Headlights Flickering

[Beach66Bum]

So the other night I had to turn off the main road because my headlamps where flickering so bad that people were pulling over! How embarrassing! By the time I got to the back road to my place they were turning on and off. Switch went really fast! So I went to Napa in the morning and got a new light switch ($40 dollars and 15 minutes to replace) all better

 

[SuperCab]

Classic. Don't know why fords are so bad for doing that, but they sure are.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Circuit breaker built into the switch....good and bad idea....you get the added heat from the rheostat for the instrument lights...heat doesn't help a thermal breaker.

 

[SuperCab]

Do other makes not have a circuit breaker in the switch then?

 

[DNFXDLI]

Do other makes not have a circuit breaker in the switch then?

I recall my GM's having a separate breaker elsewhere.

 

[SuperCab]

Mark of Excellence

 

[DNFXDLI]

Don't get me going on that crap..

 

[Beach66Bum]

Hi Duncan, does it make any difference if the rheostat for the instruments lights is always on the highest (brightest) setting? If it does, I will turn it to dim, don't need to see how "slow" I'm going, lol!

 

[SuperCab]

I would think it would be worse on a dim setting...

 

[Beach66Bum]

hmmm, I was thinking last night (after my post) about that Matt. (since you are restricting the current flow).

 

[DNFXDLI]

Brightest will create the least amount of heat...ever notice how the nichrome wire is wrapped in a ceramic housing. How much longer it will extend the life of the switch is unknown.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Thanks Duncan, and yes I did noticed the ceramic housing

 

[fatherdoug]

Did the headlight knob fit in the new switch, okay? I've had fitment problems with new switches before. I ended up going back to a DC switch because of that.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Did the headlight knob fit in the new switch, okay? I've had fitment problems with new switches before. I ended up going back to a DC switch because of that.

Hi Doug,
Not sure about earlier trucks, but for the '83 the replacement switch comes without the shaft that the headlight knob fits on.You have to remove the shaft from the old switch by pushing a little button on the housing and the shaft will pull out. Then you push it into the new switch till it "clicks" into place. I'll post a picture of the old switch for you.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Ok Doug, here's the pic's

 

[fatherdoug]

Thank You, Roy. I was asking if the old knob fit ok in the new switch. Sorry for the confusion. I couldn't get the knob to stay in place. The knob would pull out when I tried to turn on the lights.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Oh, lets see if I got this right, the chrome knob that slides on the shaft? The new switch doesn't come with the shaft. You have to use the original so I had no problem of the headlight knob not working. Sorry if I still haven't answered your question properly Doug, ack!

 

[fatherdoug]

Oh, lets see if I got this right, the chrome knob that slides on the shaft? The new switch doesn't come with the shaft. You have to use the original so I had no problem of the headlight knob not working. Sorry if I still haven't answered your question properly Doug, ack!

Yes, that's it, Roy. Thanks. It's confusing talking about knobs.

 

[Beach66Bum]

Yes, that's it, Roy. Thanks. It's confusing talking about knobs.

Yes, very. Austin doesn't seem to have a problem though...