1968 Dodge Coronet - Steering Column Wiring Disassembly Help Needed

[Ripstick]

Hi everyone!

It was only a matter of time before I found myself here and submitting my very first post to this forum. I recently purchased my very first vintage Mopar, a 1968 Dodge Coronet 400 project car, and have been slowly working some of the outstanding issues out over the past 3 months.

Today I hope to learn a trick from those who know a bit more than I do, as not to damage or inadvertently destroy perfectly good 50 year-old parts.

I bring you, my steering column hub assembly and wiring harness...

[Please see attached photos]

I want to refinish and repaint the two cast metal hub sections, but the wiring harness connector will not fit through the holes in the hubs. I don't have any reason to replace the original wiring, so I was hoping there was a trick to removing the metal clips from the harness connector without damaging them so that I can remove the wires from the hubs, paint them, feed the wires back through and re-insert the clips back into the connector.

Has anyone done this before with great success?

Thanks!

Rick 'Ripstick'

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Don't quote me on this, but I "think" you can pop out those terminals with a teeny-tiny flat head screwdriver from the back side. You will have to pay CLOSE attention to your pictures to put each wire back in the correct location. If it were me.... I would just tape up the wires and just paint the outside of the hubs....but I'm lazy and confuse easily.

 

[Ripstick]

I made a half-effort attempt to remove just one of the clips from the terminal connector, but it wasn't having any of that. I'm sure there is a raised nub or lip or something that I need to clear to get the wires to pop back out, but I simply cannot see or feel it.

As far as taping the wires off... well, I thought about that for a second or two -- but there is absolutely no way I am going to be able to properly juggle all of that stuff strung together to get the mint paint finish I am expecting to achieve. Although sometimes shortcuts can be misconstrued as laziness, this is definitely one situation I would have welcomed it if I felt I could have pulled it off.

 

[vintage chromoly]

There is a raised “tab” on the terminals.
Push a very small flat blade screwdriver in alongside the terminal and release the tab.
I think I pushed the screwdriver in from the plug / terminal end as opposed to the end with the wire on it.

 

[aeon280]

There is a clip on each of those pins. use an awl, pick or very small flat head to release it. it help to push the wire up into the connector a bit while simultaneously depressing the clip. Once the pin is wedged than you can pull the wire down and it will pop right out.

 

[Ripstick]

BAM! You guys are the best!!!

There are TWO (2) little metal tabs on either side of the wiring clips, BOTH of which need to be slightly bent INWARD to clear the plastic lips/nubs inside of the wiring harness connector (by use of a tiny flat bladed screwdriver from the OPEN terminal end as mentioned above)... and only then can you push them back through and out.

And now onto the fun part... prep and paint.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[493 Mike]

Use a string to pull the harness back thru. You may want to tape up the connecters to stop them from hanging up on everything on the way thru also. Doing my 1965 column right now too!
Mike

 

[moparnation74]

Make life easier and buy a terminal tool set.......

https://www.amazon.com/OTC-4461-6-Piece-Terminal-Release/dp/B008PV8F30