turn signal lever

Somehow the turn signal lever came un-attached or somehow otherwise is broken off on my 1990 Jeep Cherokee. Here's a picture of my hand holding the un-attached lever alongside the steering column where it would otherwise be attached:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...1/IMG_0939.jpg

I can stick it back in where it belongs but of course it just sits in there loosely and will fall out all the time. I can't really tell by looking at the end of the metal rod part of the handle whether the rod actually broke or if it is somehow made to come apart there for whatever reason. Here's a picture of it stuck back where it belongs. Also, the whole mechanism where the handle connects there into the column seems rather loose, something not right.
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...1/IMG_0940.jpg

When I stick the handle where it belongs I can turn the wipers on, but now there seems to only one wiper speed available, when before it had several speeds. The windshield washer control which is on this handle seems to work fine when the handle is stuck where it belongs. The left and right turn signals work but only as you have to push excessively hard on the handle up or down.

I have one of those Haynes repair manuals for Jeeps in this range of year, but it's rather unclear to me on what exactly might be going on and what's specifically going to be involved in getting this lever/mechanism fixed.

Also, a separate issue, the horn stopped working. So I looked at the fuse panel under the dash (picture here) to try to find the horn fuse. http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...1/IMG_0941.jpg
I know you can't tell by the picture, but looking closely in real life there seems there's a fuse with a label for everything but the horn. If the fuse for the horn isn't here, would it be somewhere else then?

Any comments/suggestions appreciated.

 

bad news is you will need to replace the turnsignal switch, i believe that your is a press fit and if it comes out it will not stay because something is either broken or corroded to much to hold it. i think you can replace it by pulling the cover off of the colum but you might need to pull the steering wheel, can't remmeber. most horn go thru a relay and sometimes instead of a fuse they use a fusible link. look under the hood for a relay. just to be safe use a 12 volt test light on each fuse to check that they are good you can't allways tell by looking.

life begins when the kids leave home and the dog dies.

 

Thanks Speedwrench. Do you know whether a new "turnsignal switch" will come with the whole lever, all in one piece? If a check into getting the new part, are you fairly certain that is what I need to ask for, a turnsignal switch? The reason I ask is because this lever also has the control for the wiper, washer, headlight dimmer, etc.

 

all of them i have installed came with the new lever including all controls.

if we're not supposed to eat animals why are they made out of meat?

 

I went to napa online site to see what they had available called a turn signal switch for this vehicle, and got the following result. Doesn't really look what I need here, this doesn't have the actual handle or anything...
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...+Signal+Switch

Please further advise/help how I might better locate the correct part, the mechanism that comes with the lever and all the controls. thanks

 

I went to the link and couldn't come up with it either, could you post a pic of the end that goes into the steering column so i can get a better look at that end.

murphy was an optimist

 

OK..........The part you photo'd is called the stalk. It can be purchased seperately. They're going to ask you if it has cruise control and/or delay wipers......... (BTW this is a standard GM round column).........If you have a SMALL drillbit, you can drill into what's left in the wiper switch, put a small self screw in that hole, grab the end with a vice grip and tap with a hammer.........This will get the remains of the OE stalk out.............New one pops right in..........Cruise wires are hell to lace down the column............

 

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...1/IMG_0943.jpg

 

1. So when I ask for it (or look for it), do I ask/look for a "turn signal stalk" or what? Think such an item would be available through a regular auto parts store?

2. I do know that I don't have cruise control. The wipers do have different speeds but I'm not sure if they have what would specifically be considered a delay (can't remember if they ever delayed or not). The way it is now, when I stick the broken stalk into the hole and try to use the wipers, I do manage to get one speed but thats all. How can I know whether this particular vehicle's wiper control is supposed to include delay?

3. You say if I can get a small screw into what's remaining of the OE stalk I can get it out by grabbing the end of the screw with a vice grip and tapping with a hammer. What do I tap with a hammer, the vice grip? Please breifly clarify, if possible.

4. What if I decide I need not only the new stalk but the whole business within the column that it connects into. What would that be called and where do I get that?

thanks

 

I posted my inquiry about the broken-off turn signal handle on another forum too. Got one reply (copied below), and wondered if you guys might comment on it here.

"i really dont know what to tell you, if i had it in my hands i could probably figure out a gheto fix for it but not to sure by just the pics. i really dont know how to explain how i would go about working on it but i would try and seeing how that mechanism that turns the wipers on functions and see why its not catching inside other than just to turn the wipers to one speed. really dont know how your brain works when it comes to problem solving so maybe that advice is totally confusing and not helpful. honestly it will probably be suber expensive to fix it "correctly" so try what ever way you can get it to work."

 

You said that this car is a Jeep Cherokee. I didn't think that a G M part would interchange.

From your photos, it appears that the stalk is keyed to fit a certain way, and also has a groove molded near the base. This makes me think that it's held in place by a ring type spring or snap.

Just for kicks, line it up in the hole and give it a whack on the end with a rubber mallet. It may just snap back into place.

 

your last post was wild, that guy spends to much time building rube goldberg devises i would bet, trying to save money when time is money.

what wrench47 ment was tap on the vise grips from below with the hammer thus driving the stub out of the switch, i have always just replaced the complete assembly to make sure that it all worked correctly when thru. if i am haveing to warrenty my work i don't want to have to redo because of something unforceen like broken plastic from hammering out parts. back when I was wrenching you could only buy turnsignal switches from the dealership most of the time, and they were only sold as an assembly with the stalk.

Murphy was an optimist.

 

Naw, I think the metal rod end of the "stalk" is actually broken off. Yes the stalk does fit in a certain way, but when I fit the stalk onto where it belongs that's as far as it's gonna go. The pics don't really show the whole story too clear, but no, whacking it with a mallet won't make it snap back into place. Wish it would, though.

 

Oh come on. I've almost finished on my homemade turnsignal/dimmer/wiper/washer multi-device gheto lever. Now I just have to figure out how to get it connected in.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...gull1/side.jpg

 

http://www.teamgrandwagoneer.com/cgi...ignal&catid=95

The item as shown at the bottom of the page (link above) might be what I need. Looks like it. If it is, then there must be a fairly long piece of broken-off piece still stuck inside the switch mechanism that I'd need to get out...

 

that looks correct. good luck

life begins when the kids leave home and the dog dies

 

The stalk actuall fits into the windshield wiper switch.........In order to get TO the windshield wiper switch, you need to get the steering wheel out of the way.........Remove the column lock plate (special tool).........remove the turn signal switch.........(Once the lock plate is removed you'll see the stalk/w,w switch connects via a small bracket and one screw)
If,n I remember right, you'll need to remove the ignition lock cyl and then the upper half of the steering column

Personally, I'd drill a hole in the remainder of the stalk sink a small screw in it and yank it out..........
None of these parts come as an "assembly" (a la Fords Multi function switch) and they're probably all dealer parts as well

 

Wrench47 would you agree that the part as shown at the bottom of the page in the following link http://www.teamgrandwagoneer.com/cgi...ignal&catid=95 is what I need to replace my broken stalk? Once I get the broken piece of stalk from out of the wiper switch, does the new part (stalk) simply push right in and snap into place, or what?

If, as you suggested, I use a small drill bit and drill a hole into the center of the remaining stalk, then screw a self-tapping screw into the hole, and then pull on the screw (or tap with hammer) with vice grips until the broken stub comes out, is all the disassembly you mentioned still required? Or is the method you suggest a way to avoid having to do all that disassembly?

 

That's the ticket.........Once you get the remainder out of the wiper switch the new part just pops in.......That way you save yourself a BOATLOAD of work.........
As I said.the most difficult part would be lacing the cruise control wiring if the vehicle is so equipped

 

Okay then I'll give your method a try and post back, hopefully with a success story. Thanks.
Vehicle is not equipped with cruise control, so no worries there anyway.