How to disassemble a maglite
“Dismantle your Maglite for, fun, curiosity or servicing”
Looking to take apart your Maglite? Cant figure out how to remove the switch? As I found out by destructively dismantling a Maglite, it’s very easy.
I’m been a avid fan of Maglites since I was given my first mini Maglite when I joined the scouts. To this day I’m impressed by the elegant simplicity of the engineering, the ruggedness and quite frankly the look. They’re practically bulletproof.
While they usually survive being dropped from a couple of meters, or run over, the biggest failing point is a common one amongst torches of flash s world wide; poor immersion seals, leaking batteries and the associated corrosion. To completely remove the corrosion you need to strip down the Maglite for a thorough clean, but in order to clean all contacts you need to access the switch assembly, which as I found out when I wanted to take apart a Maglite, it’s easier said than done.
Please note; the following directions will only work on the newer models of Maglite. Newer model Maglites have a the letter “D” preceding their serial number.
Newer model Maglites have the letter D preceding their serial number
Older models with out the preceding D on their serial number have a threaded retaining ring that needs to be unscrewed from the top of the torch with a pair of needle nose pliers or specialised tools, there is also a milled grove for the switch assembly to be tightened down upon, this grove prevents the the swtich assembly from exiting from the rear of the torch so in complete contrast from newer models, must be pushed out the top from the bottom of the torch. The grub screw still needs to be loosened on the older models for the switch assembly to be removed.
The newer model Maglites have replaced this threaded retaining ring with a split ring that is impossible compress enough in order to remove while the switch assembly is still in place, and as you see below, means you must remove the switch assembly from the rear of the torch by pushing it down the barrel from the top.
Thanks to Jack, Rowan and Will for alerting me to this older model of Maglite and also answering my questions about the differences. Also, thanks to all the people who continue to send me their thanks for this article. I’m glad it has helped so many people.
The new models of maglites have split ring retainers
| First off, remove the rubber switch cover. | Insert the allen key down the hole and loosen the grub/set screw until you encounter resistance or the switch assembly can be moved up and down inside the torch freely. |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| Push the switch down (in other words turn the torch on) then push it down the barrel with a long screwdriver or similar. | You should have something like this pop out the end. |
 |
  |
| This is the little grub screw you’re loosening. | |
 |
So there you have it, one disassembled maglite. Much better than the old brute method and a lot less trouble if you want to put it back together again.
Make sure you’re ready for the assembly to come out the bottom, I’ve been told it can come out in pieces, this hasn’t been my experience unless the nut the the grub screw, screw into, has separated from the earth strap, but be prepared for it none the less.
Post script
In my original article, I questioned why anyone would need to dismantle their maglite, and I got a surprising amount of email telling me their reasons why they had take apart their maglite which has promted
I’ve always admired them, but like most with the tinkering gene, I’d always wondered how to take one apart but never got past how to remove the switch assembly. Every once in a while, when changing the batteries, give the switch body a a -hearted prod to see if it would wanted to come out.
How I eventually found out about the Maglites secret, when I was building a dive and thought a Maglite was the perfect head for a canister style torch. So this led me back to a question that had puzzled me since I received a 4D cell as a Christmas present, how do you remove the switch? Not being able to find any information online, I resorted to what everyone else seemed to do, who had used maglites as dive torches had done before me, bashed the assembly out with a stick. dismatle a maglite.
My presonal reasonI wanted to strip down a 2 cell maglite for a dive I was building and I couldn’t find any glamorous (i.e. easy) way of removing the switch assembly. I ended up doing what every one else did, just stuck a large piece of dowel and bashed the assembly out the tail end of the . Upon examining what came out (almost in one piece), the answer was so simple, stick a 1/8th AF allen/hex key down that little hole in the switch, back off the grub screw located at the bottom of said hole until you encounter resistance, push switch assembly out the rear of the torch, and you have one maglite switch assembly. This little grub screw also acts as the s grounding screw.
So that inspired this little article, showing you how to remove maglite switch assemblies. I must say, these things are superbly engineered.
Very helpful-only wish the picture of the hex wrench was labeled “1/8″ (I wasn’t smart enough to read the whole article first). Thanks!
Stumbled across this after several hours of frustratingly trying to remove that split ring. Thank you for preserving what sanity I had left
I can’t seem to be able to remove the switch out of a rechargable mag light. The serial number has no letter in front . I cant get a allen key to loosen the grub screw,feels like nothing there.
Thanks in advance.
I have a 4-D cell model where 2 of the batterys swelled up and leaked all over the place and after getting them and the assembly out the corrosion affected the little metal ring in the switch itself after cleaning it and bending the two contacts it worked fine but the switch assembly is cracked and busted up from me pounding on it extramly hard to get the 2 batterys and switch out. is there a way IF this happens again i don’t destroy the flash light?
mine is the one with a D in the beginning of the serial #
I have 2 other maglites i found in the street
grazieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. you are the best.
luca
I currently own a D-cell Mag-Lite, which looks like the one in the picture, and is about 15 years old. Unfortunately, I was irresponsible and left the batteries sitting in this too long and the top-most battery appears corroded into the body. At first, I was thinking I could attempt to remove the split ring from the top of the switch assembly but after struggling for a few minutes, I figured someone else must have tried and succeeded somehow. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, I searched and yours was first.
Now looking at how you did this, my first thought is completely broken and not possible. Size-wise, I found that a 5/64″ or 2mm allen key seemed to fit, while a 3/32″ and 2.5mm do not. Now to see what pipe I have that might allow me to drive the switch assembly out.
As far as the serial number, I always heard that the first two characters indicated the cell size and quantity. The letter being C or D and the number between 2 and 6.
Great Help!!!!!
Peter Thank you so much!!! last month I bought a 3 D cell and it came with the swich out of his place, I called to maglite and they told me that I have to send it for warranty but I didn´t. Now I fixed it with your help thank you again!
Hey friends, I found out a way to get a Battery out! I bout a wood drill bit and hammerd it in the battery and then I hooked it up to my drill and it twisted the battery out
I dropped mine hard enough push the + end of one battery in about 1/16 of an inch. After I got tired of shaking and tapping it I read your article, (just before having a machine shop make a special tool to extract the snap ring), and after easily taking it apart, I found it had pushed the spring in the end in also. Thank you for your great article! Full power has been restored captain.
Also that switch is quite large. My allen wrench was 2/3 of the way in before touching the screw, and if corrosion has set in a long needle or wire may loosen enough for the wrench to get a grip.
After seeing the responses and added info I think at least part of the world is in good hands
Thanks Peter!
My 3 D-cell uses a 5/64 Allen key.
Nathan,
That is ingenious and hilarious.
Well done for that info…isn’t the internet fantastic?!
I had planned to spend the day trying to get that damned circlip out from the front.
We also build dive lights and in the past have hacksawed the handle off behind the switch area.
The idea we currently have is to use a maglite as a hand-held torch; with no cable or cannister. two D-Cell rechargeable Li-ion’s (yes, they make them, 3.6V each). Replace the existing switch with a piezo switch waterproof glued, with a toggle circuit inside. The light will be a Terralux tripple Cree-XR-E LED, 500-600 lumens. Terralux make them as drop-in modules to upgrade your Maglite. Replace the lens with 4mm perspex and Silastic up the bezel. Thicker O ring at the base will be the access port for re-charging.
Cheers anyway for the info, saved me a stack of effort
Great instructions that helped me get a light up and running. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this guide. I,ve just used it to fix my 4D maglite. The springy contact on the swich had gotten stuck down causing the torch to stop working. It took only 5 minutes to fix using yor guide. Cheers
If, on the older model, you still have trouble getting the switch housing out, if it is a three battery model put two batteries in and shake lite up and down and it will knock the housing right out. If it is a four battery model then use three batteries. In other words, use one less battery than it holds to help remove the switch housing. This will lesson the stress of banging the assembly out with a piece of pipe.
Very helpfull!! THX!!!!!
Oh how absolutely glorious of you to post this, I almost shot out the switch with my 9mm…it was definitely on my last nerve…
Maglite that went to the bottom of the sea and back.
Just read your article. I found another article somewhere else with slightly better photos but this is quite adequate. Our Maglite went 1565m below sealevel! Yes to the bottom of the Atlantic near the equator (75Km off the coast of Ghana). It wasn’t planned that way but we were sending some equipment down and the torch was left on that. When we brought the equipment back up there was our Maglite. Amazingly the bulbs were intact! They had survived 2044psi that about 70 times the pressure in your car tyre!
The batteries were no good and all the contact surfaces were fouled up. The damage most difficult to rectify is the reflector. All the chrome has come off the plastic reflector.
The final part is the switch but it is different to both your model and the model of lite in the other site I found.
The only thing you forgot to mention is that the allen key has to be inserted a very long way into the switch hole… A friend gave me a mag-light, and said that the switch was no good. After taking the switch out, and stretching the spring, I now have an almost new flashlight…. Thanks so much.
GREAT ………….Easy when you know how.
I seem to be a member of a very large club…..for those who leave batteries in their ‘Mag’ and suffer the consequences….now managed to take it to bits and put things right.
Much cheaper than buying a replacement
Thanks again for you advice
your an absolute bloody fairdinkum legend spent many nights before camping trying to fix 5d maglight less than 3 mins with your help
Worked for me!
We’re metric here, and a 2.0mm allen key did the trick. This was a great help, as I cleaned the light recently (without removing the switch) and didn’t realise how much gunk I’d missed!
Thanks!!!
My batteries leaked in my LED maglight and I could not figure out how to get the switch assembly out. Your advice saved my beloved flashlight.
Best Regards
Gerald, Canada
Peter. . . Great job of explaining what had to be done. I purchased a 4 d-cell Maglight from Goodwill today for $3.00 and when only three D-cells would go in, I now knew why it was donated to them. The first cell was totally corroded and would not come out. I tried drilling it out and when that didn’t work I tried to take the lens system and switch assembly apart. That’s when I searched and found this article. Mine had the D serial number, so I located the right allen wrench and took it apart. It was a little difficult sliding down to the base because of the corroded remains, but it did come apart just as you stated. Cleaned out the insides, reassembled the switch and lens, put 4 D-cells into it, and it is just like new. Much cheaper than the $26-$43 internet pricing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thanks a bunch, your words saved me a bucket-load of effort. I was going after that ring and since I’ve been inside a mini maglite I knew it had to be simpler than what I was doing, so I thought to hit the internet.