TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Mar 03, 2025 3:42 pm

[When I first was getting acquainted with my new project '65 back in November, I went through all the electrical to see what worked before starting to take things apart. For some unknown reason, a PO had flipped the turn indicator 180 so the arm was now on the right. When testing it - Great! -the left signals work, now lets-- the right might work, but--oops!-- snapped off the arm, too tight!
So after removing the assembly it was obvious that 60 years of dust grime and general splash had crudded up the works so that everything was stiff and hard to move around. After searching the possible approaches and seeing how disassembly was often problematic I decided on the poor man's first try approach and douched it with WD 40 . A
lot it, to runoff. After moving everything around and doing that twice, it works remarkably smoothly. So I hit it with compressed air and wiped all the WD off. I'm expecting it to last since it working so well.
The message I'm sending is-- clean and lube parts before dismantling everything, if you get lucky.
I fixed the snapped arm with epoxy and a screw to support things.

Mon Mar 03, 2025 7:05 pm

The WD 40 will soon dry away, and you will be left with a non lubricated mechanism. After all these decades most of the factory grease is wiped away, dried up.

I like to clean the mechanism, then lubricate with a Silicone Dielectric grease. Work the grease into the moving parts by switching it back and forth. Then wipe off excess with a paper towel.
Re-greasing will help assure long service life, smooth operation
Running them dry of grease will make operation stiff, and will give rapid wear of the parts. Often the first thing to wear out is the self cancelling mechanism parts.
WD 40 is NOT a suitable grease. It will also soon disappear. It offers little protection for wear.

Id rinse it in some paint thinner, brush if old grease needs a bit of help to remove. Dry well, then do the Silicone Dielectric grease thing, work it in well, cover all the operating surfaces, then wipe off excess.

Happy Signaling.

Tue Mar 04, 2025 8:22 am

I sprayed my old 6-wire switch with contact cleaner. It made it work, but as mentioned it was kind of stiff. This is a place where dielectric grease really does help - but only a little. A dollop half the size of a pea and distributed on each contact is enough.

Tue Mar 04, 2025 10:19 am

So I won't bang on you for using WD40. As posted, it's not the best long term treatment, but let's look at the positives:
- it ungummed a mechanism that might have broken soon if not for the cleaning.
- it will work for the short term just fine.
But it's not a proper lubricant, and I'm not sure how the 50 year old plastics will react to it.
So having survived the ER treatment of WD-40, at your next convenience, apply some longer-term care by redoing the cleaning with something better, and use a better lube to make it last as long as possible.
I'd use an electronic cleaner, which generally leaves no residue. Then use either PTFE spray or better still a lightweight silicone grease (sparingly, so it won't attract dust and gum it up again). Adjust the clamp screw carefully so the cancel mechanism isn't stressed.

Tue Mar 04, 2025 3:40 pm

What I have seen is the contacts get dirt in them or the grease in them dries up. It sounds like you just cleaned all the dirt and grease off. That will make it work but what will you do for long term use?

Wed Mar 05, 2025 8:18 am

Well I'm not looking to take it apart and possibly not get it back together. I know Wd40 evaporates or too much oily residue attracts dust. . I may get some dielectric grease on the moving parts but I'm not too concerned on the longevity aspect because after 60 years of abuse and dirt, I figure this is another wearable part . Maybe modern varieties of cheap plastic will be affected by wd40 but I have yet to experience a negative reaction to wd40 on many plastics.
At the very least I still would recommend to anyone to flush out the crap with wd40 and then if you have full function you can proceed to dismantle if desired. Many parts are not designed to be repaired or even opened, and my experience has shown that electric switches or all else that are electronic with mechancal activation are usually better replaced with new instead of patching.And if I pretend I'm driving a BMW I won't ever need turn signals anyway!

Wed Mar 05, 2025 9:04 am

2type2 wrote: I figure this is another wearable part

Many parts are not designed to be repaired or even opened, and my experience has shown that electric switches or all else that are electronic with mechancal activation are usually better replaced with new instead of patching.

Most people that know treat their original switches delicately as they do not want an aftermarket one. The aftermarket ones don't work very well sometimes.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 6:31 am

Are the contacts in a vintage switch robust enough to scrape away any residual dielectric grease and permit the conduction of electricity? If in doubt wipe the contacts clean and dry, and burnish them shiny with a nail file of other fine flexible abrasive pad before reassembly.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 10:47 am

Be very careful with sanding contacts. Once the metal is removed, contact may be lost, do not sand away the cams that trigger the mechanism, they have a hard enough time with wear as it is.
Wear is the main reason why grease is required, grease prevents wear Use no conducting dielectric grease here.

Also practice gentle activation of the signals to preserve them. Dont slam the arm. If it is a nice day with my driver window open, I oft use hand signals for turns.

Our signal mechanism are getting old and worn. Mine no longer self cancels. I have the 1961 type, which is a one year only, and it is in turquoise color. Not easy to replace.

I have cleaned and relubricated it before. Time to do it again.

I suppose one can try to add a weld to build up worn cam mechanisms then file down to size, a big task.

So lubricate and go easy on them to make them last.

I have gotten so used to going easy on them, rarely ever moving the arm to lock in the turn position, rather gently holding it to work the signals, that I have the habit ingrained so even if I drive a modern car i go easy on the signal switch

Like wise I go easy on my window cranks, slow and steady wins the race.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 4:13 pm

Yes good advice- one could mix a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour instead of very fine scuff pads or nail files to remove the oxide coating that forms on copper contacts.

Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:24 pm

2type2 wrote: Well I'm not looking to take it apart and possibly not get it back together. I know Wd40 evaporates or too much oily residue attracts dust. . I may get some dielectric grease on the moving parts but I'm not too concerned on the longevity aspect because after 60 years of abuse and dirt, I figure this is another wearable part . Maybe modern varieties of cheap plastic will be affected by wd40 but I have yet to experience a negative reaction to wd40 on many plastics.
At the very least I still would recommend to anyone to flush out the crap with wd40 and then if you have full function you can proceed to dismantle if desired. Many parts are not designed to be repaired or even opened, and my experience has shown that electric switches or all else that are electronic with mechancal activation are usually better replaced with new instead of patching.And if I pretend I'm driving a BMW I won't ever need turn signals anyway!
I'm with you on leaving it together. You got it working and WD40 does leave a little oil behind after the solvent evaporates. If you, or anyone else, is interested in what is inside the switch here is a good thread to read on theSamba.

Fri Mar 07, 2025 8:48 am

The factory had grease in the mechanism. Much better than the very thin questionable lubricating ability of WD 40. Expect accelerated wear without grease.

Tell me does anyone recommend WD-40 for the suspension link and king pins rather than grease? How about them front wheel bearings?

Fri Mar 07, 2025 11:11 am

zerotofifty wrote: The factory had grease in the mechanism. Much better than the very thin questionable lubricating ability of WD 40. Expect accelerated wear without grease.

Tell me does anyone recommend WD-40 for the suspension link and king pins rather than grease? How about them front wheel bearings?
I'm not so sure the factory used any grease on the sliding electrical contacts, and if so barely enough to smell. The canceling mechanism can be greased without switch disassembly, and that is a good idea, but I haven't taken my 62 year old SWF turn signal switch apart.

What the wheel bearings need, and what the link pins need, is entirely different. Do you use the same grease on your turn signal switch?

Inside from Glutamodo: