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[ART FORMAN]

I have control head and stator tube assembly that I am trying to disassemble in order to check the wiring. I'm having trouble removing the backing plate. The backing plate moves freely, but when I line up the 3 holes in the plate with the screws, the screws are partially covered on the inner portion by a flat thin metal plate which prevents me fron accessing the screws. There are 3 cut out sections in the plate which I think are supposed to go around the screws, thereby providing access. I've attempted to move the plate with a screw driver through one of the holes or even putting the screw drive underneath the backing plate. I was able to move it about 1/32 of an inch but it has to move about 1/2 inch. There is no way to get your finger on it. I would appreciate any assistance. Thank you very much.


Art

[charley fitch]

It has been a couple of years since I dug into one of these.  However, I have my old one sitting here in front of me.  To begin with, do you have the control head pulled out from the steering wheel and the stator tube?  You only need about 10 to 12 inches as a minimum.  This will give you access to the rear of the head.  You do know that there are three very recessed set screws that are in the side/back of the steering column that hold the head into the top of the column.  Removing those three set screws is what allows the control head to be pulled out of the column and stator tube.
  If you want to see the wiring, I suggest that you remove the three screws that are on the outer bakelite portion of the back of the head.  This will free the front of the control head.  Be careful as there are some spring loaded pieces that may come off.  Try to remove it slowly and straight off and also try to look under the top plate as it comes off to see what it looks like under there.  Also try to keep the control head horizontal ( stator tube down) and lift the top plate vertically.
Back to your question.  The rear plate with the three holes should move freely .  If not then I would have to guess that there is something amiss inside the head that is holding it in position.  What about trying to turn the head.  Does the plate turn with it?   It should not do that.  Again if this is  what is happening then I would go to the three outer screws and work from there.  Charley fitch

[TomMull]

Charlie's covered this well. I'll only add that the wiring trouble I had was at the stator tube exit from the steering box. You might want to look at the archive section of the TR register tech section also, Disassembling the Control Head. http://www.tr-register.com.au/Files/technical.htm Scroll to the article.

Tom

[ART FORMAN]

Tom & Charlie,

Thank you very much.  I finally figured it out with help from the link.  The flat piece of metal covering the 3 scres on the backing plate has a little tab that you can pry up in order to move the plate in order to access the screws.  The control head and  stator tube assembly that I'm working on is a spare that I happen to have.  I'm having a TR3B restored and have been told that my turn signal is not working on the right side and that I probably need a new switch. However, the mechanis only checked the wiring under the hood and not the wiring at the control head.  I expect to get the car back next week and plan on trying to fix the problem myself to save some money.  So basically I'm practicing on my spare.  The spare looks good to me so I might just put that one in the car.  The control head in the car now moves an inch or so which I don't think it is supposed to do.  Probably the wiring in the control head is damaged and maybe the stator tube as well.  It looks like it is fairly easy to remove from the car.  Do you happen to know if a lot of oil comes out of the steering box when you loosen the nut to free up the stator tube?  Is it enough that you have to add more oil?  Thanks for all your help.

[TomMull]

Art, It runs out. I put a pan underneath and then plugged it wood dowel. Tom

[charley fitch]

I removed  my unit without removing the stator tube.  The wires are inside the tube and are drawn out and reinserted up/down the tube.  That said I will admit that it is a lot easier to say that it is done than to do it.  What I did was to remove the bullet connections from the end of the wires.  Then you can pull the wires up the tube.  Replacing them however is a lot harder.  This I did by using some electrical tape and some about 60 pound fishing line.  I trimmed the ends of the wires so that the end was tapered.  I tied the fishing line around the wires and made the wires as compact as possible and then put the tape around the wires to make them as slick as possible.  Feed the fishing line down the tube or better yet when you pull the wires out attach the fishing line so that you pull the line up the tube and then it is in place when you go to put the wires back in.  Guess I never considered removing the stator tube as you would still have to feed the new wires into the tube.  I then resoldered the bullet connectors back on. 
Thinking back on this, one possible other way to do this might be to use a good wire instead of the fishing line and solder the wire ends onto the pull wire and pull the whole arrangement up the stator tube.

Charley Fitch 

[ART FORMAN]

I have a feeling that the control head and stator tube that are in the car now are damaged.  The control head moves.  I think that usually means it is broken at the steering box or at the control head.  Maybe its just loose?  However, the right directional doesn't work which makes me think that a wire in the control head is broken off.

I happen to have a spare control head and tube with the wires running through the tube and bullets in place, so I may wind up replacing the whole assembly.  My mechanic told me "only a little oil comes out" of the steering box.  I think he also said the bolt that you have to remove in order to loosen the stator tube is above the level of the oil?  Do you have to remove the bullets to get the wires up through the stator tube?  Do you know where you add the oil to the steering box and what kind of oil it takes?  Thank you for all your help.  I just like to know ahead of time what I'm getting into being that I'm not an expert mechanic.

Art

[charley fitch]

Actually there is NOT a bolt to remove the stator tube there is a nut that has a pipe compression sleeve under it.  You most likely will need to cut the compression sleeve off to be able to remove it and then the stator tube can be pulled up through the steering box  and out from inside the car.  You can help yourself a little by raising the front end of the car up to tilt the steering box so that the oil runs to the back of the box and does not run out the front of it where the stator tube was pulled out.  My recollection is that it takes 80-90 wt. gear oil and it is added through a hole found about 8" up the steering column above the steering box.  You should find a rubber cap about 5/8" in diameter in it.  Just pull the rubber cap and fill until the oil is up to the lower level of the hole.
If you plan to try to feed the wires up or down the stator tube I could not even start to do it without removing the bullet ends.  If like you say , you have a unit with the wires already through the tube and connected to the head you are fortunate. 
What keeps the control head from rotating is a knurled or punched area on the inside of the 2 to 3 inch tube that comes out of the back of the control head, found just above/below the plate with the three holes.  If you look at that short tube you will see a line of punch marks, these fit into a notch in the upper end of the stator tube and hold the control head in place and keep it from rotating.
Charley Fitch 

[ART FORMAN]

Charley,

Once again thank you for all your help.  You are very kind.  Hopefully, the stator tube in the car just needs to be tightened since I know it does move.  However, as I said the right signal does not work which may mean a broken wire.  I did take my spare half way apart and saw where some of the wires appear to be soldered.  I did see where the stator tube fits into the control head by the punched area. 

I guess the best case scenario would be that the stator tube just needs tightening and the control head needs a good cleaning or a wire needs soldering, but that is probably wishful thinking.  Yes, I'm probably fortunate to have a spare which I cleaned and appears to be in good shape.  I'm not looking forward to replacing the stator tube and control head, particularly if I have to do any cutting.  I found this picture: 

http://www.macysgarage.com/myweb6/Parts/other_tr2_3_parts.htm

The link appears to show the compression fitting holding the stator tube in place.  My old service manual referred to a "gland nut" which maybe is the same thing and other literature mentioned "a large nut and an olive" which you threat off of the wiring.

Thanks again,

Art
 

[ART FORMAN]

I forgot to ask another question.  The stator tube is obviously coated in oil when you remove it?  Also, if you don't remove the tube, but just want to pull the control head up a foot or so to work on it, I assume that you just disconnect the 4 wires and gently push the wires up and pull the control head up until the bullets reach the end of the stator tube?

Thanks,
Art

[charley fitch]

Yes the compression fitting, and olive are the same thing the gland nut may be the term for the nut that fits over /against the "olive".

If you wish to pull the head up a foot or so, that is my recommendation for doing the job the smart way.  Disconnect the wires noting where they were fitted(I like to use masking tape with notes or colored ties on both ends).  Get plenty of slack in the wires at the bottom end of the stator tube and then go for the top end of the control head.  You should be able to easily pull the control head up with the wires attached and when done be able to pull the wires back down from the bottom end.  If the stator tube is loose that would be controlled by the olive and nut at the bottom end.  I noted  that the top or notched end of the stator tube can also be the problem if the control head punched area is not sitting in there and staying there.  Good luck.
Charley Fitch 

[TomMull]

Art,
Charlie's right (yet again). I find the "olive" connection to be quite robust and solid while the groove and little dimples in the top are usually the problem. When the head spins with the wheel, however, it twists the wires and the weak point for wire damage is down at the "olive". Of course the contacts in the head itself fail but not usually as a result of a spinning head. This should all be clearer when you get it out and that is really quite easy to do. Tom

[ART FORMAN]

Tom & Charley,

I just want to thank you both very much for taking the time to help me and to answer my repeated dumb questions.  You have provided me with a lot of valuable information and confidence which I know will come in handy in troubleshooting the directional signal problem. If you don't mind I will let you know how I make out once I get my car home.  Thanks again. 

[charley fitch]

I am sure that we all look forward to hearing from you. Remember that each time we put one of these threads on the forum that it is likely to be helping somebody else slove a problem that they may not even know yet exists.
Charley 

[ART FORMAN]

Hello again,

I'm been trying to remove the 3 grub screws from the control head.  Since I can't seem to get a good look at them,  I don't know whether they have a slotted or phillips head.  There is also a possibility that they are missing altogether.  Any help would be appreciated. If they are missing, does anyone know if they can be purchased from TRF or Moss?  Thank you.

Art