Topic: turn signal switch....

[gilbertsta]

i had a broken cruise/turn signal switch and now i want to change to a standard turn signal switch. has anyone here done this before? the ends of the switches are not the same....

[BlackTransAm]

so you are getting rid of the cruise?
 I think i twould be easier to put the right handle on ,
You may have to pull wheel to get to mechanism if
you want to change it.

[gilbertsta]

yep...no more cruise. i can pull the wheel off...no prob. i just dont know how a non cruise control switch will work. i think i may need a different bracket...

[eroc022]

They are the same attachment depending on years....77-78 had a screw on type, 79-81 had a push in type

[gilbertsta]

They are the same attachment depending on years....77-78 had a screw on type, 79-81 had a push in type

i think the "po" put in a 79-81.  can i change it to accept the screw on or is there a non- cruise switch i can get?

[Angelo]

The difference with the lever has to do with the dimmer switch being built into the column. They make repro levers for floor dimmer switch cars, 79-81 were transition years for GM, by 82 most all gm cars had wiper controls and optional cruise control  as part of the lever. You can actually get a wiper switch lever for an 80's gm car and plug it in there, its the cheapest solution, just the wiper stuff will rotate and not do anything.

I've looked and looked for a non cruise lever myself, they are impossible to find without breaking out Franklins.  The 80's style steering columns from the gm cars are popular with hot rodders, you would think the aftermarket would have a non cruise/ non wiper lever for these dimmer switch columns.

I decided I will buy a Rostra cruise control system if I come to find out the cruise control in my 81 doesn't work. A Rostra lever is about $70 and looks almost identical to the 81 cruise lever. The Rostra system appeals to me since its electric rather than vacuum powered.

[Angelo]

In other words, you can't change the lever style to the 78 screw in style unless you relocate the dimmer switch to the floor as the older cars had it.

[BlackTransAm]

What about a used lever from a junk yard? I have seen those levers NOS on ebay and they sold for big bucks
I always wondered why, Now I know.
 I know where on is in junk yard if you dont have a yard near you.
 

[gilbertsta]

thanks everyone for your help....i need to take off the steering wheel to see what i have exactly. i know i have a dimmer switch on the floor...

[Angelo]

If the dimmer is on the floor, then you can get the reproduction lever, it's not even $20 at speed shops: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/oer-9786981/overview/model/firebird

I highly doubt they would have put a newer 79-81 column in a 78 or older bird, the column has other differences which would involve some work mating the intermediate shaft to the column.

Take your time removing the cruise control lever, it's worth more than the replacement if it works. Chances are the turn signal mechanism inside the column is what is broken, not the lever itself.

[Grand73Am]

i think the "po" put in a 79-81.  can i change it to accept the screw on or is there a non- cruise switch i can get?

You'd know if it is a 79-81 column just by looking at it. The 79-81 has a box made onto the left side of the column that houses the turn signal lever and dimmer, like in this photo. If yours isn't like this, then you have the easy to get screw on lever:

[gilbertsta]

I 100% do have the 79-81 column! now what can i do to put a plain screw in type blinker switch? not sure why the "po" put this in???  i do have the high beam on the floor too...

[Angelo]

That sucks! But one reason may be if the steering box was upgraded to a newer metric constant ratio box, then it's possible the previous owner swapped out the intermediate shaft and column for a 79+ metric intermediate shaft with a double D connector to the steering column. Pre 79 the connectors between the steering box and intermediate shaft, as well as the shaft to the column were different.

You're going to need a lever with a plug-in end like this one: http://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=WL-4 They have them at Summit Racing.

[Grand73Am]

Maybe he didn't have a tilt column and wanted a tilt. So, the 79-81 tilts are the easiest to find, and he made that work.

I'm just guessing that you can't put the earlier turn signal switch that uses and screw-in lever in it, and personally I wouldn't try it.

I suggest just continuing to look for a 79-81 lever. Other cars also used the same lever. 77-81 fullsize GM, like Bonneville. 78-81 midsize GM, like Lemans, Grand Prix. There may be others after 81 too, but my book doesn't go above 81. The lever just pulls out, so wouldn't be hard to grab from a Pull-a-Part yard. It looks like the pic below. Or, you could find another good cruise lever, and just cut off the wires, clean it up and use that as a non-functional cruise lever.
 

[Angelo]

I would take your column apart to the turn signal mechanism and see where it is broken. Mine was broken at the mechanism, the lever was actually fine. If your tilt has slop in it, it's worth taking it all the way apart, there are 4 screws deep in the tilt area that simply need some blue loctite and torqued to spec and your column will feel like brand new after. You'll need a steering wheel puller tool, I got one from HF pretty cheap and it did the job.