Date:         Sun, 13 Feb 2000 11:41:57 -0800
Reply-To:     "Tom L. Neal" <jneal@NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Tom L. Neal" <jneal@NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      Power window switch tune up and reassembly question
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

As identified by a 506 second e-mail archive search and by my own
experiences, the power window switches have a number of interesting tune up
opportunities, but first a question:

What's the best way to snap the '87 switch back together?
The contacts tilt if the switch isn't snapped together exactly level.
After trying about 30 different ideas, my wife holds 2 10 mil feeler
gauges between the case side the button and I push the switch straight
down, then she pulls out the feeler gauges.  Works about half the time.
Also thought of shaving the buttons so they don't catch on the lip and one
goes in before the other, but didn't want to permanently change the switch.

Switch tune up:

1.The "tail" breaks off if the top isn't gently rotated out from the top.
I replaced the right one, but it broke again.  Drilled a couple of tiny
holes in the holder and shaped a piece of sheet plastic to make a big wide
strong tail.

2.The holder falls out of the door.  Squeezed a thick wire in the bottom
slot that pushes against the door to hold it up higher to catch on the
top, push down tab.

3. The grease gets old and hard, creating a mushy, sticky feeling.  Clean
the contact and replace the grease.

4.The switch contacts are too high resistance...works only one direction
or not at all. Take out contacts, clean grease, steel wool and sand
contact buttons, scrape contacts in the switch, even under the light bulb.

Spent far more time than the above trying to figure out how to snap the
box together without the contacts tilting  (see above).

Result: a nice smooth clicky feeling and responsive windows, just like
when new.

Cheers, Tom Neal '87 syncro