Help! C1 - turn signal & brake lights....

[Stemmer]

My turn signal switch seems to be flakey lately. My turn signal lights work fine BUT sometimes only one brake light will come on...

I suspect I need a new canceling cam and a new flat spring. I've had this problem before and that is what resolved it...

Has anyone replaced the turn signal switch with something a bit newer? Possibly with four way flashers?

I could purchase a Flaming River steering column but that would be a bit over the top...

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks kindly...

 

[Tom Bryant]

It might just need some lubrication. Can you move the lever and get both brake lights to work?

 

[Stemmer]

Yes...If I jiggle the turn signal selector I can get both brake lights to come on... It seems I have the problem after using the turn signal lights... I suspect they are not centering properly....

Also IF I'm turning left or right the signal I must hold the signal up either up or down until I finish the turn... They will not stay in the up or down position without my finger holding in place....

Thanks kindly....

 

[Tom Bryant]

It's been years since I had one of these apart. It does sound like a weak spring though. I don't know of any newer switch that would fit in the upper bell. I haven't had the chance to look at a Flaming River column in the flesh to see what they use.

Tom

 

[Stemmer]

53-62 Flaming River steering column....

Flaming River uses the newer GM type of signal switch. Plus hazard lights....

Thanks kindly...

Kenmo

 

[Bwmurph]

For what it's worth, I have the same problem with my '59. Took the turn signal assembly completely apart, clean and lubricated and put it back together and it still has the same problem. I'm getting a little frustrated and wonder if the problem isn't somewhere in the wiring harness.

Bernie O.

 

[Stemmer]

Too bad someone did not make an upgraded turn signal switch for our C1's.... I wonder if a newer style GM unit could be converted?

 

[Tom Bryant]

It's been so many years since I drove mine that I don't even remember if it works or not. I'll just assume that it does to make me feel better.

 

[Toy4Hal]

It's a very common issue - one that all my C1 friends have. The "root" issue is the switch itself and it needs to get back to almost "exact" center or the brake lights on one side will not work. The cancelling cam does need to do it's job and get it back to center.
I seem to have solved mine by playing with the "centering" of the lower bell hub. If you loosen the set screw and play with the movement of the hub (rotating up or down) you can see the one side (or other) brake lights go on and off. If you can find the center, then REALLLY pull the lower bell to meet the steering bell, then REALLY tighten the set screw for the lower hub/bell, the issue should go away. Hope that helps.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Thanks Hal. I seem to remember someone saying that in the past but had forgotten all about it.

 

[Stemmer]

My parts from CC arrived for my turn signal problem... I removed the steering wheel and one of the split pins on the back of the steering wheel which cancels the signal is broken off flush with the steering wheel... I tried for an hour & half to drill it out with titanium bits but no luck... Man the metal in those pins is hard... I ven broke two bits in the process....

Other then take the steering wheel to a machine shop any ideas?

Luckily I did order the rivet kit for the steering wheel from CC which includes the two pins...

 

[Tom Bryant]

Does it pass clear through the wheel where you could drive it out or use a press to push it on through?

tom

 

[Stemmer]

No...the hole doe not go completely through the wheel.... It's a blind hole....

 

[o2bnkc]

The c1 was notorious for the self cancellation switches. I replaced mine twice and I still made sure the brakes lights worked before I backed out of the garage. The bad part was trying not to use the turn signals after I knew the brake lights were working. Not a safe way to drive. POS! I can't count the number of times I would be sitting at the stoplight and the guy next to me would say,"Nice car, but one of your brakelights is out." Well, I sold my 62 this past Monday, and I'm already missing those comments. It's a sad week here at my house. I've already been on the net every day looking for another one. Maybe a mid-year or c3 this time. I'm vettless for the first time in a long while, and it's not a good feeling. I just want to say thanks to everybody that took the time to answer some of my stupid questions. You guys and gals (Jane Ann) were a lot of help.

 

[Stemmer]

Yeah it would be a very hard day for me to sell my 60...

I know what you mean about the turn signals being a pos...

Too bad there wasn't a more modern replacement for them...

 

[Stemmer]

Had a machine shop drill it out for me. Took them 1.5 hours. Cost $89.00... For that price I could have bought a replacement wheel hub from CC.....

Now to paint the steering wheel and fix my turn signal problem...

 

[Tom Bryant]

I don't know if it's any consolation that you saved an original part or not. Good luck with the rest of the project.

Tom