I need to fix my lighter socket before I head down to Zukimelt Saturday, so I can use my CB.  How can I get the socket out of the hole it is mounted in?  There is a wire hanging loose behind it that I think needs to be attached to the center lead of the socket, but without removing the socket I don't know how I could solder or otherwise attach it.  Thanks.

Kieth, I did this last year for the same reason (loose lead = no power), but I can't remember off the top of my head how I got the lighter out.  I'm pretty sure I had the center console out at the time (doing something else) and it was easier to see.  If no one has replied by this afternoon, I'll check after work and see if I can remember what I did.

There is usually a screw that holds the housing in due to you do have to pull the lighter out of the housing. If you can't get it out, you could always extend the cb wiring directly over to the fuse box and use an inserted terminal to get power. That's pretty simple for a temp/weekend use.
And you never know, someone at the Melt may know exactly what to do.

As for hooking the wire up to it, make sure it's the hot wire to the center terminal and the ground goes to the housing.

not sure but some lighter sockets are lit around the border, that wire could be for that.  does the lighter work?  also, if i remember right.... there is a large press shaped nut that is a little bigger than the dia of the lighter case that holds it all together.  you have to reach around behind and sort of undo it with your finger tips.... or was that another car i worked on... sorry, not sure.  if you had the time i would say goto wallmart and look at the replacement ones in the clear wraping.  but there is a hot wire coming off the center rear of the lighter, female end on wire plugs over the male end on the lighter.  hope that helps ya a little.

my other 2c is, dont try to take off the center console moulding if you dont have to, it is a mojor pain!  and easy to break.  good luck! :-/

Kieth,  sorry it took so long to get back to you.  I know I had to reconnect the positive lead, but I just looked at that thing this afternoon and now I'm wondering if I ever did actually take it out because I couldn't figure out how to do it just now.

If your dash is like mine, you can get a pretty good look at it with the ash tray removed.

I'm gonna have to check on this again when it cools off out there a bit 'cause now I'm really starting to wonder what I did

I unscrewed the lead from the positive terminal by reaching behind the panel from the passenger side.  I was able to wire the positive lead to it.  The only problem now is that some of my things that have lighter socket plugs don't hold firmly in the receptacle and lose their contact.