Cancel cam

[Teacherman]

I bought a metal turn signal cancel cam from Dennis Carpenter, and now I realize I have no clue how it installs. Any thoughts?

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Teacherman...

I've replaced the whole switch before but not the cancel cam...
I hear that it's a PITB to change...
The cam should be held on by two compression clips...
(not sure if that's the right name for them or not, they look like washers with cuts going out from the center)

Then you have to cut the existing wires and patch the new cam in.
I would solder the connection and use shrink tubing instead of crimp connectors...
I went as far as buying a new cam, but ended up just using the whole switch outta the '71 CS I parted out, it had a mint switch and cam.

If you could take step by step pics of the process that would be really cool...
This comes up from time to time and I don't think there is a good thread about doing it...

Good luck
KaptnKA S

[l1k2gadd]

I just got the smooth shifter collar-less column out of the 4 on the floor 1972 Bump that I will be installing in my '68 in the near future. It has the steering wheel still on it and the turn signal column harness looks fairly nice from the bottom end of the column. I don't think I will need the column harness, if you are interested, because when I pick up the T-18 that I have asked my neighbor to assist me with installing I will be pulling the three-on-the-tree column and my new harness out of my present column and I will be installing it in the "shifter-collar-less" column after the T-18 is installed. I can't remember if your truck had an automatic or a manual tranny in it though Teacherman. Do you have an auto or a manual tranny (I don't believe the harnesses are the same but I don't know).

The wrecking yard was supposed to remove the tranny (and a bunch of other stuff) for me due to my current restrictions, and I hope to get the tranny installed in the next month or so with the assistance of my neighbor, and his workshop. I can let you know when I get it swapped out if you'd like.

[Teacherman]

I think everyone is has the wrong impression. All I am trying to do is install a little metal ring somewhere on the steering column. Below is a picture of the ring I got from DC and a picture I stole from elsewhere on this site. The arrow points to the place where the metal ring needs to go. I'm thinking I have to pull the steering wheel.

[l1k2gadd]

I was wondering, but I didn't mention it.

Those are tough spring loaded clips, if I am correct. If nobody else has a picture of where one is positioned on the steering wheel I can possibly pull the steering wheel off of this column and show you where it is placed on a potentially untouched steering wheel.

As for the installation I'm not sure if you start it on the back of the steering wheel where the tab is and tap it on and around the hub on the steering wheel with a hammer, or if you use a tapered dowel rod and start it down the dowel toward the widest end of the taper and let it transfer itself onto the steering wheel hub from the tapered dowel, or exactly how you get it installed.

There was probably a special tool for the installation back then.

[fordman]

yes just pull the steering wheel and put it where you see it one the back of the steering wheel.

[Teacherman]

Then I will wait on this until I get a new steering wheel and do both things at the same time. And if that doesn't work, then I'll worry about tearing into the steering column. Or, I'll just live with having to remember to switch off the turn signal myself, like I do now.

[Darrman]

I had some one to help with a pair of big needlenoses each, basicly pull from either side and push down at the same time. That peice has some amazing tension in it.

[FORDification]

If you've never had the steering wheel off, how do you know your wheel doesn't already have one? Does your turn signal switch have the cancelling tangs on it? Those are plastic and frequently snap off...which is the cause of signals not cancelling 99.999% of the time.

[Teacherman]

If you've never had the steering wheel off, how do you know your wheel doesn't already have one? Does your turn signal switch have the cancelling tangs on it? Those are plastic and frequently snap off...which is the cause of signals not cancelling 99.999% of the time.

OK, where would I look for these canceling tangs? The turn signal has never turned off since we've owned it (20-plus years). It's one of those annoying things I'd promised myself I would fix.

[fordman]

the tangs are under the steering wheel. they are part of the turn signal switch. if you are real good you can replace just the tang part of the switch. but those are hard to make work properly when you do replace just the turn signal cam with the tangs on it.

[Teacherman]

Turns out it was the plastic under the steering wheel. I bought one and have struggled with it for a day. Looked up on the site, and the picture posted here is SM 9. Is that the correct one, or just a representative one? The one I've been arm wrestling with is SM 16.

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Teacherman...

The guy to connect with (pardon the pun) is Underdog97...
He sells them on ebay and can hook you up with the right one.
He can walk you easily through installation...

Beside, he's just a great guy to deal with.

KaptnKA S

[Underdog97]

The 72 uses a different metal cancelling cam arm on the bottom of the steering wheel. The 61 to 69 and early 70 had one prong to cancel out the switch as to where the mid 70 to 77 steering wheel had 2 prongs to cancel out the switch. Either one are difficult to change out as mentioned they're made of spring steel and are a interference fit. The positioning of them is critical for proper switch cancelling and so as to not break off the nylon arms on the switch. The 61 to early 70 3 spoke steering wheels should have them positioned at the 9 o'clock position on the wheel and the mid 70 to 77 2 spoke wheel have the prongs centered at the high noon position on the wheel. They wear to a taper on the ends sometimes causing them not to engage the arms so worse ( breaking them off ). replacing the cancelling cam on the switch itself is at best a fifty/fifty deal, either the switch will work or it won't. It depends on the contacts in the switch itself. If they're worn in addition to having the arms broke then I've found a new or used (tested) switch (depending on your budget) is the best way to go. When switching out a column from the 67 to early 70 trucks to a mid 70 to 72 column and viceaversa there are differences to be considered. The three spoke steering wheel is not a direct bolt on to the newer column steering shaft without either changing the center shaft or grinding it down as it was 3/4 of an inch longer. The turn signal switch connector (s) are also different even though they're the same switch. 67 to 69 uses 2 connectors and 70 to 72 uses 1 connector. I make plug in adapters to be able to use either type of switch connectors in either type of column.

Hey Kaptnkaos ( Thank you for the vote of confidence and the nice things you've said about me)

[Underdog97]

One more thing I've found to make changing the metal cancelling arm on the steering wheel easier is a press or vise and 2 15/16 sockets ( one turned upside down as to not damage the steering wheel) and press fit them on. The 3 spoke wheels will crack easily if they're driven on but not pressed on.