Fault in Steering Wheel Control Head in BT7mk1

[Yorkie]

After 35 years of restoring/running TR's I am now running a BT7 mk1 as well as two TR's, (TR3A & TR4A). The Healey has been restored before I bought it and has a fault in the control head, I have rebuilt similar TR control heads for early TR's but would like to know if anyone has had a similar fault before I take it apart as either this may not be necassary or I may not spot the fault when it is apart.

The problem is that when either turning right or going around a reasonably tight righthand bend the left hand indicator comes on when straightening the wheel. The opposite does not occur when turning left.

I have noticed that the indicator level is reasonably tight against the side of it's slot furthest from the steering wheel, it springs back when it is pushed down, Could it just be friction internally dragging it round?

 

[Healey Nut]

Broken stator tube inside the column

 

[bob hughes]

You can check that broken stator tube. if you have enough slack in the electrical cable down at the bottom of the column, and an adjustable steering wheel.

Make sure that you have, then remove the three grub screws on the steering wheel and gently lift out the control head, you can then twist it to determine if the tube is broken, if that makes sense.



Bob

 

[Yorkie]

I have taken the steering head apart and fixed the fault so this may help others:-
1) It is an adjustable control head fitted and appears to be different to some illustrated.
2) The plate that the 3 grub screws lock to the top of the streering column outer tube has a curved plate that goes around part of the control head, about 3mm from it.
3) This plate has a raised section in the middle that goes closer to the control head that catches the pins that stick out of the control head as the wheel is rotated, this is what self cancels the indicators.
4) The fault was that the raise part of this plate was also catching the plastic holder that the signaling lever sits into and so as the wheel was turned it was dragging the signaling lever round and operating the indicator
5) Carefull filing, as this part of the plastic holder is thin, stopped it catching so it now appears to be cured, bending the plate away to stop it catching would prevent the self cancelling working I will see how it is after a period on the road. Large bill saved.