Flasher relay

ratfink

Need some assistance. My blinkers are not working upon further inspection there is no flasher relay.  I see in the wire diagram that it is connected to the junction block that the rest of the steering column connect to.  However I have two spots on the junction box that are empty.  I don't know where to attach it and where the relay is kept(does it just hang) .  Can some please get a pic of it and the wires so i can rebuild what i need?   Thanks.  1954 Hudson hornet

Glowplug

Ratfink.... 

Thank Alex Burr for the following information as he spent the time to scan and post it for all to use.

http://hetclub.org/burr/manuals/1946-1954_wiring_diagrams.pdf

ratfink

I have the manual.  Just a little confused..  Would like to see the real deal and how it is attached to the car.  Thank you for your help.

dave s

dave s

There is a small clip bracket that is held under dash by small screw.

Hudson Grandpa

Travis..Whats the prognosis? Will send you something about the junction box up front and in the back that you won't believe that you can get everything electricly correct.

Jon B

Is there not a white plastic terminal or receptacle somewhere under the dash, maybe 1-1/4" square and 3/4" deep, with slots into which the prongs on the flasher can be inserted?  Then, the flasher is secured by the clip (shown in the message above).  The white plastic receptacle might also be screwed to a structural member under the dash.  (I salvaged my turn signal from a '52 or '53, so don't know how the '54 system worked.)

ratfink

So far I have found nothing that looks like a flasher relay could be mounted in, on, or pluged into.  

Hudson Grandpa

My flasher unit is taped to the top side of the steering column. Must be grounded cause everything works. Just make sure it goes into the proper hole in the junction box. It must have a bullet soldered on the end,as that's whats in the junction box holes.

Hudson Grandpa

Pic #1 is junction box facing engine. Pic #2 is box facing seat. If you copy these on paper and put them back to back you will see the holes match. The guy that previously worked on the lights on my car screwed everything up. Nothing was in it's proper place. That's why I made these schematics for myself, to keep myself sane...Took 30 days for me to figure things out, plus the nightmare in the trunk.

Happy Hudsoning Everyone.

ratfink

Thank you .. I let ya know what I find.  Have to get the wife out to the shop and have her tell me what colors are what.  As I am color blind...Get her to number them for me

Jon B

By the way, I don't think the '54 Hornet used a "relay"as such (as the '46-47 Hudsons did), just a flasher unit.

The wiring diagrams are a bit blurry....if you wish, I can send you some very clear wiring diagrams for the two types of Hudson turnsignals:  the three-wire (for Hudsons with 'dedicated' taillight sockets just for the turn signals)  and the six-wire (for Hudsons with single taillight bulbs, whose brakelight filaments doubled for the turnsignals).  These show ONLY the turn signals, not the entire wiring diagram as seen in the shop manual.

ratfink

U have pic of a flasher unit? . I'll take any and all help I can get.. . Confused. Used to cars with fuse blocks

Jon B

Here is the flasher (or "flasher relay", if you will).  This is a 229D Tung-Sol, which was a popular brand and type of flasher.  It's what is now on my car (a 1937 T, but it is actually has a 1952 Hudson switch mounted).

I don't recognize that large metal tab with the hole, at top  Possibly it is on one version of the 229D; it is certainly not on my flasher. 

There are three screw terminals on the bottom.  You can hook the wires (to the tell-tale and the steering column switch) directly to these, or remove the three screws and the prongs will plug into a white plastic terminal block.  I salvaged the terminal block from a junkyard Hudson maybe 35 years ago, so I assumed that the block was original equipment on the Hudson.  There is also a black plastic terminal block that accommodates the bullet connectors on the turn signal harness.  This terminal block is screwed to part of the steel structure behind the dashboard I think, whereas the aforementioned white terminal block merely plugs into the prongs on the flasher, and "floats" with the flasher.

Walt-LA

Rat Fink,

I wired my ’51 Hornet with a six wire ’52 switch, as it did not come with turn signals. The flasher shown by John B should work if the proper voltage for your system. The key is getting the three posts on the flasher unit correctly wired.

Looking at the junction box from the front of driver’s seat, you will see that it has two levels for bullet connections. The top set is for input and output of the wires from the signal switch to the bulbs. They are not concerned with the flasher, and on the six wire switch, receive four of the wires.

The bottom row has junctions for only two wires. In my unit, the one on the road side (facing forward) is for the red wire which goes to the brake lights. That on the curb receives the blue wire from the signal switch. It goes to the center pole of the flasher. Of the two other connections, one goes to power - which I connect to the power line for my cigarette lighter because I only want it to be hot when the ignition’s on. The other, which on original Hudson wiring was green in ’51goes to the indicator light on the dash. They should be identified on the flasher unit.

I mounted my switch to one of the dash supports with a hose clamp. Just keep the poles clear of the connections.

Email me at HETmasonw@uab.edu if you’d like a sketch. Drop the HET.

Walt-LA