Easy new model window switch repair

[gbgastowers]

I was having to push my window switches hard and in the right place for the windows to go down. I read that Greg was making bigger brass square contact pieces so I thought I would try that. I got the brass plate stick at Ace for a couple of bucks and used the old brass square as a template and made the new one a tiny bit taller. I used tin snips to cut it and smoothed it up with a Dremmel. It needs to fit a little loose in it's slot on the switch so it can flex back to the start position when not being pushed. The switch now works perfect. Gunar

[Maleficio]

Cool.

[tychain99]

what's the best way to get the switches out?

[gbgastowers]

If you are just going to work on them in the car without disconnecting where their wires plug in on the sides of the tunnel under the dash area(behind right console tunnel side panels) this is how. Use a nylon interior tool (or screwdriver) to carefully depress the metal curved clip on the rear side of the switch that holds it in the console. Once the switch is out you can pry the top plastic piece off from the side. Pry carefully in the middle area pulling out a bit. You will want to do this inside a ziplock or plastic bag because the switch internals can fly out and get lost. The old style switches are completely different in design and use little silver balls that look like bb's inside the switch.

[dtw]

I was messing around with fixing the switches on my '86. Spent a couple hours getting them working, only to have them die again in a few months. Then I found that Roger @ 928s R Us has them brand new for $20-something each. Never again will I dissect one of those switches...

[harborman]

Originally Posted by dtw

I was messing around with fixing the switches on my '86. Spent a couple hours getting them working, only to have them die again in a few months. Then I found that Roger @ 928s R Us has them brand new for $20-something each. Never again will I dissect one of those switches...

I would go with new switches as cheap as they are. If you need to remove the connector in order to feed the new wires through, you can remove each contact by slipping a thin nail into the connector to release the small tab which keeps the connector from pulling out. I first just clipped the old cable and pulled it out, then if you forget, the old connector is your guide to putting the new wires into the new connector. This avoids splicing/soldering wires.