TR2/3/3A Steering Column Wiring

[Redoakboo]

I am finishing the restoration of a 54 Long Door TR-2. I have most of the wiring hooked up but, the steering column wiring has me stumped. The two wires going to the horns, brown/green and brown/ black are connected. I have spliced the purple horn wire, from the steering column, into the brown/black wire; per the wiring diagram. No Beep? Does it matter which socket the horn wires are hooked to, on the horn?
The other column wires, that tie into the directional lights wires, think they tie into green/whites, I haven't tried yet.

Dick

 

[Jim_Stevens]

I’m not seeing a purple wire on the diagram, Dick. (Advanceautowire.com). It’s a simple circuit, though. Is the fuse installed? Is the black wire grounded? Do the horns work on the bench? Is it a new harness, or might a wire be broken? Jim

 

[Jim_Stevens]

And by socket, do you mean the bullet connectors? BTW, The turn signals are just as fun!

 

[Redoakboo]

I’m not seeing a purple wire on the diagram, Dick. (Advanceautowire.com). It’s a simple circuit, though. Is the fuse installed? Is the black wire grounded? Do the horns work on the bench? Is it a new harness, or might a wire be broken? Jim

Jim,
The wires coming out of my steering column are not reflected on the wiring diagram. I have a lite green, green, dark green/black and a lite purple heaver gauge wire. We have checked with my tester. The purple is to the horn, lite green to left dir.light, green to right dir light and the dark green is the common. The horns worked on the bench? A2 fuse is good? I have checked the continuity of the brown/black wire, is good and both brown/greens run to A2 fuse.

And by socket, do you mean the bullet connectors? BTW, The turn signals are just as fun!

The left horn has sockets and the right one just has soldered wires, got it on Ebay. When you address the black wire being grounded, which black wire? When i mentioned the green/black wire, as common, what does it connect to?

 

[Hamish Racing]

Does this help any ?

http://www.advanceautowire.com/tr24a.pdf

 

[Jim_Stevens]

Oh, I love this! (But, I’m an EE...) Green with black is supposed to be for the fuel gage-to-sender, so with the purple wire in there too I’d say a DPO used a non-original set of wires. My sincere advice is to go to www.Britishwiring.com and get the TR2-4 steering column harness #SC94 for $55. The hard part is fishing the new wire down the tube...

 

[Redoakboo]

Yes! It is so much clearer then the one i was working with; and it is on one page! Looking at the horns, does it matter which side of the horn you attach the brown/black & brown/green wires? I do have them connected at the proper locations.
I had a nice detailed pic's of the steering hub, think I gave it to the guy that bought my 57 TR-3.
I am sure it doesn't matter but, I have converted to the alternator that looks like the generator I removed.

Oh, I love this! (But, I’m an EE...) Green with black is supposed to be for the fuel gage-to-sender, so with the purple wire in there too I’d say a DPO used a non-original set of wires. My sincere advice is to go to www.Britishwiring.com and get the TR2-4 steering column harness #SC94 for $55. The hard part is fishing the new wire down the tube...

Jim, when I bought this car, it had been sitting in the owners garage for 30! yes 30 years. They had replaced all the old fabric wiring with new plastic coated wire, with the exception of the four front light harnesses and the OD harness.They had literally disintegrated. I bought the five new harnesses. You are right, I did get the green/black wire connected from the tank to the fuel gauge. It works! I made an error when I said green/black wire from the hub as it was a very dark green. We did check the continuity of the four wires from the hub. One was the horn. It was light purple and a heaver gauge then the other three. The lite green was for the right dir.light, the green was for the left Dir. light. The forth wire must go to the turn flasher?

I have completely restored the car from top to bottom. When I removed the steering column, I made the BIG mistake of pulling the wires out, to check their condition. I don't know how many days, weeks it took me to get those wires back in that tube and, would like to avoid doing it again.

I am going to loosen the hub, to make sure everything is connected up there.

Thanks for your help and, best assured you will hear from me again. I have the new harness for the OD as well as a new solenoid and old relay. I have both the OD harnesses for a TR-2. Any hints on getting everything hooked up right, using this wiring diagram?

Dick
Dick Vinal

 

[Jim_Stevens]

I followed the diagram closely and still made some errors! Very humbling these cars—

 

[Redoakboo]

Jim. How do you view a particular post, like #81 & #84?

Dick

 

[CJD]

The post number is on the upper right of each post. For example, this is post 10. Just scroll until you get to the one you want to view.

 

[Redoakboo]

As the lanterns are on the outside of the tube, I shouldn't have a problem as i don't plan on removing it!

 

[CJD]

Very true!

 

[Jim_Stevens]

Yes! It is so much clearer then the one i was working with; and it is on one page! Looking at the horns, does it matter which side of the horn you attach the brown/black & brown/green wires? I do have them connected at the proper locations.
I had a nice detailed pic's of the steering hub, think I gave it to the guy that bought my 57 TR-3.
I am sure it doesn't matter but, I have converted to the alternator that looks like the generator I removed.

Jim, when I bought this car, it had been sitting in the owners garage for 30! yes 30 years. They had replaced all the old fabric wiring with new plastic coated wire, with the exception of the four front light harnesses and the OD harness.They had literally disintegrated. I bought the five new harnesses. You are right, I did get the green/black wire connected from the tank to the fuel gauge. It works! I made an error when I said green/black wire from the hub as it was a very dark green. We did check the continuity of the four wires from the hub. One was the horn. It was light purple and a heaver gauge then the other three. The lite green was for the right dir.light, the green was for the left Dir. light. The forth wire must go to the turn flasher?

I have completely restored the car from top to bottom. When I removed the steering column, I made the BIG mistake of pulling the wires out, to check their condition. I don't know how many days, weeks it took me to get those wires back in that tube and, would like to avoid doing it again.

I am going to loosen the hub, to make sure everything is connected up there.

Thanks for your help and, best assured you will hear from me again. I have the new harness for the OD as well as a new solenoid and old relay. I have both the OD harnesses for a TR-2. Any hints on getting everything hooked up right, using this wiring diagram?

Dick
Dick Vinal

I’ve done the same alternator swap. Randall’s shunt across the ammeter works — you’ll want to do that. The difference in charging current is amazing!
On the OD wiring, I completely tested the wiring on the bench prior to installation. May be too late for you— but test it prior to tunnel installation. Another Randall mod (which I haven’t done yet) is to install a diode across the relay to preserve its life.

 

[Redoakboo]

I remember Randall, God I miss him, sending me the sketch he did of the shunt install. My ammeter seems to be working O.K. without a shunt.

What duty does it perform?

Dick

 

[Redoakboo]

I do have Randall pic of the diode install; somewhere?

Dick

 

[Redoakboo]

I’ve done the same alternator swap. Randall’s shunt across the ammeter works — you’ll want to do that. The difference in charging current is amazing!
On the OD wiring, I completely tested the wiring on the bench prior to installation. May be too late for you— but test it prior to tunnel installation. Another Randall mod (which I haven’t done yet) is to install a diode across the relay to preserve its life.

Jim, I need to replace the brown/black and brown/green heavy gauge wires to the horns. Using a tester, I barely get 5v from end to end. No place here in orlando sells the heavier gauge wire? Question. Even though the brown/black wire comes out of the harness, on each side. Isn't this wire just a loop wire connecting to nothing else? I know the Brown/green ones connect to A2.

Dick

 

[Jim_Stevens]

Sounds like you’re homing in on the problem. The Brown w Green tracers go from the fuse box A2 to the two horns. The Brown w Black tracers go to the horn button, so the steering column base (when you press the horn button, it completes the circuit to ground; hence the black tracer.) Sounds like you didn’t get a completely new harness? Anyways, the correct wires are available by the foot from britishwiring.com. He’ll know the correct gauge for the horn—ISTR 12-ga.? Get a couple of yards each — measure twice, cut once!

 

[Redoakboo]

Thanks Jim,

Where do you live? To bad you are not in my backyard. I will contact Britishwiring and order the brown/green and brown/black wires.
My next task is the OD wiring. I have the two new harnesses and solenoid, and the old relay. Is the wiring diagram pretty self explanatory? Any helpful hints would be wonderful.
Just ordered the wire!
Dick

 

[Jim_Stevens]

I’m just outside of Wilmington NC. Sorry!
I thought the OD wiring was straightforward —I just followed the schematic. And it’s easily tested, too. I used an old Verizon FiOS backup 12-v battery on the bench, but I think you’re further along than that. Rec you wire it all up prior to installing the tunnel, test it, then install the tunnel as the harness passes through a 3/4”-ish hole aft of the gas pedal. It’s an exciting time for you!