Spring is here ... and I can't find one!!

[Bigrig]

Howdy

something reasonably obscure (although I am certain Nissan themselves would have it for a princely sum!!), but I'm after a small spring that goes in the rooftop reading lights in a GQ - has never worked since I had it, so I pulled it apart today, soldered it up and got it working (miracles will never cease), however the button on the passenger side was jammed in, and upon inspection, it doesn't have the small spring to make the button go in and out. The spring is very light gauge, about 9-10mm in diameter, about 20mm in length, and as you could imagine, impossible to find anywhere!! Been to Repco, SuperCheap Auto, Mitre 10 and True Value hardware and no go ... would anyone by any chance know where I could get something like this?? It's dead set a 30 cent item, but a pain without it ... I was thinking hobby stores that sell model cars, aeroplanes and the like, but can't find anything on the net.

PLEASE HELP ... if I can't replace the spring, I'll obviously have to replace the whole car!! LOL

[DX grunt]

Longshot, but tried the wreckers?

[Bigrig]

Not yet mate - thanks for that. As said, a longshot, but worth a try none the less.

[Finly Owner]

You can go to Bega Rd Wreckers Kingston, as they wreck a lot of Patrols. Or if you have a sample I may be able to help you, as I work in Slacks CK.

[Bigrig]

Thanks mate - greatly appreciate the offer - I'll take a 'happy snap' of the little offender tomorrow and post it up.

[Chops]

Thought of trying a spring from an old Pen, or an old push button TV or Radio. Take the light to an electronics store, Tandy, Dick Smith etc.

[Bigrig]

Hey chops - yeah, pretty much raided every pen, old clock and game controller in the house hunting for something - I'm obviously an idiot, coz I didn't even think of Tandy or Dick Smith ... they seem reasonably obvious now!!! LOL Thanks mate.

[Bigrig]

Right - had enough of not finding what I wanted, so I decided to make my own - grabbed a spring from a biro (too long, too compressed and too hard) and spent the next hour or so stretching it, cutting it to size, expanding the diameter, and back to the start again ... but guess what, I have a working reading light!!!! I'd have to say it's actually better than the OE one - a bit more 'sturdy' feeling when pressing the button ... I may not know much, but I am tenacious!! Thanks everyone for your comments, if you ever need one, let me know - I'm a spring making professional now. LOL ...

[Chops]

Cant think of anything better to do on a Sunday, good one.

[Woof]

Right - had enough of not finding what I wanted, so I decided to make my own - grabbed a spring from a biro (too long, too compressed and too hard) and spent the next hour or so stretching it, cutting it to size, expanding the diameter, and back to the start again ... but guess what, I have a working reading light!!!! I'd have to say it's actually better than the OE one - a bit more 'sturdy' feeling when pressing the button ... I may not know much, but I am tenacious!! Thanks everyone for your comments, if you ever need one, let me know - I'm a spring making professional now. LOL ...

Hey McGuiver, can you make me a set of springs for my GQ out of a pen spring please lololol
Seriously well done mate, will have to remember that tip if I ever require one myself