Headlight switch removal-tips?

[Jesse Jaymes]

Chilton says that there is a headlight switch shaft detent on the switch, behind the dash. Easy enough to find.

I pushed it in and attempted to pull the headlight knob/shaft straight out. No dice.

This is a clean truck and I'd hate to just start ripping stuff out.

Any tips?

FWIW, I cannot remove the one on my '74 K5 either. Vehicle above is a GMC K25.

 

[dyeager535]

I *think* the knob has to be pulled out, in the "on" position, for the detent to work.

Make sure you are depressing it far enough. Certainly not difficult to remove, and in no way should require brute force.

 

[tex56]

Should not have to use Brute Force, but it is always an option.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I'll give it another run afterwork, but I invested about 10 minutes into it before posting for help.

More than likely going to break it and needing another one, but we'll see.

Stay tuned.........

 

[dremu]

IIRC, the detent is a very simple mechanical, metal button, that has to be pressed in, say, at least 1/8", and I seem to recall a very positive snap action when it's unlatched.

-- A

 

[dyeager535]

At least try moving it in and out a few times with the detent pressed. I have no idea how the detent button actually works, as I've not had the switch taken down that far, but the knob is simply pressed onto the shaft, and the shaft has a groove cut in it for the detent.

Another idea is to try rotating the knob a tiny bit. The shaft is triangular, and while it should come out no matter where the knob is, turning it might allow the lock to come undone if something is screwed up inside the detent mechanism.

It's really not worth breaking/replacing if it is not broken, but it also shouldn't be hard at all to remove.

 

[scooter122983]

It can be a b but you just got to make sure that you push the button with the switch pulled out.

 

[JDNobodi]

Mine is a pain to remove also. You just have to fiddle with it till it comes out. I sometime find it is in a bind if you pull the knob too hard against the stop while pushing the button. Try letting off pulling on the knob while pushing the button in and out till something comes loose or pushing and pulling the knob while pushing the button.