turn signal switch install

[papy]

will be replacing the turn signal switch on my 67-manual steering column this weekend. Planning of taping a steel wire to the old wires and pulling it out the column and same for feeding the new wires through. best to remove the column to fish the wires through and work on it properly or can this be done with column in place?

also thinking of wrapping the new wires with electrical tape to prevent any chaffing. will this cause it to not flex/bend to get the wires fished through the column?

JP

 

[armynavy17]

This can be done without pulling the column, just have to contort yourself under the dash to install the new plug.
You may be able to wrap the wires in tape, but make sure it's a thin layer and not built up anywhere. A thin coat of KY jelly may be necessary. If I remember correctly, when I did mine I started with the wires taped and then removed the tape to make it easier to pull.

 

[fluffybunny]

I had good luck just feeding the wires down the tube one by one, starting with the largest first. I tried taping them all together at first but that was a no-go.

 

[billh1289]

Same here. Taped up the wires the first time I did and it made it worse.

 

[Broncobowsher]

You can use the existing wires as the fische wire to pull the new wires in. Since you are removing the old switch, just snip the wires one by one and use that to pull the new ones through. Note location and colors of both switches and note anything that is different. Just in case the new switch has a different wire color code for some wires.

 

[Ovalis]

Taping all the terminals together makes it bulky on the end and hard to pull through. I taped 2 or 3 terminals together, then taped another 2 or 3 a couple of inches below the first set, and repeated that for the rest of the wires and it was way easier.

 

[papy]

thank you all for the info. will def help to eliminate some the frustration.

cheers all

 

[1970 Palmer]

Make an installation tool. Take a 1/8" welding rod. Grind one end to a sharp point. Bend a loop in the other end so you don't poke it in your eye, (not kidding).

Spray a very light coat of silicone spray on your new switch wires. Hook the tools point into the crimped wire terminal. Lightly pull up on the wire, while pushing down on the tool to keep the tool and wire connected. Push one wire at a time down the column. It's less than five-minute job to route the new wires.

Try it, it works. This is how we did it at Don Sanderson Ford during the 1960's.

 

[gnpenning]

I don't recall if Ford did this, but GM had a small hole in the connector that mechanics wire fit through perfectly. This can be easily drilled so it pulls the plug at the correct angle. Make sure your wire end is facing correctly, pull the old up and swap wire and pull the new in place. No they don't go that easy.

As others have mentioned something to help everything to slide without leaving a residue helps as does a little guiding on both ends.