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Kaiser-willys/omix-ada 947348 Turn Signal Switch

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by duffer, Jun 22, 2019.

  1. Jun 22, 2019
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
    Messages:
    4,457
    I ordered one of these on-line from K-W a number of weeks back.
    [​IMG]

    In the interest of full disclosure, the installation was in my Polaris 900 Trail, but in all aspects, this was no different than any 12V negative ground system. So, after welding up a custom aluminum bracket (the Polaris tilt column has no place for the hose clamp mount provided), running new lamp wires to all four corners, and hooking up the leads as per the above diagram, did it work? Of course not. The only thing that functioned was the internal indicator lamp. There was nominally zero resistance between the lamp leads and that black ground wire in all positions. I didn't have much success with the last attempted return to K-W so I just removed it and tossed it on the bench, re-drilled my bracket, and installed one of the Spartan units I had hanging on the shop wall. After minor re-wiring for the 3 pin flasher unit-success. But no flashers.

    I then proceeded to disassemble the Omix unit and it was more than obvious what the problems were. With the top cover off, you can see where the only connection to the blue wire from the flasher unit is: the internal indicator lamp.
    [​IMG]

    The black ground wire connection? Well that is connected to the contact plate for all four lamp leads (yellow, green, orange, and brown). Nominal resistance indeed.
    [​IMG]

    The good news? You can make this unit functional if you want to spend a little time on it. This is nothing other than a make-break rotary switch with an additional slider for the flasher function that makes contact with all four lamp leads. Of the input leads, only the red wire to the brake light switch is correctly wired. The black wire's only function is the internal indicator lamp lead ground and can be de-soldered from the above plate, spliced and connected to the internal white wire's connection to the wand spring detent. The white wire should be completely removed. The blue wire to the flasher unit should then be removed from the indicator lamp and soldered to where the black wire was initially connected.

    The two rotary wipers are concentric.
    [​IMG]

    The outer ring controls the brake light/turn signal interaction and needs no modification. The internal ring controls the right/left turn signal function. As received, this ring has a wiper soldered to it to ground to the wand shaft. The ground wiper needs to be removed and the ID of the wiper opened up a bit to prevent grounding to the wand shaft. I did this with a Dremel tool sanding drum.

    [​IMG]

    Initially, I soldered a lead from this wiper to feed the internal indicator lamp.
    [​IMG]

    This only works with the left/right turn functions and not with the four way flasher function. I used it this way until my 1 amp diodes arrived from Digikey. I used two of those soldered directly to the yellow and green lamp leads with the married output feeding the internal indicator lamp (which I also replaced with a T 1 3/4 LED in a PVC holder).

    After a good slathering of dielectric grease and reassembly the unit works perfect. Was it worth the effort? Probably not. Another lesson why you should not buy ANY old Jeep parts on-line without finding out who actually builds them. How something like this makes it through the engineering/design, manufacturing process, and retail being completely non-functional is completely beyond comprehension. The only way I can see this unit actually functioning as received is to run dedicated grounds to all four turn signal lamps (completely isolated lamp sockets) with the positive leads to the lamps wired direct to the fuse. Then running those ground wires back to the unit. Downside? Besides swaping out all the lamp units, there will still be an internal short with the correctly wired brake light switch lead and the wand would then be hot. The latter may make for some interesting driving experiences.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2019
    Hellion, william_cj3b, Twin2 and 4 others like this.
  2. Jun 23, 2019
    william_cj3b

    william_cj3b 3BOB driver

    Milton, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 17, 2003
    Messages:
    421
    Ouch. You made it work after a lot of hassle. Shouldn't have to be like that.

    I bought a Signalstat from napa for the 3B. Worked perfectly!
     
  3. Jun 23, 2019
    homersdog

    homersdog Tulsa, Ok 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2012
    Messages:
    2,351
    Kaiser -Willys has burned me enough I no longer trust them in the least. Their emails go into the spam filter.

    Thanks for putting this info out there for others, this is probably not an isolated case.
     
  4. Jun 24, 2019
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2014
    Messages:
    4,170
    This just reinforces my opinion regarding Oxix Ida parts, and I have no opinion on K-W except they should stand behind anything they sell. The only Omix part that I have seen that looks to be acceptable are the heavy duty spring shackles w/the brass bushings. There is nothing else I would buy with that, or their related brand names.
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
  5. Jun 25, 2019
    Alan28

    Alan28 Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Châtillon en...
    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2012
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    2,327
    My turn signal is a Spartan, before he was stopping automically, now it says in the choices turn position. Is it easy to repair?
     
  6. Jun 26, 2019
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
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    Alan, do you mean that it is no longer self canceling? The Spartan has a friction wheel that rides on the bottom of the steering wheel for that function and that wheel needs to make contact. The bracket is adjustable for this reason. You may also want to pull the Spartan cover and blow out any accumulated debris and give the canceling parts a light lube.
     
    Alan28 likes this.
  7. Jun 26, 2019
    Alan28

    Alan28 Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Châtillon en...
    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2012
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    yes, it is not self-cancelling. I could hav e a look but always afraid to open these old mechanic and not be able to rebuild. That's why you help is so precious.
    Foe examble I changed my stop contact with your help. And others repairs... Idem for the steeering box, it was not the steering box!
     
  8. Jun 27, 2019
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
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    4,457
    There is nothing in the Spartan that will jump out at you when you pull the two cover screws and the mechanical mechanism is very simple.
     
    Alan28 likes this.
  9. Jun 27, 2019
    Alan28

    Alan28 Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Châtillon en...
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    Oct 21, 2012
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    That's good to know! About the stop switch on the brake circuit, I waited for your infos to change it. Tehn I did it in peace; I will do the same now with the Spartan. I remember that it was the same when cleaning my Solex carb. It was successfull after info provided by earlyCJ5. Thanks...
     
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