The Ford Barn

Carb Guy · 12-17-2010, 04:26 PM

My horn & lights did not work. I knew that the light switch handle was just spinning around so knew that the whole rod had to come out and be repaired, it is now repaired and the horn button has continuity to the bottom of the rod. When I put it all back together at the bottom of the steering col. still no lites or horn. The light switch body and the inside parts are good original. The wire harness was made by Mark many years ago and is still like new as far as I can tell, I just do not seem to be getting power to the the body. Any help would be appreciated very much. Thank you.

TK in LA · 12-17-2010, 04:54 PM

With the light switch apart first find the hot line coming in. It should be a single line attached to three of the buttons. If there is no juice there then you need to remedy that problem first. If there is power, use a jumper wire from it (the power) to the other leads and see if they are working. Then it's the process of elimination and tracking wires. Just a starting point. Good Luck!

roccaas · 12-17-2010, 05:02 PM

Do you have a wiring guide, out of a book, or on a separate sheet?

Are you confident that you have power to the plate (the black disc that has brass "dimples" around the perimeter)?

Find the power wire into the switch, make sure it is hot, bridge from the hot intake to each of the dimples (lights, cowls, rear lamps) to see if the bulbs light.

If so, the plate is fine.

Now, are the 3 "pimples" on the rotating switch correctly aligned? They sit in the plastic dimples when the switch is not selecting any lights, and rotate 1 space clockwise for cowl lamps, and 1 space counter clockwise for low beams, and 1 more space counter clockwise for high beams. Your rear lamps should also illuminate in these three positions.

There is only one way to position the rotating switch, get it 180 degrees out of alignment and you will get nothing!

If it is aligned, and the hotwire is lighting the lamps, but the switch is not working, it is probably a problem with the seating of the pimples into the dimples. I have this problem now on only my Low Beams, everything else works fine.

You should feel a "click" as the pimple slides down into the dimple at each of the 4 selections (cowl

ff:Low:High). If no click, the switch is not sending power to the correct dimple.

Let us know if any of this works.

Tom Wesenberg · 12-17-2010, 07:32 PM

You didn't mention if you can feel the clicking into position of the light switch, as roccaas mentioned. Also I'm wondering if you have all the common "twolite" parts, and not the early fluted switch parts.

The center terminal on the switch contact plate, which is for the horn, should also show voltage. This is the ground for the horn, but since it hasn't been grounded through the horn button yet, it should show 6 volts, and you could ground it to check the horn.

Milton · 12-17-2010, 08:01 PM

It is the yellow wire from the generator cutout. It feeds one of the triple contacts in the switch. The other wire connected to that contact is green and goes to your brake light. Step on the brake, if the brake light comes on you have power to and through the switch.

Brentwood Bob · 12-17-2010, 10:14 PM

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do you run this interface between the plate with dimples. and the dimple assy actuated with the spider dry? or with a lubricant? seems to be a wear problem. Bob

Tom Wesenberg · 12-18-2010, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brentwood Bob

do you run this interface between the plate with dimples. and the dimple assy actuated with the spider dry? or with a lubricant? seems to be a wear problem. Bob

I like to use a coat of vaseline or grease, especially if repro parts are used for the switch and horn rod. Some of the repro parts must have a spring that is too strong and that makes switching hard to the point that it almost feels like the horn rod will wind up with a twist in it.

Carb Guy · 12-18-2010, 07:10 PM

Thanks to all that responded to my help question. Checked the wiring, all OK to the cutout, then I had no power to the horn wire or any of the other contacts on the end of the harness, changed the cutout, presto all works now lights & horn. I repaired the light switch handle, but now instead of the handle facing straight down when off it is one turn to the left, must have soldered it back together one turn off is all I can determine, what say?

Brentwood Bob · 12-20-2010, 02:24 PM

Tom, Thanks for the comment on lube info for the switch. Bob

12-17-2010, 04:26 PM	#1
Carb Guy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 186	Need help on bottom of steering col. electric My horn & lights did not work. I knew that the light switch handle was just spinning around so knew that the whole rod had to come out and be repaired, it is now repaired and the horn button has continuity to the bottom of the rod. When I put it all back together at the bottom of the steering col. still no lites or horn. The light switch body and the inside parts are good original. The wire harness was made by Mark many years ago and is still like new as far as I can tell, I just do not seem to be getting power to the the body. Any help would be appreciated very much. Thank you.

12-17-2010, 04:54 PM	#2
TK in LA Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: La Verne, Ca. Posts: 827	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric With the light switch apart first find the hot line coming in. It should be a single line attached to three of the buttons. If there is no juice there then you need to remedy that problem first. If there is power, use a jumper wire from it (the power) to the other leads and see if they are working. Then it's the process of elimination and tracking wires. Just a starting point. Good Luck!

12-17-2010, 05:02 PM	#3
roccaas Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,300	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric Do you have a wiring guide, out of a book, or on a separate sheet? Are you confident that you have power to the plate (the black disc that has brass "dimples" around the perimeter)? Find the power wire into the switch, make sure it is hot, bridge from the hot intake to each of the dimples (lights, cowls, rear lamps) to see if the bulbs light. If so, the plate is fine. Now, are the 3 "pimples" on the rotating switch correctly aligned? They sit in the plastic dimples when the switch is not selecting any lights, and rotate 1 space clockwise for cowl lamps, and 1 space counter clockwise for low beams, and 1 more space counter clockwise for high beams. Your rear lamps should also illuminate in these three positions. There is only one way to position the rotating switch, get it 180 degrees out of alignment and you will get nothing! If it is aligned, and the hotwire is lighting the lamps, but the switch is not working, it is probably a problem with the seating of the pimples into the dimples. I have this problem now on only my Low Beams, everything else works fine. You should feel a "click" as the pimple slides down into the dimple at each of the 4 selections (cowlff:Low:High). If no click, the switch is not sending power to the correct dimple. Let us know if any of this works. __________________ 20 years ago we had Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, and Bob Hope. Now we have no Cash, no Jobs, and no Hope...please don't let Kevin Bacon die!

12-17-2010, 07:32 PM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric You didn't mention if you can feel the clicking into position of the light switch, as roccaas mentioned. Also I'm wondering if you have all the common "twolite" parts, and not the early fluted switch parts. The center terminal on the switch contact plate, which is for the horn, should also show voltage. This is the ground for the horn, but since it hasn't been grounded through the horn button yet, it should show 6 volts, and you could ground it to check the horn.

12-17-2010, 08:01 PM	#5
Milton Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 837	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric It is the yellow wire from the generator cutout. It feeds one of the triple contacts in the switch. The other wire connected to that contact is green and goes to your brake light. Step on the brake, if the brake light comes on you have power to and through the switch.

12-17-2010, 10:14 PM	#6
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,246	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) do you run this interface between the plate with dimples. and the dimple assy actuated with the spider dry? or with a lubricant? seems to be a wear problem. Bob

12-18-2010, 07:10 PM	#8
Carb Guy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 186	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric Thanks to all that responded to my help question. Checked the wiring, all OK to the cutout, then I had no power to the horn wire or any of the other contacts on the end of the harness, changed the cutout, presto all works now lights & horn. I repaired the light switch handle, but now instead of the handle facing straight down when off it is one turn to the left, must have soldered it back together one turn off is all I can determine, what say?

12-20-2010, 02:24 PM	#9
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,246	Re: Need help on bottom of steering col. electric Tom, Thanks for the comment on lube info for the switch. Bob