Signal Switch Renew

[55 Fargo]

I had a 7 wire Yankee 783-6 old school signal light switch in the parts truck, all the wires were shot, and it was all dirty of course.

I cleaned the unit up, replaced all wires, and tested and charted what color wires go where etc. It appears it may work out well... new ones are around $30.00, this one cost next to nothing to fix, 1 of these just sold on Epay for $75...

Edited February 25, 2012 by Rockwood

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, installed the old Yankee turn signal switch, it works as I had rewired, all turn signals and brake lights work.

2 things wrong however, if you turn on signals either side, you have to juggle the trun signal switch to allow brake lights to work again, so something is sticky, or worn. This also hapens when you turn on the right side signals, you have to move the trun signal lever a bit to get contact, so I guess this old switch is worn out in some ways.

It all works as it should, signals on say left side, you hit the brakes, and the eftside still flashes as the brake lights are on.

The other thing is the signal pilot light, it remains lit, when you power the hot wire to the signal fasher, it will flash once signals are turned on, but the pilot light remains lit, as long as there is power to the signal flasher, not sure why, but the piolt light is independant of the signal switch, I take it there is power to the flasher, and once the turn signal switch is moved, it allows current to draw, thus the flashing begins, or the trun signal switch is toast to begin with.......any ideas Tod or Tim

[HanksB3B]

Rockwood,

Wow what a tangled mess of old dried out cloth wire. You did a real nice job rewiring the unit. I never realized there were signal switches like the Signal Stat or the Yankee 783-6 that were available back then. I ended up buying a generic looking one on eBay. The styling was pretty old looking and it seemed to go well with our trucks. The hard part really for me was to figure out how to wire it. My friend Al helped me and everything worked well except the indicator light on the unit itself would not flash. One day I noticed that sometimes if I was signaling and shifting at the same time I'd get a couple of flashes. I looked harder and realized that the band clamp was making contact with the column shifter so momentarily I was getting a clean ground. I then ran a dedicated ground line to the unit and all was as it should be.

I agree with you something is "sticky or worn" How well did you clean the Yankee 783-6. I know there are solvents specifically made to clean electrical contacts. I've never used dilectric grease but maybe that would help with worn out contacts if that's the case.

Hope you get it working,

Hank

[55 Fargo]

Rockwood,

Wow what a tangled mess of old dried out cloth wire. You did a real nice job rewiring the unit. I never realized there were signal switches like the Signal Stat or the Yankee 783-6 that were available back then. I ended up buying a generic looking one on eBay. The styling was pretty old looking and it seemed to go well with our trucks. The hard part really for me was to figure out how to wire it. My friend Al helped me and everything worked well except the indicator light on the unit itself would not flash. One day I noticed that sometimes if I was signaling and shifting at the same time I'd get a couple of flashes. I looked harder and realized that the band clamp was making contact with the column shifter so momentarily I was getting a clean ground. I then ran a dedicated ground line to the unit and all was as it should be.

I agree with you something is "sticky or worn" How well did you clean the Yankee 783-6. I know there are solvents specifically made to clean electrical contacts. I've never used dilectric grease but maybe that would help with worn out contacts if that's the case.

Hope you get it working,

Hank

Hi Hank, this unit works well, except it sticks a bit when you use the signals either side, so you tap it, and brake lights will work just fine after that.

It is obviously a contact problem, not suire if is within the turn signal lever, or the relay itslef.

The pilot light lights up, and then blinks when you hit the signals, but stays lit otherwise.

It may very well be the wire it the bulb socket, touching ground on the socket itslef.

I plan to get a new unit, as I do not want to be guessing what is going on behind the truck in traffic, the signal lights work great, the brake lights work well to, but if you have just used the signals, then you have to tap the lever for the brake lights to work again, so a contact issue......

[55 Fargo]

Had some time today to look at the signal switch ( Yankee Vintage 7 wire universal type), to try and figure out why the pilot light is lighting.

It seems to draw just enough to dimly light the pilot light, when signal are not pushed to either right or left, so suppose it must be an open circuit with the switch.

Not sure I should include the pilot light in this old switch ofr just leave it out, until I geta new switch....