The turn signal switch on my 1980 Corvette seems too hard to push up or down to turn on my signal lights. Is this something that I can adjust by possibly bending tabs or lubricating the mechanism in the steering column? Or should I replace the turn signal switch assembly? Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

That switch is all plastic, nothing your going to bend. I would try lubricating it first. You will need some tools if you have a tilt/tele column.

 

Yup. I have a puller and the tool that compresses the spring so that the c-clip can be taken out. Thanks.

 

Sounds like your good tools wise. Pretty simple to get to the turn signal switch. Step one, get the horn bits out of the way. Then you are looking right at it.
Best of luck to you.

 

Can he use dielectric grease to lubricate the contacts and the moving parts after he cleans off the old grease?

 

Suppose he could. I generally use a white petroleum jelly on these plastic switches.

 

Thanks for all the advice so far. Dismantling the steering column to access the switch will be no problem. It's completely within my skill set and I have done it before.

I will attempt to clean and lube the parts and see if it gets the mechanism moving more freely, but I won't start on it for a while. I live in Canada and I intend to keep driving the car until the snow comes. That could be any time from next week to the middle of December. The signal switch will be one of 2 or 3 small projects on the car that I will take care of over the winter.

Replacement assemblies don't seem to be extremely expensive, so perhaps I could get some recomendations for suppliers of good quality ones, in case I don't get good results from my attempt to free it up.

Thanks.

 

I like Lectric Limited for most of my electric replacement parts. Knowledgeable, friendly, fair prices, excellent customer service & always have good stock.

CLICK HERE >>>> https://www.lectriclimited.com/

 

Summit racing stocks a replacement switch as well.

 

Yes. I actually have that one on my wish list with Summit.

Wonderng if anyone who has used the SMP-TW8 could chime in as to its "feel" for difficutly of switching. Does it go with the typical amount of force that one would expect for a turn signal switch?

Thanks.

 

Truthfully I haven't tryed that exact part number. I have used a number of standard motor products replacement parts. I have always found SMP parts to be about as close to factory original as any replacement parts I have used. And generally for a fair price.
Not certain if that helps you but I know I wouldn't have a problem using this part.

 

I know what you mean. Mine is very difficult to use also. See this thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nal-lever.html
answer #4 from Jim Shea. I tried the lubrication points he mentions, but it didn't make a difference for me. I don't know if its my particular switch or if this is just the way it is.
Good Luck

 

That looks to be exactly the advice I am looking for. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

 

Also, pay attention to the orientation of the cancel cam when you take it apart. Its easy to put it back upside down which will cause the turn signal not to cancel after a turn.

 

I did the job today. I found that the flat brass detente springs, the large main one and the smaller one alongside it, were catching quite hard against the plastic parts which they ride against. I cleaned off the old waxy grease and relubed them. They still clicked too hard for my tastes, so I got underneath the large one with bent needle nosed pliers and took some of the spring out of it by forcing it up and away from the plastic part. I did this with the other smaller detente spring also, but to a lesser extent. I cleaned and relubed the rest of the moving parts at their points of contact and reassembled. The signal switch now moves much more easily, almost too easily.

Edited a few days later: I had to take it apart again and put most of the springiness back into the two springs. I found that the feature where you slightly push the signal arm for a temporary signal during a lane change was not returning back to the off position and would sometimes stay on flashing, or even stay on with a solid light (not flashing). I think the larger of the springs was more important for this to work properly. So now I'm thinking that the cleaning and re-lubing was more imortant than the bending and I would recommend minimal bending of the springs, if any at all.

Thank you to everyone for your advice.

 

So do you think not messing with spring and relubing would be enough? Mine is hard to move as well.

 

I would do the cleaning and lubing first and then check it. If it is still hard, then tweak the spring a bit. I pulled mine a few times, and quite far the last time. If I could do it over again, I would not have pulled quite so hard the last time. (Note: I edited my previous post to describe how I had to go back in and undo most of the spring bending that I did)
Also, I found that I had to pull the same number of times with equal force on both sides if the V in the middle of the spring.
Good luck.

 

Not sure if you are following the thread to the end so I'm going to reply to this post.

I found that the flat brass detente springs, the large main one and the smaller one alongside it, were catching quite hard against the plastic parts wiich they ride against. I cleaned off the old waxy grease and relubed them. They still clicked too hard for my tastes, so I got underneath the large one with bent needle nosed pliers and took some of the spring out of it by forcing it up and away from the plastic part. I found that I had to do this an equal number of times with the same amount of force on both sides of the V in the detente spring. I did this with the olther smaller detente spring also, but to a lesser extent. I cleaned and relubed the rest of the moving parts at their points of contact and reassembled. The signal switch now moves much more easily.

 

Richard81
I am subscribed to this thread but thanks for double checking. Glad to hear it worked out for ya. I have gotten so much help from the users in this forum, it feels good to be able to give back. I"ll give my springs a tweak next spring. Gettin cold here.

 

Getting cold here too! Not sure if you checked where I live....Alberta, Canada.

You probably noticed I edited my previous posts. Cleaning and lubing more important than bending. Good luck next Spring.