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Have driven my new to me 63 SWC for a couple of weeks and oddly enough have only found one problem beyond the fact that the foam in the seat is too dense so I am sitting too high. The turn signal won't cancel every time. I know it has to do with how many degrees the wheel passes through. My guess is that the cancellation cam is not in the right spot. I assume that I should just put the car up on jackstands and start figuring it out. Any guidance?
Messed with these a lot. The electrical connections are taken care of at the switch on the steering column down near the pedals. It’s connected to the mechanical section under the horn button via a cable. The upper end of the cable has a loop that goes around a pin that moves an actuator that does the cancellation. The cable may need adjusted, the loop may have come off the pin or there may be something misaligned or broken. Not at home now so I can’t share pictures. The adjustment procedures are on the shop manual.
Messed with these a lot. The electrical connections are taken care of at the switch on the steering column down near the pedals. It’s connected to the mechanical section under the horn button via a cable. The upper end of the cable has a loop that goes around a pin that moves an actuator that does the cancellation. The cable may need adjusted, the loop may have come off the pin or there may be something misaligned or broken. Not at home now so I can’t share pictures. The adjustment procedures are on the shop manual.
FTF, thanks. I will pull out the shop manual and sort it out. I suspect its something simple because it usually cancels turning left but will only cancel right if the turn is at least 90 degrees.
This is what you will find under the horn button... The two metal "hoops" at 2 and 8 0'clock in the picture are your canceling cams....the metal wire loop from the switch cable (shown disconnected) goes around a small arm which is activated by the turn signal handle to move the electrical switch...near the floorboard...
This arrangement is 63-only.
Also note the wide copper horn contact ring on the upper bearing; 63-only as well...finally there is a cylindrical bushing on top of this bearing in 63, not a spring like later midyears...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 10-28-2018 at 06:18 AM.
Before you do too much work, get down under the steering column where you can see the electrical switch. You'll see the stiff wire that runs from the mechanism under the hub, down the column to that switch. It attaches to the switch where the wire runs through a sping loaded connector. It is designed so you can depress the spring and slide it up or down the wire to change the "neutral" point of the switch. If the wire/connector position is not exactly where it belongs, you'll have problems with cancellation, usually in one direction only. You can depress the spring and slide the the connector up or down a little to see if that helps. ... The problem may end up being in the hub or the switch itself, but I'd try the easy adjustment first.
I think we all agree with that - the cable adjustment (length actually) limits movement of both the electrical switch and the signal engagement/canceling mechanics...
I've put many a car on jack stands to freely turn the steering wheel and fix turn signal problems - excellent approach...
Before you do too much work, get down under the steering column where you can see the electrical switch. You'll see the stiff wire that runs from the mechanism under the hub, down the column to that switch. It attaches to the switch where the wire runs through a sping loaded connector. It is designed so you can depress the spring and slide it up or down the wire to change the "neutral" point of the switch. If the wire/connector position is not exactly where it belongs, you'll have problems with cancellation, usually in one direction only. You can depress the spring and slide the the connector up or down a little to see if that helps. ... The problem may end up being in the hub or the switch itself, but I'd try the easy adjustment first.
Is this the process for '63 only? My '64 has the same problem. It cancels on the left side only and only occasionally on the right side. The right side only cancels the it is a full 90+ degree turn. I have replaced the cancelling cam and that helped the left side. The one replaced had cracked.
All the discussion in this thread is for 63-only....
If you don't see the switch on the steering column mast jacket near the floor board - you ain't got a 63 system:
All the discussion in this thread is for 63-only....
If you don't see the switch on the steering column mast jacket near the floor board - you ain't got a 63 system:
Have driven my new to me 63 SWC for a couple of weeks and oddly enough have only found one problem beyond the fact that the foam in the seat is too dense so I am sitting too high. The turn signal won't cancel every time. I know it has to do with how many degrees the wheel passes through. My guess is that the cancellation cam is not in the right spot. I assume that I should just put the car up on jackstands and start figuring it out. Any guidance?
Eric,
The cancelling cam is a plastic sort of half round part that screws to the bottom of the hub. When you place the signal lever in the left/right position the mechanism shown in Frank's picture moves off center and one of the pawls will contact the cam on return and move the mechanism back to center which cancels the blinker. You can unhook the cable at the switch below or just check the adjustment as it's pretty straight forward and I would be surprised if that was the problem.
I remember reading a post where someone had to bend one of the pawls to correct a cancelling problem but I don't recommend it. Check that the larger slotted hold down screw is snug while allowing unobstructed movement of the ring. Check that the plastic cancelling cam is in good condition and look the pawls over for damage from previous hands. The 1963 steering assembly is actually quite easy but there does not seem to be much info out there on it.
If you take it apart and need an opinion just post up some pics.
. The 1963 steering assembly is actually quite easy but there does not seem to be much info out there on it.
GM has not been able to recapture the simple elegance of the 1963 Corvette turn signal mechanism since Rube Goldberg died. ( .... Yes. That was sarcasm.)
tbarb is correct - the canceling cam is this nylon do-hickey.....I misstated that the metal "hoops" above were the cams (they are pawls) in my typing zeal... I think the 63 turn signals are elegant in their simplicity and the segmentation of the electrical vs the mechanical function...
This part is nearly indestructible and most likely NOT your problem.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 10-29-2018 at 10:35 AM.
'60'64 Corvair (and I believe '62-'63 Chevy II) used the same/similar turn signal design as '63 Corvette. Here's a link that provides some useful information.
GM has not been able to recapture the simple elegance of the 1963 Corvette turn signal mechanism since Rube Goldberg died. ( .... Yes. That was sarcasm.)
Bet some major dude in the GM hierarchy had a 13 year old know-it-all kid who drew it up, similar to its late 70's - late 90's multifunction steering column stalk of agonizingly cheap plastic, used on every car. Someone's brother-in-law had a multi-year contract.
10-27-2018, 08:30 AM
1963 Turn Signal Cancellation
