# Surefire SW02 Switch Disassembly



## starfiretoo (Apr 15, 2007)

Would like to know the disassembly procedure for the Surefire SW02 tailswitch. Hopefully without special tools. Thanks.


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## starfiretoo (Apr 24, 2007)

Is this in the wrong section?


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## dasanii19 (Apr 25, 2007)

PM size15's he should know


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## Size15's (Apr 25, 2007)

I don't know how to take one apart.
But, this thread may as well stay in this forum...
Somebody must have taken one apart...


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## leukos (Apr 26, 2007)

I haven't disassembled an SW02, but it looks like it disassembles as any SF clickie switch does. If you move the rubber shroud away from the rubber boot, you will notice a polymer retaining ring like the ones on other SF clickies. Probably a good pair of snap-ring pliers would do the trick, though I don't know if it can be removed without first removing the rubber shroud. The clickie internals should fall out once the retaining ring is removed.


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## defusion (Apr 26, 2007)

Size15's said:


> I don't know how to take one apart.
> But, this thread may as well stay in this forum...
> Somebody must have taken one apart...


I believe the internals are exactly the same as the z48. i believe you did disassemble that one?


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## Size15's (Apr 26, 2007)

Yep I'm sure they are, and no, I didn't.
I've taken the rubber shrouds off a few though...


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## BBL (Apr 26, 2007)

The switch housing consists of two parts, as far as i can tell. That would be the place to start for disassembly.


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## donn_ (Dec 7, 2008)

*Stumped dissecting Z48/49/SW02 switch..*

I'm trying to figure out how to remove the switch guts from the Z48/49 or SW02 Surefire tailcap.

First I wrestled off the rubber button shroud:







There's a small plastic collar around the button boot:






You can just see the 6 indentations around this collar, and with careful needlenose pliering can loosen and remove it:






The button boot pops right off, exposing the switch button:






This is where I'm stumped. There doesn't seem to be anyway to unscrew or otherwise remove the guts, either from the top:






Or the bottom:






Any ideas or experience?

Thanks in advance.


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## Armed_Forces (Dec 7, 2008)

*Re: Stumped dissecting Z48/49/SW02 switch..*

I don't see a 'persuasion' tool in your otherwise fine arsenal. A 10-12oz. model should be just about right. 






..sorry, I couldn't resist.


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## donn_ (Dec 7, 2008)

*Re: Stumped dissecting Z48/49/SW02 switch..*

The question has been answered elsewhere, and the 'persuader' was heat and a strapwrench.

The straight knurled section at the bottom of the assemply unscrews, allowing the guts to be screwed out from the bottom.

At least I learned how to open the top to replace the button boot.

The trick to removing the rubber shroud is a homemade oak screwdriver, so as to wiggle under the base, without scratching the surface.

The trick to replacing the shroud is to turn it inside out, and then unroll it back into place.


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## Armed_Forces (Dec 7, 2008)

*Re: Stumped dissecting Z48/49/SW02 switch..*

Excellent Donn. 
How about adding some pics to your excellent description so that others searching for this solution will have a "how-to" of sorts? Just an idea.


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## donn_ (Dec 7, 2008)

*Re: Stumped dissecting Z48/49/SW02 switch..*

All the pictures I took of the process are in the first post. The switch is back together again. The modification I was hoping for can't be done.


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## brunt_sp (Dec 7, 2008)

I'm adding another post to this old thread because upon using the search facility this is one of the few ones on this topic to come up.

I have dismantled a Z49 tailcap which seems an identical construction to the SW02. 

You do not take it apart from the shroud end. Instead the base end (The 8mm wide knurled bit) unscrews from the rest of the body. I found I had to boil the whole tailcap in a bag for 5 minutes first. I managed it by clamping the 8mm knurled bit in the wooden jaws of my small Black and Decker Jobber vice. I then used a strap wrench on the main tailcap body and twisted. The switch assembly will then come out using an unscrewing action because the electrical contacts protude somewhat against the internal threads of the body. 

I hope this helps members of the CPF community that are looking at modifying the SW02 so it will handle currents produced by a combination of the new range of IMR batteries and high power lamps.


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## Solscud007 (Dec 7, 2008)

thank you. I have yet to try it, but I think baking any flashlight parts in an oven will be a better idea than boiling. For the obvious reason that there is no risk of water getting into the components and since boiling water is 212 F or 100C

Ovens can go as low as 150 F so you could dial in boiling temp of about 200F and your light will be dry.


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## DM51 (Dec 8, 2008)

I've merged these 2 threads, as it seems brunt_sp has come up with the solution - excellent work!


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## leukos (Dec 8, 2008)

Sorry, donn_, for the misinformation about the retaining ring. It was only an educated guess :shrug:

This thread is helpful. I've been wanting to take the guts out of a Z48 and experiment with putting the LVR from an A2 in it to make a regulated tailcap. Maybe after Christmas.


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## brunt_sp (Dec 15, 2008)

For those who have come across this thread by searching for "SW02" and "Disassembly", Lunal Tic has posted some great photos on #127 here :

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2740933#post2740933

This mod allows the SW02 to accept an AW softstart switch.


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## Greenbean (Apr 15, 2018)

Well, I tried really hard to get this stuck Z49 open and after letting it boil for over 20 minutes I was so pissed I just went after it with two pairs of channel locks, metal on metal and Holy Crap was it still tight. 

I think a heat gun would've proved better, 

Here are the guts...

I believe the post or cover over the post that keeps the guts in the switch allowing them to rotate is what failed. I emailed Surefire and they are sending my a "Current" whatever switch as these are long gone. :mecry:

The plastic piece broken off inside the larger section of the tailcap will not pull out or push out the front!



Yes and enjoy the thread bump of the Century!


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## HarryN (Apr 16, 2018)

Thanks for posting the photos and experience.

Personally I think it is great that you found an older thread with related information and posted an update. It is so much better to have some topic continuity than a bunch of small threads with small bits of information on the same topic.

As far as softening the thread locker, if boiling water is not hot enough, consider to try some hot cooking oil as the temperature can be considerably higher. Also, sometimes thermal cycling will help, such as hot / cold dunks in boiling hot water / ice water. Be careful though to not let water drops fall into hot oil - they super heat and blow hot oil all over the place.


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## DrafterDan (Apr 16, 2018)

Wow, that SF switch is more complicated than I would have thought. 

I just use a blowtorch. Seriously. Slowly, and with great care, but my propane torch always works. I use a piece of pine, that I bored a 1" hole into, and then cut in half. So each half of the wood forms a C around the head/ tail/ body, and I place it all in my bench vise. 
Will have to make this out of harder wood, because the sappy pine discolored the last SF I took apart.


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## Greenbean (Apr 16, 2018)

HarryN said:


> Thanks for posting the photos and experience.



Thanks [emoji106][emoji106]


I was even more upset when I open the package from Surefire today and all they sent me were a couple of push to activate switches. A newer Nitrolon one and a Z41. 

Looks like I’ll put a McClicky in the Z41 at least.


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## badtziscool (Jun 13, 2019)

Since some pics have been lost over time, I figure I'll add mine for reference.

I just bought an SW02 off of the auction site. The switch seems like a legit version and not counterfeit. However, I was disappointed when I discovered the switch didn't work. Did a little bit of research and came across this thread. This helped me tremendously and I was lucky enough that the threadlock wasn't too much of a bear to get passed. I did have to boil it for quite some time. About 15 minutes I think. Took it apart and discovered that one of the wires had broken off of the tabs. Soldered it back on (a little crudely because it was really tight in there), and the switch worked again. If you have an SW02 that doesn't work, this might be worth a shot.

On to the pics.



















It's hard to see but if you look in between the boot and the shroud, you can see a delrin retaining ring. I didn't try, but I'm sure if you can somehow take out that delrin ring, you'd be able to take out the boot and shroud assembly.






Took some boiling, wrapping the end with paracord, griping gently but firmly with channel locks, and a good twist but I was able to get passed the threadlock with out any incident.












I just used some needle nose pliers to twist the keyed section of the assembly. No fighting threadlock here.











You can kind of see where the wire on the right is not making contact on the tab.











Judco switch. Didn't someone fit a Judco switch to a Z41 for a high-current reverse clicky switch? Can the same be done here?






Took the switch out of the assembly and that's when I discovered the wire not making contact to the tab.
















Just needed to resolder to the tab and was good to go.


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## id30209 (Jun 13, 2019)

Great post bad!
I have used this thread also to mod mine. My switch was ok but i wanted it to use in LED setup and reverse clicky is my option.
So i found almost the same size reverse Judco which looked almost the same like this one in SW02. Reverse is a bit shorter but that wasn’t a problem after all.



Sent from Tapatalk


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## archimedes (Jun 13, 2019)

Thanks much for adding that photo guided repair.

I can't remember the exact (long ago) location, but IIRC, someone had posted the theory that (I think) both the Z49 and SW02 used Judco switches or the equivalent.


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## id30209 (Jun 13, 2019)

I don’t have photos of my mod but i can confirm that both SW02 and Z49/48 are using Judco.


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## archimedes (Jun 13, 2019)

id30209 said:


> I don’t have photos of my mod but i can confirm that both SW02 and Z49/48 are using Judco.


Thank you for confirming.


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## badtziscool (Jun 13, 2019)

id30209 said:


> I don’t have photos of my mod but i can confirm that both SW02 and Z49/48 are using Judco.



Thats good to know. Not that z48/49 are plentiful, but sure are more of them than SW02s so I’d imagine you could sacrifice a z48 to make an SW02 working again.


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## archimedes (Jun 13, 2019)

Judco parts should still be available


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## DrafterDan (Jun 17, 2019)

I haven't taken my DellSuperman switch apart recently, but it looks pretty similar to that one BTC took his excellent shots of.
If not, Judco is still making them, I'm sure

https://www.judco.net/push-button-switches


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## badtziscool (Jun 17, 2019)

DrafterDan said:


> I haven't taken my DellSuperman switch apart recently, but it looks pretty similar to that one BTC took his excellent shots of.
> If not, Judco is still making them, I'm sure
> 
> https://www.judco.net/push-button-switches



I may have to take my SW02 apart again and take some measurements. After looking around their site, it seems like J188-1 Momentary is the switch used. And if you look at the switch configurator, it's going to be the "A Body" style, with wires, and P2 plunger, though I don't see the option for switch function On/Off w/momentary.


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## DrafterDan (Jun 18, 2019)

Damn, now I feel I need a SW02...


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