More Than Self-Canceling Turn Signal

And we're off and running.....

 

With pics of that quality, I don't think this thread will make twenty pages for you....

When you get the "wheel" off, put the washer and nut back on tightly....

This will prevent loss of these items and also gives you a way to twist the steering shaft during testing....

 

As you remove the wheel watch for UFBT (unidentified flying brass thingies) and things dropping out of the switch housing....

 

It should be an easy fix....

 

Leon, thanks for your support.

 

I already have the wheel off, and I'm not too worried about it coming off while driving, as in the Speedster's compact cabin, it should be easy to find.

 

My main challenge now, is finding out what size nut that is so I can get a socket to remove it. Seriously, my largest socket right now is 19mm. I guess I should suck it up and get a large socket set, but I don't even know if it's a metric nut or English.

 

My hunch is it's some weird size they only use in China.

 

 

I used a 1 1/16" and a deep socket to clear the horn wires.

 

It sounds to me like your cancelling ring is in the wrong spot. You want the tab of the cancelling ring to be on the opposite side from the turn signal lever. This might require that you rotate the splined adaptor and the mount. I hope that helps. Chris

UFBT?  Never heard of it. 

 

I pass the torch to you, Mitch.  Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is 22 pages.  As always, if you are killed or captured I will disavow any knowledge of your actions.  This post will self destruct in 20 seconds.

 

Typed on an EMPI keyboard?

 

 

 

 

27mm should do it. The wheel may not come off easily so you may need a puller or apply even pressure to the back of the wheel to remove it.  I once had a funny situation where my steering wheel was too close to the turn switch so every time I turned thw wheel my high beams turned on then off.....

 

OK, I'm declaring a truce this round and have buttoned things back up as I need to drive the car tomorrow.

 

But, I'm off in search of some larger sockets. Some higher math tells me that 27 mm is almost exactly 1-1/16th, so maybe I'll spring for a set of 1/2 inch drive large metric sockets.

 

I mean, it's a Speedster - why should I expect that adjusting the turn signal switch should cost less than a hundred bucks?

 

 

 

 

it reminds me of buying a 356A-1959 fuel pump for $55 when a GM was only $6... now that was costly... now you know why you drive a replica

Or make it a long lasting truce, and wait for Carlisle or some other flea market. I needed a 3/4" socket. Bought one for five bucks from a Carlisle vendor last year.

 

Ray, that's pretty funny. I needed a windshield washer pump for my '65 Plymouth Satellite. Reproduction pumps sell for $75 to $100 for that car. Turns out mid '50s Ford pickup trucks use the same pump. They sell for about $20. Same d-mn pump. Reproduced by the same companies.

 

Go figure.

 

Most of the places like Autozone have free rentals on tools. They also sell individual sockets for 5-10 bucks. Harbor Freight tools will sell you a whole set for maybe 20.00-30.00 bucks with lifetime warranty ( as long as they are in business ) with 20 % off coupons all over the net.If you use the tool only once in a while that is the route I go - tools used all the time - better to go with quality.

I have the same problem with my blinkers and need to fix - I remember it being not that complicated to fix - just need to do it.

Mitch:

 

Once you get that baby off, flip the wheel over so you're looking at the side of the hub that mates up to the steering column bezel.  There should be a tab sticking out of the bottom of the hub.  That tab is there to contact the directional lever tripper so that when the directional lever is moved to either direction and the wheel is turned in the opposite direction the tab will trip the lever to the off position.  I can't remember if the tab is supposed to be on the left or the right when installed properly, but you'll easily figure that out depending on how things work once assembled.  Just position the hub so it all works right, then you may have to move the steering wheel on the shaft to re-center things.

 

Some street rod steering columns (and early Ford?) have that tab as a tooth sticking out of the steering shaft (inside of the column) so the position of the steering wheel becomes irrelevant - you have to disconnect the steering shaft at the steering box coupler, rotate it to the proper position and then re-assemble/re-tighten at the coupler.  This was because the directional lever was a bit farther down the column.

 

Or, you may just find that one of the two screws holding your tab to the hub have loosened and need to be replaced/retightened - ya nevah know.....

 

"I mean, it's a Speedster - why should I expect that adjusting the turn signal switch should cost less than a hundred bucks?"

 

I hear ya - I have that problem every time I go to Home Depot or Lowe's - Costs me a  Benjamin every trip......

I'm not following every little thing here about the turn signal reset tab, etc., and I will trust Gordon to know what he's doin'/sayin' 'cause he's been there, done that.  You will giterdone, I know.  But as to the steering wheel holding nut, I was able to work w/ that rascal just using a large adjustable wrench, as I recall.  And I have some rather large open-end wrenches, used to do some water pump work on my F-150 pick-up some while back.  Maybe one of those worked.Anyway, I had no trouble w/ that nut.  In fact, the opposite occurred. My problem was getting it so it would stay tight.  After a while of regular use, it would  begin to loosen up a bit, and the wheel would get wobbly, sort of.  The "fix" I used was to apply some blue Lok-tite to the thread.  This did the trick.

 

FWIW, likely less than $0.02

I know what you mean... Mr P Mossberg... Here is another example why we want to keep our replicas... 

911 Used Oil Cap 91120727100esaa-1  

 https://www.partsheaven.com/pr...1120727100esaa-1.htm

 

Gordon, Frank, schu, G.R., et al, thanks for all of the detailed advice.

 

This may be one of those rare problems that has sort of fixed itself.

 

That screw in my first photo:

 

 

 

turns out to be a sort of set screw that jams that collar against the steering column.

 

Loosen it, and you can turn the collar. Turning it counterclockwise (looking forward from the driver's seat) seems to disengage it from whatever is holding it.

 

Turning it about eighth a turn clockwise seems to fully engage it so it won't turn further. I did this and then locked the setscrew in that position.

 

It's too soon to tell, but after 25 miles of driving, it seems to be working almost like a real car. Time, and miles, will tell.

 

I never did get the big nut off, but learned this is another one of those hidden pieces you should be equipped to deal with before you really have to.

 

 

This is what a stock (72) Bug switch looks like. This pic is in the off position. The arrow is pointing to where the nylon cancelling dick is. (Retracted)

 

This pic shows with the left signal engaged. The arrow shows the nylon dick extended towards the hub. The cancelling ring hits the dick out of the way retracting it and thus cancelling the signal. My wheel set up would not work with a stock cancelling ring so I simply drilled a hole and placed a roll pin to cancel the signal. Works like a champ. Your application may differ but this is what the set up looks like.

 

~WB

Either buy a single 27mm socket or a cheap set. I tighten mine with a breaker bar and a short extension. Loctite shouldn't be needed if you get it tight enough(eat your Wheaties!)

 

Kelly, if the steering wheel has the same extension as mine did, a crescent wrench or a box wrench won't work.

 

My turn mechanism needs a cleaning and some fresh grease. Everything is where it is supposed to be, but one side cancels fine and the other doesn't. You may just need to grease it.

Yeah, just grease up that retracted dick, and things will be soooo much better.  Do it properly, and it very well could be no longer retracted.

 

Danny: you have a very nice Spyder, done up in a properly in every way, and I have a JPS.  No reason they should be the same in any one of a hundred different ways.  But it is good to know a 27 mm will do the trick if it comes to that.  I had the Loctite at hand, and I would have had to go out a buy a box of Wheaties . . .

Turn signal is all 'I'll cancel that signal when I feel like it'!

 

Steering wheel is like 'Don't be a dick'! 

I take it your turn signal lever was not positioned exactly at 9 o'clock on the column before this fix? The canceling ring is mounted at 3 o'clock on the steering wheel. If the two aren't 180 degrees apart you'll get the uneven cancelling behavior that you described. Nice when it's a simple fix.

I'v looked throught the VW repair manual and the term 'cancelling dick' doesn't appear anywhere.  you guys are way too technical for me.....

 

Frank, it looks like the technical term for this problem is 'a dicked up turn signal'.

 

I'm beginning to feel Lane's pain, though. Once you post here looking for help, you just have to ride out the storm, wherever it takes you.

 

 

It turns out to be a rather entertaining ride, Mitch.