72 Steering Column Rebuild

[Rockland71GTX]

I tried to find a Chrysler specific diagram, but this is the best I could do for now. It will give you an idea of the inner working of the switch. Check for continuity like from the brake light feed to the left and right brake light.

The side markers coming on with the brakes sounds like a ground issue on the tail light housings causing backfeed to the side markers.
Check that the hazard switch is in the right position and maybe cycle it a few times to make sure there is good contact.
The contact plate on the steering wheel may not be making good contact with the switch, recheck that and try the horn at different positions of the wheel.
Good luck!

 

[JR_Charger]

The horn button is contacting the honker ring in the steering wheel. I pulled the wheel, put a dab of Noalox on the turn signal switch button, put the wheel back on, took it off again and the Noalox had transferred over to the wheel.

I'll check the fuse later. Not my first guess, considering everything I've had apart, but at this point it's as likely as anything.

Is there a way to get power to the horn button on the turn signal switch?

I've got no idea how that system works. It looks like pressing the horn buttons on the steering wheel complete a circuit, but all of the electricity must be passing through the horn button on the turn signal switch.

The light sockets in the tail lights are all getting power. I don't know how the bulbs aren't lighting, unless they're all bad. Or I put too much bulb grease in. Got to love it when you think you are doing a right thing and it turns out to be a wrong thing. I'm seeing complaints about Noalox now too. Good grief.

The turn signals and hazard lights work when the main lights are off, but not when they're on.

That's it for now. Back on it again tomorrow!

 

[Rockland71GTX]

The horn works by grounding the coil on the horn relay. That's why a good ground on the column is necessary. Unplug the switch, on the body side of the plug there should be voltage at the horn feed. If good check the horn wire on the column side of the plug. You want to see community to ground when you press the switch.
For the turn signals/brake lights you are definitely missing a ground somewhere. For a dual filament bulb both filaments are tied together at the ground. When you hit the brakes that circuit is energized and voltage passes through the filament to ground and the brake light is lit. If there is no ground at the socket, voltage will pass through the brake light filament and then through the parking light filament looking for a ground. When you have the parking lights on and hit the brakes and there is no ground at the socket, you effectively have power at both sides of the filament therefore no light.
I'm not familiar with that grease, it may be the issue. You may be able to determine which one is bad by putting in the parking lights and then the hazards and look to see which one is acting weird, other than that check for ground at each socket.

 

[JR_Charger]

I'm sure you're right about the ground - question is, where is the ground I'm missing? I've got this one -

Odds are your 71 RR's wiring harness is the same as my 72 Charger's, so if you know where your grounds are maybe we can figure this out. I've looked at my harness a couple of time and if there's another ground I haven't spotted it. I thought it was strange that there would only be the one little ground, but what do I know about electricity? Not much.

I've checked all the fuses with a testing light, and they show good.

 

[JR_Charger]

Silly question - do the tail light sockets ground through the metal housing to the chrome bumper? I painted my bumper, could that be the problem?

 

[JR_Charger]

Figured out the horn. I didn't have the open door buzzer plugged in. Turns out the horn relay lives on it. The horn works fine with the open door buzzer plugged in.

Now I only have to solve the tail light issue.

 

[JR_Charger]

Made a post for the tail light issue here.

 

[trishhritz]

Solved the last specialty tool problem -

View attachment 1531954

It's just a piece of PVC pipe that I cut lengthwise with a hacksaw. I thought I might need to reinforce it with worm clamps, but it was strong enough on its own.

Hi, I am trying to replace my ignition cylinder because the key falls out of the ignition. I am trying to not pull the entire column, doing just enough to get to the Ignition cylinder. I have a 1972 Plymouth SSP with the auto floor shifter. I am at this step and of course I do not have a C-4044 tool.
What diameter did you use prior cutting it lengthwise? Does the pvc pipe need to be inside the insulator or can it be the same diameter of the insulator?

 

[JR_Charger]

If you can find a PVC pipe about the same size as the steering shaft, you should be good. I don't think they come in a lot of different sizes, and pvc isn't expensive. The main thing is that you only want it to push on the inner bearing sleeve, not the bearings or the outer sleeve -

 

[Doorkicker]

Killer thread! And perfect timing.. about to do the same on my 72 - thanks fellas!

 

[JR_Charger]

Hi, I am trying to replace my ignition cylinder because the key falls out of the ignition. I am trying to not pull the entire column, doing just enough to get to the Ignition cylinder. I have a 1972 Plymouth SSP with the auto floor shifter. I am at this step and of course I do not have a C-4044 tool.
What diameter did you use prior cutting it lengthwise? Does the pvc pipe need to be inside the insulator or can it be the same diameter of the insulator?

BTW, in case it hasn't been mentioned in this old thread, don't take the staple out of the insulator. It's a ground.

 

[trishhritz]

If you can find a PVC pipe about the same size as the steering shaft, you should be good. I don't think they come in a lot of different sizes, and pvc isn't expensive. The main thing is that you only want it to push on the inner bearing sleeve, not the bearings or the outer sleeve -

View attachment 1707470

Thanks for the info, JR. it’s what I thought. Very much appreciated.