Guide: Making A Trip Computer Stalk

[Chris]

Right first off you'll need;
A wiper stalk in which to install the button.
A headlight stalk to take the button assembly and contacts out off
A dremel
Soldering iron
Wire
Pliers/Side cuts
Flathead screwdriver

Headlight stalk

Step 1
Diss-asemble the case, discard the top and bottom covers





Step2
Remove the contacts from the stalk, dont worry about damaging the pins they'll be removed later. Discard the casing they came from.





Step 3
Take the stalk part and remove the white cap from the bottom of the button movement, Ive found side cuts are best to do this with. Be careful not to bent the pin its connected to or damage the cap itself.
Remove the button and retain the spring and white cap.
Discard the stalk.





You now have all that you require from the headlight stalk.


Wiper stalk

Step 1
Remove the top cover from the stalk





Step 2
remove the twisty part of the stalk by removing the metal column that it clips into.
A smallish flat head screw driver works best for this. the headlight stalk has the same part so may be worth practicing on that first?





Step 3
Remove the fake button, this is a push fit into the top of the stalk, This is the most difficult part to do without damaging the casing.
I found using something around the same size as the button rod to push the button out worked best but it is well secured.




Step 4
Reasemble the stalk top onto the metal inner part and insert the button and spring, and push the white cap back onto the end.





Step 5
Take the bigger contact and cut off the pin part.
You'll also need to shorten the part that fits in to the stalk itself, but not by too much as it wont be a snug fit
sidecuts should do just fine
Fit this into the housing temporally






Step 6
Remove the metal from the smaller pin thats colouered in blue.
A dremel with a cutting disc is what I've been using.
You'll most likely need to reshape the contact too and remove some more metal too (again blue) untill it sits in its slot properly and the contacts meet nicely.







Step 7
Remove both contacts and solder a wire to each
Drill a hole in the side of the casing to feed the wires through and refit the contacts.
The smaller ones is likely to need to be glued in, I used sure glue just fine.
Check the contacts and adjust as necessary.


Step 8
refit the stalk and top cover and you'll be done!
The hosing on the car for the stalk will need modifying to clear the wiring but nothing major.



DISCLAMER: This is done at your own risk and this just shows how I have carried out this modification.