I am installing a Ron Francis Bare Bonz II kit in my 1954 F-100; however, I've run into a snag with the turn signals. Ron Francis tech folks swear I should have 6 wires coming from the column. But I only have 3.

Has anyone else tackled this situation and if so, how'd you do it?
Thanks.

 

You are going to have to help me out a little more here. What kind of column are you using and are we positive that those three wires are for the turn signals? Also, if this should happen to be an original column, is the turn signal unit an aftermarket add-on type deal that clamps to the column? Answer these queries and I can probably help you decipher what should connect where.

 

It's an original column. The three wires exit out of a small tube that runs parrallel to the column from the steering wheel to below the dash. No add-on aftermarket device. The three wires are original -- fabric coating has faded and I can no longer see the color coding.

Two of the wires have a 1-to-2 wire connector at their ends; the connector sends one wire to the turn signal indicator bulb on the instrument panel. The connector also contains a female plug. I'm thinking that maybe one wire/connector sent a wire to the left side of the truck and the other wire/connector sent a wire to the right side of the truck. (But Ron Francis seems to think I need a wire for each corner of the truck coming from the column, plus two others for a total of six.)

Maybe the third wire I have from the column is for power & flasher input??

The horn wire is my fourth wire from the column and it runs from the horn button straight through the middle of the column and exits out of the steering box.

 

Steve,

Good. That's what we need for starters. Hang on to your socks and pay attention. I'm going to throw a lot of information and questions at you. Ask 'fenders about his wipers. This automotive wiring via internet stuff is very doable, but it can get a little tedious. I can't find a copy of the wiring schematic for your truck around here at the minute, but I'm pretty sure that your suppositions about the purpose of each of the three wires coming from your turn signal switch are correct. It is easy to verify this with nothing more than an inexpensive test meter or a test light. Attach the meter or light between the wire that we assume to be the power feed to the switch from the flasher unit and either of the other two wires. You shouldn't have any continuity or a complete circuit with the switch in neutral, but if you turn the switch on you should see continuity in one direction on the switch only and continuity through the other wire in the opposite direction on the switch. With this method, you can at least verify which wire coming from the switch is for which side of the truck and that we know where everything on that end goes.

Now we need a little info about your new harness and the rest of the truck - I'm not familiar with this particular harness. Is the truck essentially stock, or have you done a powertrain swap? Is this a universal harness or is it speced out for this specific truck? Also, when you ordered the harness, did Ron Francis ask you to specify what brand (Ford, GM, etc.) of column you were using? If they did, I would imagine that they anticipated you using a much newer Ford column with the key and ignition switch mounted on the column as well as a more "modern" turn signal system and that's what the wiring pigtails are laid out for. This would be why you have twice as many wires in your harness as you do coming from the switch. If that's the case, you may run into trouble again when it comes time to hook up the ignition switch. That's OK, though. With a little patience I think we can get the right wires to the right place and get your signals working. I can help with the rest later if you need it. Also, and this is critical, are you using a single light on either side with an 1157 type double filament bulb for tail, stop, and turn signal functions or are you using separate amber lights at all four corners for the turn signals only? This will make a huge difference in how this gets wired up. The single light on either side scheme is more difficult and we may have to make some modifications. I'm 90% sure that the reason your vintage switch only has three wires is because it originally had separate lights and bulbs for the signals. The newer switches for the combined turn and stop functions on one filament are more complex because the switch has to ensure that the bulb on the indicating side flashes during a turn and the brake light comes on steady on the opposite side. Four of the six wires in the new harness go to the four corners of the truck as you supposed and the last two come from the turn signal flasher and the brake light switch. Are the wires in the new harness labeled as to their function or are they color coded with a chart so that we can decipher what the purpose of each is supposed to be? Did the harness come with an attached fuse panel and if so, is the turn signal flasher mounted on it? Does the new harness have separate wires going to the instrument panel for the turn signal dash indicators? If so, we won't have to mess with tying them in from the switch.

If you can answer the rest of these questions with as much detail as possible, I think we can start laying you out. I should warn you now, though. Adapting your new harness to your old column and switch may require some cutting and splicing - especially if you are going with the single double filament light on either side. We may even have to do something interesting to get it to work right like maybe add a relay to assume the functions that you vintage switch wasn't designed to handle. But it's completely possible. It sounds much worse than it really is. I prefer the look of the old original vintage columns, so in my opinion it will be worth the extra effort to get it wired up and I'll be glad to help. In the meantime, I'll drag out my schematics and bone up a little on signal switch wiring.

Joe

 

'rage

Man, that explanation started ging me wiper motor flashbacks

Steve

'rage knows what he is talking about. That's for sure. Tell him to type a little slower if necessary. If you don't have one already, go to the parts store and buy a 12 volt test light. They are under 10 bucks and make electronic troubleshooting fairly easy. Looks like an ice pick with a small light in it with a single wire coming out of it. It allows you to see if you are getting power on a wire without hooking up the component. I am assuming you have a battery hooked up in the truck? You wouldn't have to have battery power but it makes it easier for non-electricians like myself. A volt-ohmeter could be handy before this is over too I suspect. I apologize if you already know what he meant in his earlier explanation.

If you can get the instructions scanned, faxed, emailed or whatever, I know Joe can solve this for you easily.

 

Thank you both for your help and interest.

I got an ohmeter (I'm too chicken to work with battery hooked up) and checked for connectivity (or resistance?) and confirmed the first wire is for left turn, second wire is for right turn, and third wire is for power or stop position.?.?

The old harness I removed did not have a fuse panel, just fuses in-line every now & then.

The new fuse panel contains a flasher and has a connection point labeled "turn flasher."

The new wiring calls for a multi-wire gang connector to be connected to the GM column connector.

If I didn't answer all your questions, please let me know.

Thanks again,
Steve

The turn signal bulbs are 1157. The Ron Francis kit has two wires going to that bulb; one for parking lights and the other for turn signals.

 

OK, Steve. That's enough info to get started. I think I've got a rough idea of what we're working with. You've got a couple of options. I'm going to to tell you what's involved with making it happen either way and why it's this messy and then let let you decide how you want to proceed. I'm an electrician by trade, so it's just another day for me, but if you are skittish with electrical wiring, it might scare you. In any case, it's doable and if you're willing to make the effort, I'll help you get through it.

We'll start with the theory and boring technical stuff. Forgive me if this explanation is too "Mickey Mouse", but I have know idea what your skill and comfort level is, so I'll try to keep it simple. I'm not going to mess with the parking and tail light stuff. As long as you wire that part per the instructions, they will work just fine. They are completely independent of the turn signals except for the fact that they each have a separate filament housed in a single light bulb with a common ground. On to the important stuff. A modern turn signal switch like your harness is designed to accomodate is relatively smart. Not only does it send the pulsing voltage signal from the flasher unit to the bulbs on the correct side of the truck, but it also has contacts and logic built into it that allow the turn signals and brake lights to share the same bulb filament without interfering with each other and making weird things happen with the rest of the lights on the vehicle. To further complicate things, the hazard flasher circuit is built into this too, but you don't have that so we aren't going to worry about it. The problem that we have is that your "primitive" turn signal switch isn't that smart. All it knows how to do is get the bulbs on the correct side of the truck to flash when you turn on the turn signals. That's why this is going to get a little complicated. If you want this all to work coventionally like all the other vehicles on the street, we've got to get your old switch to handle the turn signal duties and still be able to get your brake lights to work in harmony with the signals without lighting up the bulbs on all four corners of the truck when you stop.

So here are your options. The first option would be to wire it so that your existing bulbs in the rear are for tail and brake lights only and add two more lamps of some sort (possibly amber like newer cars) and some wires to make them work for rear turn signals. The fronts wouldn't be affected and would work with the new rear turn lamps. That's the easiest and least complicated way to get around the problem. You can't just use front turn signals with no turn signals in the rear because one bulb per side won't pull enough current to make the flasher work. You've got to have at least two exterior lamps. The second option is quite a bit more tedious and there is more wiring under the dash involved, but it will make the existing rear lamps share turn signal and brake light duties like most trucks. You would need to install some relays under the dash and wire them to replace the missing logic in your old signal switch. You could either use four of the common 5 pin fog light type relays available at any auto parts store or we can figure out where to get you some eight pin relays (probably radio shack) and only use two. I sketched for an hour and unfortunately, this is the only way I can come up with to make it all work right. It all depends on how much effort you want to put into it and how clean you want the light to be in the rear. (Two or four.)

Think it over, kick it around, honestly evaluate your wiring abilities and patience level, and consider what you want the finished product to be. Then let me know and we'll get started. Cost really isn't an issue. Either way, the parts will run you between $25 and $50 depending on which way you go.

 

My skill level is somewhere between bumbling idiot and novice - if Murphy can blow a fuse, I can blow two of them. However, what I lack in intellect, I make up with adventuresome (and replacement fuses, bulbs, etc.). So "Mickey Mouse" explanations are appreciated.

This may be good news, I don't know....
Last night, RF sent me a different answer (I guess it depends on the technician). This time, they said all I have to do is connect the left turn signal wire to the 2 left turn light bulb wires (one front, one rear), connect the right turn signal wire to the 2 right turn light bulb wires (one front, one rear) and connect the third wire to the "turn flasher" post on the "Bare Bonz II" fuse panel.

That sounds simple enough, but I haven't had an opportunity to try it. Does that sound about right to you?

 

Steve,

At least you are honest with yourself regarding your wiring experience. It's much better to let it sit and ask for opinions than just start hacking away. I'm in the process of replacing the entire wiring harness in a vintage Mustang because the previous owner irreparably butchered it in an attempt to put a stupid radio in. What a mess. I spent three years in an apprenticeship and I still sit and scratch my head from time to time.

Regarding RF's solution: That will most definitely get the signals working. In fact that's basically what I would have suggested you do in scenario number one above. The only problem with that is that unless I'm missing something and they've got the brake light circuit laid out differently than I have pictured, You won't have any brake lights at all that way. The best I can tell you at this point is to go ahead and try it. Just tape your connections temporarily together in case something needs changed. I bet you'll find that you don't have any brake lights, though. The method they suggested would use 5 of the 6 wires that you have going to your turn signal switch in the new harness. Can you guess where that last unused wire probably comes from? Yup. The brake light switch. I'm pretty sure that your new harness only has three wires going to the rear. Maybe four if they carry the ground all the way back. You would have to add another wire to the harness going to the rear of the truck to carry the brake light feed from that left over wire to the rear and use it to feed two additional lamps independent from the existing ones. Your existing lamps would be tail light and turn signals and the new ones would be brake lights. If you used lamp assemblies identical to the ones you already have with dual filament 1157 bulbls, you could also tie the other filament to the taillight feed to the existing lights so that they all four light up when you turn on the tail lights. Or, as I mentioned last night in scenario number two, we can put in some relays and just use one light on either side. Are you confused yet?!? LOL! Give it a try and see what you get and let me know.

 

I finally got around to trying the RF solution. As it turned out, I have two rear light bulbs at each corner; one bulb with 2 filaments and one bulb with 1 filament. The bulb with 2 filaments (parking lights and turn signals) worked. So, feeling lucky, I ran one wire from the brake light switch to the fuse panel and the other wire from the brake light switch to the second light bulb. After cleaning the corrosion from the brake light bulb sockets, they worked too! Amazing. Thanks again for your help ~ it's great to know there are folks like you willing to help those of us who don't know what the heck they've gotten themselves into.

 

Congratulations, Steve. I glad it worked out. Good luck with the rest of your project!