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Projects Jamb switches

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by skinny pedal, May 2, 2018.

  1. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    can anyone direct me toward new dome light door jam switches for a 55 Chevy truck
     
  2. KJSR
    Joined: Mar 7, 2008
    Posts: 2,494

    KJSR
    Member
    from Utah
    1. Utah HAMBers

    Did it have jam switches? My 64 doesn't.......
     
  3. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    The old 55’ B076DE34-597E-4567-BAFC-030BD705429A.jpeg well, it has them now, but I don’t know if they were added sometime in the last 63 years. I know it does have a dome light that is stock.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  4. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    chryslerfan55 likes this.

  5. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Ok, good deal. Thank you sir. Also did the well inside the door come with a light there or was that added on mine later by someone?
     
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  6. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    As I said above, "just a guess" on the jamb switch. I'm not a truck person But what I mentioned about Truck's being under built for comfort is true. That much I know. @squirrel here on the HAMB I'm sure will clear things up for very well for you in regards to the lights you have in question.
     
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  7. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Yessir, I’ve spoken a few times to wise squirrel, I wish I had his knowledge. Thanks for taking the time.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  8. Picture of the switch you need would help. Almost sure the light in the well is addon.
     
  9. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    F7002E66-5944-4611-A4D3-AC7C9D0F5BC9.jpeg 5669F004-A5A4-4EB4-8B73-79B7001E9684.jpeg
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    This is the switch, the light and the new gauge cluster I put in yesterday, any thoughts on it? I know it isn’t ideal but I do like the additional information it gives that the stock cluster didn’t.
     
  11. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    That switch looks purpose made (oe or is it aftermarket?)because of recess in the jamb. The ones I posted won't work because pin will not reach the door correctly.
    [​IMG]
     
  12. That's not GM jamb switch. Is that an automatic trans GMC
     
  13. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Maybe I can just rebuild the existing switch. Yes it’s a th350 it’s not a gmc truck though. It’s just my sons and my project truck we work on together because it’s a great bonding project.
     
  14. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

  15. Dan in Pasadena
    Joined: Sep 11, 2009
    Posts: 867

    Dan in Pasadena
    Member

    They never had them.
     
    squirrel likes this.
  16. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Was it the headlight switch that turns on the dome light then? I’ve rotated mine and nothing happens.
     
  17. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    the headlight switch has the dome light switch in it, you turn it all the way to the left. That provides ground to the dome light, through the white wire.

    they usually don't work.
     
  18. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    I guess a guy could wire in a toggle to provide the ground and just leave it at that, but I would like to have it come on when I open a door is the reason I was asking. A couple guys told me the trucks never had jam switches (bummer). Mine has some that someone installed through the years, I like the idea and would like to get them working again.
     
  19. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,934

    squirrel
    Member

    I would try the taking it apart thing...or maybe test the switch and see if it works, using an Ohm meter. Although first it would be good to understand how the switch and dome light are wired. The original wiring is a black/white two conductor zip cord from the dome light, to the light switch. The black wire connects to the same terminal the brake light switch connects to, which gives it power. The white wire connects to the dome light switch terminal, which is at the end of the dash light rheostat. This terminal gets grounded when you turn the knob all the way to the left.

    If the door jamb switch has only one wire going to it, and it's connected to the white wire, then it is probably wired up properly. You'd need to check the voltage on the black wire, and see if touching the white wire to ground will make the dome light go on. It could have a bad bulb, or the wrong bulb, or the wire could be cut, or it could be connected wrong at the light switch, or the circuit breaker in the light switch could be bad, or ......the list goes on and on.

    fun stuff
     
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  20. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Well maybe I’ll just leave it be for now, when the cruising season is over I’m going to re wire the truck with an American auto wire kit. While I’m doing that I’ll sort the dome light mystery. I’ll look at the stuff you mentioned just to see if one of those things will work. Thanks for the help, it’ll get me started in the right direction.
     
  21. My OG dome light was 1 wire, the housing/bracket was the ground. With the new harness I had to go 2-wire for the dome light. Worst part was snaking the new wire up the a-pillar. On real old cars, some of the HL switches didn't support a dome light or dash light dimming.
     
  22. Rich S.
    Joined: Jul 22, 2016
    Posts: 296

    Rich S.

  23. Terrible80
    Joined: Oct 1, 2010
    Posts: 785

    Terrible80
    Member

    To me it looks like someone added the jamb switches with the well lights.

    Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    squirrel likes this.
  24. Shamus
    Joined: Jul 20, 2005
    Posts: 1,247

    Shamus
    Member
    from NC

    When U rewire with the American Auto Wire harness, have them add an under dash courtesy light harness. I have one in my 1st series '55 truck, a previous '56 truck, my 2 Chevelles, Camaro & '34 Ford roadster (it works off of the headlight switch), your significant other will love it. I believe it's an accessory add on to most of their harnesses.
     
  25. And I believe the A AW kit comes with a new headlight switch.
     
  26. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Thanks for all the help, I’m pretty excited to get the A Aw kit. When I first got the truck it had a bird nest in there just begging to catch fire, since then I’ve gotten all that out from under the dash with the exception of the bare minimums. I feel safer when me and my son or wife go for drives, that it won’t end in roasting marshmallows around the camp fire that was our truck.
     
  27. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Back in my high school auto shop student days I ended up wiring dome (interior) lights on several old trucks putting in the switches and the light. The shop teacher had me do one for someone and that one led to another and another.
    As Jim and maybe a few others said, the door jamb switches are usually with one wire that goes to ground to ground the lights. There are some that have two wires that complete the circuit and are part of more complex wiring setups. The one wire to ground setups are about as simple as you can get. Hot wire to the light that isn't grounded and ground wires running to the switches.
     
  28. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

  29. skinny pedal
    Joined: Dec 23, 2016
    Posts: 90

    skinny pedal

    Yup I like simple, simple is good. I like roll up windows. I think just gonna run a ground loop through the door. Will that mean the headlight switch won’t work ( if I ever get it to work in the first place)?
     

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