Late Spitfire 1500 Cigar lighter removal

[RoyBlunt]

Is there some special trick to removing the cigar lighter socket from the wooden dashboard?   I've released the passenger side dashboard from the fascia but can't remove the cigar lighter socket - it just goes round and round in the mounting hole and doesn't push out.  Don't want to use too much force for fear of damaging the veneer.

Thanks,

Roy

 

[Pete Lewis]

doesnt the outer unscrew from the inner hence the threads showing  only hand tight to make the thing grip the timber facia 

Pete

[NonMember]

Yep, the outer should unscrew from the inner. It's not obvious as they're such thin pressed tin but that's the idea.

[PeteH]

Hi

As per; and "pigs" to unscrew. Suggest you try Pushing the Front back against the Dash with the flat of hand, a Non slip Glass/Gardening glove helps. And unscrew the back. It that does not work you will be hard pushed to get it out without damage.

Ask how I know,?. I took one out of an American R-V circa; 2012. It was too damaged to put back but I saved the Dash panel!.

Pete

[Jeffds1360]

Roy, if you jam your finger down the centre,  twist, it screws out like this picture... note the wire rotates too!

[PeteH]

6 minutes ago, Jeffds1360 said:

Roy, if you jam your finger down the centre,  twist, it screws out like this picture... note the wire rotates too!

The operative word being "should". I reckon some American strong man fitted mine!. I think there is likely a "tool" of the type made by Factory Workers to assist their fitting on the "line".

Pete

[Pete Lewis]

1 hour ago, Jeffds1360 said:

finger down the centre,

and then  use it to light your fag!!! 

pete

[PeteH]

You can get into big trouble putting fingers in wrong Places.!!. The Factories back in the day where full of guys with part digits, or in some cases none!. I was a Millwright Apprentice, and we ocasionally had to "retrive" body parts from machines, Involving strip-down and rubber gloves!!. The women on the tin plate line, making paint tins, etc; suffered some very serious cuts due to misshandling the sheets.

Pete

[RoyBlunt]

Thanks for all the info.  The 'outer' case rotates freely but doesn't unscrew at all.  I'll have another go at rotating the centre section on its own tomorrow - hopefully will be able to 'extract digit' intact and undamaged!

I think that the unit has broken anyway - the reason for wanting to remove it is because it has shorted internally - so it is scrap whatever happens.  I have ordered a replacement. Thus I'm not too worried if I have to further damage it getting it out - just don't want to damage the veneer on the dashboard. 

Roy

[Peter Truman]

if worst come to worst you could always Demel off the outer casing with a cutting disc as the steel is very thin, you'd have to think the best way so the outer sleeve can be removed.

I love my Dremel does so much esp with the remote flexible shaft fitted 

[Anglefire]

12 hours ago, PeteH said:

You can get into big trouble putting fingers in wrong Places.!!. The Factories back in the day where full of guys with part digits, or in some cases none!. I was a Millwright Apprentice, and we ocasionally had to "retrive" body parts from machines, Involving strip-down and rubber gloves!!. The women on the tin plate line, making paint tins, etc; suffered some very serious cuts due to misshandling the sheets.

Pete

I had to deal with a guy that was carrying sheet steel (Used for cladding ductwork) and it slipped. And he wasn't wearing gloves. Had a nasty gash to the hand. I used all my first aid skills - i.e. wrapped it with a bandage and sent him to hospital. 

[Colin Lindsay]

Ever see those big stones in hot countries with the hole in, that people were supposed to put their hands into to see if they were telling the truth, and the gods would punish them if they lied? I can just see some wee guy hiding behind with a big pair of shears.... is he telling porkies... yes... no... yes... SNIP...

[RoyBlunt]

Success!!  Unfortunately the ‘finger poking’ method didn’t work. However… I belatedly realised that the +12 volt wire leading to the cigar lighter socket is actually on a snap connector at the back of the cigar lighter. Puling this off freed the dashboard with the cigar socket on it and allowed a better look at it.  At the back of the socket there is a brass 4 BA nut which holds the socket together. Undoing this allows the sections to separate and be released from the dashboard with no damage to the veneer. EASY!  Once you know how to do it!  There again – what isn’t!

The photos show the various bits of the socket.  I presume that normally the outer section SHOULD unscrew easily from the threaded insert.  The two were effectively locked together (cross threaded or dirty?).  Once I cleaned it up the two parts now screw/unscrew as they should but I’ll be fitting a new unit as soon as it arrives.

Hopefully this might be useful to others.  Thanks for all your help.

Roy