Dimmer switch problem?

You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
something else?
Thanks.
Mark.

I had this same thing happen in a motorhome with a Ford Chassis.
There is a thermal switch within the switch that prevents overload on
the wiring, I would replace the switch, much easier than trying to
repair
it.

Kevin in Iowa
99XJ

TrailMarker wrote:
> You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> something else?
> Thanks.
> Mark.

The aftermarket dimmer switches are total garbage. The pricks don't
last me 2 years. I have gone through 3 since 2000 and the last one up
and quit on me last summer at 1:00 AM or so on the start of a 3000 mile
trip with a cop inspecting my lights while it happened! The one before
that quit when doing a light check just before another 2 week camping
trip.

I now have mine just cut right out and the wires spliced for low beams
with a button for my driving lights I use as high beams.

I am not sure I want to replace it with another junk part, I might just
go with a switched relay and a push button on the dash.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)


TrailMarker wrote:
>
> You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> something else?
> Thanks.
> Mark.

The thermal breaker is in the headlight switch, not in the dimmer on the
CJ's.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)


Kevin in Iowa wrote:
>
> I had this same thing happen in a motorhome with a Ford Chassis.
> There is a thermal switch within the switch that prevents overload on
> the wiring, I would replace the switch, much easier than trying to
> repair
> it.
>
> Kevin in Iowa
> 99XJ
>
> TrailMarker wrote:
> > You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> > switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> > if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> > So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> > switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> > good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> > something else?
> > Thanks.
> > Mark.

You can unplug the connector on that foot switch and the lights will go out
(happened to me once when I kicked it loose!). You might try cleaning the
contacts and make sure the connector is tight.

--
JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID, HEI
4.56 Gears, Lock-Right F&R
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines
D44 Rear, D30 Front. SOA
Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks
Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries

00' TJ Sport 4.0L, 5sp
4.56 Gears, TrueTrac rear
33" BFG AT on 15x8 Eagle Alloys
D35 Rear, D30 Front. 3" Suspension Lift
Warn X8000i

"TrailMarker" wrote in message...
> You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> something else?
> Thanks.
> Mark.
>

My money is on the dimmer switch itself.





"TrailMarker" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> something else?
> Thanks.
> Mark.
>

Ditto.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
http://www.billhughes.com/

Jeff Strickland wrote:
>
> My money is on the dimmer switch itself.

L.W.(Bill) Hughes III wrote:
> Ditto.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> http://www.billhughes.com/
>
> Jeff Strickland wrote:
> >
> > My money is on the dimmer switch itself.

The thermal switch is a self resetting circuit breaker,
no electrical problem was ever cured, by a larger fuse, in a fused
circuit!
nor a new thermal switch (which is part of the headlight switch)
it was stated in the 1st mess. that the lights went out, then came back
on.Too much load!plain and simple..find the problem.
75 CJ-5 original owner...

Gene wrote:
>
> L.W.(Bill) Hughes III wrote:
> > Ditto.
> > God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> > http://www.billhughes.com/
> >
> > Jeff Strickland wrote:
> > >
> > > My money is on the dimmer switch itself.
>
> The thermal switch is a self resetting circuit breaker,
> no electrical problem was ever cured, by a larger fuse, in a fused
> circuit!
> nor a new thermal switch (which is part of the headlight switch)
> it was stated in the 1st mess. that the lights went out, then came back
> on.Too much load!plain and simple..find the problem.
> 75 CJ-5 original owner...

The dimmer switch is the problem.

If it was the thermal breaker, the lights would continue to flash on and
off. Been there, more than once. This wouldn't 'only' happen while he
was hitting the dimmer switch.

Mine go bad 'exactly' as he describes.

'Real' easy to test, just put on the highbeams and watch. If the
breaker is going, it will start flashing for sure.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

I remember the feeling well.

You've got corrosion at the dimmer switch, either at the connector or
within the switch itself. I've had it happen on my `79 CJ5 a couple of
times. I let mine go for too long once and had a little smokey fire going
where the harness meets the connector -- a little scary at highway speeds.

The switch is easy to replace: two screws, perhaps driven into plastic
blocks set in the floor on yours, and a 3-wire harness connector.
Examine the connector carefully, clean/replace/rebuild as needed.
Wirebrushing away corrosion is only a stopgap fix because the rust comes
back now that the plating is gone. Pack the connector full of bulb grease
when you reassemble to slow the decay down. If you take the wires out of
the connector be sure to label them so you can put them back the right way
after lunch.

Because aftermarket electrical parts can be crappy, as Mike notes, buy the
best you can and figure on replacing the thing every couple of years.



On Wed, 8 Nov 2006, TrailMarker wrote:

> You know, when you're riding around after dark and you hit the dimmer
> switch to make the high beams come on, and lights just go out... even
> if only for a second or so... it can shake your nerves up a bit.
> So what would make an '85 CJ-7 act this way? Dirty/bad/corroded dimmer
> switch? Does anyone have experience with this? Is a switch cleaning a
> good starting point or would you recommend replacing it? Could it be
> something else?
> Thanks.
> Mark.
>
>

--
"I defer to your plainly more vivid memories of topless women with
whips....r"
R. H. Draney recalls AFU in the Good Old Days.