trafficator return

[AUSMHLY]

My traficator sometimes returns to the top position afer the turn has completed, sometimes not. Both left and right sides.

If I took it apart, what would I look for, or fix to correct this.

Is there such a thing as having this trafficator work correctly, every time, after a rebuild?

 

[shorn]

I think the search feature will provide the way to rebuild the trafficator or go to www.justbrits.com/Articles/Traffic_Intro.html . However, if it returns most of the time on a full turn, I would leave it alone. Mine returns when I make a 90 degree turn, but not if its a small angle turn such as a Y in the road. Lots of parts in the trafficator that are easy to lose or not get back in the correct place. Besides, you have to take the wire bundle out of the stator tube and then fish it back down when done. Not hard, but I would leave mine alone until unless it stopped working most of the time.

 

[healeyneil]

What I would look for, if took mine apart, would be springs and stuff flying past my ear ! Sorry, not helpful , but I couldnt resist.

 

[SHG]

Having perfected the art of trafficator removal and repair, based upon my doing it 20 times before I got it right, I feel comfortable speaking on this subject.

First, as said above, they only return on turns of 90 or so, and soft turns aren't sufficient to reset the trafficator. Now if that's not your problem, the answer is in the trafficator return tabs, which are probably either bent or a little worn so that they don't make sufficient contact with these itty bitty little metal things that stick slightly out of the bottom of the trafficator. These are technical terms, so pay careful attention.

If that's the case, you won't have to actually dismantel the trafficator to find out. By loosing the 3 nuts at the wheel hub, and giving yourself some slack at the bottom of the steering shaft, you can pull it out enough to either slightly bend the tabs upwards to improve contact or, if you want to try something a little easier, wrap a single piece of electrical tape around the tabs to increase their depth and improve contact. Then put everything back, take it for a spin and watch your tafficator closely.

Then repeat 19 more times, as you realize each itty bitty little thing that was slightly out of place, whack, missing, broken or whatever. Eventually, you get really good at this.

 

[SHG]

[ QUOTE ]
What I would look for, if took mine apart, would be springs and stuff flying past my ear ! Sorry, not helpful , but I couldnt resist.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Neil. Just wanted to let you know how good my heater valve looks. Without your motivation, I never would have gone for it. Of course, now the valve leaks when it's opp because the spring is a bit weak, and I have to tap it with a hammer to close it down. But it's shiney and the handle looks sweet. Hope all is well.

 

[Keoke]

[ QUOTE ]
My traficator sometimes returns to the top position afer the turn has completed, sometimes not. Both left and right sides.

If I took it apart, what would I look for, or fix to correct this.



[/ QUOTE ]


Hi Roger, Look for DIRT in : The cancellation tangs.
------------ The recentering guide and it's springs.

P.S. do the looking only if it quits working altogether.-- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif---Keoke

 

[Wana]

Mine's just the opposite...

My blinkers come on just fine each way - right and left, however they cancel (switch flips back to the middle and off) when I begin to turn the steering wheel, about 25 degrees off center. Any ideas for this condition?

 

[Keoke]

Re: Mine's just the opposite...

--- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif

Wanna, hold switch over with thumb until past 25 degrees.---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[DART]

Re: Mine's just the opposite...

I have the same system on the SP's, and after about 6 take-aparts, would STRONGLY recommend living with any condition other than total failure of the signals. There is a lot of very good lit out there on how to dis-assemble, lube and re-install, and most of it Healey oriented. But, if you do go for the repair option, be in a calm mood and do not expect it to go easy.

 

[anthony7777]

shg, you actually own a hammer? i would have never thought! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[Lin]

Roger,
I agree with the advice you have already received. However, if you do decide to take things apart, the piece I put together (really a compilation of other's work) on the control head might be helpful. It really is not hard. Near the end of the article Roger Moment shows how to do some repair work without removing everything from the car. Good luck!!

https://homepage.mac.com/WebObjects/FileS...=US&lang=en

Lin Rose
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[SHG]

Roger,

Lin's stuff is great, and he's right that you can do it without removing the control head altogether. After I took everything apart and cleaned everything, including the cancellation tangs (as Keoke calls them) or the itty bitty little things (as us professionals call them), and it still didn't return properly, I was told by my old buddy Curto that I spent a whole lot of time and trouble for nothing. Try the simplest and easiest solution first, before taking the whole head apart. It's really not that bad, especially with the photos and instructions, but why do it if you don't have to?

 

[longbridgehealey]

I've trained my left hand to return it to the upright position.

 

[SHG]

[ QUOTE ]
shg, you actually own a hammer? i would have never thought! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I never said I OWNED a hammer. The real problem was which end to use. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Keoke]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
shg, you actually own a hammer? i would have never thought! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I never said I OWNED a hammer. The real problem was which end to use. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif Anthony, he be tellin the truth!---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[AUSMHLY]

Success! Thank you Scott for sharing what you did. Shorn and Lin to you for the links.

After reading the links and studying the photos, I tackled removing mine to find out what was going on.

I removed it by unscrewing the wires at the steering wheel, and leaving the wires in the steering column.

I could then see the problem. One of the metal pins was put in facing the wrong way. (Photo attached) Both pins should have the longest part facing towards the outside. You can see both my pins face the same way.

After correcting that, I found that the metal tab that strikes them had worn. So I bent it down a little so it would strike it with more contact. I greased everything and put it back together.

Wa-La. Works perfectly! Returns every time. No mater how little I turn my steering wheel.

Funny how happy I was trying this out. It's fixed! First time! That never happens.
My pet pev, me driving with my blinker continually on.

I would not have taken this on without the help and support of BCF. Thank you guys. Sincerely, Roger

 

[AUSMHLY]

Looking at this picture, the one on the left is wrong.
I reversed it so it has the larger end pointing out.

 

[SHG]

first time! Roger, you are cooking!

I agree that there's nothing worse than driving along in your cool BJ8 on a nice long straight away with your blinker on. It bugged me too, which was why I worked so hard on the trafficator. I got it done the first time too. The other 19 tries were practice. Seriously, it's great that you were able to find a specific problem and fix it. It would have been miserable if the tang wasn't backwards and you had to stare at it for an hour or so, saying to yourself, why, why, why?

 

[AUSMHLY]

OK, I confess Scott. I did not get it fixed right the first time. Fixing the tang was needed, per the photos. I put it back together, went for a test ride, but the lever did not go back to center. Problem not fixed.

Drove it home, pulled the unit out of the steering wheel. Did not take it apart. Moved the lever to figure out how the cancelling works. Ah....the flat metal piece with the pressed in grove is not always making contact.

All I need to do is make contact. Simple. Remove the 3 small screws, that will release the metal surround. Bend the flat metal piece with a needle nose, so that the curved area makes better contact. Put back together, 3 screws. Test it in my hand. Works! Push it back in the steering column, take it for a test ride.

Works perfect. I too found that hard to believe.

Drive it home and screw everything together. (learned not to do the final screw in, till the test ride (spelled rides) is over). At least I have learned one thing during this restoration. Thing never go right the first time. In this case, the second time!

An easy fix guys, really.
Entire time spent, about 5 hours. (includes learning curve)
Now I could do it in about 2 hours. (disclamer, small print, depends on complexity of problem and wife/kids/neighbors wanting to know why you are doing that)

Oh, attached, last photo of tools required. Some tools take the edge off frustration.

Again, thanks everyone for your help.
Cheers, Roger

 

[Dave Richards]

I wondered about the middle tool in the photo until I got to the end of your post. You've given me courage to put this on my list of things to do. Congratulations.