Replacing Turn Signal Stalks

swooshdave · Nov 3, 2019

I know this is going to be a boring post but I need something to kill the time.

On my Interstate the stalks are pretty rusty. The front ones have been shorted and the rears, well, the are a right mess.

I ordered four short stalks from AN. Yes, I know that there are long and short, I want the short ones.

Left front, not too bad.

Right front, pretty ugly.

Here's the assembly order, with the turn signal between the two washers.

Here's the tools I used.

What I didn't realize is that the stalk is keyed. I twisted it out. That was bad.

This one is pretty bad. If anyone has an extra laying around... actually hold on that, I need to look at the other three first.

One down, three to go.These aren't that long so I don't know why someone shorted them.

brian4.2 · Nov 3, 2019

Put a ground wire in there while you are at it.

swooshdave · Nov 3, 2019

brian4.2 said:
Put a ground wire in there while you are at it.

No room.

Onder · Nov 4, 2019

I had stalks made from SS bolts. Hate rust. But then at this point in life probably not a worry!
...always run a ground wire into the housing and ground with a screw.

kommando · Nov 4, 2019

swooshdave said:
No room.

There is just about enough room but patience is required as several attempts may be needed. 2 bullets will not fit but one wire and one bullet will just, if you still need space then feed the second wire through with no bullet.

L.A.B. · Nov 4, 2019

brian4.2 said:
Put a ground wire in there while you are at it.

swooshdave said:
No room.

The ground wire through the stem can be a length of bare single-strand copper wire.

drp · Nov 4, 2019

I use a gauge wire and I think I fed the smaller first followed up by the larger on.

joe czech · Nov 4, 2019

I bought a couple after market turn signal assemblies off fleabay. quality, pretty nice, and they came in at around $11 each (shipped) the only thing I could see different, no "lucas" script on either the housing or lens. to be honest, just bought them to strip them down for the stocks - had a couple rusty/pitted originals that needed replaced.

maylar · Nov 4, 2019

I got lucky a while ago and found a blister pack of 4 NOS Lucas blinkers on eBay. The kind of package that a Brit bike dealer would have on their peg board.

Woody850 · Nov 4, 2019

Just a tip to any readers, I have always bought or acquired Lucas flasher lenses which were fitted to the Older models of Land Rover Defenders.

swooshdave · Nov 4, 2019

All done for now. I won't worry about a ground wire unless I start having problems. But at least the stems are all the same length now.

The left rear was not Lucas. The stem was actually much smaller. But the stock stem worked just fine.

I will look out for two serviceable Lucas bodies at some point.

phippsy · Nov 7, 2019

RGM sell long and short stems in stainless steel , so your Norton can last to the next millennium

maylar · Nov 7, 2019

As another FYI, and something to contemplate:

Long ago I tried to make my blinkers into running lights by replacing the single filament bulbs with dual filament 1157's. I found sockets that were exactly like the Lucas but with 2 contacts at my local auto parts store. Apparently it was a common design in the day. I managed to get 2 wires through the stalks and wire them up. But the current of 4 lamps being on brought the battery and charging system to its knees. Now that we have LED's out there, this would be feasible today. You only need 22 gauge wires and 2 would fit easily. Some day I'm going to revisit this, I think I still have the sockets somewhere.

ntst8 · Nov 8, 2019

Or standard wiring and a Motogadget M Unit .

Frankie17 · Nov 8, 2019

if you have bought pattern indicators to use the stems you may be dissapointed

most pattern stems are not keyed in to the body

Gadge · Nov 8, 2019

Frankie17 said:
if you have bought pattern indicators to use the stems you may be dissapointed

most pattern stems are not keyed in to the body

The RGM stainless ones mentioned above are keyed.

One challenge I had fitting the indicators was the lack of room to tighten the nuts inside the indicator head. I eventually cut a slot in the the head of a ring spanner so I could slide the wife through it and tighten the nut.

Loctite is also recommended to avoid vibration induced rotation!

bill · Nov 8, 2019

now that's some funny shit right there.

i do know it was a typo.

Gadge said:
I eventually cut a slot in the the head of a ring spanner so I could slide the wife through it and tighten the nut.

Gadge · Nov 8, 2019

bill said:
now that's some funny shit right there.

i do know it was a typo.

Fantastic, that's too good to correct

swooshdave · Nov 8, 2019

Frankie17 said:
if you have bought pattern indicators to use the stems you may be dissapointed

most pattern stems are not keyed in to the body

Mine were from AN so fit perfectly. I didn’t have any problem with the inside nut. 9/16 box end fit perfectly.

cliffa · Nov 8, 2019

I got my wife from AN as well. New Old Stock, fitted perfectly

Replacing Turn Signal Stalks

swooshdave

brian4.2

swooshdave

Onder

kommando

L.A.B.

Moderator

drp

joe czech

maylar

Woody850

swooshdave

phippsy

maylar

ntst8

Frankie17

Gadge

bill

Gadge

swooshdave

cliffa

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