hello everyone,

i am new here after trying a hundred times to log on after filling out the necessaries.......anyway i have a 1985 pickup 22re 1ton went thru electrical issues with lights,i pulled the stalk 5-6 times,things got worse initially,when i was trying to repair my bright lights not working "except in flash mode"aka pull the handle back.i spent weeks looking at forum remedies etc and i went thru all splices,manicured the contacts several times thinking that had to be it,pulled connections apart under column,u name it....when i had recleaned the contacts in the light switch "tested" all along but still no lights,i ended up losing low beams doing this when my problem was hi beam.anyway i went thru wiring system under hood pulled all splices that i could find on here,again" i made an account here few yrs ago never could make it happen but got it today after going back to my original sign up and trying again", so anyway i went thru all splices,went thru light switch stallk 4-5 maybe 8 times,finally after going thru all underhood harness checking splices etc,meticulously cleaning contacts in switch stalk i was left with one thing....the stalk at the tip where u grab and twist to get parking/headlights. the end plastic looks different from the stalk switch and u can even feel it with fingernail like u can pop the end out,not the case.,i poked and prodded,finally i put a drill with like 3/16" bit and drilled thru the end thinking i could stick a small screwdriver in and popit out,,not the case,it is made together,i ended up breaking the tip end out carefully with flathead screwdriver and i found a very small hard to remove snap ring,i finally got it out trying 1/8" flat screwdriver and snap ring removal tool with 90 degrees bits in the removal tool.between the two i finally got it out,tedious job!!...anyway behind there the contacts on the tip end copper bulges on tip end,below that closest to column are flat copper plates the bulges "tits" rub against and the piece with tits is spring loaded,small movemennt but u can move them apart with a 1/8" screwdriver or similar,take a piece of emery cloth peel it log ways 4-5" long about 5/8" 3/8" inch wide double it over,lift the spring loaded pieces apart slide it in,"the tits don't need this but the other side is recessed so it's hard to sand. "on the stalk once removed DO NOT spin the tip around there is a ball that u need to remove, be sure in a safe place,inside a cardboard box or something,don't lose that ball" but take it out. anyway my contacts were green,and there are a few,i think 3 contacts there,the spring loaded side is ur friend on this but you'll have to hold the unit between ur legs,turn the end back and forth,moving emery and tit togetther against the flat contact. on each copper flat piece the spring loaded tits for applied pressure against the contact.anyway,i spent alot of time but haven't spent a nickel,g'luck.....btw,i did lose my ball in the end not sure if there's a spring behind it,but i fixed my ball area up by drilling it out abit to bb size. bb in the original is very small,DON'T MAKE MY MISTAKE take it out......one more thing,once you have removed the snap ring holding innards i had hard time with getting out with 1/8 scr'driver and snap ring plliers,u have to flip the switch forward a click or two to get to slot that'll let it slide out,it's an alignment issue,and one mpre thing,DO NOT USE CONTACT CLEANER/BRAKE PARTS CLEANER/CARB etc on the stalk plastic,it'll bond together like pvc.....

 

Generally, and that's a great write up, don't get me wrong, but GENERALLY, once people figure out it's the stalk it's self, they just replace it. I don't think Toyota planned on us shade-tree mechanics taking it apart. Sure, cleaning the contacts that are out in the open, inside the steering column cover, is one thing, but beyond that, it's just a replacement item.

Still, great write up!
Thanks
Pat☺

 

thank you 2toy,i spent hours reading every post on this subject many were fixed free with many thank yous by readers....but i never saw this particular issue discussed, so i was posting for those who want to do it themselves for free for whatever reason,my particular case i just moved my shop to another location in another county and i had nothing but time to do this along with moving a business spending,spending,spending on the move and waiting to be even realized i'm here.it'll come in handy for someone,take care

 

i was just trying to convey an option and problem area that you can fix yourself.if you are skilled. If Thomas Edison was alive he'd shun you and pat me on the back

 

Yup, I think you're right. Tommy (I wonder if he was ever called that) would be proud.

I'm just lazy
Pat☺