TheSamba.com :: View topic - How do I remove the door switch without destroying it?

Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:23 pm

How do I remove the driver door switch on a 73SB without destroying it? The screw comes out but then the switch does not come out, seems to get caught?
Any tricks you can tell me? I don't want to put a screwdriver in there and pry it.

Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:32 pm

Can you see anything if you look down towards the switch from the bottom of the windscreen with the bonnet open? (Looking down the gap behind the brake fluid reservoir).

I can't think of anything that would catch other than the spring or the wire attached to the switch. Have you tried pulling all the way round on the rubber seal or wiggling it up and down as you try to remove it? :?

Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:35 pm

rlutterb wrote: How do I remove the driver door switch on a 73SB without destroying it? The screw comes out but then the switch does not come out, seems to get caught?
Any tricks you can tell me? I don't want to put a screwdriver in there and pry it.

First of all, disconnect the negative battery terminal. If you haven't done that, do it NOW. The door light switch is hot at all times, and at least one of the terminals on the back of that switch can short to the door as you bring it out.

There are four wires on the back of that connector. Any one of which can be snagged on the metal itself, or one of the wires can be snagged on something else. You can see the back of the switch if you open the luggage compartment and look down into the door pillar. Unless you have really long arms, I don't know that you can reach it, but with a flashlight you should be able to see the back of the switch and the wires, and see if something's caught.

Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:45 pm

Be careful because they are very,very, fragile. The 4 wire drivers side is hard to find also. Jeff

Sat Oct 31, 2009 3:17 pm

the four wires connect to the switch perpendicular to the the direction that the switch enters the door jamb so they act as a hook when trying to remove the switch.

it requires a bit of maneuvering to get out smoothly, after you get the switch loose and are able to pull it out a small amount you have to start tilting it down to get it out the rest of the way.