replaced with a couple of miniature cable ties which isn’t a bad shout for putting them on from the get go. Very very nice if you’re on the side of the road as the light gets past you as well as lighting your noisy cupboard.
could we use the same switch thing that works on the front doors?P.S. Do we know anybody in the trade so to speak that might want to fit this in their bus and might be able to track down a decent on and off push button styled switch that could work nicely with the noisey cupboard lid. If you think of anybody, then please have a word with them and get them to get one for me as well.
Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,any body spring to mind ???
As we all know, my electrical attributes are too an Early Bay what a hedgehog is to a nudist colony at its best. In my understanding of the laws of VW electrical thuggery , the particular switch in mention is all about the earthing of the component, so given my recent history of failing miserably in the restoration of my horn switch, im saying less than maybe. But i should think its entirely feasible with just some form of bracket to hold the switch. However just in case. Id still be lying under the van looking for light through the tinware after though.
As you can see, it’s just sat there in the bottom picture and doesn't look to have anything wrong with it at all, but put a bit of pressure on it and then you can really see the state of play. Those are both pictures of the same flexi connector. Still struggling to get my head around why it drives so different now, it’s almost like it’s become nimble. Youd think that X amount of effort on the steering wheel side of things would result in turning your steering box how ever much and how could that possibly change with a less flexible flexi connector
