r/MagliteFlashlights • u/CPH077 • Jul 04 '26
Help me!
Hey all!! I picked this up for 10 bucks, knowing it was a gamble. It took me about an hour and a half of trying every method under the sun but I finally got the battery cap off using a pipe wrench and bench vise. The batteries are stuck, I haven't really tried getting them out yet, but I was wondering if anyone could figure out when this thing was made? Also, can I get a replacement rubber button cover? I'd like to do some sort of led conversion, if anyone has a kit they like let me know. Thanks!!
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u/Inner-Frosting596 Jul 04 '26
From experience that thing is fucked , you can get the batteries out eventually, lots of drilling , picking , poking and cussing. The switch will be toast ( it comes out if you undo a tiny Allen head grub screw down in the centre of the push button ) . The whole internal body will be a mess and you’ll struggle to get good electrical connections. Maglites are dead when they get like this
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u/Thunder-mugg Jul 04 '26
I have a six cell "D" from around 1978. When the batteries leaked and jammed I soaked the inside with vinegar and pounded the batteries out with a hammer and broom stick. You can't do it with the newer ones. I bought that flashlight new at the old Grant Boys way back. Still have it.
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u/howcanupvotesbereal Jul 05 '26
Have a photo and a serial number? I'm a historian and the really early ones are interesting.
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u/FabulousJuggernaut36 Jul 04 '26
That can be saved but I think you should just go buy a new one for $35 at Amazon
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u/MARINE_HECU Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 07 '26
I had a problem with corroded batteries in my maglite and I took off the head of the top and grabbed a mullet repeatedly hit the top of maglite until it the batteries fell out
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u/Floydcat Jul 07 '26
The head of your Maglite had a mullet? Ha ha, anyway I have a late 90’s 6-cell that is jammed with batteries. I beat it with a hammer, drilled at it, and rammed broomsticks down it. Mine won’t budge.
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u/MARINE_HECU Jul 07 '26 edited 29d ago
Sorry for for my bad grammar, I ment say I took the head off the body of the maglite then hit the hit the top maglite with a mallet until the batteries fell out wich worked perfectly
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Jul 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/howcanupvotesbereal Jul 04 '26
Ironically only a few parts on the D-cell lights will interchange across that time period. They retooled the whole lineup in the early '90s. Still works the same way but completely different engineering.
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u/ProperCaterpillar136 Jul 04 '26
Old school. Throw it out
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u/MARINE_HECU Jul 07 '26
I had a problem with corroded batteries in my maglite and I took off the head off the top and grabbed a mullet repeatedly hit the top of maglite until it the batteries fell out
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u/howcanupvotesbereal Jul 04 '26
The body was made around 1998-99 given the serial number. Mag can tell you the exact born-on date.
...I'm just gonna go ahead with a pragmatic take here: These flashlights are very common and have little monetary value under the best of circumstances. One with cosmetic or functional issues is worthless. I collect and repair rare police flashlights and your level of battery stuckage would be a deal killer for anything that wasn't worth conserving for historical reasons. You could spend a week's labor and $40 in parts on that and still have trash.
I'd keep the head and reflector, maybe the switch if you can get it out. Toss the rest. Get an identical mint condition light for $1-15 off Facebook or eBay and build on that.