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Reverse Light Switch

Reverse Light Switch

by Gnarly » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:51 pm
Anyone know how easy/hard this is to do on a late split box?

As much detail/pics would be appreciated, let me know what you know :wink:
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by Dipsy » Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:55 am
From factory it was only the 67 year model that had a reversing light. If your bus is late enough to have a reversing light blank, then it's a relatively simple job. I don't know when this was, but best guess would be with the 1500 engine.

The original way of wiring them is to take a fused feed off the coil, into the switch which just winds into the blank on the side of the box.

I've spent a while trawling the web for pictures that show the location of the switch, but every photo I can find is taken from the wrong angle :-( There are a few pics that 'might' help here

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/man ... ins/e3.php

along with details of a VW designed method that used a bracket that bolted onto the back of the shift rod and operated a switch screwed onto the vehicle 8O

The other option is to find one of the reversing light switches that goes on the back of the speedo and only makes a contact when the cable runs backwards. Have a look at this thread

http://www.ssvc.ukshells.co.uk/phpbb/vi ... highlight=

as the original poster has one and mentions he may be gettting rid of it. They're one of the easist ways to install, but the one downside is they only come on once you start moving backwards, and go off again when you stop, not when you select reverse.

Hope this helps.
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by wilgartw » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:12 am
thread hi-jack alert.

am i right in thinking that the switch screws into the gearbox. I have been thinking about this as i am thinking of fitting some parking sensors or a reversing camera. I have a type3 gearbox so i am guessing it may have the hole for the sensor.
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by Dipsy » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:15 pm
I only half finished my original post as I my PC was 'having a moment' It's now updated and finished.

wilgartw wrote:thread hi-jack alert.

am i right in thinking that the switch screws into the gearbox. I have been thinking about this as i am thinking of fitting some parking sensors or a reversing camera. I have a type3 gearbox so i am guessing it may have the hole for the sensor.

That's exactly it. There's a shoulder inside the g'box that pysically pushes the switch. Your Type 3 g/box should have the blank, if not a switch already.

I like the idea of using it for a parking sensor or reversing camera. 8)
I had a couple of ideas along those lines myself. R u going to be at Viccy farm? If so, we must talk :-)
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by paul_f » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:22 pm
wilgartw wrote:thread hi-jack alert.

am i right in thinking that the switch screws into the gearbox. I have been thinking about this as i am thinking of fitting some parking sensors or a reversing camera. I have a type3 gearbox so i am guessing it may have the hole for the sensor.
It screws into the nosecone, so when you put the split nosecone on you lose the provision to have reverse lights
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by Dipsy » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:35 pm
paul_f wrote:
wilgartw wrote:thread hi-jack alert.

am i right in thinking that the switch screws into the gearbox. I have been thinking about this as i am thinking of fitting some parking sensors or a reversing camera. I have a type3 gearbox so i am guessing it may have the hole for the sensor.
It screws into the nosecone, so when you put the split nosecone on you lose the provision to have reverse lights
Is that all gearboxes, paul, or just the type 3 one?
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by vwJim » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:48 pm
I've seen a switch on a splitty box, but can't remember who's..... I thought they aways went in the nose cone, but speaking to Alex, he thought they went in the body of the gearbox...? May be there's more than one sort?
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by BROOKSY » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:51 pm
They did go into the nose cone originally. I believe that the nose cones from Brazil have the fittings for a switch but have a blanking plug fitted. Mike
Image
http://www.cip1.ca/PhotoGallery.asp?Pro ... %2D205%2DH
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by ob » Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:58 am
I was under my bus the other day and happened to notice I have one fitted on what appears to be the orginal gearbox on a 65 us spec split but no evidence of how or if it was ever wired up . I thought it was odd at the time but never thought anymore about it.
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by wilgartw » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:30 am
ob wrote:I was under my bus the other day and happened to notice I have one fitted on what appears to be the orginal gearbox on a 65 us spec split but no evidence of how or if it was ever wired up . I thought it was odd at the time but never thought anymore about it.
was it in the nosecone?
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by Peter Good » Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:50 am
As a point of interest, and for those like me who have early gearbox's the original method of turning on the reversing light was a switch fitted to the speedo cable on the back of the dash panel pod. It operated by the direction of rotation of the front wheel via the cable. It's a while since I have seen one, just wondered if any still exist? Peter Good
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by lammyrider » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:04 pm
had a light over a year still havnt sorted out getting it working :roll:
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by ob » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:43 pm
yes the switch is in the nose cone near the front mounting point
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by paulbugman » Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:15 am
ob wrote:yes the switch is in the nose cone near the front mounting point
yep in nose cone as standard on ambulance`s as had to change the one on mine and you can get the switch from hertiage, i haven`t wired it up yet tho as too many other things to do
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Re: Reverse Light Switch

by steve pi » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:40 pm
Peter Good wrote:As a point of interest, and for those like me who have early gearbox's the original method of turning on the reversing light was a switch fitted to the speedo cable on the back of the dash panel pod. It operated by the direction of rotation of the front wheel via the cable. It's a while since I have seen one, just wondered if any still exist? Peter Good
I've got one of those on my van...I hope it still exists. :D
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