Reverse Light Switch

[AustHaflinger]

Having replaced a number of oil seals and rubber boots, as well as shocks and a few other things my Haffie has all four wheels on and is running. No oil leaks . By the sound of the noise in the drive train I am not convinced all bearings are Ok but I have nothing to compare it with as I haven't driven another Haffie - certainly has more bearing noise than my Landrover 101 and you can hear every ball bearing turning in it - but it does run so we will wait and see.

I need to sort out some basic electrical issues, number plate light does not work, blinkers stop when main beam headlamps are turned on, left headlight glows but not at full brilliance - these are most likely poor earths and should be easy to fix.

The main issue is the reversing light does not work. I have found the relevant components on the wiring diagram but cannot find the activating switch in real life. It should be on the gearbox somewhere but I cannot find it and I cannot find it in the parts manual.

So - can someone point me in the right direction on where to find the reversing light switch.

Thanks

Garry

[pathfinder700ap]

On the gearbox, you find that "tower". The long gearstick that goes all the way from front to the rear of the vehicle ends right there. On this "tower" housing right below the top cover, you should find the switch for the reverse light. It is actuated when the gearlever is brought into the R position and hence the long gearstick is pushed backwards.

Regards,
Constantin

[AustHaflinger]

Constantin - that is the sort of position that I was expecting to find the switch but I cannot locate it and there are certainly no "wires" connected to it.

Here are some pics of mine - what do you think? maybe the tower is off an earlier model that did not have the switch.





Thanks

Garry

[walderse]

Garry,
Your tower was cast capable of having the reverse switch mounted (the flat faced boss with the round lower edge) but it has not been drilled and tapped for the switch. Earlier castings did not have that flat boss present. If memory serves me correctly, the threads for that boss are M14-1.5 but do not hold me to that. I have only seen the back-up switch on one transmission. It was on a 1972 North American US Pathfinder. I can check on the exact measurements including the switch dimensions if you would find this helpful.

Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

[AustHaflinger]

Thanks Jim.

Here is a pic of the light - note the extra pressing in the engine door for the reversing light. I checked all my pics of Haffies and I have only one pic of a haffie with the same rear door and that is Pathfinder. It also has the same light fitting.



Clearly the light is suppose to work and is wired up but the switch is not where it is supposed to be so maybe something else has been rigged up. I think I need to follow the wires back from the light or work from the fuse box and see what I find - unfortunately the "white" wire that the light is connected too disappears into a plastic protective cover along with a lot of other engine bay wiring.

Cheers

Garry

[AustHaflinger]

The North American Pathfinder wiring diagram (the only one I have) has an orange wire feeding to the reversing light but my vehicle has a white wire. Having a look underneath to see if I can see any other switching device I noticed a white wire hanging down mid way along the chassis - hmmm logic says they are the same wire so I connected 12v to the wire to see if it came out at the wire in the engine bay - nope, nuffin but because it is dark here I see the low fuel light has come on and the ignition is not on - so it would seem the wiring for the low fuel light needs looking at.

Maybe it will be just simpler to take the reversing light out, put a plate over the hole, paint it up and hope I can bluff my way through the roadworthy process. In Aust there should be a compliance plate on the vehicle but mine does not and it has passed registration requirements before.

Garry

[pathfinder700ap]

Hi Garry,

Jim has already given the correct answer: The switch is missing on your gearbox.
There exists one more possibility: There are switches which are plugged inbetween the speedo and the speedo cable. When the speedo cable is changing the direction of rotation, the switch is actuated. You could have a look and see if you find something like that behind your dashboard.

Regards,
Constantin

[AustHaflinger]

Thanks Constantin - just checked and there is nothing at the back of the speedo. I spoke to the previous owner who owned my Haffie from 2004 until last Aug/Sep and he does not recall seeing the reversing light working so who knows.

Cheers

Garry

[walderse]

Garry,
Constantin mentioned an in-line speedometer cable reversing switch. While I can't say I have ever seen one in person, I did do a little investigating and found some interesting information. Hella made a switch with the label "71/21 Tachowellenschalter". Input and output threads are M18-1.5. Further investigation shows that Hella made a unit for VW. The VW p/n is 271 941 521 A and the Hella designation is 71/21-5. I do not have the specifics on the thread size/pitch for the VW unit. Here is a link to just one source.

http://auto.ricardo.ch/kaufen/fahrzeugz ... 701827540/

Using one of these in-line units would seem to be the mose simple way of getting a functional reverse light with the least amount of hassle. I plan to investigate this further as a option for some of our other trucks.

Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

[ogdenenterprise]

I found these photos on Goatwerks /photobucket/transmission. site, is this the switch for the reversing light ?
Dave.

[AustHaflinger]

Garry,
Constantin mentioned an in-line speedometer cable reversing switch. While I can't say I have ever seen one in person, I did do a little investigating and found some interesting information. Hella made a switch with the label "71/21 Tachowellenschalter". Input and output threads are M18-1.5. Further investigation shows that Hella made a unit for VW. The VW p/n is 271 941 521 A and the Hella designation is 71/21-5. I do not have the specifics on the thread size/pitch for the VW unit. Here is a link to just one source.

http://auto.ricardo.ch/kaufen/fahrzeugz ... 701827540/

Using one of these in-line units would seem to be the mose simple way of getting a functional reverse light with the least amount of hassle. I plan to investigate this further as a option for some of our other trucks.

Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

Thanks Jim.

That would seem a pragmatic way to achieve a result but unfortunately I don't believe it would be acceptable to Australian registration authorities as the vehicle specifications state:

"The lamp shall be continuously lighted when and only when the gear selector is in the reverse position and the ignition is on or the engine is running .........."

I have looked at some of the other rules and the Haffie fails in many areas as well, such as no 2 speed wipers, no windscreen washers on my vehicle (I am putting some in), no internal rear vision mirror (got a stick on one), no demister, no anti-burst door locks etc on rules that were introduced in 1972. Clearly Haflingers were made and registered in Aust past that date right up until production ceased and did not meet many of the ADR requirements so maybe there is an exemption somewhere that I have not found.

Dave - thanks for the pics - that looks like it. Does your haffie have a reversing light?

Cheers

Garry

[walderse]

Dave,
The switch shown in the Goatwerks photos is the one. Its plunger is contacted as the gear shift lever is moved forward and to the left translating to rearward and counterclockwise motion of the long shift shaft entering the shift tower. Suffice it to say...it works well.

Garry,
Not sure what to do about the burst-proof door handles issue. I know there are other Haflingers licensed for road use in Australia and I am unsure about your process of vehicle inspections. I can see that the speedometer cable switch would be problematic in that the light would not be on when stationary. Another option would be to wire a generic motorcycle brake light switch to your reverse light and then mount it so that only actuated when the gearshift lever was in the reverse position. There is already a small "L" shaped bracket held in place by the M7 bolt on the bottom of the shift lever shaft. There should be ample locations on the underside of the tub to attach the switch body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2N_RTYF200

The two speed wiper issue could be handled with a three position switch (either push-pull or toggle/lever type) and havig one circuit include a resistor to slow the motor slightly.

Best wishes as your work through all the details of your list.

Take care.

Jim Molloy
Waldersee Farm
http://www.northwestmogfest.com

[AustHaflinger]

Thanks Jim - you are correct though that there are plenty of Haffies registered that do not have these requirements - I think it comes down to the classification of the vehicle under the Australian Design Rules as there are different rules (implementation dates) for commercial vehicles vs passenger vehicles and with the passenger vehicles there are more categories. Most passenger vehicle requirements started to be implemented from the late 60s and include most of those I have mentioned above - however within the passenger category there is one that says that Forward Control vehicles of less than 8 passenger capacity do not have to comply until 1985 - so I am now assuming that the Haflinger is in that category.

I might rig up your suggestion with a motor cycle brake switch.

I have got some bigger issues just at the moment as I took the Haffie for a longer drive an an oil leak has appeared from the front diff that was not there before . The drips are from the bottom but it is not clear where the source is.

Cheers

Garry

[AustHaflinger]

I am going to take the reversing light out and put in a blanking plate and try to bluff my way through MOT. Later I will put in a motorcycle brake switch in - but then as I only have to go through MOT once as long as I keep the vehicle registered in the same jurisdiction I may not worry about it.

Cheers

Garry

[Rick K]

Hi Garry

Have you had a chance to get the Wagenstammkarte from Haflinger Technik yet and able to get the manufacturing date? The reason I ask is that if your Haflinger was built prior to May 1972, the Australian Design Rules wont apply.

Ive bought and sold a few Series II Haflingers and thus far the only ones that I have seen fitted with the reversing light is my Pathfinder 700APT, which was first sold in 1975/76 (and which by the way was never fitted with an ADR compliance plate and I managed to get it registered here in NSW). Ive attached some photos-you can see a circular pressing where the reverse light was later fitted. Perhaps your rear engine door is from a later model if your gearbox is not fitted with the switch, or conversly your gearbox is non-original. The wagenstammkarte will help you determine that.

I would also blank it off as you have suggested, hoping that this wont be an issue for MOT. I hear the ACT authorities are not as brutal as those in NSW, so one blessing for living in Canberra!

good luck

Rick

[pathfinder700ap]

Hi Rick,

do you think that the 1974 SWB with full canvas used to have a reverse light at some stage? Is the switch on the gearbox?

Kind regards,
Constantin

[AustHaflinger]

Hi Garry

Have you had a chance to get the Wagenstammkarte from Haflinger Technik yet and able to get the manufacturing date? The reason I ask is that if your Haflinger was built prior to May 1972, the Australian Design Rules wont apply.

Ive bought and sold a few Series II Haflingers and thus far the only ones that I have seen fitted with the reversing light is my Pathfinder 700APT, which was first sold in 1975/76 (and which by the way was never fitted with an ADR compliance plate and I managed to get it registered here in NSW). Ive attached some photos-you can see a circular pressing where the reverse light was later fitted. Perhaps your rear engine door is from a later model if your gearbox is not fitted with the switch, or conversly your gearbox is non-original. The wagenstammkarte will help you determine that.

I would also blank it off as you have suggested, hoping that this wont be an issue for MOT. I hear the ACT authorities are not as brutal as those in NSW, so one blessing for living in Canberra!

good luck

Rick

Thanks Rick - no I do not have the Wagenstammkarte (been a bit slack in that regard). I have now sent an email to Haflinger Technik.

My data plate just has 73 as the built date and the old rego sticker (the vehicle was technically registered in Tas up to Jan this year) has the build as 01/73 but I know that they pick 01 as the build date month when they do not have the month. Mine does not have a compliance plate and when I spoke to the previous owner last week he said it did not have one - there are no holes where it would have been pop rivetted. I agree not such an issue - my Landrover FC 101 which is an Aussie vehicle and was built in 77 also does not have a compliance plate and I had no issues. My 71 Jag also does not have one but was a private import.

I suspect the gearbox may have been changed though the chassis number stamped on the casing is the correct one for the vehicle.

In some respects things are a bit easier in the ACT than NSW as all I need is a roadworthy certificate however if I have to take to the vehicle to the ACT Government checking station things will be more difficult.

I was hoping to get a roadworthy done tomorrow but I only just realised that the orange LED parking lights that a previous owner put on would be illegal colour wise so spent a lot of today chasing white Hella replacements and when I finally found them they were $67 each so then went to Supercheap and got two for $19 with my Supercheap discount card. So tomorrow is adjust up the brakes (I hope this will also help with the handbrake which is marginal even though the cable is adjusted up fully), put the LEDs on and put the front bash plate on to hide the oil leak from the front left swing arm fulcrums and try for a roadworthy on Friday.

Two nights ago I loaded the Haffie into my box trailer and took it for its first test drive as a unit- all went Ok but to be completely legal I will have to put some brakes on the trailer though is really not an issue towing with my Range Rover or 101.

Cheers

Garry