Tightened my steering wheel and lost my RT turn signals.

[Straversi]

I have my Russ Thompson turn signals installed and working correctly but up till now my steering wheel has just been finger tight. I tightened the wheel down. Too tight at first as it locked the wheel. I backed it off and the wheel turns fine but now my turn signals and flashers are dead. I wired them just like the FFR wiring with the horn button on the stalk. No flash to pass. Any ideas?
-Steve

[boat737]

Hi Steve.

I had an issue with the steering wheel hub bottoming out on the RT turn signal assembly after the steering wheel was tightened down. Had to take it all apart and file down about 1/16 inch off of the tube that the RT unit sits on, so that the turn signal slid down on the tube just a bit more. That gave just enough clearance between the turn signal and the steering wheel hub.

As for the electrics, I've read on the forums that the cable that goes into the turn signal assembly is pretty fragile, and if you tug or move the cable around much, it will dislodge inside the assembly, rendering it unusable (and as far as I know, un-fixable). I don't know if that's what happened in your case or not, but maybe. Do the mechanics of it work OK? i.e. the cancelling feature when the wheel is turned?

[Straversi]

Hi Steve.

I had an issue with the steering wheel hub bottoming out on the RT turn signal assembly after the steering wheel was tightened down. Had to take it all apart and file down about 1/16 inch off of the tube that the RT unit sits on, so that the turn signal slid down on the tube just a bit more. That gave just enough clearance between the turn signal and the steering wheel hub.

As for the electrics, I've read on the forums that the cable that goes into the turn signal assembly is pretty fragile, and if you tug or move the cable around much, it will dislodge inside the assembly, rendering it unusable (and as far as I know, un-fixable). I don't know if that's what happened in your case or not, but maybe. Do the mechanics of it work OK? i.e. the cancelling feature when the wheel is turned?

Yes, the mechanics still work. Maybe not as smoothly. Hard to tell

[EZ$]

Steve, You should contact Russ by email. You'll find his contact info on his site. One of the nicest guys I've ever met. I'm sure whatever the problem is he's already seen it, or dealt with it, and he'll have an answer for you. I hope it's just a minor adjustment in how it's seating on the column, and nothing worse.

Rick

[Straversi]

Steve, You should contact Russ by email. You'll find his contact info on his site. One of the nicest guys I've ever met. I'm sure whatever the problem is he's already seen it, or dealt with it, and he'll have an answer for you. I hope it's just a minor adjustment in how it's seating on the column, and nothing worse.

Rick

Yep, that’s my next step.

[boat737]

Yep, that’s my next step.

What was the issue? Fixed?

[Straversi]

Sorry, yes, all fixed. As expected, pilot error.

I emailed Russ and he called me back within 10 minutes, on Labor Day! He had me go into the garage with him on the phone so he could help diagnose the problem. All-Star customer support.

I had tightened my steering shaft in place before I fully tightened my steering wheel. Since the steering wheel has a tapered connection to the shaft, it pulls in tighter as you give it that final torgue. When I did that it locked up against the hub and the turn signals died.

I called Russ back and he told me to fully remove the wheel, loosen the set screws on the steering shaft and pull it out an inch. Then tighten the steering wheel fully and then tap it all back in place leaving 1/16” gap to the turn signal housing. THEN tighten the steering shaft set screws. Everything works now.

By the way, all of that was covered in the instructions included in Russ’ kit. I actually read the instructions but at some point between when I installed it finger tight and final torque (months) I forgot that important detail.

Thanks Russ! Sorry I didn’t share the solution sooner.