HC indicator stalk

[Cucuz]

ok, so my indicator stalk was loose on my HC and it was spinning around, and the horn wasnt working either. i got the steering wheel off etc to try and find the problem, i found out why it was spinning and with the help of a bit of superglue it appears to be fixed, and ive got the horn working again now.

but...ive come to re-assemble everything and ive realised ive got a small spring (i have no idea where that goes) and the indicators will not work anymore for the last 3 days we've been trying to understand why the indicators wont come on..and where this spring goes?
The haynes manual hasnt got a detailed diagram of the indicator stalk and i can find any diagrams on the web anywhere, im stuck

any help would be great or even advice on where i can find a new stalk, id be happy to buy a new one if i can find one.

[hbpeter]

They come up now and again on ebay. Does your HC have a Hazard switch below the stalk? On mine I find if its pushed right in the indicators wont work. If its pulled right out the hazards are on, needs to be in the middle postion. No idea where the spring goes!

Peter

[viva les vegas]

The spring might be from the cancelling side of things, the little "V" shaped bit at the base of the stalk. Or it might be from inside the horn end, but I've never had to play with that end of one, and has been ages since I last took a stalk off completely.

[dann01]

If you have the older single stalk indicator only unit, the small strip spring is likely to be that which holds the very small live contact flush against the indicator contacts when you go left or right on the stalk... That's why the indicators no longer work. (Springs on this type are held in with spring pressure only and not encased)

If you have a newer twin stalk indicator/wipers unit, it's a small coil spring. Though you would only likely find this if you have taken the unit to bits. (Springs in the new units are encased)

Either way, it was never really designed to come out, and will be a pain in the proverbial to replace, cos the units contain other springs which ping all over the place once you start to unscrew things on the stalks.

As already said, best way is to get replacement unit... But beware. Newer units are not a straight replacement for the old, as wiring is different at the plug ends.

If its a fairly weak larger coild spring, it lives in the horn push of both types, but if your horn is working fine, I guess you put that one back ok.

Having spent many hours wondering why my indicators didn't work, I wish you luck with this one, and hope it's something easier.

Dan

[griffonmark]

I stripped down the indicator unit on my last viva and bits (springs and rollers) shot out all over the place. I did manage to put it back together after giving everything a good clean and it worked perfectly. I may have to do it again in the next few days as I am having problems on my other viva. Check out my other strand and give me your email and I'll send you pics of how I go along. Regards, Mark

[Cucuz]

thanks for all the replies and the helpful advice although ive just had a new unit offered to me and i think its gonna be much easier to just buy a new one, i must have lost some parts when i opened it up because it will not go back together properly, i even took it to a mechanic i know and he had it for a while but he had no joy either.
so GriffonMark, you dont have to worry about trying to help me, im just going to get a new one, thanks a lot for the offer though
thanks everyone but im going to take the easy option