4-way flasher switch broke

[96-1500]

Ok, so the other day I was towing a guy out of a ditch with my '96 3/4 ton Chev and when I hit the switch for my 4-way flashers (or hazard, emergency lights, whatever you want to call them), didn't it break and pop out. So now, when I push down on what's left of it it won't stay down, leaving my 4-ways on constantly. My obvious solution to the problem was duct tape 'er together. That worked for a couple days, until the duct tape stretched or whatever and the switch kind of came out a little, not enough to put the 4-ways on but it f***s up my signal lights. Sometimes they work, sometimes not, sometimes they "kind of" work haha.
So, more duct tape to hold it down tight, and I've been ok, but this is really not a fix lol (got about 5 wraps all the way around the steering column). Is there any way at all to bypass or fix the switch? I have another complete steering column in one of my parts trucks, but I don't want to swap the whole thing if I don't have to.

Any help for this newb would be awesome.

 

[1997chevydriver]

Swap out the multifunction switch. (Turn, wiper, high beam, cruise, hazards)

Sent from somewhere in MN

 

[squeaky3]

i had the same problem, i had the thing break and pop out and had to put tape on it to hold it down, i ended up being able to pull the rest of the old switch part out and got a new switch and took it apart so i could get the hazard part out and popped it into the old switch and its been fine since then

i really didnt have the time to pull the wheel off and change the whole switch out

 

[skylark]

i had the same problem, i had the thing break and pop out and had to put tape on it to hold it down, i ended up being able to pull the rest of the old switch part out and got a new switch and took it apart so i could get the hazard part out and popped it into the old switch and its been fine since then

i really didnt have the time to pull the wheel off and change the whole switch out

I just did the same thing this last weekend on the dually. Only I took the hazard switch out of a broken turn signal switch from a wrecked truck at the pick and pull.

 

[squeaky3]

i tried to get a few out of a couple trucks that still had them when mine was broken...all i did was break those, thats why i ended up with a new switch assembly and took it apart to get the switch out w/o breaking it

i think it was only like 40 or something like that for a real cheap switch from ebay...all i wanted was the hazard switch out of it so i got the cheapest switch i could find

 

[96-1500]

i had the same problem, i had the thing break and pop out and had to put tape on it to hold it down, i ended up being able to pull the rest of the old switch part out and got a new switch and took it apart so i could get the hazard part out and popped it into the old switch and its been fine since then

i really didnt have the time to pull the wheel off and change the whole switch out

Yes sir. Didn't know that could be done. I've got two GMT-400s sitting in my front yard for parts right now, so maybe I'll go have a look later on. There must be a way to get that moulding off the steering column. Never really looked at it before.
Thanks for the advice guys. I love this forum.

 

[96-1500]

So I gave 'er a go yesterday. Pulled the bottom trim off from around the column (only two screws hold it on), got the top one off enough to work around and pried and dug the remnants of the old switch outta there. Then I went over to one of the parts trucks and just put a screwdriver under the flasher switch and popped the whole switch out. I didn't think you could do that without breaking it. Went over to "The Rig" and slid it in, and "Bob's your uncle". Nice! Thanks for the help boys!

 

[squeaky3]

glad that you could fix it the easy way