Bobbed M35 turn signal and hazard issues

[A Seabee]

Just to reintroduce myself, I'm Dan, and my old bobbed and rehabbed REO/Stude M35 is named Chesty. I had it built at Boyce Equipment, and while they did an outstanding job, I've had troubles with the turn signals and flashers since I got it back. I just don't drive it most of the time so it's not a huge issue

hazards on, RR does not flash
RR signal does not really work at all that I can tell
I also think that when I signal right, the left turn signal blinks (rears only)
When I'm driving, and stop at a light or something and am signalling, the big green bulb stops blinking when I'm on the brakes. (I can't remember if it L/R or both)
pretty much all the trouble seems to be rear lights only, the fronts seem to work fine (except for when I stop/signal/on the brakes)
There could be a couple other weird things happening, can't remember though. one day I'll go function test and double check my symptoms.
I think it could be a ground issue, or 1 or more wires maybe hooked up wrong?
the wiring itself is quality , looks to be an OEM/NOS harness and I assume (hope) the wires are numbered somehow

but my truck was a Gasser, and now it's got a LDT 465 with transmission and transfer case all out of the same M35A2
so a lot of things were hinkey when I first bought the truck, and pretty much everything was replaced. for sure, the entire electrical system. Went from a napa push/pull headlight switch, to a 3 lever and from an old chrome Grove turn signal switch to your standard M35A2 switch with the big green bulb.

Boyce did just a ton of great work, and I'm proud to own this old machine

any thoughts would be much appreciated

 

[ToddJK]

Each wire should have a little metal tag on it with a number that should be easy to find, those are on every wire at connection and end points to easily be identified. The tech manuals will be your best friend and those are here on the sight in the tech manual section, free to download. Basically glorified militarized versions of the old Haynes manuals. In there you can find how to trouble shoot your turn signal issue and it'll walk you through the process step by step, just make sure you some time, basic tools and an electrical/wire tester. You can skip most of it and just verify the rear light assemblies wiring once you learn what wires go where, but it will have you test everything and every wire one at a time, pos and neg. I wish I could have the number of the wires off hand, but I don't. Then again, you may discover it could be a different issue than you thought, but I do find it odd that Boyce didn't catch this in an inspection before letting the truck go.

 

[A Seabee]

The lights may have worked correctly when I got it back, but if they did, it was only for a very short time. I had some other issues with other systems, so I was preoccupied with those issues and less focused on the lighting. Like I said, they did a lot lot lot of work

 

[Mullaney]

Just to reintroduce myself, I'm Dan, and my old bobbed and rehabbed REO/Stude M35 is named Chesty. I had it built at Boyce Equipment, and while they did an outstanding job, I've had troubles with the turn signals and flashers since I got it back. I just don't drive it most of the time so it's not a huge issue

hazards on, RR does not flash
RR signal does not really work at all that I can tell
I also think that when I signal right, the left turn signal blinks (rears only)
When I'm driving, and stop at a light or something and am signalling, the big green bulb stops blinking when I'm on the brakes. (I can't remember if it L/R or both)
pretty much all the trouble seems to be rear lights only, the fronts seem to work fine (except for when I stop/signal/on the brakes)
There could be a couple other weird things happening, can't remember though. one day I'll go function test and double check my symptoms.
I think it could be a ground issue, or 1 or more wires maybe hooked up wrong?
the wiring itself is quality , looks to be an OEM/NOS harness and I assume (hope) the wires are numbered somehow

but my truck was a Gasser, and now it's got a LDT 465 with transmission and transfer case all out of the same M35A2
so a lot of things were hinkey when I first bought the truck, and pretty much everything was replaced. for sure, the entire electrical system. Went from a napa push/pull headlight switch, to a 3 lever and from an old chrome Grove turn signal switch to your standard M35A2 switch with the big green bulb.

Boyce did just a ton of great work, and I'm proud to own this old machine

any thoughts would be much appreciated

View attachment 901086
View attachment 901093

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If you have already verified the wiring path and checked for grounding issues as mentioned by others... I would guess that the SignalStat on the column (you mentioned the green blinking light) died. They either work or not. Could have been bounced down the highway enough to just fail. They seem to fail in odd ways like you described when the problem isn't related to a bad ground (connection).
.

 

[A Seabee]

I've just looked it over again and will list all the functions I checked and notes I made about what I'm experiencing. I tend to thing that the signal stat is still working. It's also brand new, and it's not "dead"
here goes,
brake lights-both work when brakes are applied
right side turn signal-works, works when brakes are applied
left side turn signal-flashes both left and right. when brakes are applied, both sides are on solid
hazard lights-only left rear and both fronts work. when brake is applied, only left brake light comes on and flashing stops (front as well)
left front turn signal-works. stops and lights solid with brakes applied
right front turn signal-works fine even with brakes applied
front hazard lights work fine until brakes are applied, then stay on solid when brakes are applied
front turn signal "running lights" never come on

I just need to tear into it I guess, really still just trying to figure out a game plan since the truck is far from stock and there's a lot going on. at least it appears that way. maybe I will get lucky and find a bad ground or 1 or 2 wires hooked up wrong.

 

[ToddJK]

I've just looked it over again and will list all the functions I checked and notes I made about what I'm experiencing. I tend to thing that the signal stat is still working. It's also brand new, and it's not "dead"
here goes,
brake lights-both work when brakes are applied
right side turn signal-works, works when brakes are applied
left side turn signal-flashes both left and right. when brakes are applied, both sides are on solid
hazard lights-only left rear and both fronts work. when brake is applied, only left brake light comes on and flashing stops (front as well)
left front turn signal-works. stops and lights solid with brakes applied
right front turn signal-works fine even with brakes applied
front hazard lights work fine until brakes are applied, then stay on solid when brakes are applied
front turn signal "running lights" never come on

I just need to tear into it I guess, really still just trying to figure out a game plan since the truck is far from stock and there's a lot going on. at least it appears that way. maybe I will get lucky and find a bad ground or 1 or 2 wires hooked up wrong.

Sounds like a wire or two got crossed.

 

[A Seabee]

I pulled a couple wires and looked around. The wiring is sanitary, and I can’t see anything out of place or buggered up. It’s got this junction box near the rear, with 3 relays inside I wrote Boyce asking for help with a wiring diagram it’s possible that the directional control on the steering column is defective, it’s kinda loose and I need to hold pressure on it or it won’t blink at all ( left turn and hazards) like I said, it was brand new when I got the truck back about a year ago

 

[ToddJK]

I pulled a couple wires and looked around. The wiring is sanitary, and I can’t see anything out of place or buggered up. It’s got this junction box near the rear, with 3 relays inside I wrote Boyce asking for help with a wiring diagram it’s possible that the directional control on the steering column is defective, it’s kinda loose and I need to hold pressure on it or it won’t blink at all ( left turn and hazards) like I said, it was brand new when I got the truck back about a year ago View attachment 901262

Definitely appears they did some of their own custom wiring, so I think you did the right thing by emailing them on it. The directional control on the steering column should be nice and tight, not loose at all.

 

[A Seabee]

Definitely appears they did some of their own custom wiring, so I think you did the right thing by emailing them on it. The directional control on the steering column should be nice and tight, not loose at all.

And by loose I don’t mean flopping around on the column, it’s loose where the stalk rotates in the body. If I indicate left it blinks the green indicator and stops blinking it when I move my hand off the stalk. And yes, the additional wiring powers clearance lights and a 3 lamp center mounted red tail light. I’m not sure if that light is LED or incandescent. All the others are incandescent and 24v.

 

[ToddJK]

And by loose I don’t mean flopping around on the column, it’s loose where the stalk rotates in the body. If I indicate left it blinks the green indicator and stops blinking it when I move my hand off the stalk. And yes, the additional wiring powers clearance lights and a 3 lamp center mounted red tail light. I’m not sure if that light is LED or incandescent. All the others are incandescent and 24v.

That's not normal, everything on that switch should be a little stiff and require deliberate movement by you. I'd suspect that switch and replace it. Worst case scenario, it's not the issue and you have a spare and if you keep that truck for a long time, chances are you'll be needing it. Did they keep the flasher unit (black box) in the engine bay? Sometimes those can go bad and cause issues as well.

 

[A Seabee]

That's not normal, everything on that switch should be a little stiff and require deliberate movement by you. I'd suspect that switch and replace it. Worst case scenario, it's not the issue and you have a spare and if you keep that truck for a long time, chances are you'll be needing it. Did they keep the flasher unit (black box) in the engine bay? Sometimes those can go bad and cause issues as well.

Yes, it has the flasher unit mounted up on the drivers side firewall.
I will probably just try another switch before I get too wrapped up in it.

 

[A Seabee]

Update to my turn signal malfunctions-I changed out the CONTROL ASSEMBLY DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL (turn signal switch) and everything works fine. The old one was new 2 years ago, but it's been acting up practically the whole time. The units have different labels and I suspect different manufacturers, I was expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised when this 5 minute installation fixed all my woes

the top is the one that was malfunctioning

the bottom felt and looked better right out of the box

note the different P/N and NSN

 

[ToddJK]

Update to my turn signal malfunctions-I changed out the CONTROL ASSEMBLY DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL (turn signal switch) and everything works fine. The old one was new 2 years ago, but it's been acting up practically the whole time. The units have different labels and I suspect different manufacturers, I was expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised when this 5 minute installation fixed all my woes

the top is the one that was malfunctioning

the bottom felt and looked better right out of the box

note the different P/N and NSN

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View attachment 907338

Glad you got it fixed! It's nice when it's a simple part swap or a "simple" fix.