stainless column stalks

[Daxman]

Hi Guys,

I'm about to have ago at making some stainless stalks, however i would like to keep the washer button on the end of the stalk. Has anyone managed to do this? If so could you point me in the right direction, i intend on using stainless tube with some sort of push switch at the end but have no idea what switch to use.

Many Thanks

Russ

[craggle]

I've done it and still have the buttons on the end.

I put together a set of drawings and a brief description on how I did it.

If you PM me an e-mail address I will send it on to you.

Craig.

[Daxman]

That would be Great,

Many thanks,

Russ

[craggle]

On it's way to you Russ.

Craig.

[Impulsebooks]

Originally Posted by Daxman

Hi Guys,

I'm about to have ago at making some stainless stalks, however i would like to keep the washer button on the end of the stalk. Has anyone managed to do this? If so could you point me in the right direction, i intend on using stainless tube with some sort of push switch at the end but have no idea what switch to use.

Many Thanks

Russ

Hi Russ,

I've done this but I made the parts out of stainless steel on a lathe at work. My design probably would not work on your car as my stalks and column are Triumph Dolomite. DAX use sierra now I think.

I took a lot of internal measurements from the original plastic stalks on my car before smashing them off, and then duplicated the numbers in my stainless parts. The switches operate exactly the same way now as then, but look completely different. They are cylindrical cone shaped now and were fitted with screw on end caps over the spring and contacts instead of push on as before.

Mark

[Daxman]

Hi Craig, Mark,

Thanks very much for the info, it's much apprieciated.

One more question though, running up the middle of the wash/wiper stalk there are three wires, am i correct in thinking that these are washer, intermittent wiper and earth. If this is the case did you join, the washer and wiper together, thus operating both at the same time. The switch is operating the wiper motor via a relay so current should not be a issue, I think !

Best regards,

Russ

[Impulsebooks]

Originally Posted by Daxman

Hi Craig, Mark,

Thanks very much for the info, it's much apprieciated.

One more question though, running up the middle of the wash/wiper stalk there are three wires, am i correct in thinking that these are washer, intermittent wiper and earth. If this is the case did you join, the washer and wiper together, thus operating both at the same time. The switch is operating the wiper motor via a relay so current should not be a issue, I think !

Best regards,

Russ

My stalks had a single wire running through them. On one side it was power for the horn, and on the other power for the windscreen washers. The earth for these was through the stalk itself (the tubular arm has a soldered earth wire attached at the column end) so that when pressed the power flowed through the horn, then the wire inside the stalk arm, across the copper contact, and back to earth through the arm completing the circuit which activated the horn (or washers).

My car doesn't have intermittant wipe, but if you design your stalks correctly you should be able to duplicate the original function of your switches. What you are really aiming for is a cosmetic change or upgrade, not one of functions. So in my opinion you should not cross connect any wires. When finished your stalks should work exactly as before but with a stainless finish.

This is why I measured internal dimensions so carefully. Internaly, my stainless stalks match the old ones so that I could even use the original springs and contacts. Only externally do they look completly different. Mine used to be black plastic, in a four-sided pyramid-like form. Now they are cylindrical cones made of stainless but work exactly as they did before.

Mark