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Trafficator stopped self-cancelling

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Michael Oritt

Michael Oritt

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Yesterday the trafficator stopped self-cancelling, first on the right hand side and then in short order the left side followed, though it still engages and turns on the flashers in both directions. I no longer hear the "click" when I turn the wheel which I presume engaged the self-cancelling mechanism.

I have seen recommendations to tighten up "the three grub screws". I have a Lecarra steering wheel with its own hub and there are no screws visible. What is holding the trafficator in and how do I remove it for inspection, etc? BTW I searched the forum and found that this topic was discussed at some length about ten years ago and there were some links to illustrations and articles that are no longer valid.
 
Michael, I'm in the process of re-aligning my steering wheel and therefore will have to adjust my trafficator accordingly. I googled Austin Healey Trafficator Repair and found several articles. The one I downloaded was written in 2005 by Lin Rose. Hope this helps.

Griz
 
Griz--

Can you please give me the link to--or tell me where I can find--the article?
 
Thank you fellas.
 
According to Lin's instructions, the first thing to do is pry the horn button ring off. I just tried to do this and cannot seem to get it to budge. I don't want to scar it up, so can anyone who has done this pipe up and tell me the best way to get it off? Thanks.

Griz
 
Mmm I don't think that my self cancelling system ever worked. and now the center gently rotates when I turn the wheel so that I have to constantly place it back in the center position after operating it. I think that it a because there is a mixture of old and new in there, as the 'plastic' center portion of the operating lever broke, and I was lucky enough to obtain a replacement from an old unit for coppers, and this needed fettling to get it to work with the rest which was a modern unit.

:cheers:

Bob
 
The trafficator hub will turn if it's in contact with the steering wheel hub. The 'olive' can prevent this to some extent, but if the steering hub is trying to turn the stator tube the olive may not be able to stop it, and if you have an adjustable steering wheel the slot in the stator will eventually fracture as the sharp corners (why these aren't radiused is beyond me).
 
Michael, if yours worked fine then suddenly stopped__assuming no crunchy or cracking noises were emitted__then probably all you need is for the (former...) lub that was used to be cleaned out and lightly lubricated.

Most of these that I've encountered have still been intact, but were so gummed up that nothing moved freely. It's a tedious job, but not really difficult__just be mindful of the three (3?) springs that are bound to do what springs do!

There's some detailed pictures of a MKIII unit here: https://spcarsplus.com/piwigo/index.php?/category/381 I expect they're all pretty similar, whether adjt. or non-adj column, 4-cyl or 6-cyl. Treat them nice, and they might last forever (BN6L/942 is still on its original, to the best of my knowledge).

I'm guessing that this gunk used to provide some sort of lubrication; it was like gum when I took it apart.

IMG_3264-me.jpg
 
Michael, just make sure that the center of the steering wheel does not rotate with the wheel but stays in position (well, just moves a little bit due to the unevitable play) when you turn the wheel. It must do so for the self-cancelling mechanism in the trafficator to work. If the trafficator has started to rotate with the steering wheel the problem is not within the trafficator itself, but either the stator tube has broken off, the splines in the steering wheel adjustment mechanism are worn or the olive at the bottom end of the steering box is not locking the stator tube in position.
 
Folks--

Just about as suddenly as the trafficator stopped self-cancelling it decided to start working again after a few days off the job and all is now well. However, I'll take this as a cry for help and would like to address this before it becomes a problem--again. Given that the problem suddenly went away does this point to some specific matter I should address? BTW I have a Moto-Lita wheel and hub and there are no small screws on the hub. I assume I access the trafficator by removing the wheel from the hub which has about eight screws?
 
Michael Oritt said:
Folks--

Just about as suddenly as the trafficator stopped self-cancelling it decided to start working again after a few days off the job and all is now well. However, I'll take this as a cry for help and would like to address this before it becomes a problem--again. Given that the problem suddenly went away does this point to some specific matter I should address? BTW I have a Moto-Lita wheel and hub and there are no small screws on the hub. I assume I access the trafficator by removing the wheel from the hub which has about eight screws?
Click to expand...
If it's like mine__non-adjustable column__the only thing holding the trafficator in is the compression fitting on the leading edge of the steering gearbox.

I think only the adj. col. required the assembly to be secured independently of the stator tube.
 
A number of things can cause 'self-cancelling' to cancel itself. There is a cam on the ring surrounding the bakelite/plastic part--working from memory here, so I may be off a bit--but it is not likely to be the problem. Self-cancelling is effected by a couple little, spring-loaded 'tangs;' for lack of a better term, that are also articulated (they 'fold' one way, but not the other). All the goods are held in place by a molded, bakelite disk which has slots for the tangs; in my experience, self-cancelling bites the dust when a chunk of this disk breaks off. Repops are made out of plastic, but have their own issues.

First thing to check: is the stator tube turning with the wheel (in which case it's no longer 'stator'). This can happen if the olive that holds the stator is slipping or the trafficator is installed too close to the wheel or hub that rotates, and drags that stator along (in adjustable steering cars, the slot in the stator that lets the wheel/hub move in and out has sharp corners, which develop stress cracks and can eventually fail). To get to the bottom, you'll have to pull the whole trafficator/stator assembly out, and dissect the trafficator. The worst parts of this job are: a) draining the fluid out of the steering box, and b) extracting the harness from the stator tube (and reinstalling it).

EDIT: Curt Arndt, who you are likely familiar with from his posts on the autox list, restores these as a hobby (unless he had enough and took up rock free-climbing instead).
 
G’day Michael,
I notice that most of the replies refer to adjustable steering columns, as fitted to six cylinder cars (and the very early 100). On most BN1s and all BN2s the self cancelling ring is cast alloy. I found on my BN1 that the “high spot” that engages the articulated tangs had worn away. Self-cancelling of my indicators is an occasional occurrence!
Cheers,
Alwyn
 
All--

It seems to me that the trafficator is asking for a second chance at life. I'll give it a break and put off dissection pending its behavior.
 
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