Just noticed tonight that my dash lights in the gauge cluster are only turned on when I turn the high beams on, low beams have no lights on in the cluster. I assume this isnt normal. Anyone have this issue before? Just thought I'd check before chasing down wires.

 

It sounds like a switch problem. What happens when you rotate the switch with the lights on?

 

Nothing happens when rotating the switch, both in high and low beam settings. No light on low, and seems full brightness when on high (assuming the twisting is for gauge light brightness)

 

You might suspect both the high beam switch and the headlight switch. Sounds like possibly more than one issue happening. The rheostat in the headlight switch might be bad - negating any dash light dimming - and the high beam switch might have an issue when on the low beam setting. Easy to test the low/high beam switch if you remove it and use an ohm meter to check and switch from low to high beam. If either setting has infinite resistance that would be an issue. You would have to change jumper wires from one output to the other for a valid check.

I've pulled a few bad headlight switches and sometimes the rheostat wire is all unraveled and hanging loose rather than being wrapped tight inside of the switch. In those cases it is easy to tell visually that the headlight switch is toast.

 

I've actually got a brand new high beam switch for the truck laying around. Maybe I'll try to throw that in later today and see what happens, and go from there.

 

High beam switch changed out didnt make a difference. Guess once it cools off some outside I'll try to get back out and do some more testing.

 

I just remembered a problem I have with my '64 headlight switch..The rheostat is a little stiff when turning and the **** will spin if too much torque is applied on it, So if I accidentally have the dash lights turned down, they are illuminated some when I have the brights are selected and the brights indicator is lit. I sometimes have to use pliers to turn the shaft back enough to get the dash lit again.

 

That's something I'll definitely check out. It appears my dash is on full brightness when the high beams are on, and no adjustment happens at all when I turn the switch. I'm almost leaning towards a botched switch, but the headlights work ha.

 

Replaced the headlight switch today and still having the same issues as before. Any other suggestions on where to start looking to track this down?

Just something I'd thought I'd mention but I doubt it's related, but in case it is, my horns not working either. When I press the horn button, I do not get ground signal to the relay, everything in the horn ring has been replaced.

 

Check the feed to the indicator lights. I think its light blue with a red tracer?? Make sure it hasn’t been connected to the feed for the high beams by a prior amateur electrician.

 

I don't see anything that looks out of the ordinary when looking at the fuse block - no add-a-circuits or anything and the harness going into the column looks factory. I know the turn signal switch can cause horn issues, is that in any way tied in with the headlights at all to cause an issue there as well?

 

Look at the connections at the headlight switch. You can source the wiring diagrams you need here on FTE or Fordification.

 

Are you talking about where it plugs into the fuse block? Everything appeared fine when looking at it, but I didnt test anything on there while I had it out.

I noticeded part of my fuseblock was broken where the headlight switch tab connects, so I tried locating one to see if they were cheap but didnt have any luck finding a supplier. By chance know of any sources for a fuse block or do they only get sold with complete harnesses?

 

All the lighting wires feed through the headlight switch. Where you pull the **** out, to turn on the headlights...crawl under the dash and look on the backside of it. Not the fuse block....

 

I'll take a closer look this evening when I get home. My headlight switch doesnt have a connector that attaches to the back of it, it plugs directly into the fuse block. Using a wiring diagram, I'll hopefully be able to determine which wires are which coming out of the block.