My friend came over and asked if I would look at his turn signal switch. He said it was no longer working. After taking off the steering wheel, we found the switch had craked in two were the turn signal lever screws in. I gave him a choice of ordering a new switch and replacing it or trying to come up with a easy fix. We desided to try a easy fix first. If that didn't work we would order a new switch. I know some of you might think it's a Buba fix... and in some ways it is... But It is a very easy fix that saved a lot of time and money... AND IT WORKS It took me if don't count the trip to Lows and the pics taken... just about one hour. Here is the fix. I thought you guys may enjoy reading about it.

First disconnet the ground battery cable and make shure your steering wheel and tires are pointing stra8.


Pry off horn button. I used a screw driver. Becareful not to scratch up steering wheel. Button comes off very easy.



Remove horn contact plate slowly. There is a horn assembly spring just behind the contact plate. Becarful NOT to lose this.


Remove steering wheel nut.


Remove steering wheel. Steering wheel pullys a cheap to buy or your auto supply store will have one you can use (most of the time). Just a few turns on the pully bolt and the wheel came off easy.


Remove Cover. Take care NOT to lose the plastic washers in the back of cover ( they are a yellow color ).



Remove the Lock Plate Retaining Ring : This is were it gets a little tuff. You can use (If you have ) a special tool that you can get at ZIP ( it's on page 21 of the C3 catalog # 25, $13.95 ), or you can use GM's special tool J-23131 ( I have no idea if this tool is still available from GM ). I had none, so I used the old school way. I got my friend to push in on the Lock Plate as I removed the Retaining Ring. This took a few trys... But not too hard to do.


Note notch. On his, the Steering Lock shaft was just to the left of the notch ( this was with the steering wheel and tires pointing str8 ).


This is the Lock Plate and Retaining Ring. You might want to have a new Retaining ring ready to use on the reinstall. Or you can reuse the one you took off if you don't mess it up too bad.


Here you can see the crack we found. I used an apoxey glue (Locktight brand). Just make shure it says it can be used for Plastic. There are too plastic pieces. Make sure you DON'T glue the two together. I put a piece of plastic trash bag in-between the two so that glue would not get on the one on the back. It's hard to explane and i don't have a good pics of it... But you will see what I mean. It's very easy to spot.



Ok, Here is the piece I made. I was not sure if the glue would hold alone under load when using the turn single lever. SO I desided to fabricate from metal a clamp to fit... using the same screw that holds the turn signal Lever in place. It worked out GREAT !





Here it is installed. The hardening puddy is called QuickSteel ( bought at Wallmart for $4.49 ). It can be removed or left in place. It worked great to hold the part together as the apoxy set.



Then just reinstall in reverse order. Remember to torque nut to 30 ft/lbs.


Well there it is. I know it's a crazy fix, but it works great. And only takes a bout one hour or so.
BTW... When we put it all back together the horn did not work. I took the horn plate back off and I adjusted the horn spring a little bit and put the horn plate back on and it worked.

 

Great pics!

Just what I need to install all of my horn components on the bare column; never would have given the notch a second look.

 

Great work...I knew we did not have to turn to the Japanese for everything.

GM should have reinforced the turn signal as an added quality conscious effort when the vehicle was built.

Elio you did a great job...my car works fine

 

That's a very creative fix and an AMAZING walk through. Good job. Question, how much would the new part have been if he'd decided to fix it? Seems you got that far down, so the real difference is simply the price for the materials to fix it instead of replacing it.

 

$40.00 and a great pain in the rear to do----connect wires through steering wheel etc.

 

The part looks like a piece of plastic but it has about 7 wires connected to it and has to run through the steering wheel----no way in 90 degree sun.

Elio was very creative and it works great

Elio are you part Asian?

 

Great write up - Thanks for the instructions.

 

The part is only $40.00 for a 69-76 wo/tilt-tele, $63 for 69-76 W/ tilt- tele, and $100.00 for a 68. But the fix is more in depth . I have replaced one before and yes we were almost there, but it would have taken us longer then just the hour it took us. And he wanted to drive his car instead of waiting the 3 days or so to get the part. You also have to be carfull with the wiring harness when installing it as to not snag it. Plus it was fun trying to come up with a easy fix. If it ever gives out again I can just replace the whole switch. The cost to him was just, I think the 4.00 the glue cost.

 

THAT'S Funny.... NO ! But I do like Asian women. Does that count ?

 

great how-to!
My brother-in-law's 78 has a defective switch. We will break into it and check, and if it broken like this, we will follow your path.
thanks for the post and the story!
Buddy

 

Sorry guys I was informed I for got to give credit to my helper who sat there with me the hole time as I worked on the car. This dog loves that car as you can tell.

 

Just got back from Thailand and it changed my whole perspective on women. I'm right there w/ you.

 

I hate to tell you, they sell just that part on ebay. But great write up and repair.

What part of Flower Mound do you live in, I'm at Corporate and Valley behind the Senior Center. See you around the hood.

 

NO WAY ?... I looked on ebay and I only found the hole turn signal switch... That's just my luck. I'll have to look again. I just looked again and could not find any to fit a corvette . I looked up "Turn signal switch cam" ( witch is that part. ). I also looked up "turn signal switch" and only came up with the hole switch.

I did some more research and found this part that will work , It's from Ecklers ( I think it's the part you are talking about. ).

http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...ept%5Fid=1720#

I called and talked to there teck department. They said It will work.... But you have to still take the switch out of the column to install the new Switch cam. He also said in some cases you can just disconect the wires at the bottom of the column and try to just pull them through the column enoff to get the switch out far enoff to fix it... But make sure you you leave a way to fish them back out or you'll still have to remove the switch from the column. BOY, I have done the switch replacement before. And If I'm going to have to remove the switch or mess with the wires at all... I'll replace the hole swich just to make sure I don't have to go back in there.


Yes, I have seen you driving your Vette. I'm off of Valley Ridge in Stone Hill Farms. PM me and I'll send you my address, You should drop by some time.

Also, BTW for all... Here is a post with more info on how to change the turn signal switch.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...641&forum_id=3

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/69-70...mZ360005001311

Was this it?

 

Hey that's It !!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, it's about the same price as Ecklers. Now come my comp didn't pull that up????? Dang... Thanks for posting it!

 

I've replaced the entire wiring harness inside both a '69 and a '73, it is a royal pain in the butt to take the wheel/steering column down enough so you can access the routing of the wiring harness...if this fixes the problem then more power to you! That plastic is famous for breaking, but then again, it IS plastic, and 35+ years old...

And Damlie?...Elio likes ANY Woman, he has about 3000 photos on the garage wall with him posing with every good looking woman between Florida and Hawaii that will sit still long enough to let him get a photo.

~Maverick