Switch Repair

[Joe Flanagan]

Does anyone know of a way to reattach the back of switch like the one shown after the little pointed tabs have broken off?

I was trying to do a repair to my heater/defrost controls and the points won't take much bending before they break off. Just trying to figure out a way to keep the back on the switch in case the points break off. Has anyone got any experience with this or know any tricks?

[bamfordsgarage]

Hi Joe — here are a few things to consider:

When taking the switch apart, don't bend the tabs fully away first... the backing plate can often be finessed out of the housing with the tabs only partially bend. The benefit to you is that the tabs are more likely to bend back into the lock position without breaking.

When bending the tabs back, they may not have to go the full 90° — again, you are flexing them them the minimum to reduce the chances of breakage.

Even if one or two do break, the rest may be enough to hold things together fine.

Sometimes the fiber backing plate can be rotated a few degrees within the metal housing — if so, you might consider drilling little holes along the edge of the fiber disc beside the metal tabs, allowing you to rotate and remove the disc without bending the tabs at all. A drop of epoxy on a couple tabs after reassembly would prevent the disc from later rotation on its own.

[Niel Hoback]

JB Weld? Its surprised me so many times that I kind of consider it for anything now.

[Joe Flanagan]

That's what I'm thinking. Thank you guys for the responses.

[Eneto-55]

I haven't tried this myself, but I wonder if it would work to take a short piece of say 10 or 12 guage copper wire, flatten it a bit with a hammer, then solder it to the outside of the switch body in place of the missing tabs.

[Joe Flanagan]

Don't know. Seems like you might have to use something a little stiffer. But along those lines, you might be able to make small angles and solder them on to the body so that they hold the back on.