Turn Signal Spring or Bulbs?

[Frango100]

Notice the two diagrams. One shows the open end facing right and one shows it facing left. It seems even Ford couldn't make up their mind which way was best.

John

But at least in the text of my 58 manual they state to put it opposite from the cancelling mechanism. Can there be a difference between the years?

[Frango100]

Voila! I reversed the c-clip cancelling cam 180* with open end facing the switch location on the right.

The left turn cancels with 1/4 turn of the steering wheel left and a bit over 1/2 to cancel the right. I suppose some fine tuning might get it better, but I can live with this. The other way required almost no left turn steering movement to cancel the turn.

What have we learned? Squarebird Forum has some bright guys! I'll bet there are cancelling cams set the other way that work. Thanks everyone!

Dean

Dean, does it already cancel while steering left or right, or only when returning to neutral?

[Deanj]

I found a right turn will cancel a left signal, too. Very convenient.

The signal cancels upon returning to neutral, but before full neutral. Once you hear the click while turning, you know the cancelling has been set.

Now if only I could firm up the lever like the original. The threaded end just the right thickness, and Teflon tape isn't working.

Dean

[Dakota Boy]

1. Center your wheels/steering wheel so the car would be going straight, if it was moving. 2. Now pull your steering wheel and position the C-shaped cancelling cam open end to be facing 9 o'clock.

Also check if your cam has worn grooves from nearly 60 years of use. If this is the case, reposition it to a spot that has no wear. It can also be flipped if needed. I think if the cam is worn down, it does pull the shift pawl far enough all the time.

My turn signals always acted a bit weird until I did this above today. Now they work great. I previously had the open end facing at 3 o'clock; which would seem now ,in my opinion, to be the wrong way.

[Deanj]

1. Center your wheels/steering wheel so the car would be going straight, if it was moving. 2. Now pull your steering wheel and position the C-shaped cancelling cam open end to be facing 9 o'clock.

Also check if your cam has worn grooves from nearly 60 years of use. If this is the case, reposition it to a spot that has no wear. It can also be flipped if needed. I think if the cam is worn down, it does pull the shift pawl far enough all the time.

My turn signals always acted a bit weird until I did this above today. Now they work great. I previously had the open end facing at 3 o'clock; which would seem now ,in my opinion, to be the wrong way.

I removed the steering wheel and got this to work correctly-almost. I reversed the C-clip and everything worked great until...

I installed a new turn signal lever with a very tiny lock washer just like the manual says, at least I think it's the manual. Nothing else will keep the lever from getting loose. Now once in a while the signal won't cancel on a right turn.

Dean

[Deanj]

I need to re-visit the cancelling cam operation. I notice it takes almost 5/6th of a right steering wheel turn to cancel a right turn signal while only 1/3rd steering wheel turn left to cancel a left turn. This means 110 degree right turns don't cancel the signal.

Can anyone suggest which direction I can tweak the c-clip opening which now faces 9 o'clock? Is 9 o'clock the definitive direction? Or is this a trial and error operation?

Dean

[Tbird1044]

I took some pictures of the C clip and marked the old steering wheel with dimples before I removed the clip. When I put things back together with the new steering wheel, things worked well. I also marked the steering wheel to column shaft, so I had a good idea where to orient the steering wheel. The 3/8 mark on one picture was to remind me that the C clip had 3/8" overhang on the end of the wheel. I'll attach some pictures and hope they help you out.
Nyles

[Dakota Boy]

My C-shaped piece had a worn area on it from years of use. I flipped the piece over to the other un-worn side, and the canceling function worked better. If you watch how it works, I suppose a few tenths of a millimeter of wear on the C would affect how it works.

[Deanj]

I took some pictures of the C clip and marked the old steering wheel with dimples before I removed the clip. When I put things back together with the new steering wheel, things worked well. I also marked the steering wheel to column shaft, so I had a good idea where to orient the steering wheel. The 3/8 mark on one picture was to remind me that the C clip had 3/8" overhang on the end of the wheel. I'll attach some pictures and hope they help you out.
Nyles

Thank you both and thanks for the photos Nyles.

I always thought the c-clip was buried up against the retaining clip at the base of the steering wheel. I'll check about the 3/8 inch spacing. I never marked anything because I replaced the original steering wheel a year or so ago.

Also, I thought about placing the wheel off center and test how it affects cancelling in order to determine which direction to move the c-clip. Its position, and maybe wear issues, have got to be the biggest factors in how this gismo works.

Dean

[Deanj]

Nyles, you got it correct. The open end of the c-clip faces the turn signal lever. I think I actually rotated this around to the wrong way last time I took the steering wheel off because it wasn't working. Hard to believe because this didn't work before I rotated it the first time. As my dad used to say: How dumb.

As you said there was a lot of wear on the clip, and so I flipped the clip around with the fresh end toward the engine while maintaining the 3/8 inch spacing from the steering wheel hub.

It works great.

Dean

[Tbird1044]

Glad things worked out. People make fun of us old guys driving around with our turn signal on all the time. ;-)
Nyles