Topic: Brake Light, Help
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Brief overview? ME?!?!? Yeah rite!!!
It involves removing the steering wheel, and getting down to the switch itself. That's the EASY part....
You have to remove EACH wire from the connector at the base of the column in order to "snake" the harness up the column. You have to make a diagram of where each wire fits into the connector first. Once you have all the wires out of the connector, and the screws holding the t-sig switch in, take a piece of stout string/twine and tie it to the loose wires you took out of the connector. This you will pull up and out of the column with the switch/harness, and you'll use the twine to pull the new harness back down into the column. Be warned, the wire harness needs to stay flat in order to get it up thru the column, so be careful how you tie the string on. It works best just tying on to one wire.
I can wrangle the harness down the column on most cars, most of the time, without the "snake", but it does make it a lot easier.
Also, if the new switch comes with the connector on it(some do, some don't) you'll have to remove the wires from it too in order to get it back down into the column. It's best to connect the new switch first, and test it's functions BEFORE pulling all the wires down the column.
How's that? Scared yet?
It involves removing the steering wheel, and getting down to the switch itself. That's the EASY part....
You have to remove EACH wire from the connector at the base of the column in order to "snake" the harness up the column. You have to make a diagram of where each wire fits into the connector first. Once you have all the wires out of the connector, and the screws holding the t-sig switch in, take a piece of stout string/twine and tie it to the loose wires you took out of the connector. This you will pull up and out of the column with the switch/harness, and you'll use the twine to pull the new harness back down into the column. Be warned, the wire harness needs to stay flat in order to get it up thru the column, so be careful how you tie the string on. It works best just tying on to one wire.
I can wrangle the harness down the column on most cars, most of the time, without the "snake", but it does make it a lot easier.
Also, if the new switch comes with the connector on it(some do, some don't) you'll have to remove the wires from it too in order to get it back down into the column. It's best to connect the new switch first, and test it's functions BEFORE pulling all the wires down the column.
How's that? Scared yet?
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56 
My Link 
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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Lifetime MemberManteca, CA - USA
Joined: 11/20/2005
Posts: 3623
Vette(s): 1978,two tone,Metalic Rootbeer & gold
1975 L48 4 speed
SO ! That's how that works. That would explain why I had soooooo much trouble trying to snake the entire harness through that tunnel all at once, What a nightmare. That will put "EXPERIENCE" under your belt. 
Jimmy B.
Just can't wait to get on the road again. 
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Thanks for the info, very helpful. 
I have learned enough to know that I wont be doing it. Time to call in the professionals. There is a corvette shop a couple miles from my house (County Corvettes, West Chester PA), I would hope they have done this before.
Once I get it down there I will post the results, oh yea and cost 
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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