Original Heater Switch is rebuildable

I thought my heater switch was toast. The truck came to me with a toggle switch working for the heater, it only blew direct when flipped on. In the box'o'parts that came with my k1 was a heater switch.


My original heater switch did not move freely. It was covered in rust.

I wired it up and the switch itself started to heat up, turned it on and it smelled like burning. Totally fried I though.

Today I decided to open it up.

There are three tabs on the back holding the porcelain to the steel. I gently bent the tabs back. There are two spring loaded copper connections, a copper face plate and the copper light bulb connection that all need to be cleaned.

My entire switch was full of oil, dust grime and corrosion. With just a little contact cleaner, steel wool and a wire brush my switch was working as good as new in a few moments.

There are little springs in there so don't let them scatter.

Hope this helps

I had my original switch soaking in vinegar for a couple weeks. I removed it a week ago and everything is clean and freed up. I removed the bulb, removed the fuse. The knob turns freely. It cleaned up really well. The plate has a piece missing. Just one more thing to list in my inventory of K model parts I don't need.

I've been "rebuilding" switches since my early teens when i was into electronics and discovered some things...
Now I use CRC electric motor cleaner and/or CRC electronic cleaner but back then I used my dad's lighter fluid to clean the crud. An ink eraser works wonders to clean contacts,steel wool works pretty good too. I try to avoid anything that leaves score marks,they tend to get dirty faster. If contacts are worn down they can be built up with solder. If you break off one of those @#%& tabs,clean the case good and find a piece of suitable metal,cut to size and solder in place and badda bing,you have a new tab. If you loose one of the springs,get a cheap slide switch and rob it from that,they're likely to be about the same size. The local ACE hardware has small drawers with all types of springs so that might be another source(?). Those drawers are really worth going thru,they have all kinds of good stuff in them.