Re: Missing TL control box, manual override?
Posted by HH56 On 2014/4/8 10:12:13
Welcome and congratulations on your new "project".
It is hard to say if you have a manual override now. It was introduced as an option in 56 but could have been installed on a 55. On a proper factory type install, there would be a small black handled toggle switch at the extreme left under dashboard edge to turn the entire level system on or off. That would have been on all TL equipped cars. The factory manual override would have been a 3 position push pull switch mounted vertically next to the toggle switch. Center would be normal operation, Push the knob up to raise, pull it down to lower. The switch was not spring loaded and would have stayed in whatever position until it was changed by the operator. If you have something different then it will be a matter of chasing wires to see what was done.
You can use the manual override without the control box but, like the control switch it must be wired to go thru the limit switches. On the 55, the limit switches are both in a single squarish box directly connected with buss bars to the motor drive solenoids. The switch and solenoids are on a bracket bolted to the compensator assy. Make sure that entire assy is present, intact, and not obviously bent in some fashion before anything else is done. If someone has mickey moused an override switch and not gone thru limit switches, damage can or could have resulted.
The 56 box can be used in place of the 55. Guts and electrical were identical but the wire loom needs to change a tiny bit because terminals were different. 55 had 3 exposed screws on the outside of box for regular terminals. 56 switched to bullet type connectors and placed them in a weather tight enclosure. 56 limit switches were different so there are some extra terminals inside the enclosure to tie those into the circuit. The extra terminals are not used if the box is installed on a 55 -- just the terminal ends change.
The original control box used resistance wire heaters bending bimetal strips for the 7 second time delay before the motor would activate. They are not polarity sensitive.
Solid state boxes eliminate the heaters and bimetal stuff to just use a modern integrated circuit timer chip to control the delay. The conversion will work just fine but the one thing you have to make sure of is polarity. The people making the solid state conversions do not state if the boxes are polarity sensitive or not. Since they don't, you need to make sure the box you order is right for your car.
If the car is stock, 55 used a positive ground and if you are going to keep it stock, order that one. 56 changed to negative ground so if you contemplate changing to accommodate modern neg ground accessories, then order accordingly and make all the changes at one time. Most all solid state items are polarity sensitive and once installed will be damaged if later connected incorrectly.
If the control box is missing chances are the connecting linkage is too so you will have to find a rod and turnbuckle assy to connect the switch lever to the drive lever mounted on the long bar. You could make something but it needs to be proper geometry and adjustable since that adjustment controls the height.
Here is a complete schematic of the 55 TL system and a second copy with the override switch properly installed. Note the factory switch is a 3 position switch with the center terminals providing the original wiring connection to enable normal operation. When over ridden, the center terminals break the connection so control switch has no power and cannot operate. At the same time, depending on direction, the switch connects one or the other direction terminal at "A" or "B" to ground provided thru the switch case. Motor will run until the limit switch activation is reached. You can manually stop at any point but the normal on/off switch must be turned off so the system doesn't automatically bring the car back to level. If a different over ride switch is used that does not have the center disconnect portion you MUST ensure the control switch has no power when manual is chosen. Not doing so could result in one switch controlling a solenoid for manual direction and the control switch bringing in the other solenoid to go to level. That would be a direct short to the motor.
On the trunk lock, if you are unsuccessful in picking, it can be opened another way so as not to damage anything -- as long as the trunk is not full of stuff. Not the easiest but many of us in the 56 crowd have had to do it. Start by removing the rear seat and back. GENTLY release the prongs on the clips holding the decorative cardboard in the trunk so as not to damage it. Hopefully the trunk shelf is not full and cardboard can be pushed aside. Once clear, borrow or find all the long extensions for your socket wrench you can so a socket can be threaded down to the striker plate under the lock. It is held on by two bolts and once the bolts are out, the lid will open. There is a photo in the body section of SM of what you are looking for. It is toward the end in the 56 supplement section, Fig 91, adjusting striker plate.
Attach file:
(94.18 KB)
It is hard to say if you have a manual override now. It was introduced as an option in 56 but could have been installed on a 55. On a proper factory type install, there would be a small black handled toggle switch at the extreme left under dashboard edge to turn the entire level system on or off. That would have been on all TL equipped cars. The factory manual override would have been a 3 position push pull switch mounted vertically next to the toggle switch. Center would be normal operation, Push the knob up to raise, pull it down to lower. The switch was not spring loaded and would have stayed in whatever position until it was changed by the operator. If you have something different then it will be a matter of chasing wires to see what was done.
You can use the manual override without the control box but, like the control switch it must be wired to go thru the limit switches. On the 55, the limit switches are both in a single squarish box directly connected with buss bars to the motor drive solenoids. The switch and solenoids are on a bracket bolted to the compensator assy. Make sure that entire assy is present, intact, and not obviously bent in some fashion before anything else is done. If someone has mickey moused an override switch and not gone thru limit switches, damage can or could have resulted.
The 56 box can be used in place of the 55. Guts and electrical were identical but the wire loom needs to change a tiny bit because terminals were different. 55 had 3 exposed screws on the outside of box for regular terminals. 56 switched to bullet type connectors and placed them in a weather tight enclosure. 56 limit switches were different so there are some extra terminals inside the enclosure to tie those into the circuit. The extra terminals are not used if the box is installed on a 55 -- just the terminal ends change.
The original control box used resistance wire heaters bending bimetal strips for the 7 second time delay before the motor would activate. They are not polarity sensitive.
Solid state boxes eliminate the heaters and bimetal stuff to just use a modern integrated circuit timer chip to control the delay. The conversion will work just fine but the one thing you have to make sure of is polarity. The people making the solid state conversions do not state if the boxes are polarity sensitive or not. Since they don't, you need to make sure the box you order is right for your car.
If the car is stock, 55 used a positive ground and if you are going to keep it stock, order that one. 56 changed to negative ground so if you contemplate changing to accommodate modern neg ground accessories, then order accordingly and make all the changes at one time. Most all solid state items are polarity sensitive and once installed will be damaged if later connected incorrectly.
If the control box is missing chances are the connecting linkage is too so you will have to find a rod and turnbuckle assy to connect the switch lever to the drive lever mounted on the long bar. You could make something but it needs to be proper geometry and adjustable since that adjustment controls the height.
Here is a complete schematic of the 55 TL system and a second copy with the override switch properly installed. Note the factory switch is a 3 position switch with the center terminals providing the original wiring connection to enable normal operation. When over ridden, the center terminals break the connection so control switch has no power and cannot operate. At the same time, depending on direction, the switch connects one or the other direction terminal at "A" or "B" to ground provided thru the switch case. Motor will run until the limit switch activation is reached. You can manually stop at any point but the normal on/off switch must be turned off so the system doesn't automatically bring the car back to level. If a different over ride switch is used that does not have the center disconnect portion you MUST ensure the control switch has no power when manual is chosen. Not doing so could result in one switch controlling a solenoid for manual direction and the control switch bringing in the other solenoid to go to level. That would be a direct short to the motor.
On the trunk lock, if you are unsuccessful in picking, it can be opened another way so as not to damage anything -- as long as the trunk is not full of stuff. Not the easiest but many of us in the 56 crowd have had to do it. Start by removing the rear seat and back. GENTLY release the prongs on the clips holding the decorative cardboard in the trunk so as not to damage it. Hopefully the trunk shelf is not full and cardboard can be pushed aside. Once clear, borrow or find all the long extensions for your socket wrench you can so a socket can be threaded down to the striker plate under the lock. It is held on by two bolts and once the bolts are out, the lid will open. There is a photo in the body section of SM of what you are looking for. It is toward the end in the 56 supplement section, Fig 91, adjusting striker plate.
Attach file:
(94.18 KB)
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