RetroRanger

So my car has been apart for a couple weeks while the axle was R&Rd.
Last saturday night I finally had it set to go so around midnite I took it for a shakedown cruise. No issues cropped up and I cruised around for about 1/2 an hour Nice !!!

next day we opt to get a pizza for supper, I hop in my car to go pick it up and on the way there the radio briefly cuts out a couple times and the tach bounced around wildly at the same time. Thats new I thought Ill have to check that out. (sooner than I thought LOL)

Anyways I get the pizza hop back in my car and turn the key and ....absolutely nothing No problem maybe its the NSS I shift in and out of park and still not even a click....wait no lights or anything are on OK thats something I pop the hood and my very clever or so I thought batttery cut off switch was broken right in half. I had no tools w me so I ran back to the pizza place where the owner had a pair of pliers and nothing else....OK good enough I was able to get the broken switch off and the batt cable on and was on my way befoe the pizza cooled off.

So I guess the lesson here is dont buy that chinese battery cut off switch kid as conveinient as it was it was only a year old and really didnt have any stress on it, but it still broke right in half. It worked good and was kinda heavy in my hand but the design is lacking

If It had happened on my sat nite shakedown cruise I woulda been SOL but as it was alls well that ends well

jaunty75

The other lesson is always carry a few basic tools!

Good story.


By the way, can you even buy a cut-off switch that isn't made in China?

lshlsh2

Mine is made in the USA. Got it after Jamesbo's fire. Think I got it off of e-bay. There are some threads about them around.

Larry

RetroRanger

got a link or anything ? do you like it ?

I need a new switch no preference as to style

cutlassgal

Crap! I'm gonna have to check mine. I got it off of ebay also, but I don't remember where it was made. I'd hate to have that happen......

bccan

Same thing w/ same looking switch. At least I didn't get stranded, found it by chance doing something else.

Got one from NAPA way back, looked similar but you had to unscrew it all the way to disconnect, maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

lshlsh2

Found it

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-Post-Bat...item5d2363fb71

I have had no problems and would get another.

Larry

RetroRanger

that looks very close to mine, mine has a green **** and the text is the same on the **** except for the inner row of text that one says "patented" and "something electrical something"....mine says "switches" so that ebay one does appear to be different


lshlsh2
larry if you get a chance could you give it a close inspection I would be interested to see if you have a crack forming where mine broke...how long has it been in service ? mine was 1 year ~2000 miles

oddball

Flaming River Big Switch. The only one I'll use that's actually built for that kind of job. Big sucker, too.

lshlsh2

Had about 2 years and about 3000 miles. Checked no cracks starting that I can tell. Pulled and pushed on it and no movement.

Larry

RetroRanger

Thanks for the link Larry

I just got mine in today ordered the same gama switch as the ebay link from amazon 8.45 and free ship

I compared it to the old one and I can see its a different manufacturer and this unit appears to be more robust than my orignal one.

The area where my old one broke is thicker and the bottom has crimps to hold the assembly together

I stress tested the new one at the break area of the old one and its seems very sturdy

I will put it in this weekend and as jaunty suggested perhaps I will carry some tools if im not just going out for pizza

lshlsh2

Hope it works out for you.

Larry

oldsguybry

Yes , I learned to always have tools with me .

I actually prefer to have my 1/4 ratchet with the correct size socket on it in the car at all times . I can get the cables off just as fast !

White_Knuckles

Fun story. I may be a dumb bunny but why are you guys running batt. cut-off switches? I know track cars need 'em per NHRA but why your basic drivers? Theft prevention? Keep the wife from roaring around in your fast car?

RetroRanger

For me its an easy way to disconnect the battery when working on the car,
there is also a theft prevention aspect to it without the **** the car has no power. will that stop a serious thief I doubt it, but it may slow her down a little bit.
Storage if i know the car will sit for more than a week I disconnect the battery
lastly as larry alluded to Jamesbo' car burnt so no juice no fire

White_Knuckles

Ah, that's helpful. Fire is not our friend. Hmmm, you reference a serious thief as "her". I suspect she would be our sneaky wives! This could be a dandy device indeed?

I'm cautious inserting another point of failure when unnecessary. Have to think about this one.