63 Hydraulic wiper switch repair.

[Karl]

G'day,
Anybody interested in repairing their original 63 wiper switch to operate the windscreen washers?
The switch that I have had no original electical switch at the back of the control switch to turn the washers on and off.
I purchased a new switch from a company called "Ellements 14" and the part number for the switch is a push buttom switch 1212C2 N/C (normally closed).
Made up a adapter to suit the main body and to hold the new switch in place. I also had to make up a plastic spacer to position the main shaft in the right place to make shure the gears engage for the wiper motor control to work.

Original switch body and control shaft.

New switch.

Adapter.


Spacer washer.

Assembled switch.


Now all I have to do is install the switch into the car, there should be enough room under the dash.
Karl.

[RedBird64]

Very nice (and clever) fix.

Scott

[Karl]

Update.
I installed the switch today, what a job.
To fit the cable to the wiper motor you have to remove the wiper motor from the car, which wasn't that bad.
It was under the dash that was a pain, I would place the switch in the position and in doing so would knock the right hand indicator bulb out of the back of the dash. You can't put the bulb back in with the switch in so I had to remove the switch and place the bulb back in. ( that took a few goes!!)
I didn't realise but the switch that I used has the body close to the terminal blades to protect them and on the original wiring the spade connections have a large rubber boot to insulate them, the two don't go together. I just made up two jumper wires.
Anyway the end result is that I now have windscreen washers!
The switch that came out of my car, the plastic is broken as well, on the internet I have found that there is a replacement switch for a 64 or 65 (I think, anyway a later model) that looks very similar to the part that is broken on mine, does anybody know if I could use this part on a 63 switch?
Karl.

[texastomeh]

THANX for the posts and pictures Karl!!

I need to do the same to the switch on my '63 HT.

Tom

[omc4u]

Karl,

Do you have any updated information or sizes for the switch you used? I tried googling the part and I come up with nothing from the company mentioned. Do you possibly have the specs on the switch? Such as he following:

Circuit type
Current rating
Voltage rating


Thanks for any input

[Karl]

G'day omc4u.
I purchased the switch from a company in Australia, that used to be "Farnell" now they are called "Element 14.
Here is the link which will take you to the page.
http://au.element14.com/apem/1212c2/pus ... a%2Fsearch
The tech sheet will give you all the specs.

The switch itself is just a generic (normally on) switch. You should be able to pick one up in America I would imagine. Just something that can handle 12 volts.
The trick is you will need an adapter to join the switch to the dash switch. In my case the di cast had broken away and there was nothing to hold anything in place. I used 3 grub screws to hold the adapter in place but I was worried that if I screwed the grub screws in to tight I would further damage the existing Ford switch.
When it is assembled, the original switch on the dash pushes the new switch off, when you pull on the knob on the dash this releases the new switch back to the normal on position.

If all else fails I have one switch here and I have a few adapters, just send me a private message and I will post you one for free.

Happy motoring.
Karl.

[rabatvilla]

Hello

Very nice fix now, how did you deal with the cable running to the hydraulic motor? I read that you cannot replace the cable due to it being all one unit. By the looks of what you did this may not be true and the cable does indeed come out of the switch. Am I correct?

Thank you

Joe

[Karl]

G'day Joe.
Yes that is correct, the switch and the cable is one unit. In saying that they are assembled from parts.

My bowden cable was in bad shape and the switch was hard to turn so I wanted to replace this as well.
The outer part of the cable is swaged into the main body of the switch. You can't pull the inner part of the cable out because the end that goes onto the wiper motor has a small thick washer placed over the inner wire and the end of the wire has been crimped to stop the washer from coming off.
The other end of the wire that goes into the wiper switch has been crimped onto a small piece of diecast that has a rack profile cut into it, this locates onto the gear that is on the end of the knob shaft. As you turn the knob, the gear moves the rack and this pulls and pushes the bowden cable in and out. The other end of the bowden cable moves the control lever on the wiper motor.
Also on the wiper switch there is a spring and ball set up. This is at 90deg to the rack, this helps hold the rack in a set position so the speed on the wiper does not change.

I wanted to change the cable because it was bent and all the protective coating was damaged. I used some cable that I purchased from a motor mower shop and it worked sort of OK, but if I ever pulled it apart again I would replace the cable again. The new outer cable is smaller in dia than the original. This caused a problem at the wiper motor end. The clamp would not hold the outer cable in place because it would not clamp down on the smaller dia outer cable. I can't remember what I did but it would of been a simple fix like make a new clamp or make a sleeve to go over the cable to clamp down on. Again from memory for the wiper motor end, the inner part of the cable (which was a bit thinner) I would off just crimped the end of the new cable with a hammer and anvil to hold the washer onto the new cable. I may of used the old washer or made a new one up. I can't remember. The bowen cable is made from a tensile steel so it is hard and doesn't bend but you still can squash it with a ball pein hammer and the jaws of a vice.

For the switch end, I made up a sleeve that went over the tang that protrudes from the body of the switch and the outer of the bowden cable to hold the bowden cable in position. I used grub screws to hold two parts together.

For the inner cable, I made up a small sleeve with grub screws and joined the old bowen cable to the new bowden cable together. I could not get the old inner cable out of the rack. In saying that I didn't really try hard as I thought that if I did get it out how would I hold the new cable in position. Diecast can't be solded or welded. This sleeve for the inner bowden cable ran inside the sleeve for the outer bowden cable.

Hopes this helps.
Karl.

[nuchucker100]

Currently, my windshield wipers are always on, so I have temporarily removed them. My issue with my switch is that the nylon gear at the end of the knob shaft has broken off over time. I have looked all around the internet for a replacement part, but I have not found one. Rather than go hunting for a used part, I am going to 3d model a new gear and print it to fit the shaft. I would need the outer gear diameter measurements (realistically I can guess through trial and error, but that would waste my printer's plastic and lots of time) and the number of teeth for the gear. Would it be possible for someone to measure the diameter and count the teeth for me? once I fix this, I can work on the wiper indicator light.

[Karl]

I will have a look tonight and let you know if I have one to measure.
Karl.

[Karl]

G'day nuchucker100.
I had a look at a spare wiper switch that I have and they are a sealed unit. They are able to be dismantled but the die cast tabs will have to be broken.
Looking at the photo's that I posted some time ago the gear on the end of the shaft that turns the rack is brass so I don't know about the nylon gear that you are talking about, maybe somebody has replaced it some time ago. Is it definitely the gear? from memory the rack is made from die cast, maybe this is worn.

To check the diameter and number of teeth I would have to dismantle one of my switches and I am not prepared to do that at this stage. Maybe somebody might have one that is disassembled.

Karl.