Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[1935Hillman]

Hello again,

I have been lucky enough to find an original stator tube and horn button etc. for my 35 Hillman. This has prompted me to invest in a shiny new Brooklands wheel to mount it in to put the whole thing back as it should be. Just to complete the story I have also removed the steering column to have the steering box rebuilt by Steering Services in Dorking. Despite my best efforts when dismantling everything, the wires for the headlamp dip and horn etc emerging from the end of the steering box were so very gummed up with escaping steering box oil and general crud I was unable to label them successfully and after about an hour of various labels not adhering I though bad thougts and cut the b****y things off. On removing the 'wrong' steering wheel and horn boss / stator tube etc. from the column I have discovered that said wiring is possibly not as intended (although it did work to be fair) The wires seem overly large and are all the same colour, i.e. black!
I have not been able to find a satisfactory answer online as to what size/ capacity they should be and am once again in need of guidance. Also, my manual wiring diagram shows three wires leaving the steering control, one red/black for the dip, one purple/yellow for the horn and one earth whereas mine has four wires (all of which now cut) It also shows a junction box although all my wiring goes straight to the regulator fuse box with no apparent junction box. I will of course be able to trace the wires back to the regulator to see which terminals they went to but still am unclear about sizes etc.
Can any wiring boffins out there shed any light for me and perhaps give guidance on rewiring it when I get the steering box back? Please do bear in mind that electrics are a total mystery to me. I bought a book on auto electrics but sadly like most such books it is written by someone who already knows what they are talking about for like minded types and not total ignoramuses like me.
Many thanks

[47Jag]

If your car has solenoid dipping headlamps the 3 wires are all you need. You need a wire for earth, dip solenoid and horn. As to wire size, I'm 'old school' and still think in terms of strands/wire thickness so the modern equivalent of 14/012" or a 5 amp wire.

Art

[Jim.Walker]

I have found that a strand of .012" or .3mm wire will safely carry half an amp.
Although rather Empirical it has always served satisfactorily for me when I have had no definitive information. Espeially as when the amperage is approaching the maximum I tend to uprate to the next conventional size. For instance if I was expecting a maximum loading if (say) 3 amps I would use 14/.012" rather than 7/,012".
The wires down a stator tube often seem to have a thinner insulation sleeve than standard too to squeeze them in,
A new nut and olive is a good idea at the base of the tube to keep oil in the steering box and away from the wiring.
Jim.
_________________
Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then!

[1935Hillman]

Thanks for assistance so far. Very helpful.
As far as olives etc. goes, I have as usual a slightly unorthodox fitment.
the bottom end plate has a short section (3") of stator tube physically attached to it which seems to be pushed into (or vice versa) the longer length coming from the steering wheel end. This seems to offer too much opportunity for oil to seep out via the join which is in the box itself. I have another, sadly too short column which has a felt 'olive' at the bottom which is sandwiched between the concave shape at the bottom of the box and the identical internally concave shaped end plate. I may simply pinch this end plate and swap it over with the other one as the felt washer/olive seems to be a better option. The new stator tube may be too short but this can be remedied by extending it a bit somehow. Any experience of stator tubes gratefully received.

[47Jag]

I'm not sure but I think there may be (at least) two styles of stator tubes. There is a style where the tube is the full length of the steering column with a plate at the top to attach the switch assembly. You then have a compression fitting at the bottom to both secure the tube and also stop the oil leaking out.

The second style (like the one on my Jaguar) has the tube, again secured at the bottom that comes to within 6" of the steering wheel boss. This has a 2" long key groove cut in the long tube. The switch assembly has a 6 or 8" tube and plate which then slides over the fixed tube.

I would think that your car would have the former style.

Art

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

In the past I have found that the good folks at Autosparks can be very helpful with these sorts of issues. - No connection with them!

Paul