Garmin GPS 60 On Off switch repairs

[Dolphin]

Quite a few years ago I bought a Garmin GPS 60 which has done sterling service.

Over the years it has become progressively harder to turn on and off, to the point where it is often necessary to use 2 hands to turn it on and it is often necessry when its hot to remove the battery to get it to turn off.

I think I fixed the problem. There is a rubber pushrod that is molded into the top of rubber boot that sits over the top and the aerial. The pupshrod is under pressure and over time it bends and flows around the switch. This means that it pushes on the switch base as well as the push buttoon.

The way I fixed it was to cut 5mm off the rubber pushrod and glue a 5mm long piece of polystyrene rod to the rubber. The rod was taken from a piece of a model aeroplane kit that holds all the parts together.
It works fine now and requires only one finger to operate it. Note in the second picture that there is a black bracket, that holds the PC Board and has been shattered by pushing the switch hard. I glued most of it back together with Loctite Super Glue and Araldite.

Here are some of the pictures.

[Dolphin]

Here are some more pics. The imprint of the switch can be seen in the end of the rubber pushrod.

Usual disclaimer, this is the way I fixed it and it seems to work. The switch is much more tactile. It may not work in all cases.
For what its worth.