Broken full beam headlight wire

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:24 am

OK. Jaunt today.

Rainy and cold day, so headlights, wipers and fans on the whole trip (336km). Noticed that my blue full beam warning light was not switching on when I flicked onto full beam (as you do, you know, checking that things are working). Following behind a car I flick onto full beam from dip and the headlights go out. Back onto dip and they are on again. Full beam blown. Great.

Get home, scoot around to Repco's for some new bulbs. Get back, pull the old ones out. Sure enough, the full beam filaments are fried on both. Replace the bulbs, flick on full beam and.....

nothing. The lights go out. Great.

Fuses not blown...

Pull out the wiring diagram. OK. White and Blue for RH Main Beam and Red and Blue for LH Main Beam.

Experience says, start at the point where the two feeds split since both lights are not working on full beam. That'd be the indicator stalk. Pull what's left of the crap BL cowling off the steering column and down flops a White and Blue wire. Great.

Looks like the loop on the connector has broken, should be able to just crimp on a new one. But wait. Of course that'd be too damn simple wouldn't it? Ohhh, no, the loop was fixed to the indicator switch mechanism with a copper rivet, not something sensible like a screw or nut and bolt. Great

So now what?

Can't see myself soldering it without melting the cheap plastic switch mechanism.

And I am not keen on risking drilling out the copper rivet from its plastic mount.

Guess soldering is the only option. Any better ideas?

Kiwistage1V8 · Post by **Kiwistage1V8** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:39 am

bugger.

I scored a genuine one off tm, new, for $15 a while ago.

Doesn't help you much though, I'd go for the soldering, and hope for the best.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:42 am

haha thanks mate. Those kind of stories reaalllly make me feel better. Not.

So. You want 20 for it?

Reminds me though. I need to get me some new head light reflectors. Mine are rusty and Mr WOF-man said they'd not pass the next check.

Kiwistage1V8 · Post by **Kiwistage1V8** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:54 am

I think britpart or someone makes a cheapish knockoff part. Check ebay or similar, I think you'll find it not too bad. The guy from dunedin (I think) on tm does new indicator stalks on occasion too.... bj(add numbers here)...?

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:08 am

Blue white is all high beam L&R.

Blue red is all low beam.

Blue is main light supply and the unique military trafficators are decidedly cheap for new and genuine.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:45 pm

Yes of course

Wiring diagram was sitting in the driver's seat, so I went via faulty memory.

Mrs Bingham · Post by **Mrs Bingham** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:46 am

Same thing happened on mine just before going away for a weekend run. I needed a temporary fix so I drilled a tiny hole in the head of the rivet – small enough as not to “drill out the rivet”, crimp a small eyelet on the end of the broken wire and using a tiny self tapping screw affix to the hole. Works a treat and still going good six months later

Genuine Lucas stalks still readily available from UK suppliers for around £30 – all seem to offer global shipping.

disco2hse · Post by **disco2hse** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:54 pm

Soldering went OK. Little bit of melted plastic but not too bad. Pretty tricky though.