I'm having an issue with my 1978 where the turn signal switch (which is newly replaced) doesn't snap into place when pushing the lever down (left indicator). Everything else works fine, but you have to hold the lever down in order to indicate left. I've had the switch installed for about a month, and up until recently, everything worked fine. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Brady

 

Possibly one of the coil springs that are used to cancel the turn signal fell off....or the portion of the turn signal switch that cages this spring is broken.

Did the turn signal work correctly after it was replaced??? Because if it never worked after it the new one was installed. There is a chance that the steering column is not correctly positioned when your front wheels are actually pointing straight ahead.

DUB

 

Once I replaced it, it worked fine. After about a month of use however, the left signal would sometimes fail to click into place. Now, it doesn't click at all. If you mean the steering wheel is misaligned, it was originally misaligned by about half an inch (once I replaced the switch), but that's since been corrected.

 

I am following this. My left turn signal is harder to actuate than the right side.

 

HOW did you correct the misalignment of the steering wheel when you replaced the turn signal switch???

There is a notch at the very end of the shaft that the nut that holds on the steering wheel hub. IF your wheels are straight...that notch MUST BE at the 12 'o' clock position. Then...the hub that your steering wheel is attached to has a notch cast into it and it lines up with the notch at the end of the column shaft.

IF the notch at the end of your steering column shaft is not at 12 'o' clock....and lets say it is at 1 'o' clock...then your turn signal will not work correctly. It may cancel to soon or not engage unless the steering wheel is turned a little bit.

DUB

 

I have the same issue with our '78. I recall reading other posts about it and my understanding is that the switch can slip around the column, and it is not aligned to allow it to "click" into position? This is irrespective of where the wheels are pointing. I believe that the cure required removal of the switch, which, I think is a ghastly job?

 

I believe if the steering wheel is not centered going straight, then the cancelling cam is not in the right position. If you turn the wheel straight, will it then "click" into position?
The pictures below show the cam which is below the lock plate. It will only go in one way.

 

I see I need to take some very specific photos and post them along with descriptions.

Not knowing what 'switch' Stephen Irons was mentioning. I can only assume that it is the turn signal switch and it can not move once it is secured in position.

Now if it is the lower horn contact seen in the first photo of POST#7. Then this is correct IF it is incorrectly installed.

DUB

 

Yes, I was referring to the indicator "switch", or lever. Mine does not "lock" in the left turn position and I've seen a few people who have the same issue. The failure to lock is not affected by wheel position, ie, if I try to lock the switch while the wheel is turned "off centre" it will not lock. Strangely, the problem manifested itself gradually, only occurring occasionally, becoming more frequent until being a permanent feature. The same pattern seemed to apply to others? Thankfully, the indicators do work if I hold the switch down and, more important, the car can pass the all important "Controle Technique" (5 year vehicle condition test) in that condition here.

I'll be interested to see some photos etc

 

Stephen,

Does it lock when you go to turn on your right signal??

DUB

 

It looks like the issue Stephen is having is exactly like mine. I've only been inside my steering column once, so I'm only a little acquainted with the internals. However, I incorrectly aligned the steering wheel when I first replaced the switch, noticed that it was misaligned, and corrected the issue in the same way DUB has described. The turn signal lever locks when signaling right for me, but I'm forced to hold it in position when signaling left. The position of the wheel has no impact on the lever's ability to lock into place.

 

THEN...you need to get it back apart and get it so you are looking at your column like the second photo in POST#7.

THEN...you do not have to totally remove the turn signal switch...but at least get it up and away so you can manually check and see if it will lock in place WITHOUT it being installed.

I KNOW this may seem pointless..but I HAVE encountered some turn signal switches that did just that. I could manually work them in my hand BUT when I installed it some of the plastic of the switch was causing a problem in one of the directions that I was moving the turn signal level it would not engage.

I would really look close at the motion of your switch for the direction DOES engage and lock in place and then see what is happening when you go into the opposite direction.

DUB

 

Hi, sorry for the late reply! Yes, it does lock in the right turn position. The strange thing about it is that the problem manifested itself gradually, as if something was wearing, or moving, over time.... I've always assumed that the left turn signal is the one that gets most "long term" use? The other way around of course when we lived in the UK, but here in France we drive on the "right" side!

 

Then if it is locking in the RIGHT turn signal position...but it is NOT locking in the LEFT turn signal position....I would have to get back into it and look and see if you can get it to come out of the column a little bit and manually see if it will lock when it is not mounted in the column. IF it does not..then I would be looking at it closely.

DUB

 

Mine did the exact same thing ,thanks Dub for all your help.
Turned out I replaced the same exact switch that some one else
Replaced. If you look close enough you will see there is to much room in the center of the switch. Turns out it was a switch for a non tilt column.
I have a tilt. I went to lectric limited and ordered a switch for a tilt
Co.umn . It is smaller with a different horn ring. Works great.
Thanks again to Dub for the education. And the phone call.
Call lectric limited, you won’t be sorry.hope this helps.

 

GLAD to be of some help.

DUB

 

I was just dealing with this same issue. I had no driver side rear turn signal with my old switch, and it also would lock right, but not left. Additionally, it took a lot of force on the stalk to move it, and a pretty heavy yank to get it to lock right. I confirmed that a new switch plugged into the harmonica did indeed cure the issue with the driver side rear, so I proceeded to swap out the switch assembly.

Of course I tested the newly installed switch as soon as I screwed it in, and all was good. I then attached the arm that connects the switch to the stalk, and tested that. Still a little stiff, but it operated all the lights and clicked into position left and right. So far so good.

I then reassembled everything, and tested again. The second or third time I went to lock it left, summamabitch ! It wouldn't lock left. So I pulled everything apart again. Looking everything over, I noticed that the linkage in question (circled in red below) flexes a little bit when you move the stalk to the point where it locks into position. I hypothesized that since the stalk had been reefed on repeatedly, it would stand to reason that the linkage could have been twisted a little in the process. I sprayed the piece connected to the stalk down with PB Blaster, and cleaned it out as best I could, then used two crescent wrenches to bend the linkage slightly inward at the end that mates with the stalk, slathered that end in grease, and reinstalled it. After that, the stalk moves a little more freely, and locks into both left and right.




I put everything back together again, and all seems well with it. So far anyway.

On a related note, I haven't seen anyone mention it, but I had to wrestle the lock plate retainer into place manually both times I reinstalled the lock plate. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any place to lock the shaft in place, and on my column (tilt only), when the lock plate retainer is out, you can pull the center shaft right out of the outer one. The inner shaft just slips in with a keyway to mate the two.

*edit - I was mistaken about the lock plate retainer. That does keep the inner potrion from sliding clear out of the outer, but It's the star shaped bolt that locks the inner portion in place. I noticed that when I had to pull the wheel back off this afternoon to line it up straight.

 

I have the exact same problem on my 79, and have taken mine apart down to the circled screw more than once, readjusted and the left turn signal would lock, for a while, but it's always stopped working again after some time. Looks like it's time to go back into it again.