Trafficator Removal
Neil trelenburg
If the steering wheel has to be removed or the wiring replaced, the complete unit does not have to be taken apart only the backing plate.
Start by turning the battery switch off…very important because horns are not fused (that’s a bit of a white lie, they are but it’s a 50 amp fuse).
Next remove (completely) the three set screws in the steering wheel base. This will allow you to pull the trafficator assembly towards you. This is assuming you have an adjustable steering column. It is a good idea to make sure there is a gentle loop of wiring harness at the front of the steering box to allow you to pull the trafficator forward. Also while checking for slack you might want to make sure the nut and olive are snug. The olive and nut holds the stator tube in place. It doesn’t have to be overtight just nice and snug. The reason I say this is if the trafficator assembly is stuck and you pull too hard you may pull the stator tube out as well. That means all the steering box lube will run out on your garage floor. Which brings me to my next step…put a container under your steering box just in case.
When you are pulling the assembly forward have the steering wheel straight; the signal lever should also be straight up and down. The assembly may be slightly hard to pull if it hasn’t been moved for some time. You must be careful when it comes out that you don’t catch or rip the wires at the steering box end….thus the loop I mentioned before.
At this point, with wheel straight and assembly still straight up, take a black felt pen and draw a line down the assembly end of the strator tube as a reference when you put things back together. If the line is on top of the tube it just makes things easier when trying to put it back in.
So next is the removal of the wires. You may have noticed that I did not say to remove the horn button…you don’t have to. Three phillips screws hold on the back plate. Just in front of the backing plate is a plate with a locking tab on the right hand side of the assembly. You only have to lift it out of its slot, don’t bend it! Rotate the plate with a screw driver blade to reveal the holes for the removal of the backing plate. A stubby phillips works well here.
With these screws removed the Bakelite assembly comes off the backing plate revealing the ends of the wiring harness. A small nut driver works best here. Notice that the end two nuts have two nuts on each screw. They are the screws for the horn, don’t take both nuts off…only the top one on each side. At this point make a drawing of the colour code…it makes life easier later.
Removing the centre wires requires a little more thought. They only have one nut on each post. Post being the signal contact points inside the trafficator unit itself. What you should do is….before removing the nut move the signal lever so that it is sitting on top of that post. You can see this from the side of the assembly. The reason being….when you take the nut off the post will fall inside the assembly and you will say #&*%, trust me you will.
So now when you take the spade lug off...put the nut back on and then move the lever to the other side and do the same. When you put them back on remember to move the lever each time, don’t be a goof like me, #&*%. You can now attach a wire or a tough piece of string to the wire ends and then pull the harness down the stator tube. Or if you are just removing the wheel do it now.
Just a note, if you are just going to readjust the steering wheel position you do not have to remove the backing plate or the wires. The assembly will just pull out far enough to remove the wheel for repositioning. If you take the Bakelite assembly apart things will fly all over the place. If it works now and cancels don’t screw with it. The dogs on the bottom and canceling plate could use a dab of grease while everything is out. They shouldn’t need any other maintenance. I have taken mine completely apart twice while learning and it’s not a fun. The second time was easier than the first. When re-assembly draw wiring up stator and assembly tube and attach to screws and posts remembering to move the lever to the post you are working on when taking off the nut. Do not over tighten, the screws are brass. When wires have been attached the backing plate can now be put back. It only goes on one way, lucky for us. Next slide the tab on the thin plate so it covers the three screws and slips into the locking slot. With the signal canceling lever inline with the line you had drawn on the assembly tube insert the complete unit in the strator tube. When everything is lined up the insertion will be smooth, just like other things. A thin film of grease would be a good idea. If things aren’t all lined up the stator tube can be deformed or you can jam the two together and end up pulling the olive and nut off the end of the tube and all the oil will run out of the steering box as above…same words. So the felt pen mark on the tube is up, the signal lever is up and the cancel cam is straight down (the wavy S thingey the dogs run on). Another note…if you take the horn button off and turn the screws with the steering wheel all back together and you loosen either of the two screws….start at the top and do it all again, that should fix your inquisitive wagon. Those two screws, the ones with the two nuts on (remember) are what hold the signal canceling STUFF together (springs, washers, rods, rollers and dogs)….remember those other words above….well, that’s nothin….Neil