Do you have the bearing ball installed before the switch? It’s just a simple plunger switch so it has to be a depth issue. Here’s a picture of the inside of the original switch
4WD Indicator Switch for 68 FJ40
- Thread starter VA Mountain FJ40
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i have the ball. Pulled it out with a magnet and confirmed along with cleaning everything. Good news is that 4wd works fine, just the light issue. What pushes the ball upward when engaged? I feel like when i am pulling the vacuum lever it may not be doing anything with the ball in moving it upward. I have a borescope where i might try to get it in there and see if the ball is moving at all when 4wd is engaged.
Logic says (to me) that the ball sits inside a slot on the shaft when in 2wd, and when the shaft moves forward (along with the other parts) it moves the ball beyond the slot onto a round part of the shaft, forcing it upwards into the switch.
But if the ball is slightly too small, or the head of the switch is slightly too small, the tip of the switch may roll slightly off the side of the ball ,causing only momentary completing of the circuit.
Therefore, if you could put a slightly larger puck on the end of the switch, or get a slightly larger ball into the hole, you could test this theory.
And of course I have a box with a couple of dozen used factory switches that don’t seem to be going anywhere.
But if the ball is slightly too small, or the head of the switch is slightly too small, the tip of the switch may roll slightly off the side of the ball ,causing only momentary completing of the circuit.
Therefore, if you could put a slightly larger puck on the end of the switch, or get a slightly larger ball into the hole, you could test this theory.
And of course I have a box with a couple of dozen used factory switches that don’t seem to be going anywhere.
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Thanks. I am hoping that is what it is as well because the plunger tip is really the only thing that is different at this point. My next step was going to try to modify the switch tip further. I do plan to get a camera in there too because I am anxious to see what this little ball does and how much it moves.
I modified it further using a nut at the tip of the switch the same size as the original. Welded on. Oddly enough it now works but in reverse. Which means my light is on constant when in 2wd and turns off in 4wd. I got sla camera in there but the shaft with the ball does not move unless it is running. So it did not move.
I don’t see an ident either.
Size as
