Trafficator repair.

[palacebear]

I noticed today that Max's rather floppy offside trafficator had got a lot worse and wasn't retracting fully. Investigations showed that the orange lens had broken and was catching on the B-post slot. A small part of the lens, with the bulb wire attached is still lodged inside the the clamp assembly. I've put it back together and in the time-honoured tradition, wrapped some insulating tape around the inner end of the lens and the chrome cover (a very fetching shade of blue!). Its working much better than it ever had in the past. The big question is... would I be correct in saying that I'm going to need to remove the whole trafficator assembly from the car in order to retrieve the broken end of lens from inside the clamp?

[firedrake1942]

PB if it is the SF80 trafficator, the bit still inside should just pull out without much force as it simply slots in. This is where they are weakest and always break here. Make sure the wire bulb holder / tensioner is out of the way when you do it as this should not come with it. On older models there may be a screw just under the back but which is just a grip screw.

The lower of the two trafficators is the normal minor one and as you can see it slides into a slot and is secured by a screw at the other end going through the chrome cover.

I think yours are the same as the later models . I may, however, be wrong. It has occasionally been known!

jm

[firedrake1942]

From CW's parts list it looks like the SF80 was used from 1948 until discontinued. New the lens is £8.25 but no doubt cheaper on e bay. (Not much when you look at postage) They do glue but not very successfully.

Can I take the opportunity to recommend the LED flashing festoon bulbs. They are not cheap for a pair, but make one hell of a difference to visibility, if like me the trafficators are the only indication mechanism.

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... -bulbs.php

[palacebear]

Thanks FD.

Yes it is the SF80. I've been outside, had another poke around, and managed to retrieve the remain of the arm from inside the clamp (see below). I tend to panic somewhat about jobs like this. Fairly fragile components, sausage fingers, far-from-infinite patience and vari-focals which make me dizzy if my head moves much from the upright position, can hamper my efforts at times!

I was going to ask about flashing LED bulbs. Max is still positive earth and dynamo-charged. Would you know if they'd still work within these parameters?

Exhibit 'A' M'Lud

DSCF2372.JPG (81.51 KiB) Viewed 4790 times

[firedrake1942]

I cannot see why not the circuit board that makes them flash is attached either side of the festoon bulb and it fits well in the trafficator lens in place of the original. As long as its got current going through it its should work I would have thought. You could always give them a ring to confirm. Mine is -ve earth but still works on the dynamo

Just looked at the site

OUR FAMOUS SELF FLASHING "FLASHICATOR" BULBS

Why trafficate when you can FLASHICATE!

Very bright low power consumption 36mm long amber LED festoon bulbs with a difference.

When the trafficator arm is raised, the bulb lights amber on both sides and flashes!

See the demo HERE

No separate flasher unit required.

A straight swap for your old bulb.

They will work on negative or positive earth vehicles.

A must have if using trafficators on todays roads especially after dark.

Available in:

6v and 12v 36mm with flat or pointed caps to suit British trafficators inc Lucas, Trico etc

6v and 12v 36mm to suit FORD trafficators with grooved caps

6v and 12v 31mm to suit Bosch, SWF and SHO trafficators as fitted to VW's etc.

36mm type have 6mm or 7mm end caps.

31mm type have 7mm end caps

(Click on the pictures to enlarge)

Trafficators should be in good, serviceable condition

Prices are per pair

See our Flashicator window sticker.

[palacebear]

That sounds remarkably like the company I've just found and ordered from! Shame they cost the same as a nights' drinking in a bar on the Costa del Sol but needs must! Lenses acquired too. £16 for a pair, new, including p&p from fleabay

Muchos Gracias for the assistance.
(Nine weeks to go but no harm adopting the holiday mood in advance)

[ManyMinors]

I found the cheap reproduction lenses available from Wares, ebay and the like were very poor quality. The extra money spent on proper Lucas lenses was well worthwhile in my opinion

[palacebear]

Any particular weaknesses with them Manyminors?

[firedrake1942]

Even Lucas ones snap if you don't cancel them before you get out of the car ! They were of a slightly thicker and more flexible plastic, but the reproductions do the job

[palacebear]

I think the ones I have on Max are older repros. No Lucas markings on them. They've been on the car since at least 1990 so they've lasted fairly well I guess.

[ManyMinors]

Any particular weaknesses with them Manyminors?

I agree that the Lucas ones can probably break just as easily but apart from a passenger breaking one of mine off in the 1970s when I pulled in to let her out I've been spared such accidents. More recently I was given a pair of broken ones to restore as spares. The fit and finish of the reproduction lenses was poor, with the plastic looking a very different material and once in use, the plastic seemed to alter shape slightly making the fit even less good! I replaced them with original Lucas ones which are a big improvement albeit more expensive.
If people are happy with reproduction items, then fair enough. there is plainly a market for them. I generally prefer to try and obtain the best and most original parts I can get for my car and often find that even a good secondhand original part can be a better alternative than something new but cheaply made from the wrong material.

[palacebear]

I'll have to see how the ones I've ordered look (and fit). I'm desperate for one of them as the offside trafficator is useless in its present condition. Already had to pull out of a show this weekend

[ManyMinors]

How hard can it be to obtain? Suppliers have these parts on the shelf don't they.......Most will post within 24hours or you can go and collect.
I've never had to wait long for parts. One of the great things about running a Morris Minor!

[palacebear]

Its no big deal to me. Parts have been ordered, paid for, dispatched and should be delivered on Saturday, or maybe Monday instead. Good enough for me.

[RobThomas]

I have flashicator bulbs on HFH200 and they work perfectly on bog standard electrics without any mods required.

[palacebear]

Ta for that Rob.
New orange lenses arrived today. Pretty much same quality as the damaged ones. Flashicator bulbs haven't turned up yet. New lenses fitted with old bulbs for now, just to get me mobile again.

[palacebear]

To end this thread... LED 'Flashicator' bulbs have arrived and been fitted. Great improvement over the standard 3w bulb.

If anyone's interested in them, I sourced mine from

www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com

Based in Saxilby, Lincoln. Ordered Wednesday afternoon. Delivered Saturday morning. Paypal payment accepted with or without a paypal account. Not cheap at £27.95 for the pair incl. p&p. Should last forever though!

[jagnut66]

Hi,
Be careful when washing the car though, if the 'flashicator' bulbs get damp / wet they will fail. A lesson I have learned the hard way the other day.
They were fine before but after I washed the car the drivers side no longer worked and I had to use up my spare bulb and replace it.
To be fair the upper part of my trafficator stuck out from the body a bit, which presumably allowed water to get in, although it must have been in minute quantities, as there wasn't even one drop inside when I took it apart to replace the bulb.
I have since altered the fit of the unit, so hopefully the problem has been solved.
The passenger side one, properly recessed was fine.
Best wishes,
Mike.

[palacebear]

Thanks for the warning Mike. Which part of the unit did you have to alter?

[jagnut66]

I removed the interior pillar trim and put a washer behind the top of the fixing frame (where the screw is) for the Trafficator, so it fell back behind the opening, then screwed it all back in place, taking care to make sure the arm was as centralised to the slot in the B pillar as possible (for smooth operation).
While we're on the subject, I found that my passenger side Trafficator didn't want to extend the other day. When I turned the switch it just clicked and then clicked again when I moved the switch position to off.....
I tried a few times to make sure it wasn't just being 'temperamental'....
It turned out to be that the screw hole at the end of the arm had worn out through age and the screw was slipping, allowing the (removable) chromed part of the arm to slip, which although it didn't foul the opening, stopped the arm from raising when powered up......
I solved it by pushing the chromed top section back into position and applying loctite to the screw / hole, which re-fixed the screw in place.
I used loctite, as I know it will allow me to unscrew it in future if I need to, whereas something like gorilla / superglue might cause me problems.
It now works as it should once more.
Best wishes,
Mike.