- This topic has 7 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated July 25, 2006 at 5:52 pm by
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Good Question. I lived with the same issue for years, but after reinstalling my ignition switch last night (after refinishing my dash) I believe I have the answer.
My ignition switch has a chrome bezel that screws on from the outside of the dash and a nut on the backside (behind the dash). The bezel will only go on so far before it bottoms out on the switch. The nut on the back side can be adjusted/tightened to give you the desired fit.
Hope this helps! -
I just went through this last week on my car. There is a third component on the original setup to keep the switch from spinning: it is a square “washer” that fits into the dash’s backside recess. The washer’s center hole has a flat spot that matches the one on the switch’s threaded barrel. The backside nut adjusts the depth. The flat spot along with the square shape of the washer keeps the barrel from spinning.
The aftermarket dashboard did not have the depth to let me use all three components. With the washer alone the chrome bezel ends up flush with the front of the switch. On an original dashboard there is plenty of depth for all three components. The aftermarket dash forced me to make the decision of which part to leave out.
Cheers, Gilles
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I made a tool that fits the slots in the chrome bezel out of a 3/8″ steel pipe coupling, a 3/8″ x 2″ long nipple and a 3/8″ tee. I can tighten the other switches by placing the toggle through the hole of the coupling.
I cut the coupling on one end to give me two tabs that fit into the slots on the bezel. This way I can tighten the bezel without damaging it.
I also made a piece from a star washer that would cover about 1/4 of the switch shaft. This keeps the switch from turning when I tighten the bezel, and also when I turn the key in the switch.
The depth of the bezel and nut assembly must be set correctly no matter what.
Fred Baum
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I have the oe dashboard and oe switch (yes its old and key can be pulled out with the car on but its all original). I didn’t see the square nut you are talking about but the big (around 1″) nut on the switch sits into the recess on the back of the dash and cannot be reached with a wrench. Are you saying they should be a square nut that would set it flush with the recess?
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If you inspect the threaded part of the switch you should see a flat spot. The square washer fits the recess in the back of the dashboard and its center hole has a matching flat spot to the switch’s. The one inch nut adjusts the depth of fit so the bezel ends up flush with the switch at the front and the square washer keeps everything from spinning. In my car, this washer is cleanly stamped out so it appears that it was part of the original assembly and not some retro-fit. This is an original switch with Rootes keys.
If your problem persists it would be relatively easy to make the washer out of a piece of sheet metal. I think that this is the sure fire way to keep your switch from spinning. As you say, the switch’s nut cannot be reached with a wrench so it is adjusted by fitting and removing the switch until proper fit is achieved. I would think that at some time in the last forty years someone must have pulled out your switch and omitted replacing the washer on refitting.
My former Alpine had an aftermarket switch that needed re-tightening every time the car was hard to start. I learned to be gentle on the switch, something I never worry about with the Tiger…
Cheers, Gilles
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