C15 Li direction switch still loose after replacing parts

[Sashimonoshi]

I bought a C15 Li used and the direction switch was very loose. When holding it sideways it was due to gravity switching over to the other side completely.

Since then, I have replaced the button and "plate spring" which is the thin bent metal clip thingy which the switch moves over when you click it. The old switch button was visibly worn on the inside, at the flap that is in contact with the spring's top portion.

Now, the switch still moves on its own when upside down, but just barely, enough to end up in the no man's land between the two direction settings. The trigger gets blocked.

Any ideas on how I fix this? I can try bending the spring a bit. Or are there any other known hacks? Maybe a layer or two of tape on the inside of the switch?

But why would this still be happening after replacing all the parts involved here? IIRC the spare parts are genuine.

Is it a flaw of the design?

It's tiring to always keep one finger on the switch, when working sideways in tight spaces.

Thanks

 

[Sashimonoshi]

I just realized the housing for the button may have been worn too, perhaps allowing it to move over the spring instead of "through" it by force as intended.

Still, any advice or experiences are much appreciated.

 

[ElectricFeet]

The mechanism seems to be identical to the C18, and there have been problems on that too — both in getting stuck and being loose: https://festoolownersgroup.com/threads/c18-stuck-forward-and-reverse-switch.50603/

 

[Sashimonoshi]

The mechanism seems to be identical to the C18, and there have been problems on that too — both in getting stuck and being loose: https://festoolownersgroup.com/threads/c18-stuck-forward-and-reverse-switch.50603/

Thanks for digging that up for me. Yes, I believe it's identical to the C18. Doesn't seem like anyone had a solution for it in that thread. Still, it's helpful to know that it's likely due to a flawed design.

I will try to make the contact more snug with a couple of layers of tape. Probably below the spring. If it works I'll post an update (here or in that linked thread).

 

[Sashimonoshi]

I managed to solve it but time will tell if it lasts.

I think what was happening was that the spring was jumping out of its slot somewhat. It would work fine each time I tried to fix it, up until I tried using the drill, at which point the vibrations seemed to knock something out of alignment (probably the spring). Tape under the spring didn't help at all.

What finally worked was to put some glue at one end of the spring. That, plus some masking tape above the switch button's housing to keep it from riding over the spring instead of through it. Not sure which one had a larger effect since I tried both together. But I let the glue cure before trying it.

The red arrow in the first picture shows where I put the glue (but further inside, at the end, which cannot be seen). I used Loctite Repair Extreme. It's supposedly a strong and elastic glue. I reassembled the drill and put a small amount of pressure on the switch from the opposite direction, so that it was helping push the spring down/apart towards the ends, thus giving the glue area good contact overnight.

The second picture shows where I put a few layers of masking tape.