Pelican Parts Forums - Fixing floppy turn signal lever action using springs from a 911 power window switch

A month ago (and ≈415,000 miles) the turn-signal functions of the column lever on my 85 Carrera became impaired, with a sluggish or no return to the center "off" position with auto cancel, and lever felt pretty sloppy in the vertical plane in general, wherever it was positioned. Headlight flash/hi-lo functions and fore-aft lever sticking issues were previously fixed as per other posts in this forum.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1519875033.jpg
(pic from part of larger Pelican Parts image)

On investigation, the turn-signal switch uses two small compression springs, each with a ball bearing, and a small aluminum bar with ball-bearing detentes to effect the latch left or right and manual/auto cancel centering action. On investigation, both of the springs had broken (after an amazing perhaps one million ops). A fix turned out to be a tad fiddly, but pretty easy. Refer to annotated image above.

Serendipity revealed that the 2 springs in a 911 power window switch are an effective replacement for those in the turn-signal lever mechanism.

The ball-bearing detente bar (referred to as "bar" hereafter) on my car was retained with 2 swaged pins, but in some online images of replacement switches, 2 screw heads are visible, presumably the screws engage in 2 threaded holes in the bar. The following only covers the repair if pins secure the bar. The procedure with screws would be easier as the screws can be reused to fasten the bar. Only new springs would be needed.

Repair parts, tools needed (once switch is removed from column):
1. SPRING (2 needed), each OD 4.78mm x Length 13mm, Wire Diameter 0.57mm.
DON'T PANIC! You may have suitable springs already, if you have a bad 911 window lift switch in your parts box. Taken apart, these each contain two springs which are identical in length and similar in rating, but with a slightly smaller OD—however these worked very well, restoring crisp 3-position snap action to the lever.

2. The following will be needed to replace the pins:
M2 screws (two needed), M2 washers (4 needed) and M2 nuts (4 needed).
Screw length: Not sure what minimum length would be as I used 19mm, more than long enough to accommodate a washer each side and two nuts (second nut on each screw used as a jam nut), but not long enough they needed to be cut down inside switch body. The screws were from Velleman Screwkit K/SC1, 330pcs, Philips screws, nuts & washers (M2 thru M4) that retails for $3–$8 from numerous suppliers.

3. Tools/misc:
Electric drill motor (Dremel or similar) and a drill bit small enough to center in the dimple but large enough to remove the swaged head—1/8" or smaller should be ok.
Small pin/drift to start pins out (if needed).
Small pair of flush-cut diagonal electronic cutters to remove the pins.
Screw-/nut-drivers & needle-nose pliers to place & tighten M2 screws, washers &9 nuts.
Bent paper clip or other small tool to fish out any bits of broken spring.
Thread locker.

THE FIX:
Note 1: After the 2 pins are removed, just 5 parts are freed up—the bar, 2 ball bearings, and 2 springs. Nothing should shoot up or out, but in case one or both ball bearings fall off of their perch on top of the springs and into switch body, or onto floor, these are all the parts you might be looking for :).

Note 2: Before removing the 2 pins completely, make sure the bar is on top (switch open side facing up, as per note & arrow on image).

1. While steering wheel R&R not detailed here, tasks are:
Remove the horn relay in frunk. Remove steering wheel, horn contact, and upper & lower covers (take care, 6 screws, easy to damage these), to gain access to the 2 screws attaching the switch to steering column. Remove screws and then switch from bracket.

2. Drill out the dimpled swaged outer ends using a drill (Dremel) motor and drill bit. Once the swaged pin heads are drilled off, the pins can be removed. It may be necessary to use some sort of small pin as a drift to push the pins in far enough to grab hold of them using a small pair of flush-cut electronics cutters at the (inside switch body) end and ease them out with a "claw-hammer" action. No need to keep the pins unless you want to use them to help choose some other screws than those suggested here.

3. Remove the bar, and the balls and springs, and keep the bar and ball bearings safe. Fish out any broken spring parts in bottom of spring holes.

4. Again holding the switch so the spring holes are facing up, replace the two springs, whether with those scavenged from a 911 window switch or something else as described above.

5. Add a smear of same grease to the ball-bearing detente track area of the bar.

6. Put a tiny amount of some suitable grease (e.g., lithium white) on top of each spring to act as "glue", and then stick a ball bearing on top of each spring.

7. Put the two M2 screws that will be used to replace them, each with one M2 washer already placed next to each screw head, close to hand, reinsert and hold the bar in place (this was not much of a challenge, the ball bearings do not sit up very high with the correct-length springs) and insert both M2 screws in from the outside to retain the bar, ball bearings and springs.

8. At this point you can grab the switch body, holding the M2 screw heads/washers in place with your fingers (just in case), and verify the restored snap action of the turn signal lever in all three positions.

9. Add the other M2 washer over M2 screw ends. Add tiny amount of thread locker to each M2 screw thread next to bar and spin a nut down each screw, gently tightening until the parts are snug. Add more thread locker if needed and run the extra nut down each screw end and using tools as needed, use it as a jam nut on the first, i.e., lock the first without loosening or tightening the first nut on the screw.

Note 3: Use of jam nut and washer on outside of switch is to ensure one doesn’t overtightened the screws and damage/split the outer plastic layer of the switch body, and to avoid nuts becoming loose and dropping off inside switch, which would be bloody annoying.

10. Replace switch in column bracket, reinstall covers, horn contact and steering wheel, and reinstall the horn relay.