1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch
retrodaz
Posted 2020-06-16 11:59 AM (#599748)
Subject: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch


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Posts: 11

Hi, I have just noticed my back up lights aren’t working. I’ve traced the fault to the switch on the push button unit. It looks like the wire to the lights has snapped off at the switch and the previous owner disconnected the power feed as a result. Or I might find the switch is broken, I guess. So to fix it I’ll need to reconnect it to the power. To do this I’ll need to remove the push buttons and the push button unit itself to do that. The shop manual makes it sound simple.....

So there are two questions. The first is that the shop manual seems to say that the switch gets its power from the gas gauge. Have I got that right? Secondly, if I drop the push button unit from behind the dash, is that likely to knock the push buttons/cable out of adjustment or am I going to get away with simply putting it back again with no need for re adjustment?

Thanks in advance, these are beautiful cars - it’s great to have support keeping them running well!
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-06-16 2:31 PM (#599755 - in reply to #599748)
Subject: RE: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch



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I am guessing that your push button control shifter box looks much like this NOS one (below) with the reverse switch on the side of the mechanism. Pretty sure that the PN is 1704 234. There is one on eBay for a good price.

You can remove the shifter box from the dash without disturbing the shift cable connection. Remove the front plate and then the buttons. Then you will see two nuts that hold the shifter box into the dash. Use a long extension and 1/4" drive sockets (3/8" ??) and remove the nuts. Push the shifter box back and then down. Swap the switch out for a new one or repair it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1957-dodge-plymouth-auto-trans-back-up-lamp...



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retrodaz
Posted 2020-06-16 3:55 PM (#599759 - in reply to #599748)
Subject: RE: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch


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Posts: 11

Thanks, that is a super helpful reply, I will get on with the repair!
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-06-16 5:07 PM (#599760 - in reply to #599759)
Subject: RE: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch



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With the plates and the buttons removed, you will be looking at something like this (and the two nuts)



*IF* you want to remove the shifter box to repair or replace the reverse light switch, you could remove the cable from the shifter.
Just remember what position that it was in and put it back the same way.

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retrodaz
Posted 2020-06-17 2:32 PM (#599785 - in reply to #599748)
Subject: Re: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch


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Posts: 11

Thanks for those pictures. It looks to me like I can get the box out without taking the cable off. I had a good look under there today. I am going to drop the box this weekend.
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retrodaz
Posted 2020-06-21 11:56 AM (#599955 - in reply to #599748)
Subject: RE: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch


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Posts: 11

Success! I dropped the push button box out from behind the dash. On inspection the fault seemed to be with the wiring and not the switch. So I soldered then missing wire back on and re installed the push button unit. Once I’d reconnected the power the back up lights worked just fine. I will try and add some photos that show the switch and functioning lights if I can but I know adding photos here can be a bit tricky. Thanks again for your help, problem solved!
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56D500boy
Posted 2020-06-21 12:29 PM (#599957 - in reply to #599955)
Subject: RE: 1957 Plymouth Back Up Light Switch



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Good job! And inexpensive too!!

Posting photos is "easy" if you remember two things:

1. No iPhone .jpeg photos. Must be .jpg

2. Photos must be < 250 kB. 1024 x 768 is one size that works great. 1600 x 1200 is too big.

Good luck. Hope to see your photos.

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