Technical Turn Signal Question - 53 Chevy

Did you try to rebend the flat spring for more tension?

 

Compare the thickness of the pivot point of the ring, to the length of the shoulder on the pivot bolt. Then look at the recess where the bolt threads into the housing. The lock washer should fit into that recess, and lift the ring above the raised area, so the ring can move freely. Hard to describe. If you can't find a lock washer the correct size, you can use a small diameter flat washer as a spacer.

 

Thanks I had tried that yesterday and also flipping direction but it wasn't enough still.

 

Actually I see now, the washer just acts as a spacer (and also surface for the mechanism to rotate) and keeps the pivot bolt raised just a pinch so that the mechanism isn't tightened downwards by the pivot bolt's head making it harder for it to rotate. Is this correct? In my ****nal of fasteners (from Sonar equipment I used to design/build) I found some nylon washers that I can thread the bolt into and get the spacer effect. Nothing in steel with a sufficient inner diameter has a small enough outer diameter to fit in the recess you mentioned. I can order some special washers from McMaster but I bet the nylon ones I have will work fine.

I noticed yesterday the mechanism moves more freely when that bolt is fully tightened but then loosened to where the head has a small clearance from the mechanism. Even so I still found the rectangular "return" spring wasn't enough to bring it back to true center. I will keep thinking of how to increase the spring force to return it to center. If I can do that I'm good to go.

 

I found my donor spring steel material to thicken the original rectangular spring. The slots in the housing will support greater thickness or I can open it up if i have to and use a couple pieces of spring steel in parallel.

 

I can see it already...***le of your next thread...How to Cut Blue Spring Steel

 

OK, not fair....... just sprayed my drink all over my laptop with that comment.
I have to admit that I have stuck with his threads, reading and reading and reading.... but now I find myself cheering for him! Him not selling it, and continuing to work and improve it has won me over....either that or I am just ****** glad it is Friday!

 

I've been with him since his first thread about the fumes and read everyone since then. If he don't write a book someone outa make a movie! He's gotta enough pictures.

 

Haha this is a storied car and a quirky individual asking you hotrodders for help but I'm solving the issues little by little.

A friend agreed to make a movie of the car and me... I'm just waiting to cut that blue steel and get a couple of those short banged rockabilly girls wearing leopard print dresses to climb in!

 

Haha thanks with time I will hopefully have an issue free car... Wait that would defy the laws of physics... Either way I will keep at it and hoping with time to find some local hambers that maybe I can help with their projects for free and learn more.

Here's a shot from two weekends ago. I look at photos sometimes to keep me from losing motivation to keep at it. I also landed a really decent job this week so the car is staying with me for a really long time.

 

First off, Congrats on the New Job!
Secondly that *** end Pic looks good too!
Keep at it, and never lose heart, it is worth it in the end!

 

Alright I got'er done. I had 8 days of being completely derailed on work related things but I worked on it some more today. The extra spring steel piece made all the difference. Below are two videos. It took a lot of sanding, cutting, grinding and playing with springs to get it to work how it should. Hopefully it will hold. I got outside of the car and checked left and right, used a piece of wood to hold the pedal, and everything functions correctly. As a bonus I installed the cam cancelling plate (it was missing) and it works!

I still remember when I asked the previous owner why the turn signals were screwy and he said I should buy a modern 2014 car with automatic cancelling turn signals and power brakes haha.... I asked him too many questions that day.

Thanks all, and especially Jim (Squirrel) he has been helpful in just about all the issues I've posted.

 

Great, now go get yourself some chrome polish and shine up that turn stalk lever.