Busted clock spring
Busted clock spring I broke this when I have the motor out many years ago. I had bought a new clock spring but I could never figure out how to get the spring all the way out. The wiring harness and connector would never come out of the column.
part of the wiring harness is run up through the column in a tightly packaged wire tray that the end connector cannot go through without disassembling part of the column or depinning the connector
You have to de-pin the connector, stagger the pins in a line (so they don't bulk up in to a bunch), tape them up in to a thin bundle, and then tie/tape a pull string to the end so you can pull the new wires back down through the column.
You reverse the process to get the new one in.
The key parts are to:
- Use a really strong nylon pull string so it doesn't break in the column.
- Be sure you secure the string to the bundle really well so it doesn't pull loose in the column.
- Don't pull too hard, which would cause you to do either of the above.
- Take extensive pictures and document the exact positions of the terminals in the connectors before you remove them from the connector body so they can find their correct places afterwards.
I also recommend buying a proper terminal removal tool for the job so you don't damage the pins. (That would really suck.)
See step #21 in this thread for a similar process for my wiper switch: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...mn-repair.html (The terminal repair tool you would need for the clock spring could be a different one. I also recall that parts stores, sell generic versions these days.)
You reverse the process to get the new one in.
The key parts are to:
- Use a really strong nylon pull string so it doesn't break in the column.
- Be sure you secure the string to the bundle really well so it doesn't pull loose in the column.
- Don't pull too hard, which would cause you to do either of the above.
- Take extensive pictures and document the exact positions of the terminals in the connectors before you remove them from the connector body so they can find their correct places afterwards.
I also recommend buying a proper terminal removal tool for the job so you don't damage the pins. (That would really suck.)
See step #21 in this thread for a similar process for my wiper switch: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...mn-repair.html (The terminal repair tool you would need for the clock spring could be a different one. I also recall that parts stores, sell generic versions these days.)
You have to de-pin the connector, stagger the pins in a line (so they don't bulk up in to a bunch), tape them up in to a thin bundle, and then tie/tape a pull string to the end so you can pull the new wires back down through the column.
You reverse the process to get the new one in.
The key parts are to:
- Use a really strong nylon pull string so it doesn't break in the column.
- Be sure you secure the string to the bundle really well so it doesn't pull loose in the column.
- Don't pull too hard, which would cause you to do either of the above.
- Take extensive pictures and document the exact positions of the terminals in the connectors before you remove them from the connector body so they can find their correct places afterwards.
I also recommend buying a proper terminal removal tool for the job so you don't damage the pins. (That would really suck.)
See step #21 in this thread for a similar process for my wiper switch: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...mn-repair.html (The terminal repair tool you would need for the clock spring could be a different one. I also recall that parts stores, sell generic versions these days.)
You reverse the process to get the new one in.
The key parts are to:
- Use a really strong nylon pull string so it doesn't break in the column.
- Be sure you secure the string to the bundle really well so it doesn't pull loose in the column.
- Don't pull too hard, which would cause you to do either of the above.
- Take extensive pictures and document the exact positions of the terminals in the connectors before you remove them from the connector body so they can find their correct places afterwards.
I also recommend buying a proper terminal removal tool for the job so you don't damage the pins. (That would really suck.)
See step #21 in this thread for a similar process for my wiper switch: https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...mn-repair.html (The terminal repair tool you would need for the clock spring could be a different one. I also recall that parts stores, sell generic versions these days.)
I figured it would require de-pining the connector. Not a big deal just thought there might have been a simple way I was just over looking. Now I need to find that clocking spring again... I've moved 4 times since I bought it so I might have to get a new one.
Thanks for the info!
