The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I need to replace my switch assembly. Are there special screws to fix this to the steering column? thanks KC.

Shearbolts (A bolt, or setscrew to use the proper term,that has a hex head on it until it tightens up then the head snaps off leaving just the shaft), you need to either drill out the old ones or carefully cut a slot so you can use a screwdriver to remove it, you don't have to replace them with a shearbolt you can use a normal nut/ bolt. the idea of the shearbolt is too stop the crims taking the barrel off.

The lock and switch is attached to the column with shear off bolts....you do them up until the heads shear off making them harder for thieves to
remove.

Waste of time....any oik would just stick a large chisel in the lock and turn it anyway.

So cut a slot in the remains of the shear off bolt and undo it with a screwdriver. Impact type always works.

If you just need to change the switch it can be removed from the lock with it in place, but its fiddly. You need to undo 2 small cross head screws
and the switch pulls out of the lock quite easilly.

You can then either solder a replacement onto the loom tags or take it off with the loom, but you will need to unpick the column support bracket and cable guide
from the column to do that. Sometimes its easier to just take the whole column out and do it on the bench.

Jonners

I just replaced my ignition switch (thanks to Magenta Auto
Sprint) and found the job much easier with the column out.
I made a tool to compress the tangs on the terminals that
are inside the plug from a piece of 3/16 brake line. If the
column is on the bench, it is easy to fish the new wiring
through the channel.

I used a small screwdriver to to bend the tangs and pull the pins from the connector.
This was part of a repair to the lighting loom, all done from inside the car:

IMG_2700 by edindundee, on Flickr


IMG_2702 by edindundee, on Flickr