Question on an S6

[Toolslinger]

Switch in question:


Ok folks... When I was pulling apart the carcass of the 813a, the S6 knob was stuck. Bad. The center screw was no issue, but the knob was not coming off. Obviously the cold wasn't helping. I had a couple screw drivers under it to lift, and rock it a bit when it moved a little. Then it came right out, but still attached to the shaft. Now, I know better than to turn it at that point. So I removed the body from the control panel, and kept the shaft in the same orientation, so I didn't loose it's index. I slid the shaft back in the body as far as it would go. That was a couple weeks ago.
Yesterday, I put it on the bench to see what was going on. Took the shaft out again, and was able to get the knob off. Cleaned up the rust on the shaft, and got the cross pin/screw loose/free. A bit of graphite powder, and everything moves, and assembles nicely, so that's viable again.
I took the back plate off the switch expecting to find a mangled E-Clip or similar. That's when the index plate for lack of a better word fell out. While I found the plate, I lost it's orientation. It can only be 1 of 8 options, and I can find that with a meter, so no major issue other than a headache there.

The real question though is does anyone know how the shaft is retained in the switch body? I believe I could put a drop of JB Weld on the end if I had to, but that isn't how it was done at the factory. There's got to be some kind of mechanical retention going on that either deteriorated, or I broke. I didn't see anything indicative on the shaft when I had it out of the body. The index plate would seem to be retained by the back plate, so once it's all back together, and the shaft retained, all would be well. I didn't want to take any more apart until I found out if anyone has been inside one before.

 

[Ray70]

Do you see any thin grooves around the shaft where a snap ring may have been? I wonder if the end caps come off ( 3 bolts )
Perhaps there is a snap ring that came off while you were prying on it, that used to be under the top cap?? Just a hunch.....

 

[Toolslinger]

That was my thought. The index plate lives under that end cap with the 3 nuts. I was sure there was going to be a ring under there. No such luck, and I sure didn't see a groove, or even scratches for a e-clip, c-clip, or push nut. There's room for it, but I didn't see any evidence.

When I refer to the index plate, it is a plate with a square center hole to engage the shaft, and it has a projecting tab/finger that engages the 2 screws to limit it's travel to 6 positions of the switch, which could do 7 positions otherwise.

 

[Toolslinger]

I really should take it apart again and take some photos...

 

[Tinstar]

Toolslinger, thank you for a nicely written post.
Easily readable using paragraphs.

So many times, the long posts others post are in brick format and very difficult to read.

Nicely done