Directionals only??? .....

Hello all , is there an easy way:hammer: to have just the directional lights go on and headlight pods stay down when you hit the first position on the headlight switch?
on my '84 when you hit the first position the headlight pods come up , headlights off and the directional lights come on , second position turns on the headlights

thanks

I posted about this a while back

THIS POST may help you, but most of the photos are missing from the original post.

Here is the schematic to it. Also, HERE is a complete write-up with photos you can download.
At some stage, I'm going to try and make this an easier process for everyone.

Enjoy!

pods down

i think 83-84 had the ability to have the pods down when the running light are on.....maybe a switch from a strada. I had mine wired that way, several x's ago. age and spirits have diminished (fogged) my memory. altho, I will have look at my wiring schematics as I might switched the pods up power at the back of the switch to the headlight power.
I dunno
I will check and let all what I know (remember)
b brown's idea is awesome, but it looks complex for an electrical rookie.
mikemo90*aol.com

I've thought about altering the switch,

But that in itself presented problems. Number one being the removal of the switch. Lots of switches get dug up and ruined in the process.
Second issue is the wires. Being a diehard "insert it or forget it" type of person, I "could" design another circuit that would plug behind the headlight switch plugs, but access to those parts is not easy for the average do-it-yourselfer.

Which is why I designed it to plug into the fuse box. Easy access.
The trick there is to make a "plug" of sorts that mimic's the relay footprint.
Most folks can "gut" a relay to get that, and relay sockets can be had on the cheap. It's basically an "extension socket" with only 1 wire cut into a switch. Either a relay can make the connection (via headlight power) or another PB switch. I chose both for prosperity.
Pretty much it. Easy peasy.

If you're willing to cut a wire, you just cut one coming out out the relay on it's way to the headlight pods (don't have to do both, if one is inop, neither will work I believe), route it to a switch and then back again, effectively disabling the headlight motors. This is how it is in my car. So, pod switch off, turn on running lights, no pop up, turn on headlights, they shine on the ground, since the motors are disabled, turning on the pod switch at any time (running lights or headlights on) and they will pop up, they will only go down if you turn off all lights. Not ideal but at least you can drive around with running lights and not have your pods up. Be cool to control a bit more and even control one at a time to "wink", which has been done and documented, I remember reading.
In my case, the PO had installed TWO switches, one for each pod, even though you can't control them independently (he didn't know that I guess) I did not know this and was pulling my hair out truing to get the pods to work, then I happened to throw the right combination of switches and figured it out. The two switched made it worse since if even just one was off, neither pod functioned. At least that's how I remember it. I'll have to go look and see which wire you can 'intercept". If don't want to cut it you could probably pull it out of the relay and add in a switch.
I want to go back and do it Bob's way though!!
Any chance you still have those old pictures?

jvandyke said:

I want to go back and do it Bob's way though!!
Any chance you still have those old pictures?

Click to expand...

Yes, re-check my previous post. I have a download link to a .pdf that has the original post complete with photos.

FYI - The way I did it makes this system run IMO the way it should.

1st position = Driving lights on with headlights down,
2nd position = headlights up and on with pods still down.
Back to 1st position (from 2nd pos) = headlights off with pods up.
Off = headlights off and pods down.

Thanks Bob

will put that on the to do list

Bob, You Da Man...nt

NT

Bob, I don't understand your 2nd position statement.

1st position = Driving lights on with headlights down,
2nd position = headlights up and on with pods still down.
Back to 1st position (from 2nd pos) = headlights off with pods up.
Off = headlights off and pods down.


It makes sense to me if it's just "headlights up and on" but the "with pods still down" part is confusing.

Can you clarify, please?

mid79 said:

It makes sense to me if it's just "headlights up and on" but the "with pods still down" part is confusing.

Can you clarify, please?

Click to expand...

Yes, There are 3 positions to this switch. Specifically, this is the behavior AFTER my insertable mod.

1. Off. Everyone should know what position this is. Some might consider this "position 1".
2. 1st position - Considered the "middle" position, some might call it position 2 or the "running lights on only" position.
From the Off position to the 1st position, the running lights will go on but the headlights stay down.
3. 2nd position - Headlights on position. Some might call this position 3 or the "lights on" position.
From this position, the headlights will pop up. The pods stay up until you put the switch in the Off position.
This means if you go back to the middle position, the pods remain in the up position.

If this behavior were to change, say put the headlights down again when going back to the middle position from the "headlights on" position, I would have to add yet another relay to the mix.

Hope this better explains.

Yeah Bob, thanks! That's exactly why this mod...

has been on my "TO DO" list for the last 31 years...

headlights

I am putting in an 83 dash in my other 74. I will check my schematics and what I wrote down from that first install.....if I can find it....
pretty sure it was a strada switch, but back in the day, wire cutters and a lot of black tape got the job done.
aaaah to be young and stupid instead of OLD and stupid.:cry:
mikemo90*aol.com