Column Rebuild

[Clatter]

Digging in to rebuilding a column, it seems that there isn't one place where all info can be found.

Since I'm a newb to this, thought I'd try to compile what's what with these things.
Additionally, it -seems- that my column has never been taken apart from new.

So here we go..
Hoping our experts can chime in, and we can get one place for the whole story.


After digging around on the site here,
These threads all had good info:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=608438&highlight=column
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=584876
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...;start=480
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=548050&highlight=column

Big thanks to all of our posters here who have contributed their time and knowledge.

Wiring diagram, for reference:

First thing I learned, is that you're best off getting the column off and free from the car.

This is easy and straightforward; undo the bolts and take things apart.
Additionally, remove the pinch bolt and slide the column head free from the tube.

The spade terminals pull free to allow the wires to be disconnected from the wiring block,
Which is held with these two screws:

Once the wheel and horn whatnot is off,
There is a half-clip holding the main steering shaft in place,
Shown hiding behind the shaft,
As well as a spring, and a split spacer/backup washer thingie at the bottom of the spring.

The turn signal switch assembly comes off with a couple of screws,
But when you pop it apart, this little spring and it's two round seat pieces might try and fly away..!

They are supposed to be contained like this:

Underneath all that you'll find an internal circlip snap-ring,
As well as an external flat snap ring.

Mine had two thin spacer washers beneath.

Any fool can take things apart (you'd think),
But i got about this far before running into a few questions.

I'll put this intro up to here,
And we'll proceed with individual issues in separate posts..
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Clatter]

Many might be inclined to leave this whole thing together.

Looking again at it, that would be a great plan,
However,
By car had a problem with "Old Crispy" the big black power wire coming from the coil + side.

In my case, a PO had (poorly) re-wired the idle cut-offs and choke elements,
Which were also taken off the coil + side.
These got tangled up with the carb linkage and shorted out, melting Old Crispy in the process.

Old Crispy is NOT protected by a fuse!
It also has the back-up light circuit attached, as well as being a clever place for a PO to find a hot power source,
So it's not just VW being lazy this way.

This wire being melted is not uncommon.
I'm already replacing the main harness,
but,
You'll see our friend here naked of his insulation..

So this means that our column wiring must be pulled for inspection..
While i might be able to get away with just replacing that one wire,
A 50-year-old anything would likely love a cleaning/inspection/sussing/lube.
I know i sure would..


So how to get the thing apart??

Factory has this to say:

They seem to like the solder melted at the terminal block here, right?

Leaving these square ones at the cylinder connected..

Column King 'ataraxia' here has suggested leaving the wires at the block connected,
And unsoldering the squares?

I'm a bit skeered of getting fragile bakelite parts too hot..

Here in Monte's great build thread,
he did this after the lock cylinder was apart..

Ssoooo...
How to best pull all of this wiring apart?
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[rustyfastback]

I have rebuilt at least 15 of these columns. My experience if the wires are melted like the ones on your column, just un-solder them at the back of the ignition switch. If they are in good shape it is very tricky removing the ignition switch while carefully extracting the wires from the column (very tight space for wiring). The bakelite part is more likely to come apart leaving the wires attached. Make sure to test that ignition switch as I have seen several with burnt wires that are non functional. Also the gray wire is only for a euro spec car. I can see in the photo the signal arm & wire terminal block on your column is for a USA spec, so just leave the gray wire out.

[axeman569]

Nice. Getting ready to put one back together>

[t3kg]

If you're a member of the VW Type 3 group on Facebook you can check out Lionel Mendoza's step-by-step column rebuild tutorial: https://www.facebook.com/groups/volkswagentype3/search/?query=column&hc_location=ufi

I had to rewire most of mine. You'll get really good with a soldering iron by the time you're done.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=696960&highlight=

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I WAS THERE! The 2017 Type 3 Rally / September 29–October 1 / Cayucos, CA
2014: The 2014 Type 3 Rally / October 3–5 / Cayucos, CA
2011: 50 Years of the VW Type 3 / September 29–October 1 / California Central Coast

[Bobnotch]

Yup, not a fun job. I had to replace the ignition switch in my T-34, and like Scott said, got very good with a soldering iron. Take detailed pics as you go to help your memory.
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Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120

[Username1]

I just completed this process last weekend - replaced all wiring in the column. If you dont use the correct gauge wiring on the ignition switch portion it will not fit back through the column very easy/at all - not a lot of room in there.

Ive replaced the wiring directly on the ignition switch with zero issues to the bakelite backing. Just desolder one at a time waiting a minute before moving on to the next. Same goes for installation - dont solder them all at once to keep things from overheating.

I did find it much easier to solder the wiring to the switch and then install the switch- not much room to get the wires in those tiny solder posts once the switch is back in the column.

[ALLWAGONS]

[quote="t3kg"]If you're a member of the VW Type 3 group on Facebook you can check out Lionel Mendoza's step-by-step column rebuild tutorial: https://www.facebook.com/groups/volkswagentype3/search/?query=column&hc_location=ufi

What type 3 group? I thought we were all type 3 brothers here?
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Thanks to my Tesla driving neighbors, I feel more relaxed driving my SUBURBAN and old VW's.

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[t3kg]

[t3kg]

[Clatter]

Wow, great information there, gentlemen!

Much appreciated..


I guess I'll continue along with the detailed words/pics 'how to'..

Facebook is going to go away like Friendster or Myspace did.
Yeah,
Some forums have gone away, Like superbeetlesonly.com,
And Germanlook.net is on life support.
The STF sometimes seems a bit quiet as well..

But the Samba shall endure forever!
Long after Facebook is gone and forgotten about..


So, here is verification of what we have;
Tracing out the wires to see where exactly they go.
With a PO having been in there before, anything is possible.

Printed full-color copy of the wiring diagram, in conjunction with a meter, verifies where these wires end up on the other end once they disappear into the column.
Magnifying glass helps me see the tiny terminal numbers, and wiring stripe colors.

So far, it looks like my wiring colors and terminal numbers are all correct.
My column wiring may just be un-molested from factory new.

Does anyone else have these tiny wraps of electrical tape(?) around some of the wires above the junction block?
Wondering if the factory put these in for additional insulation/chafe prevention,
Or if a PO might have been at work here..

'ataraxia' NOS column doesn't seem to have these.

Lastly,
I'm surprised to see a shiny gloss finish on the column rebuilt by 't3kg' here.

An 'ataraxia' column, looking to be NOS, shows a semi-gloss black sheen, far as I can tell.

Maybe the Ghia has a shiny column?

Mine -seems- to be semi-gloss, even flat,
But,
It's all so faded/tattered,
it coulda been gloss back in the day, and one would never know..
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Clatter]

About the high/low button on the turn signal stalk..


There are supposed to be screws in the holes holding it on?

Mine was just kind of floating in place, with the wiring holding it in,
As well as this little cone-shaped tan plug thingie in there..

Just one spring inside?

The end of the button has a notch on mine.
Is that supposed to be a ring, and it got broken?

Oddly enough, it did used to work.
Maybe that's how it's supposed to be?
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[EverettB]

Here are some photos of my NOS Type 3 steering column.

It's sort of a medium gloss black

There is only one screw holding the high/low dipswitch in place but it has a riveted-on tab on the other side that I believe the switch slips under?
I didn't unscrew it to see exactly how it works and it may vary by year.

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[Username1]

Mine also has the single screw holding the hi/lo switch in

[t3kg]

Single screw on mine too, same as in the photo Everett posted. But before I rebuilt it there was no screw and it still worked. The paint on mine is glossy because I painted it! It was as rough or rougher than yours when I started. I used the "gray-black" paint from Wolfsburg West which is a close match to the not-quite-black color of the early columns.

That electrical tape on yours is evidence of previous work. The solder on those connections looks like later work to me too — the factory soldering is cleaner. I'd say it's had work done on it before.

BTW, not advocating for use of Facebook at all, it just that Lionel's tutorial there is really helpful!
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5/62 343
I WAS THERE! The 2017 Type 3 Rally / September 29–October 1 / Cayucos, CA
2014: The 2014 Type 3 Rally / October 3–5 / Cayucos, CA
2011: 50 Years of the VW Type 3 / September 29–October 1 / California Central Coast

[t3kg]

Here's mine before I started:

I unsoldered terminal 50 on the terminal block and pressed the ignition switch out with the wires attached. After everything was cleaned up and refurbished I soldered in replacement wires on the switch before reinstalling it into the column. If the bakelite cap on your switch is fairly solid I would try to avoid unsoldering the wires with the switch still in the column. Just go slow and steady and carefully pull the wires out of the column without stressing the soldered terminals as you press out the switch.

I ended up installing an NOS dimmer switch. You can still find them out there. It's nice because the kits come with all the hardware you might be missing — screw, spring, etc. Getting those tiny wires rerouted through the housing is no fun though, so if you do it be sure to run a guide wire to pull them through.
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5/62 343
I WAS THERE! The 2017 Type 3 Rally / September 29–October 1 / Cayucos, CA
2014: The 2014 Type 3 Rally / October 3–5 / Cayucos, CA
2011: 50 Years of the VW Type 3 / September 29–October 1 / California Central Coast

[Clatter]

Thanks again for all of your fine wisdom, Scott.

If you got the WW paint for this,
Then that might be what it looked like new,
And these NOS columns have faded to a flat sheen on the shelf after 50 years?

And..
You were right!

Look at that PO hack slicing..
At least they soldered it.

Followed y'alls advice;
Veeerrryy carefully de-soldered each ignition square one at a time, cooling between.
Soon as solder melted, wire was pried free.

Once the key went in, ignition switch came free intact.

So that leads to another question...

I have an ultrasonic cleaner (that i have yet to actually use ).

Think i should throw the entire cylinder in the soup all in one shot,
Or do i dare disassemble?
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Clatter]

Here's Monte's ignition switch rebuild adventure.

Makes me want to just leave this thing together!

Maybe get a big clear plastic freezer bag and pop it apart inside so as to catch everything..

[Erik G]

fuck, those pics give me flashbacks. I dove head first into the ignition on my daily driver notch like 16 17ish years ago with no idea what I was doing and I should not have done it. somehow I did manage to get it back together and working just in time to get to work
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[Bobnotch]

And another reason why I went with the 68 and later style ignition and column head assembly. At least on those the electrical portion of the ignition switch is self contained.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120