My floppy indicator | FerrariChat

My floppy indicator

Discussion in '348/355' started by mad dog, Nov 12, 2007.

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  1. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    #1 mad dog, Nov 12, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Not sure what the US speak is for this.
    I have recently had problems with my indicator stalk/switch unit. (Turn signal switch??) so I'm sure others with 348s may have had similar, and thought I would write up my cure.

    The stalk went rather floppy with indicators going on and off at random and hard to keep central and turned off, even on a straight road. Drove with the fuse out for a while but people got fed up with me not indicating so I decided to pull it apart.

    The covers come off easily with the steering wheel adjustment lever pulled so the wheel moves right down – just 6 screws. The steering wheel itself is easy with some 6 allen key bolts on the face. The horn needed unplugging and I found it easier to disconnect the battery to stop it from shorting on various parts and waking up the neighbours.

    The steering wheel mounting bracket is held on by a nut with a slot every 90degrees. I needed a special forked socket for this so cut down an old 15/16 inch socket to suit, see picture.

    The bracket was on tight and a bash only started to bend it so dug out a large puller that easily did the trick. Again in pic.

    Then just 4 screws hold the cover on the indicator switch gear. Care needs to be taken when pulling off cover as there are springs inside just waiting to jump out. But with care they don't go too far.

    My problem was with 2 small plastic sleeves over small pins. These had worn and broken. On the parts site this was listed as over £400 as it just comes as a complete unit.

    A search through my shed eventually found something similar I could cut down. They need to be 5 mm dia. 3 int dia. And 8mm long. With 2 of these babies cut (see pic), and pushed over the pins, putting the unit back together was pretty easy as long as the side pieces were pushed apart against spring pressure to allow the stalk to be placed properly and cover closed tight.

    The rest was just the reverse procedure of taking apart.

    Whilst it sounds odd, this free cure has made the mechanism a pleasure to use, much improved on when it did work.
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  2. CarreraScott

    CarreraScott Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2004
    592
    Charlottesville, VA
    So to sum it up, your floppy mechanism wasn't so much fun, so you stiffened it up, and now it's a pleasure to use.
     
  3. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    Got it in one!
     
  4. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
    Vegas+Alabama
    Full Name:
    Mr. Sideways
    Nice write up!

    Any pics of the new plastic sleeves installed on the indicator unit?
     
  5. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    Sorry I knew someone would ask but I didn't have enough hands free at the time. Bit para about bits flying everywhere, as is my usual trick, and not finding them again.
     
  6. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
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    Mr. Sideways
    No problem, just asking. Again, nice write up. It's good to know that our stalk units can be repaired sometimes (at minimal cost).
     
  7. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    #7 Ricambi America, Nov 12, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Andrew -

    Here's a pic of the whole assembly. Which part did you have broken? Mine was floppy too (so embarrassing for a card-carrying member of the Brotherhood!), but I just put a new assembly in place instead. With a firm stalk now, everyone around me is aware of my driving intentions.
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  8. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    #8 mad dog, Nov 12, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Well I'm glad you asked. And glad a fellow brother is brave enough to admit to this temporary failing. As ever, it is a time for brothers to help each other out.
    I have circled the offending area. This is the 4 screw cover. The spring you can see holds apart 2 pieces that use the sleeved posts I mentioned. Its all part of pushing a small piece out towards the center that catches on the steering when wheel turns to cancel it. You can see the white circle with sticky out bits in the photo that turn round and cancel the signal.
    If you still have your floppy do send it to me so i can mend it.
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  9. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    Just looking up your new price Daniel, i see your quite reasonable for this piece, wondered where i got my price from. But then checked difference between left and right hand drive. http://www.eurospares.co.uk/searchResult.asp?M=&Mo=&A=&B=&S=154563 is £465! lhd £159. And I see your similar with over a grand and $380. What the hell makes the difference between the 2? That is one of the most outrageous Ferrari mark ups Ive seen. Will have to go look for the fiat equivalent now.
     
  10. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    $10 says they fit identically....
     
  11. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
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    Mr. Sideways
    So the Mondial T's column stalk turn indicator unit works on your 348 just fine?
     
  12. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Maybe that means something different on your side of the ocean -- but over here, you sure as hell ain't touching my floppy. Then again, do you wear one white glove and live in Bahrain?
     
  13. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Me thinkest so.
     
  14. No Doubt

    No Doubt Seven Time F1 World Champ

    May 21, 2005
    72,740
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    Mr. Sideways
    That's cool!

    That alone cuts our 348 parts cost in half, worst case!
     
  15. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
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    andrew
    Were is PAP when you want him? Was sure he would dive in here and take heat off me.
     
  16. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,167
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap


    What do ya's need from Pappy? :):)
     
  17. mad dog

    mad dog Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2006
    875
    suffolk uk
    Full Name:
    andrew
    Well Pap they requested pics of my floppy. Then Daniel accused me of wanting to touch his. Seemed like a whole new world I was suddenly entering and a very long winter before driving takes the place of mending. I needed a miner (and no I don't mean underage person). How do I dig myself out?
    Always good to know your on call!
     
  18. mseals

    mseals Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 9, 2007
    24,468
    Kuwait
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    Mike Seals
    Here I am, wandering in FChat land, and find myself wondering why Daniel would want to touch ANYONE's Floppy, but realized "Hey! Who am I to judge?" But it does seem to me that Walclare DID ask Daniel to send him his floppy so he could 'mend it'.... jeepers...! THEN, seemingly being fickle, he decides he'd rather have PAP than Daniel... is this a Peyton Place, or what? I know I went through Daniel's website VERY carefully, and didn't find anything that even resembled a floppy fix to me.... but what do I know? I'm new here.

    I don't know about you guys, but first, I'm perfectly capable of fixing my OWN floppy, and second, why is floppy fixing so darned expensive in the UK versus the US? Is the right-hand so much better than the left hand????

    Mike in Kuwait
     
  19. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Mike - go visit southern California, south Florida, and you'll quickly understand why floppy fixing is cheaper in the U.S. With greater supply of nice young 'technicians' capable of immediate de-flopification, market forces are at work.

    Drive through Wales on the other hand, and you'll have no prayer of fixing your floppy whatsoever.



    :)
     
  20. mseals

    mseals Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 9, 2007
    24,468
    Kuwait
    Full Name:
    Mike Seals
    You think Wales is bad? (Mental Note: post a scan of my entry visa to Wales from passport)... you should try to deflop in Kuwait...

    NOT EASY!

    However, I feel obliged to point out that I'm now (for 5 years) happy married, and haven't had a technician or other professional since...!

    Mike in Kuwait
     
  21. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,167
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Im all flopped out!! :(:(
     
  22. TheOnlyest

    TheOnlyest Formula 3

    Sep 25, 2007
    1,686
    Las Vegas Nevada, US
    Full Name:
    Steve
    not only am I floppy (in more ways than one) my rod wont stay in left... do you suppose this fix (and a dime store floosey) will correct both problems?
     

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