1957 Dial-O-Matic seat relay function | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models
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1957 Dial-O-Matic seat relay function

  • Thread starter Thread starter GABirdsall
  • Start date Start date
G

GABirdsall

Reaction score
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Thunderbird Year
1957
After an electrical fire that started with the dial-o-matic seat wiring, I'm updating the wiring on my wife's late '57 build baby bird, including adding a Classic Technologies fuse and relay panel and an additional relay panel for EFI, electric fuel pump, etc. The two Dial-O-Matic seat relays behind the seat that control up-down and fore-aft movement are toast. I'd like to replace them with the same relays and sockets I'm using for the rest of the car, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what connectors are supposed to be doing what when. My though is it will take at least 4 relays to replace the 2 originals. I'd sure appreciate any help or info anyone can provide.

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Since we are an all Ford Thunderbird site, you can omit the make & model of the car to shorten your title. Edited. Thanks for posting.
 
The wiring diagram, and the Dial-O-Matic seat regulator control diagrams below should help you figure out what each of the connectors are controlling.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

Seat-O-Matic Wiring Diagram.jpg

Dial-O-Matic 1 of 2.jpg

Dial-O-Matic 2 of 2.jpg
 
The wiring diagram, and the Dial-O-Matic seat regulator control diagrams below should help you figure out what each of the connectors are controlling.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

View attachment 21349

View attachment 21350

View attachment 21351
Thank you for the info!

I think I've got the functionality figured out. On each relay, pin 3 is 12v power to power the motor, and pin 4 is ground. Pin 1 is signal to activate the relay for travel in 1 direction, and pin 2 is input signal to activate the relay for travel in the other direction. Pin 6 is output of 12 v to power travel in 1 direction and pin 5 is output to power travel in the other, so when pin 1 is hot, the relay activates and connects pin 3 (12v in) to pin 6 (12v out) until the wafer switch breaks contact and pin 1 no longer has 12v. Similarly, to move in he other direction, pin 2 is hot and the relay activates connecting pin 3 to pin 5. It looks like the Easy Entrance Seat Relay provides 12v to the Blue wire at terminal A when in ACC or Run, and provides 12v to the red wire when the ignition is off. The 12v on red powers position 7 on the wafer switch to draw the seat to the rear-most position when you turn the key off. Is the easy entrance relay a time delay relay (did they even have those in 1957)? If not, and that position 7 wafer switch sticks, well...that might explain the burnt motor and wire harness on our car...

So 3 more questions: 1) Has anyone installed a time-delay relay in place of the OEM Easy Entrance Seat Relay? 2) Does anyone have an estimate of how long it takes the seat to travel from full fwd to full back to get the right delay on the time delay relay; and 3) Does anyone know which wires on the relays are up/forward and down/back?

Thanks!
 
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