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Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:21 am

one went on ebay this morning for 40 odd dollars, so they do come up. price was a steal. how much is a good used switch worth?

Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:23 am

Anyone know offhand how many wires to this switch? I tend to see them advertised as "7-wire" or "8-wire" or whatever.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:28 am

No regular vendor will have it. These are out there but you need to dig for it. I spent the better part of a month looking and found two or three when I needed it.

Great part of the search was I didnt realize till later that I got the special one needed for the headlight washers. It has a fourth position for this. So when I get to the wiring in my 74, Ill either hook up a headlight washer system or just use it for an electric water pump for the windshield. 8)

Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:41 am

I wondered what that lowest wiper position was for!

But I was thinking about classified venders. Seems many advertise how many wires it has but don't say for sure what year(s) it fits.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:46 am

vwwestyman wrote: I wondered what that lowest wiper position was for!

But I was thinking about classified venders. Seems many advertise how many wires it has but don't say for sure what year(s) it fits.

I dont think these people know or realize what it is. It makes seance that they would be whats left nos after all these years. Imagine how many people had said no not that one - it has to many wires.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:07 pm

5 wire

look for the paddle on the switch. pretty distinctive compared to other years.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:21 pm

Ives676 wrote: Has anyone modified or tried a earlier or later switch? The 211-953-509h switch is impossible to find.
You have to think globally - I found two here in Europe in under a minute via google. In addition one sold on a well known European auction site today, the exact one as pictured above by alman72.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:26 pm

vwed wrote: Ives676 wrote: Has anyone modified or tried a earlier or later switch? The 211-953-509h switch is impossible to find.
You have to think globally - I found two here in Europe in under a minute via google. In addition one sold on a well known European auction site today, the exact one as pictured above by alman72.
be a pal and post some links for those in need.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:49 pm

Any links to theses turn signals would be appreciated.

I have seen a couple for sale from outside the US. I'm not paying 160 pounds plus shipping for a turn signal switch. The other few I have seen in the US were over $300 plus shipping. And they are used parts so they could break or be broken already.

I have reached out to several people parting out vehicles within the classifieds. Out of about 15 messages sent I have received only a handful of replies with no luck. I might buy an early switch to see if I can tweak it as I wait for one to become available.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:50 pm

vwed wrote: Ives676 wrote: Has anyone modified or tried a earlier or later switch? The 211-953-509h switch is impossible to find.
You have to think globally - I found two here in Europe in under a minute via google. In addition one sold on a well known European auction site today, the exact one as pictured above by alman72.
Yes, I lifted these from Ebay. they are excellent pics it the golden switch.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 3:06 pm

How can I bench test these switches? black to brown continuity on each side? what about the high beam?

Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:22 pm

alman72 wrote: How can I bench test these switches? black to brown continuity on each side? what about the high beam?
I test them as follows:
High beam - connect negative from power source to brown earth wire from switch. Connect positive from power source to brown and white stripe wire from switch. Move stalk upwards in central position to make circuit.
For indicators, looking down on switch from above ( in other words with the logos on the paddle facing upwards, same as your eBay picture) - move the stalk in an anticlockwise direction, connect negative from power source to black/white wire from switch. Connect positive from power source to green/white/black wire from switch to make circuit.
Move stalk in clockwise direction, negative from power source to black/green wire from switch. Positive from power source to green/white/black wire on switch to make the circuit.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 4:35 pm

Ives676 wrote: Any links to theses turn signals would be appreciated.

I have seen a couple for sale from outside the US. I'm not paying 160 pounds plus shipping for a turn signal switch. The other few I have seen in the US were over $300 plus shipping. And they are used parts so they could break or be broken already.

I have reached out to several people parting out vehicles within the classifieds. Out of about 15 messages sent I have received only a handful of replies with no luck. I might buy an early switch to see if I can tweak it as I wait for one to become available.
Supply and demand I'm afraid.
10 years ago I found six of these switches, NOS, in their SWF boxes in an old dealers in Amsterdam. Sold them for £25 each (you do the maths on the rate with the dollar) but then they were still available from VW so had to undercut their price.
Fast forward to 2016 and I found another 3 NOS ones, sold them on here for £100 each. However, I guess we've all got stories like that!
Right, you've got to do some work yourself and it's late here in the UK and I need to crash out. So type into google "VW 211 953 509 H"
Halfway down the first page is an ad from Aircooled Museum Boutique for a NOS one.
Go onto the second page and near the bottom click onto the EVAM Classic link. He's a Dutch dealer name of Etienne, top man.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 5:27 pm

check out this. 72, 5 wire. would the housing mate to the wiper side housing to complete a 73 setup? it has the right wire colors. weird, some 72s have more than 5 . ebay right now,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VWC-211-953-513-G-TURN-SIG...1935895352
if anyone has a 72 housing they can measure, I can compare to my 73 wiper side to see if it would work.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 7:17 pm

I may have said in this thread before. My electrical portion of the switch works. I just would like the lever to stay in position, then self cancel.

So if anyone knows if those plastic bits to make that work can be lifted from an early switch, that would be super helpful info!

Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:21 pm

Funny this should come up. I worked on a friend's 73 recently that had a broken switch. Couldn't find one, so I cannabalized a NOS one for a 70 bus by opening it up and taking out some little pieces from it and the broken switch to make one working one. It works really well now. You just have to open up both to see what you can work with, at least I did anyway.

Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:30 pm

tootype2crazy wrote: Funny this should come up. I worked on a friend's 73 recently that had a broken switch. Couldn't find one, so I cannabalized a NOS one for a 70 bus by opening it up and taking out some little pieces from it and the broken switch to make one working one. It works really well now. You just have to open up both to see what you can work with, at least I did anyway.

Very cool thanks for this.

Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:46 am

tootype2crazy wrote: Funny this should come up. I worked on a friend's 73 recently that had a broken switch. Couldn't find one, so I cannabalized a NOS one for a 70 bus by opening it up and taking out some little pieces from it and the broken switch to make one working one. It works really well now. You just have to open up both to see what you can work with, at least I did anyway.
you, sir, are a surgeon. I opened one up and watched bits and pieces pop out to be lost to the garage floor. any chance you took a pic of how things went together? there was a small copper cylinder that was the monkey that beat me.
I still think the 5 wire 72 with no paddle would maybe bolt right on.

Tue Feb 28, 2017 7:25 am

Would you have to switch out the whole steering column to a later year to be able to use the late '74-79 style switch?

Tue Feb 28, 2017 10:19 am

Ives676 wrote: Would you have to switch out the whole steering column to a later year to be able to use the late '74-79 style switch?
i believe so.
the mounting and electrical connections are completely different.

a 72 switch would be a direct replacement, although aesthetically different.
the 68-71 switch looks the same as the 72 but is electrically different.
the electrical difference has to do with the shared brake light/turn signal.