Here I am

Headlight switch repair kit

Attention: TDR Forum Junkies
To the point: Click this link and check out the Front Page News story(ies) where we are tracking the introduction of the 2025 Ram HD trucks.

Thanks, TDR Staff

CC's and Rail Pressure

front end lift... or all?

Status
Not open for further replies.
My five month old headlight switch started to smoke on Thursday along with intermitent clearance light/IP light operation. Actually it turned out to be the wiring harness connector plastic getting hot. The two female spade connectors that service that circuit evidently corroded slightly and, because of the high current through the circuit, got very hot.

I was going to replace the headlight switch and plastic connector only (it is available from Dodge) but Fullerton Dodge had a "kit" to really fix the problem. It is p/n 4886449-AB (list $76. 50) and includes: A new headlight switch, the entire connector with wires pre-installed and shrink tubing.

The different thing is the female spade connectors and switch male connectors are chrome plated instead of just plain copper. This should help keep corrosion down so that no high resistance, with corresponding heat, causes problems.

You cut the old connector off and solder the "pigail" to the old wiring. The wire for the clearance light circuit is 14 GA on the new connector vs. 18 GA in the original.

It appears the connectors can be just as much at fault as the switch itself for the clearance light circuit problems.

The switch supplied in the kit is p/n 56021892 which is different from the stock 56021898.

------------------
'93 W350 Club Cab, Bright White, 5 sp. , 132K, Factory Options: LE, 4. 10 Limited Slip, 7600 lb. rear springs, tachometer, front stabilizer bar. Mods: Banks stinger plus, Linex bedliner, 25,000 lb gooseneck ball, 10,000 lb receiver, Tekonsha brake controller, POWER WAGON injectors-WAY faster than stock!.
 
Mark, I have heard of problems with the headlights switch on 1st Generation trucks burning out when carrying the additional electrical load generated from trailer or camper clearance lights. Is this headlight switch repair kit suppose to remedy this problem?

thanks,

John


------------------
93 D350 LE CC, Auto, 65,000 miles, All stock except beefed up rear springs, 94 11Z Elkhorn Camper
 
I think the best permanent fix for the headlight switch is to install a headlight relay, and an additional relay for the trailer electrical loads. If the headlight switch is used only to command a relay (or two) open or closed, you can reduce the amount of amperage flow through the headlight switch considerably. Less amps = less heat = longer switch life. Just my 2 cents, although I have not had any problems with mine yet.

------------------
89 D-250 LE 5 speed 3. 55 Limited slip, K&N, straight piped, Boost/Pyro. & 16cm2 215K and still going. 91 W-250 5 speed, 4. 10 Limited slip, 16cm2, 6" Skyjacker lift, RS9000, Dump bed, 18K original mi.
 
Mark (et al), You've done the same thing I just did, but sounds like you did it in one "kit" instead of two pieces like I did. About two years ago, my first switch burned up, but it was actually the pigtail portion that got hot and caused the fun smell. I have a '93 W350 with enough lights on it to need power from Grand Coulee Dam. I just replaced the pigtail with a "stock" unit from a local dealer (P/N 4728204 WIRE HEADL 8015002). The wires on this new pigtail are heavier guage than the smoked piece of crud I scalpled from deep under my dash, so they can handle a higher load, but that still does not solve our problem of the pigtail/switch interface having too much current through it.
Onward to my solution for the REAL #ad
problem! I'm installing (with the help of wiring diagrams supplied to me by Rick Dusch. . Thank you sir!)a relay kit under the hood for my headlights. I made the relay kit myself with parts supplied by my local Napa gods. This will also enable me to run higher output headlights in the very near future (Hellas with the H4 bulbs). Maybe I'll even use another relay to take the load from 25+ running lights off the switch.

Best luck,
Ken

PS: If anyone needs the wiring diagrams I got from Rick, email me at wrightplace@prodigy.net, and I'll forward them to you.

------------------
 
Hi Reoraider.

The fix I perfromed will not take care of EXTRA lights in the circuit. For that a relay is needed. Mopar sells a wiring harness for trailer towing that has a relay in it.
 
You can still get a harness from Mopar for trailer towing? Any idea what the part number is and what it includes?

------------------
'90 LE W250, 727, 3. 07, Line-X bedliner, 140k miles,
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top