ot need help 1980 chevy k30 turn signal switch

ericlb · Jan 8, 2016

in posting this after 2 hours of trying to find a u tube video of how to replace the whole unit, on my 1980 chevy k-30 4x4,all the videos are either kids who are just doing the lock cylinder which is easy, or much newer trucks, ive done turn signal switches before usually on older fords, on the gm stuff i usually just swap out the broken parts with the new parts of the replacement switch, makes things easier, but that wont work this time, this time i have to do the whole unit, i doubt the steering colum has room for me to cut the wires on top under the switch and splice all of those to the new switch ,the truck does have a tilt wheel too, how can i run the wires on the new switch which already has the plastic connector on it, down to the switch on the lower column? the wires have to come our of the plastic connector, but how?

old · Jan 8, 2016

It has been a few years but on my 1980 Chev heavy half I had to replace the turn signal switch. Had to pull the steering wheel off but form there it was just a matter of removing a few screw and then snaking the wires up and out

JF in MI · Jan 8, 2016

IIRC The flat plastic connector has to be turned sideways (to line up with the flat wire) then usually taped in place with some thin tape. Then use a coat hangar or small wire to pull it down through.

ericlb · Jan 8, 2016

thanks i ll try that thought it wouldnt hurt to ask before i tear something up and the truck is down , hard to drive it without a steering wheel

Greg Hammel · Jan 8, 2016

You will need to remove the lock plate, which is rather difficult without the nifty tool that will push it down to get to the snap ring. it can be done without the the tool [ patience ] and the column bracket held with four bolts will also have to come off , not enough room between for the flat plug to get through.

Owen Aaland · Jan 8, 2016

(quoted from post at 15:08:11 01/08/16) IIRC The flat plastic connector has to be turned sideways (to line up with the flat wire) then usually taped in place with some thin tape. Then use a coat hangar or small wire to pull it down through.

That is the way I did it on the first medium duty truck I on which I had to replace the switch. After the first one I just removed the entire column and worked on it on the bench. Only a couple more bolts and a whole lot easier to work on it there. It ended up being the fastest way for me.

willie in mn · Jan 8, 2016

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE: When you unplug the connector under the dash, tie a strong string to the plug. Feed the string in while pulling the wires out. Reverse to install. Gently feed the wires while tugging on the string. With a little finesse & holding your tongue just right, it should it should feed right in.
As JF says below, the flat plug needs to be taped to the wires so it makes a long,narrow unit instead of short & wide.

HTH

Willie

Super-H-Mike · Jan 8, 2016

X2 on the tape, but I use mechanics wire ( baling wire ) instead of string to pull with. It will sneak through there, done it many times myself. Takes a little wiggle and jiggle , but not a bad job.

Steve@Advance · Jan 8, 2016

The hardest part is getting the lock plate off. If you don't have the tool, you can put a 3/4 box end wrench over the shaft, start the nut, stand a short socket between the arm of the wrench and the lock plate. Pry down on the lock plate, which pulls up on the shaft, until you can get under the snap ring and pop it up out of it's groove.

Once the lock plate is off, remove the turn signal/dimmer switch hardware, watch carefully how this comes apart.

Remove the 4 way knob.

Remove the turn signal switch.

As for the wire harness, I always took the wires out of the plug. It takes a tiny jewelers screw driver. There is a bent tab that holds the terminal in the plug, press it down and pull it out. You may have to stand the tab back up to get it to stay in the plug when reassembling. Just tape the wires together and push them down where the old harness came out.

It's not a hard job, just pay attention to how it all comes apart, especially the dimmer switch. On Youtube, did you try "C10" ? I found a pretty good one, drawn out, but he got it done.

Hobo,NC · Jan 8, 2016

jewelers screw driver

Mechanics version

Yarn Darners Needle epoxied to a R12 service cap.

ericlb · Jan 9, 2016

i got it fed down thru there with the plastic plug on the wires, what the miracle tool was was a 2 foot long pair of heavy duty tweezers that are actually used to feed reptiles, worked just right , got it working, though not all factory, this truck has been modified to pull a special trailer which i thought was a full load for the truck just by itself,so i didnt buy it with the truck when i bought the truck , it uses separate turn signals and brake lites, so that how the p o set the truck up, somehow somewhere ive never found out where or how, at least now it has turn signals that work like there supposed to

ot need help 1980 chevy k30 turn signal switch

ericlb

Well-known Member

old

Well-known Member

JF in MI

Well-known Member

ericlb

Well-known Member

Greg Hammel

Member

Owen Aaland

Well-known Member

willie in mn

Well-known Member

Super-H-Mike

Member

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member

ericlb

Well-known Member

Similar threads