Has anyone disassembled the LH switch module?....

spenny_b

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Chaps,

Noticed yesterday when going for dipped headlamps that my hi/lo beam switch is stuck in, giving me high-beam all the time. It is the switch keeping the light on main, rather than a dodgy relay. When on sidelights, the passing flasher works fine.

I quick separated the cluster module halves and can see that the beam switch looks to be removable once desoldered. I didn't have time to remove the whole assembly and get the switch out - has anyone had any success opening the switch itself? Or is it very much a sealed/welded unit?

It feels like the latching mechanism has become dislodged, there's "play" by pushing it, it moves 1-2mm, just won't pop back out again. Been like this from taking delivery of it a few weeks ago, so god knows how it supposedly passed the MoT that was done before delivery :rolleyes: ...£158 for a new assembly or a warranty phonecall back to the vendor.

Cheers
Spencer
 
Chaps,

Noticed yesterday when going for dipped headlamps that my hi/lo beam switch is stuck in, giving me high-beam all the time. It is the switch keeping the light on main, rather than a dodgy relay. When on sidelights, the passing flasher works fine.

I quick separated the cluster module halves and can see that the beam switch looks to be removable once desoldered. I didn't have time to remove the whole assembly and get the switch out - has anyone had any success opening the switch itself? Or is it very much a sealed/welded unit?

It feels like the latching mechanism has become dislodged, there's "play" by pushing it, it moves 1-2mm, just won't pop back out again. Been like this from taking delivery of it a few weeks ago, so god knows how it supposedly passed the MoT that was done before delivery :rolleyes: ...£158 for a new assembly or a warranty phonecall back to the vendor.

Cheers
Spencer

I've done it on an ST4 ( so the same for 916 and a lot of models from that period ) .

The main head-ache is getting enough slack with the wiring bundle to give some useful working room
..... it's dressed in pretty tight .

In my case the indicator switch had become a bit snide .
I stripped it down enough to see the contacts and the mechanism , then hosed it with good quality switch cleaner .
It's been good ever since .
 
Snow you say ❄️😁
16176194519684393273223225794030.jpg
 
Ok, so a quick after-work tinker in the garage before dinner has now sorted this little issuette. Actually very easy to fix in my case, as nothing had broken internally. Here's what I did...

1) Remove the switch cluster from the clip-on, undo the electrical plug from the back of the headlight cluster and feed it out.

2) In the top half of the switch "doughnut" there's a metal tab, acting as a cable guide, which needs to be unscrewed and removed. Just a single screw.

3) The switch mechanism for the high/low beam is another single screw. Once out, the switch can be manoeuvred out of it's hole, being careful not to strain the 3 wires soldered to it. In particular, there's a short white wire that's also soldered across onto the main headlight switch unit.

4) No need to unsolder anything, the two halves of the switch separate by carefully (like, very carefully) releasing the 4 small tabs. Black half, white half. The white half is where my problem was. Also be careful not to lose the coil spring that pushes the red button out and keeps it under load - this will fly off in all directions.

5) This white half in turn has two sections, the push button slider and the base it sits into. As you can see in the pics below (will post up separately in a sec), there's a small hook-like piece of wire in the bottom of the white housing, which pivots. Depending on whether you're on a push in or push to release stroke, it'll run up and down a moulded gate system in the corresponding half of the assembly.

6) Clean this out - per photo, there was a fair bit of gunk in my switch, something more rigid than just old grease. Be careful cleaning the housing - I made sure not to dislodge the hook thingy. Also be careful not to lose the thin sliver of a brass spring which sits in the next section adjacent to the hook. Mine did dislodge before I realised that it was even there. It just lays in position, so if it comes loose, it goes back in so that the middle ridge is protruding upwards (I guess convex rather than concave, if that makes sense)

7) Reapply light coating of grease, put the red button and it's white slider into place making sure the hook assy is engaged, then carefully place the spring back between the slider and the base.

8) Gently push the black top half back into place, again being careful not to snap the 4 tangs.

9) Reassembly is the reverse of steps 1-3 above.

10) Grab a beer and enjoy a modicum of self satisfaction.
 
Not the greatest set of pics - garage was freezing and I was hungry...

So, in the white plastic moulding, you can see the wire hook, and that sliver of a brass spring (and it's orientation)...

IMG_1592 2.jpg


The switch contacts - give 'em a good clean before reassembly...

IMG_1595.jpg


Reassembled white half with loading coil spring in place. Careful not to snap the plastic tabs that interlock with the black half....

IMG_1596.jpg
 
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