Rear Defroster Switch

[skuhler]

On my 86 Eagle SW, it looks like the defroster switch is broken off at the dash.  Would that have been a push button or a toggle?

[Prafeston]

It's a toggle.

[Prafeston]

[captspillane]

Good luck finding one that isn't broken. The toggle is a brittle black plastic with a big hole in the center for a clear plastic to light up from the bulb behind it. You're not alone with a broken one. It is very weak and more often broken than not.

To make replacement tricky the back of the toggle is a large assembly that I'm guessing includes a timer. If you put a steady on toggle on it will behave differently than the factory thought it should. I'm curious if leaving it on too long will damage the element strips across the window.

[vangremlin]

The toggle versions included both a relay and a timer.  The older push button versions were just that, a push button that led to a relay on the brake pedal support assembly.  They stayed on until you turned the car off.  I've been lucky enough to find a few of the toggle variety in the junk yards.  If you wanted to replace it with just an off the shelf toggle switch, I don't think the heating elements would get damaged, but I think you would need to put a relay in the circuit.

[Amc1320]

Hey Prafeston what model CB is that?

Did it fit right in the ash tray hole?

I really want to get a CB and I have been looking at the small ones with that same idea, but it looks perfect in your pic!

Rob

[Prafeston]

I have no idea on the CB, though I do recall a member talking about fitting a small CB in the ashtray hole. Not sure what if any modding/cutting needed done, but it sounded pretty simple! This was just a pic I snagged from Google Images that had a good shot of the toggles.

EDIT: I found the thread the image was snagged from.

http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=41988.0

[Amc1320]

Ok thanks, I can see its a Midland, maybe I can search some specs and see what they have

Now to just come up with a good handle......

[Prafeston]

I'd love to get a stock CB radio, but seeing as how even a used AMC CB Radio goes for over 300 on eBay that may never happen!

[IowaEagle]

If need be you can retrofit a Grand Wagoneer one in.  It is probably not as prone to breaking at the OE one.  http://www.teamgrandwagoneer.com/search.php?search_query=defogger&x=0&y=0

[skuhler]

Thanks for the info.  I thought it would just be a switch, it's interesting to know it's got a relay in it too!  Have you (or anyone) had any luck opening up the switch and changing out the plastic toggle piece?

[IowaEagle]

I think someone here has done that, successfully.  Perhaps they will chime in.   Yes, the switch contains the timer on the OE ones.

[vangremlin]

If need be you can retrofit a Grand Wagoneer one in.  It is probably not as prone to breaking at the OE one.  http://www.teamgrandwagoneer.com/search.php?search_query=defogger&x=0&y=0

Thanks for posting that link IE.  I'm not certain it would be a direct swap wiring-wise because they don't have a good picture of the back, but I'm sure it could be made to work.

Next time I'm at the junkyard I'll look at some defroster switches from various cars to see if any might work in an Eagle.

[skuhler]

I worked on it a little this morning to see if the switch even works.  I can rocker it up and the light behind the switch illuminates.  Once I release it, the light goes off.  Does that mean its working?  Should the light stay on as long as the timer is on?  I checked for voltage on the grid, driver's side, but I didn't get any. 

[1985amceagle]

The light should stay on until the timer shuts it off along with the grid.