Headlight Switch

56G80S · Post by **56G80S** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:27 pm

Despite having the Matchy for 30 plus years, this has never been fitted properly. It's always been stuck in with guck, insulating tape or not really at all.

In consequence it currently bounces around when I'm winding it on a bit on the A19 stretch to work.

I guess there's a flat plate with a slot that slides along the flats on the sides of the switch and against the inside of the shell, but there was nothing there when I got it and I've never really bothered before.

But I'm gettng the strange urge to test out night time riding with my nice halogen headlight and working charging system (that's blown it, hasn't it!
).

Any clues out there?

Johnny BEdited by - 56G80S on 11 Jun 2008 10:28:25 PMEdited by - 56G80S on 11 Jun 2008 10:29:05 PM

wilko · Post by **wilko** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:56 pm

It's a spring thingamy that retains it. And they're a dog to fit!!

Biscuit · Post by **Biscuit** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:09 am

Go to an aero-modeller shop, buy a length of piano wire and bend one up. Probably 16 or 18g will do do.

LoneStar · Post by **LoneStar** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:59 am

Mine is also missing the wire fixing, so I glued it to the headlamp shell with silicone sealant/adhesive. Stays in place, but the silicone gives way easily if you need to remove it at some point.

Dave

56G80S · Post by **56G80S** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:19 pm

Thanks. I might stick (ho ho) with both. The mechanical fixing appeals to me and there's a model shop at Redcar that might have what you suggest.

I'd been thinking of a flat plate type arrangement of some kind of spring steel. I'm sure I remember a setup to do with car brakes / wheel cylinders that had a kind of double interlocking approach of that type.

Probably dreamed it.

Johnny B

Wavy · Post by **Wavy** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:09 am

Hi, regarding the switch, I've bought a new one from Vechical wiring products. It came with a crude circlip. I had to phone them up to be advised how to fit it. the bikes not wired up yet but as someone said before, it's going to be a pig to fit.

Biscuit · Post by **Biscuit** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:17 pm

Study how the circlip fits before you fit the switch to the headlamp. When fitting the circlip the rubber ring under the switch needs to be compressed as far as possible to insert the clip.

56G80S · Post by **56G80S** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:14 am

Think I'd rather try making up my own first if what's available looks "crude". Have got some piano wire and made a drawing of the switch and plan to make a very simple former with some pins to shape round. I was planning to put in two flats to match where the flats are on the switch.

The rubber ring another issue altogether. The one I have is tired and compressed already! I'll be looking for another one. Don't see that as a likely problem. The only problem I'll have is if the spare switch I've used as a guide differs from the one that's fitted - but I don't think that's the case.

Johnny BEdited by - 56G80S on 15 Jun 2008 10:16:36 AMEdited by - 56G80S on 15 Jun 2008 10:17:02 AM

56G80S · Post by **56G80S** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:49 pm

Thanks for the advice about piano wire. I made the clip up, didn't re temper it. Made it so it clipped back on itself for tension and had two "legs" pointing into the centre of the headlamp shell so it only took 3 minutes to fit.

I did file the round piano wire to square on the face going towards the shell and where the groove is on the switch to make a more positive fit.

Didn't have a ring "in stock" (plastic container full of odds and sods of rubber rings) so used black gutter sealant instead.

Have now done around 300 miles and it's working OK............

Johnny B

56G80S · Post by **56G80S** » Sat Sep 19, 2015 4:51 pm

Reactivating this very old post as on the way back from the Jampot the switch started rattling something cruel and clearly loosened one of the grub screws resulting in some odd lights/charging impacts.

Forgot about it and on the way back from Scarborough last weekend had to press on rather harder than I'd wish as the battery was short of charge and nothing happening to remedy this. Fortunately the LED pilot and tail kept going until I reached home but the headlight wouldn't play.

So I'm putting this right before looking at anything else although unfortunately it meant removing the handlebar fairing. It's clear that my homemade clip isn't up to the job and the substitute for the "rubber" ring had broken down as well. I am thinking of making a ring of inner tube to insert under the lip of the switch (bicycle rather than motorcycle, it's thinner), sticking some inner tube inside a large jubilee clip, leaving excess in the side that'll bear against the inside of the headlight slotting in the switch, pressing down firmly and tightening up. Of course, that's the point of the inner tube inside the jubilee clip as it will prevent slipping and ameliorate my tendency to tighten too enthusiastically.

This will keep me going to mid winter when I plan to have the whole lot off again, drop the forks and fix the leaky seal on the left leg.

Comments welcome, but the switch itself is a "BYKO" and has seen rather a lot of (ab)use although still works. Over winter I may fit indicators and a handlebar mounted switch.

Johnny B

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