How to remove cruise/wiper lever on 93 GMC 1500

[danner]

I have my steering column apart waiting on parts tomorrow to fix the turn signal (new cam and springs) While I have things apart I would like to remove the wiper switch and the multifunction lever, bring them in the house and do some good electrical cleaning of them. I can not get the parts out without removing the lever from the switch. How can it be removed? I have tried twisting it while pulling on it and it does not give any indication it will come out that way. Am I missing some kind of keeper?

Thank you,

Daniel

 

[Dieseldad97]

Hey Daniel. I had mine out of my old 92 Chevy 6.2 years back. If I remember right I had to pull hard to get mine off. I think thats all you gotta do. Maybe watch some utube vids? Who knows there may be something on this topic. Good luck.

 

[someotherguy]

Yeah, it just pops out - it has a pair of tabs on it that get captured by a check ball/spring type mechanism inside the switch. Just set yourself up to pull it with a "stop" like your body in the way so you don't snatch it hard enough to damage the cruise control cable, which is the jacketed wiring you see poking out from the backside of the lever near the column. Do be aware to completely remove the lever from the column you need to remove the cruise wire, too. It's connected separately under the dash usually to the left of the ALDL connector, held to the dash with a metal clip. Bright orange molded end on the plug makes it a little easier to find. Be sure you attach some mechanic's wire to the hole in the connector as you pull it up through the column, so you can use that wire to fish it back down on re-installation.

Oh, and honestly, when you go through the careful effort of fishing the wire through there, you really ought to use that mechanic's wire to fish the wire from a NEW cruise lever down the column on re-install. While the switches can get oxidized and need cleaning, the usual failure is internal breakage of those wires right where they flex to leave the lever and go into the column. Extremely common. I suppose if you're sufficiently motivated you could repair the wiring but it's not gonna be easy.

Richard

 

[danner]

Good point Richard about having a back-stop when you pull it. Mine did come off.. had to pull pretty hard and it came a little bit and would not go any further until I did some twisting on it, then it came free. I had the column apart to replace the cancel springs on the turn signal switch and the cancel cam. I sprayed out the wiper switch and the cruise switch real good with electrical cleaner and let them dry well before I put it all back together. It was late last night so have not done any in depth testing, but the cancel worked fine today.

I was surprised you could get just the springs instead of having to buy the whole switch, that saved a bit of money.

Thank you Richard and Gerald for the tips.

Daniel