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trafficators sticking.

Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:52 pm
by millie2013
Hi guys. You were very helpful before, so hope you can help once again. My car is a 1958 2 door Morris Minor 1000. One of my trafficators wont go back down when I cancel. I suspect A bit of oil on the moving parts might solve this problem, but as I'm not very mechanically minded, I thought I'd seek advice before doing anything. Thanking you in anticipation. :D

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:43 am
by SteveClem
Trafficators are pretty easy to remove,clean and lubricate. It’s probably just accumulated muck and oil that’s built up over the years. Once you’ve got them cleaned up it’s best to go light on the oil. I just used a drop or two of sewing machine oil and they’ve been trouble free for years.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:00 am
by palacebear
Can I also suggest you check the orange lens for damage. I had a sticky trafficator a couple of years back. Turned out the thin end of the lens was cracked and had become slightly misaligned where it slotted into the pivot end of the chrome cover. Some insulating tape wrapped around it was a temporary fix until I could get a new lens delivered.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:11 am
by myoldjalopy
Yes, take it out, clean and lubricate. There is probably years of road dirt, dust and dried oil on the working parts.
When you are doing this with the trafficator out of the car, always open the trafficator by pulling the plunger rod down - if you try to just pull the lens part up/out you can damage the mechanism. The rod may need a bit of fine emery paper or wire wool to clean it so that its surface is smooth. And a drop of light oil on the hinge part once its clean (as per the manual). Then you can test it with a battery and some wire before re-fitting.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 2:21 pm
by geoberni
Be careful when refitting and in my limited experience, as best as you can, try to get it nearer the front of the slot than the rear.
I base this on using the trafficators at 'reasonable' speeds will result in the wind pushing it towards the rear, thus increasing the chance of it catching on the rear edge.
Probably wasn't an issue when they were new, but most trafficators are probably a bit worn these days.
I had a problem recently where Offside would stick on the way out, but when free of the car worked perfectly. It was just catching on the bodywork very slightly.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2019 10:23 pm
by millie2013
Thanks for the replies, seems I was right after all, just lack a bit of confidence and don't like to tamper in case i make things worse.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 7:35 pm
by SteveClem
A nice little local garage would sort it for you,and it really shouldn’t cost much. An hour or two at the most. But it’s fun to have a go yourself and if it goes pear shaped the garage will still sort it.

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 10:24 pm
by Daura58
millie2013 wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:52 pm Hi guys. You were very helpful before, so hope you can help once again. My car is a 1958 2 door Morris Minor 1000. One of my trafficators wont go back down when I cancel. I suspect A bit of oil on the moving parts might solve this problem, but as I'm not very mechanically minded, I thought I'd seek advice before doing anything. Thanking you in anticipation. :D
Is it difficult to replace the lenses?! Where is the best place to buy replacement lenses? My trafficators stick and its very annoying!

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm
by myoldjalopy
No, the lenses are vey easy to replace - just turn the trafficator on, hold up the trafficator so you can switch off the ignition again and then remove the screw at the end of the chromed arm, loosen the screw which clamps the lens near the hinge part and the lens can then be pulled out.
New lenses are available from the usual suppliers......

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 10:03 pm
by Daura58
myoldjalopy wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm No, the lenses are vey easy to replace - just turn the trafficator on, hold up the trafficator so you can switch off the ignition again and then remove the screw at the end of the chromed arm, loosen the screw which clamps the lens near the hinge part and the lens can then be pulled out.
New lenses are available from the usual suppliers......
Amazing!! Thank you, super helpful! Have just purchased new lenses...wish me luck!

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 9:02 am
by geoberni
This is pretty much all you need to know....
N29-30.JPG
N29-30.JPG (129.56 KiB) Viewed 3821 times

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 9:35 am
by ManyMinors
myoldjalopy wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:34 pm New lenses are available from the usual suppliers......
I've never found decent quality original lenses without searching a bit further afield. "The usual suppliers" will sell you cheap and nasty reproduction ones that don't fit very well in my experience :(

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 9:53 am
by myoldjalopy
Oh dear.....not more sub-standard parts! Tho' I have to say that the lenses I bought several years ago now were fine - perhaps quality has deteriorated since then?
And 'geobernie's' illustration shows what I forgot to mention - that once the end 'securing screw' is removed, you need to unhook the 'securing tongue' to remove the metal 'arm cover' to get to the 'arm clamping screw'. Anyhow, its all pretty straighforward :)

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2023 8:53 pm
by TravellerTodd
Hi all - just a further observation that may assist someone else.

I upgraded all my lights to LED from classic car LEDs in the UK (I’m in NZ) and the festoon bulb they supply for this is really bright. I also have found the ‘cheap’ aftermarket lenses from ‘The usual suppliers’ to be of excellent quality. The chrome cap from them is not as nice as original- but a good price.

The main problem I’ve found with sticking is, as above, road film, lack of lubricant and fouling on body work.

Cheers Todd

Re: trafficators sticking.

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2023 11:26 am
by myoldjalopy
While the trafficators are out being serviced, check that the little rubber bump stop is still in situ. They tend to perish and fall off, but replacements are available: https://www.morrisminorspares.com/elect ... ap-p829956