The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Routing 1957 turn signal harness

I’m trying to understand how to route a flat 6 wire turn signal harness from the steering column to the harness under the dash. I have a 1957 accessory book that has drawings, but the actual routing isn’t working for me. Are there any pictures of how it’s supposed to happen. I’ve tried several searches with no success. Any ideas?
Thank you,
Larry

Larry,

In looking at the referenced accessory book here: 1957 Accessory Manual , the diagrams on pages 177 and 178 are kind of misleading.

Shows what looks like only 3 wires from signal switch cup, threaded through the column openings at top and bottom, and then connected by a "3-way" connector under the dash.

In actuality, the wires from the signal switch cup are 6 in count in a flat harness that is fed through the steering column openings (must be done with the plastic 6-wire connector removed form the wire pin end of harness).

Once the 6-wire flat harness exits the steering column housing, the 6 wires male prongs are inserted into the plastic harness connector plug (must pay attention to column to dash harness color coding to make sure they are correctly placed), which then plugs into the 6-wire connector under dash harness. That connector should be close to the lower section of the steering column so the two can marry up.

I have attached pictures captured from various online vendors/sources of currently available reproduction harness components that may help you visualize how they are installed and go together.

Hope this is of some help in getting your install completed???

Good luck!

My manual continues on to show the 6 wire set up, but either I’m not looking at it correctly or my after market harness is too short to run it the way they show it. Thank you for your help.

Larry,

Which harness section is too short? Is it the wires from the turn signal switch cup going down the column, or the under dash section???

If you are able, maybe attach some pictures of what you are working with to help us understand the issue.

Here is a possible helpful suggestion:

If the wires on your switch that feed down through the column are too short (I did see several aftermarket products that showed very short wires instead of full lengths), should be easy enough to add lengths of correct gauge wire to extend it's length. That being said, the most important step in adding extensions is to make sure you have correctly matched each upper to lower wires so the harness functions as intended.

If your column wire set already has the 6-plug connector attached (or not), easiest process would be to clip the turn signal switch wire harness several inches above the connector end. Then you can add sufficient lengths of new wire from the upper end of the cut harness (mark each bottom end of the new wires with the color it's tied to at the top if not using same colored wires), lay the new 6 wires down flat and tape across and around to recreate the "flat harness" effect. Yes this part is/can be tedious, but necessary to help the new wires to pass through the column properly.

Once you have fed your extension wire pack through the column, you can then reconnect the new wire lengths to original colored wires at the 6-plug connector end. Would definitely recommend using a proper wire to wire connection with solder joints and heat shrink tube to protect the joints from the elements.

Hopefully your end result will be a column harness that now reaches and connects with your under dash harness.

Let us know how things work out. (Good solution/bad solution/too much work or whatever?)

Good luck!

I’m not sure if wires from the cup are long enough to follow the route that is shown in the accessory book. The other end off of the main harness appears to be as it should be. I’ve loosened the cup to check and see if the harness is pulled all the way out at the bottom. I’ll try to get some pics later today. Thanks for all of the detail on lengthening the wires in case I need to do that.

No Problem!

Looking forward to see what your pictures may disclose???

Here’s the best if a bad bunch of pics. I’m referring to pages 182 and 183 in the accessory manual.

Thinking this "modified" version of your 1st picture I have attached is the solution you are looking for.

Your cup/column harness connector (Arrow 1) needs to be directed upwards and plugged in to your under dash harness connector (Arrow 2).

There looks to be plenty of wire length for the column harness to reach the under dash connector. Also appears that the color coded wires for both harnesses (from what can be seen) are a match and connectors should only go together one way.

Fixed - Yes/No/Maybe So???

Thanks again for your help. I’ll give it another try tomorrow. I’ve been blasting bumper brackets for several hours and need a break. I’ll post tomorrow.

All good!

Have a good night!

You too.

I did manage to get the turn signal harness attached to the main harness. Thanks for the assistance.
Larry

That's great news Larry!

Glad to be of help and thanks for letting us know the outcome.

Will look forward to more questions and posts as you come upon a need.