Dimmer Knob...

[Joho]

Sorry it's really embrassing, but:
I can't get off the knob of the panel light dimmer
of my M.
Only drawing? unscrewing? Any spell?
I'm afraid to destroy the thing if I draw too strong.
It doesn't make any move.

Regards
Jo

[oldgeebee]

Just so that you don't feel lonely, I've got exactly the same problem. I had the panel on the bench and tried everything legal that I could think of and it didn't move a nanometre. I've read that replacement rheostats cost more than solid gold so didn't want to mash it up too much.
As far as I can tell the knob should just be a push fit so there must be rust in play somewhere - maybe the plastic knob has got a metal sleeve?
GB

[Adrian@]

This is hard to explain...picture later..... here goes, in the edge of the rear of the knob is a hole where the spring loaded pin drops into when the knob is pushed on ...so...with a small screw driver dropped over the edge of the knurled part of the knob, press the pin in and pull the knob off.

Adrian@

Edited by Adrian@ on Monday 21st November 21:30

[njhucker]

Rimmer Bros are selling SD1 ( as used on 350 wedge) rheostats in a clearance sale for £5.94. Should be able to substitute as very similar.
http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-DRC8179

[Joho]

That's it!
Sometimes life could be so easy...

Thanks Adrian!
jo

[oldgeebee]

well br me - I was even looking for something like that - need my eyes testing
Thanks Adrian.
GB

[pumpkin]

I could do with an "undimmer" knob on mine. Does anyone actually have instrument lights that are bright enough that they ever want to dim them? Is it just my car where they are too dim? It could be that my panel lighting circuit is dropping some voltage or that all the bulbs are dirty. I still have my dimmer knob but I have bypassed the switch in case it was dimming a bit even when on as bright as possible.

[Joho]

It's not just your car where they are too dim!
The only instument that's bright enough to see
anything is an afterwards mounted clock in my car.

[oldgeebee]

My S3 has abysmal panel lighting but the 3000S was OK.
Having rushed back from work to finally remove the dimmer knob I can understand why I missed the release hole before - it was hiding behind the panel thickness and bits of the vinyl cover poking through the hole. Finally managed to find it by groping around with a watchmaker's screwdriver.
Today the dimmer knob, tomorrow the rear hubs!
GB