7

I am about to take me ute to get a "safety" certificate so that I can get it registered (QLD, Australia) and I have one issue left that is still a possible problem.

The switch that operates the reversing lights isn't working. Or more specifically the bit in the transmition that activates the switch isn't working as I have replaced the switch for a new one and know it is correct.

The gearbox seems fine aside from that, and the switch works as expected if disconnected and activated manually. I don't have the money, time or skill to pull out the engine and gearbox etc.

I want to know what the next best way to create a reverse switch is. I am thinking a push switch correctly positioned near the gear shifter so that it gets pushed when in reverse. Is there any other way it can be done that would be reliable?

Edit : Apparently we can't be trusted here to operate a manual switch. It seems from what I can find that it must be switched automatically when put in reverse.

Tim
  • 465
  • 2
  • 8
  • 17

4 Answers4

2

Thanks to some helpful people here and on the Australian 4wd forums and a local gearbox repair place I have found a solution.

Apparently the gearbox the the MJ Triton uses a ball bearing above the reverse switch. The gearbox pushes it down (pushing the switch) when in forwards gears which opens the circuit and turns the lights off. In reverse it lifts up and closes the circuit which turns the lights on.

Personally I think that's an absolutely stupid way of doing things but that seems to be the way it works.

Tim
  • 465
  • 2
  • 8
  • 17
2

I had the same problem.. but when i shoved the gear shifter into reverse hard and shook it hard it flashed. So what i had to do was take my dremmel and grind the part of the switch base below the threads down to allow the threads to screw further into the transmition. I took off about an 1/8 of an inch and Now everything works as advertised.. :-)

Micheal Scott
  • 21
  • 2
1

As an alternative, you could make a mounting bracket for a push-to-make switch somewhere on the gearshift surround at the base of the gear lever in the cabin and wire the reverse lights to that. That way it would engage when the shift lever was pushed into the reverse position and wouldn't be a manual switch.

Steve Matthews
  • 23,464
  • 2
  • 41
  • 92
0

What are the rules about reversing lights in Aus? Over here it is quite permissable to have a manually operated reversing light, as long as it is not used when the vehicle is moving forward - i.e. You simply have a switch somewhere near the gearstick that you flick on when you pop it in reverse.

Nick C
  • 28,941
  • 8
  • 56
  • 109