newer steering column wiring

[74fj40]

Ok to start off, i installed a later model steering column in my 72 40, i did this for the rag joint, and sure i suppose i could have just cut my old column and put in the joint, but i didnt realize that you could do that.

anyways, i wired up the turn signels but then the brake lights didnt work with the newer style column. so by that time i tried everything and i was stumped, is there anyone out there that has done this swap? or knows how to wire it up?


TIA!!!

 

[Idahofj40]

If you have a wireing diagram from the FSM and the proper test equipment you should be able to test out each wire by color code. If that does does not work check fuse block, bulbs, ground connections etc... Good Luck.

 

[Pin_Head]

Put the turn signal assembly from the 72 in the later column. The early/late wiring is fundamentally different and incompatible in the turn/brake light circuits.

 

[shelfboy1]

you can doit but you need a trailer conversion box because the new colum has seperate left and right signals if you wire it through the box they will work fine or else you have to have seperate light for the signals good luck

 

[74fj40]

Finally getting around to doing this - bought a trailer conversion box and have determined I am wiring challenged.
If anyone can help me with this I would be eternally grateful
This is what I've got (and I think what the wires do) - so what I really need is for some advice on which side of the trailer conversion goes to old and which to new, and then what color wires hook up to what.

Old wiring -
-Green/Yellow - Right Turn
-Green/Orange - Left Turn
-Green/White - Stop light
-Green - Combination Light

New Wiring from steering column -
-Green/Yellow - Right Turn
-Green/Black - Left Turn
-Green/White - Stop
-White/Black - Ground
-Green - ?
-Green/Red - ?
-Green/Orange - ?
-Green/Blue - ?

trailer conversion side A
-Green - Right Turn
-Yellow - Left Turn
-Brown - tail light
-White - Ground

trailer conversion side B
-Green - Right Turn
-Yellow - Left Turn
-Brown - tail light
-White - Ground
-Red - Brake

 

[Scott R]

One of the key connections you need it the green/white form the brake switch to the new column plug, that supplies the trip for the combination lights. I have the entire wire primer for a later column in my 72. I you don't get it figured out, let me know and I'll post it. I'll also add that I had to use in-line diodes in the rear turn signal wires so it would not feed power back.

 

[74fj40]

When you did the swap did you use a trailer converter, or just hard wire?

One of the key connections you need it the green/white form the brake switch to the new column plug, that supplies the trip for the combination lights. I have the entire wire primer for a later column in my 72. I you don't get it figured out, let me know and I'll post it. I'll also add that I had to use in-line diodes in the rear turn signal wires so it would not feed power back.

 

[Scott R]

I kept the original plugs from the newer column, and I grabbed a plug form a mini truck in the salvage yard. I soldered the connections everywhere else. The nice thing about the later column is the dimmer switch, that's why I wanted to keep the newer turn signal assembly.

 

[Pin_Head]

There no way to just hard wire it. You either need a 5 wire to 4 wire trailer converter, or you need to change the switch back to the early style or use the new style tail lights.

The trailer converter is only for the rear lights. Side A goes to the rear lamps: L turn/brake, R turn/brake, tail lights and ground. Side B gets wired to the L turn, R turn wires coming from the column, the running/tail lights from the light switch, the brake light from the brake switch and ground.

The color codes for the stock wiring are shown in the schematic diagrams you can find in the tech links section.

 

[74fj40]

Thanks for the info - the connector that the old turn signal switch plugged into has 6 wires.
2-Green/Yellow - Right Turn/Brake - Front/Back
2-Green/Orange - Left Turn/Brake - Front/Back
1-Green - Tailights (from the Light switch)
1-Green/White - Stop Light (from the stop light switch)
So, I need to figure out which of the turn/brake connectors is for the rear and attach to the 4 wire side of the trailer converter.
Hook the ground wire from the 4 wire side to a good ground.

Since the running/taillight connection on the old turn signal connector comes from the light switch and the stop connection comes from the stop light switch, can I just hook the correct wires from the 5 wire side of the converter to those connections?
That would mean that there would be one wire form the 4 side of the converter and one wire from the 5 side of the converter going to the tailight/running light connection from the old turn signal connector. (I'm starting to confuse myself.....)

There no way to just hard wire it. You either need a 5 wire to 4 wire trailer converter, or you need to change the switch back to the early style or use the new style tail lights.

The trailer converter is only for the rear lights. Side A goes to the rear lamps: L turn/brake, R turn/brake, tail lights and ground. Side B gets wired to the L turn, R turn wires coming from the column, the running/tail lights from the light switch, the brake light from the brake switch and ground.

The color codes for the stock wiring are shown in the schematic diagrams you can find in the tech links section.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I just sort of did this in reverse. I am using a 76 harness to power old style tail lights, and used a 5-4 trailer harness to make it work.

The wiring diagram in Haynes is just wrong for the color codes. I ended up taking apart the connector and figuring it out with a voltmeter. That adds only 15 minutes to the job, and then you know it's right. If you have access to the OEM wiring diagram, you should be in better shape.

Sorry I can't help much, but the trailer harness/converter works just like it was made to do this.

 

[Pin_Head]

You aren't going to be able to use the old connector, since there is nothing to plug it in to. Cut the connector and solder the new connections and insulate them with shrink tube.

You have to do more work to figure out which old Green/orange and Green/yellow wires go to the front and back. Just put 12V on the wire and see which lamp lights up.

The front turns get wired directly to the L and R wires from the new turn switch (GREEN/BLACK = L; GREEN/YELLOW = R). These wires from the switch also connect to the L and R wires for the 5 wire side of the trailer adaptor.

The green/light blue wire fromt the steering column is the turn signal power input and it goes to the output of the flasher.

The brake wire that is only hot when the brake is depressed goes to the brake wire on the 5 wire side of the adaptor. The running/ tail light wire from the light switch also goes to the adaptor and the ground gets grounded.

The rear G/O and G/Y wires go to the L and R wires on the 4 wire side of the trailer adaptor. The green wire for all of the tail /running lights also goes to the 4 wire side. Ground gets grounded.

 

[fcgadget]

I put a '74 in my '71 and did not use any 'plugs', just crimp connectors. Everything works fine...except that when I step on the brakes the dash turn signal lights BOTH turn on. Tried to wrap my mind around that, but what the heck, the turn signal system works, and the brake lights work.

GFL!

 

[Hugh Heifer]

So I got a trailer adapter to add into my wiring to use early lights with the late column. For anyone who has done it, does it matter where I put that adapter just so long it is up river and inline with the rear lights?