new set screw tool for Mag D switch

I recently bought a 4D from Home Depot, the switch was defective but they did not have any silver left so I called MAG and they sent me a replacment switch assembly with a standard 5/64. Maybe I got old stock?
 
All the 4Ds I've purchased at Home Depot and Lowes lately have the old 5/64 set screw. Only the 2D and 3D seem to have the new set screw. They probably don't move them as fast so the new switches aren't in circulation on the 4Ds yet.

I just purchased Mag switches from a supplier and they all came with the 5/64 set screw and allen wrench. The switches probably don't turn over that fast and the new stock will take a while to get out there. A good sign if Mag is still willing to send replacement switches with the old style set screw.
 
I got the screws from McMaster today. Instead of ordering the 8-32 3/16" long, after measuring several switches I found that I could order the 8-32 1/4" instead. Even the 1/4" still has plenty of room left inside the switch. The only reason I ordered the 1/4" instead of the 3/16", is that the 1/4" comes with a 90 deg cone, which is slightly more "pointy" than the 110 deg cone in the 3/16" screw. Not anything really earth shattering, but since both fit fine inside the switch, I went with the more pointy screw.

Here is the new screw (right) next to the original OEM part (left):
DSCF2885.JPG



Close-up, where you can see that the new screw (even at 90 deg) is almost blunt compared to the OEM screw. Here you can see why the advice from LuxLuthor earlier in this thread makes sense :
DSCF2886_crop.jpeg.jpg



The small bag of screws that I bought:
DSCF2887.JPG



And since I really like the screwdriver handle that I ground for the T8 screw, I got the same basic handle for the 5/64" screws:
DSCF2888.JPG
 
OK friends I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before I ran into a mag with this new set screw. I want to pass along what worked for me.
002-8.jpg

I found this for $7.99 at my local Advanced Auto. The T-7 slides through the hole and easily breaks the set screw loose.
Billy
 
I just got a 2D Rebel Mag and it has a hex screw... 😕 Seems like they aren't being consistent with which type of screw they are using. Before knowing this I picked up a precision multi-screw set at Home Depot (search their website for item# 038728635181) that includes a Torx T8. The width of the shaft was a little bit too wide at 2.5mm, but a few minutes with a drill and a metal file solved that problem.😉

From top to bottom:
Torx T9, T8 (2.5mm shaft width), T8 (2mm shaft width), T7, 5/64" hex



Closer pic of T8 (2.5mm), T8 (2mm), 5/64" hex


If I do anymore mag mods in the future at least I'll be ready for the kind that includes T8 screws.
 
LuxLuthor said:
I thought everyone said it was a T-8 setscrew? 😕
Click to expand...
The set screw is a T-8 but the T-8 driver needs to be ground down to slip through the switch. The T-7 driver will slip through the switch hole and break the set screw loose.
Billy
 
Good news just been onto Maglite Uk and they are sending me a T8 torx kit out for free
 
I just finished turning down my t8 wrench. TO all the smart people at maglite. It took me 10 mins to defeat your new "security" that being said. I hope Maglite goes out of buisness if they did this just to thwart people.
 
Thanks for the heads up on this. I have only worked with older switches. I think that my spare parts base might be limited to garage sales. Or old lights owned by friends or family that have a lot of dust on them and might just be given away...
 
Billy Ram said:
The set screw is a T-8 but the T-8 driver needs to be ground down to slip through the switch. The T-7 driver will slip through the switch hole and break the set screw loose.
Billy
Click to expand...

The T7 certainly fits through the switch opening. But whether it can break the set screw loose depends on how tightly the set screw is cranked down. I tried your suggestion of using a T7 from Advanced Auto. Didn't work. The set screw was cranked too tight and the T7 eventually slipped when it couldn't hold the torque.

My Wiha T8 wrench has the slightest of flaring to the shaft that makes it too big to fit down the switch opening. So what I did was take a drill bit and bore out the opening just the tiniest amount and my Wiha wrench then fit without a problem.
 
This sort of thing makes me so mad that I will not purchase any Mag products in the future. It is bad enough that they held the assembly with a set screw and then do not tell anybody about it but to make everyone buy a new wrench is ridiculous.

Several years ago I had the cells swell in a 2 D model. No amount of searching of the product documentation or the company site revealed how to take the thing apart. The only reason I ever fixed the thing is because someone on a forum like this was kind enough to post the location of the secret set screw that held the switch assembly.

By changing the screw and not revealing the type Mag has shown complete disregard for the rights of the owner. Without this knowledge even removing a stuck cell requires a trip to the dealer and that will probably cost money. Mag really need to rethink their customer service policy.
 
I understand your frustration, but, you need to keep in mind that Mag has done this expressly to try to discourage people like me who would buy a MagLite to use as a host for even brighter lights. They're trying to make it difficult to dismantle so that people would be less inclined to take them apart and modify them or possibly create warranty claims because they didn't know what they were doing and took apart a perfectly good light and turned it into a paperweight. Your example of having batteries swell inside of a light should have been addressed, as far as the manufacturer is concerned, by the battery manufacturer - not you, not Mag Industries.

Keep in mind that replacement incandescent switch assemblies from Mag now come with both the 5/64" and T8 Torx wrenches. With the MagLED models they want you to return the light to them for warranty repairs, as far as I can tell.
 
I take it that you cannot use an old switch from an older maglite and use it in a newer maglite that came with the new bolt/switch set...right?
 
Yes, you can use an old switch in the new bodies. But you still need the new screw tool to remove the new switch from the new body, so what would be the point of using an old switch if you have the new screw tool? Kind-off a catch-22 😀

That being said, I still like/use the old switch in my Mag conversions since it is much easier to do the modification for flat cells 😉

Will
 
wquiles said:
Yes, you can use an old switch in the new bodies. But you still need the new screw tool to remove the new switch from the new body, so what would be the point of using an old switch if you have the new screw tool? Kind-off a catch-22 😀

That being said, I still like/use the old switch in my Mag conversions since it is much easier to do the modification for flat cells 😉

Will
Click to expand...

I already modded my old switch to momentary and need a toggle mag switch for my bike lite
 
wquiles said:
Yes, you can use an old switch in the new bodies. But you still need the new screw tool to remove the new switch from the new body, so what would be the point of using an old switch if you have the new screw tool? Kind-off a catch-22 😀

That being said, I still like/use the old switch in my Mag conversions since it is much easier to do the modification for flat cells 😉

Will
Click to expand...

I already modded my old switch to momentary and need a toggle mag switch for my bike lite
 
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