HarborHarborJeep

Whoops. In an effort to remove and clean the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS), I broke a quarter of the selector (see picture) - the part that was causing the NSS to bind. I was attempting to pry (bad idea) this piece to free it.

I'm usually under the impression that if I have to ask, I probably know the answer, but I'm also cheap. Question: If put it back together with the broken piece just sitting in there, am I asking for trouble? Is 3/4 good enough? Any thoughts? How long before I'll be asking for a used NSS.

p.s. Back-up lights now work

5-90

Those "fingers" form a collet, which is used to grab the manual shaft shaft in the transmission (you probably figured most of this out.)

That collet nut is spec'd to be torqued to 62 pound-inches - a shade over five pound-feet. Considering that the innards of the switch should move freely and there are no detents, you can see there's almost no force on it.

Short answer? The 3/4-collet should be just fine - I just wanted to explain why.

HarborHarborJeep

Those were my thoughts, but it still makes me a little nervous only because it is a daily driver driven mainly by my wife. I'd hate to have something go wrong. I suspect it will be fine!

DualSportDad

you broke the piece that the nut threads onto? if so it's probly not that bad. i was prying on the same piece and broke half of the threads completly off. i just put the not back on with like 1 thread holding it on and locked the nut on with the lock washer. so far so good.

HarborHarborJeep

I'm feeling better and better - thanks. I'll still be keeping my eye out for a spare as Murphy's Law is still in effect.

5-90

Yah - Irish bastid won't leave me alone, either.

If you do source a replacement, I'd like to get your old one. I'm trying to reconstitute a few for my Parts Exchange, and I don't care if I have to cannibalise and rebuild.

Tips for the NSS job...

1) I don't know where I got them, but I have this funky pair of pliers that works backwards - squeeze the handles, and the jaws open. Had 'em for years. They're duckbills with the outsides of the jaws lightly knurled, and they come in handy for this. I don't know where you can find them now, but you can go to eBay and look up a "cast spreader" (saw it in my orthopaedist's office...) and get one of those - it does much the same thing, just doesn't have as much spread. Much more reliable way of getting the thing loose.

2) Before you try to remove even the collet nut, take a wire wheel, and clean the shift shaft end - paying attention to the area near the ends of the collet jaws. Crud builds up there, and can make the thing sticky.

3) Don't prise against the nut to remove the NSS. I have never known that to work for anyone. If you can't get a cast spreader or "inside-out pliers," I've had good luck using a couple bits of flat bar stock - typically 1/8" thick by 3/4" wide, and about a foot long each. Insert between the switch and the transmission case to either side of the shift shaft, and "rock the switch off" using them. However you choose to do it, once the switch goes about 3/8" it's yours.

4) Clean the shift shaft again once you get the switch off - just don't damage the shift shaft seal!

5) Paint the shift shaft with never-seez before you put the switch back on. Yah - it helps!

6) Torque the collet nut to 5 pound-feet - no more. If you don't have a torque wrench that goes that low, put a socket on it and turn it 1/12- to 1/6-turn with your fingers on the outside of the socket. Yes, you can get this nut too tight, and it will cause you trouble later!

7) Once you have the NSS adjusted properly, torque the adjuster screw to 15 pound-feet and no more. Use a drop of LocTite #222, #242, or RTV on the screw threads to retain. Overtorquing this screw will usually crack the NSS case - meaning you have to buy a new one. Ouch.

HarborHarborJeep

Thanks for the excellent advice. Next time I'll know. I'm going to re-check the torque to make sure I don't create more problems than I fixed. I'll also get some anti-seize so when it fails I'll be able to get it off

Chapman

Gentlemen, thanks for your infos. Learned something today.

Won't you mind if I copy paste this and save it as a reference?

Its for personal use as I compile notes on the Cherokee how to's. Let me know on how I can acknowledge you on my notespad files. Its for my DIY on maintaining these Neutral Safety Switch reserves I have on stock on which I plan to sell to enthusiasts. I think it applies to the JC.

Doc Brnard

Something I was looking at when I overhauled my NSS.

The shafted portion of the NSS is not adjustable, but the 12mm side is. Got me to thinking, set the NSS with the 12mm, how is the shaft nut actually needed? Physically the shaft is the "fulcrum point", so there is no rotational adjustment there, since the 12mm bolt region actually provides the movement for adjustment.

5-90

The collet nut about the shaft is to retain the NSS until the adjuster screw is tightened down - that's why the preload torque on it is so low. Once it's been adjusted, the adjuster screw up top will do most of the work of retaining the switch (which is why I'd suggested LocTite #242 on the threads. You can also put a stud in that hole if you like - M8-1.25, about 40m/m long should serve.)