Is this legit? (Turn signal cam)

[SPF Required]

My turn signal cam appears to have broke the other day in my ‘68 300. Left turn won’t stay down anymore.

I have a tilt/telescope column and hoping to avoid an expensive purchase.

found this on EBAY and was wondering if it is a legitimate option to fix the turn signal.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/333544769190

any one here buy one of these recently?

thanks in advance.

 

[Wollfen]

MM being that your column is tilt /tele, I believe these types of columns were sourced from GM and as such also have GM internals? Someone else may be able to jump in here and confirm this.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I believe that is NOT the one you need. You need one specifically for a 68 Tilt and Telescoping column, which (believe it or not) is a GM column.

You need part number 2925 506, same as for Imperial. None listed on PartsVoice unfortnately, but that doesn't mean they're not out there. Yours also may be able to be repaired, and there are kits apparently. The GM people have a lot more support for this column, but of course the part numbers don't match up.

There's a company called Shee-Mar that makes these switches - they may have a version that works, but their website is stupid. Best to call them.

There is a bit of info on the Imperial site too:
1967 - 1969 (Chrysler) Imperial Turn Signal Switch Information for the Tilt & Telescoping Steering Wheel

 

[CBODY67]

IF it's similar to a later GM column, it's not the cam that returns the lever to "neutral", BUT the springs that contact the cam itself. Wire-wound springs with right angle ends on them. One for the left turn, one for the right turn. Color coded. The coiled part of the spring is where the "click" comes from. Same on the non-tile columns.

The tilt column in my '80 Newport is a Saginaw column, BUT everything in it is Chrysler-spec. Although the external castings on the part where the ign cyl is located look identical to a similar Chevy Caprice column. BUT not the internals! GM-Saginaw might have built the column, but it was done to Chrysler specs rather than just scabbed from the GM parts bins. Never did know of these Chrysler-spec columns having the same issues with broken internal castings that the GM columns were famous for in the middle '80s.

Of course, I'm speaking of the later columns, not the earlier T-T ones. In EITHER case, though, it's those springs that make the click and keep the turn signal switch returned to "neutral". The do break. Might find them on the HELP! Rack at the auto supply or in Dorman Products parts listings.

On the neck of the cancelling cam, you'll find two, thin humps. That's what the springs contact when the "click". About 1" apart?

Of course, new switches come with those springs installed in them. If everything else still works, replace just the springs. Common in the GM-spec columns for decades.

CBODY67

 

[Mr C]

You should be able to replace the cam on your switch if that is the problem.
The one you show would only work if your car has no cornering lamps.
Cornering lamp cams had 3 wires...like in the pics here:

http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Electrical/67-69Switch/P3120001.JPG

 

[detmatt]

Shee-Mar is back to reproducing the tilt/tele w/cornering lights switch. It is on there site.
SM107T CHRYSLER W/TILT & TELESCOPIC WHEEL SAGINAW BUILT REDDISH

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Shee-Mar is back to reproducing the tilt/tele w/cornering lights switch. It is on there site.
SM107T CHRYSLER W/TILT & TELESCOPIC WHEEL SAGINAW BUILT REDDISH

That's the one!!

 

[bigmoparjeff]

A friend of mine just installed one of the new re-pops in his '67 Imperial. I believe he had to make some minor modifications to the switch to make it fit properly. Even though the Chrysler tilt/tel column was made by Saginaw, there are some slight differences between it and the ones that GM put in their cars and the switch is more set up for the GM column. I'll try to remember to ask when I see him on Friday.

Jeff

 

[SPF Required]

Thanks for all this great info. Truly appreciated. Looks like I should get a look inside the column before assuming what the problem is.

I’ll keep you all posted.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Agreed - however, there are some very specific tools you need to do this without damage and that will make your life way easier.

Note that the steering wheel has a spline mark for returning the wheel back to the same place, but one is able to place the wheel anywhere. Look for it. Use a steering wheel puller or you can bend the wheel rim trying to get it to come loose, as well as punching yourself in the face when it does!!

1) Once the steering wheel is removed, there is a tubular cover that slides off the column behind the steering wheel - the turn signal lever and the tilt lever poke out of it and have to be removed. It is a friction fit and it's a PITA to remove. You need a 4 arm puller to do it, and work carefully or you'll bend the lip of the cover. Light taps with a rubber mallet will aid in the cover coming off. Make a grease pencil alignment mark on the cover and the column to aid in returning it to the right place, as you'll be surprised at how easy it is to misalign it when you reinstall it, and then you can't get your levers back into their proper places. There's no room for adjustment.

2) There is a very large C clip that fits into a groove under steering wheel that holds down the horn ring. It's heavily spring loaded and it's near impossible to depress the horn ring down to free up the C clip without a special tool - @detmatt and others can chime in here about how to do it. I made a tool using a plumbing fitting and a threaded rod to push down the horn ring. You can damage the lower column bearing trying to force things in this step too, so using the right tool will avoid that.

Feel free to PM me with any concerns.

 

[live4theking]

Agreed - however, there are some very specific tools you need to do this without damage and that will make your life way easier.

Note that the steering wheel has a spline mark for returning the wheel back to the same place, but one is able to place the wheel anywhere. Look for it. Use a steering wheel puller or you can bend the wheel rim trying to get it to come loose, as well as punching yourself in the face when it does!!

1) Once the steering wheel is removed, there is a tubular cover that slides off the column behind the steering wheel - the turn signal lever and the tilt lever poke out of it and have to be removed. It is a friction fit and it's a PITA to remove. You need a 4 arm puller to do it, and work carefully or you'll bend the lip of the cover. Light taps with a rubber mallet will aid in the cover coming off. Make a grease pencil alignment mark on the cover and the column to aid in returning it to the right place, as you'll be surprised at how easy it is to misalign it when you reinstall it, and then you can't get your levers back into their proper places. There's no room for adjustment.

2) There is a very large C clip that fits into a groove under steering wheel that holds down the horn ring. It's heavily spring loaded and it's near impossible to depress the horn ring down to free up the C clip without a special tool - @detmatt and others can chime in here about how to do it. I made a tool using a plumbing fitting and a threaded rod to push down the horn ring. You can damage the lower column bearing trying to force things in this step too, so using the right tool will avoid that.

Feel free to PM me with any concerns.

How about some pictures of your homemade tool. I'm going to have to do this sooner than later.

 

[Ripinator]

How about some pictures of your homemade tool. I'm going to have to do this sooner than later.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I'll try to take and post pics today.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Here are pictures of the column horn ring depressing tool for removing the C clip that I made. Simple plumbing parts, a threaded rod and nuts and washers. I did not disassemble my column to show the tool in action, so please use your imagination.

PARTS
Trap sleeve & Trap cap

Threaded rod (cut to length). Nut and washer

MODIFICATIONS
Cut away the body of the trap sleeve on one side, in a large enough width to allow the C clip to slide through it.

Drill a hole in the trap cap in the centre to allow the threaded rod to pass through.

INSTRUCTIONS
(once the steering wheel has been removed and all other items removed to gain access to the horn ring):

1) Thread the rod into the centre of the column's main shaft.

2) Slide the tool over the rod, making sure that the C clip can exit the cut away section of the tool body.
3) Slide the washer over the rod, followed by the nut. Snug the nut down to compress the horn ring until you can slide the C clip out easily.

You'll need to do the same thing to reinstall the C clip.

Hope this helps everyone!

 

[detmatt]

I’m usually helping my buddy @Clover do this on my car and we just do it by hand, big pain in the *** but not impossible, we just have some sore thumbs between the 2 of us.
We also don’t remove the stainless collar for lack of the special tool, he just twists and bends that switch in and out of place with confidence that nothing will break. He’s probably done this more times than he can remember.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

It's the collar under the stainless collar - the stainless collar actually comes off with the steering wheel. I wouldn't have the confidence to not remove the column's collar - very tight in there, and if you drop something... well... and as I'm always solo on these kind of repairs, I don't have enough thumb strength to do it on my own any more. I did it once.